I hate to admit it, but I’m a fan of Jeff Foxworthy and his, “You know you’re a redneck if….”  Eyes on Sales has an article by Drew Stevens that puts a spin to Jeff’s famous cliche, “You might be a cold calling nuisance if…”  Drew has 10 quick tips that are great reminders that you should review before making a cold call.  So here goes, you may be a nuisance if . . .

1. You pick up the telephone and have no idea who you are calling.
2. After hello you begin with chitchat. Speak with conviction and have a purpose for every call.
3. You call and have conversations with gatekeepers. Call only decision makers. Stop wasting time with gatekeepers that are paid to detain you. Research the person you want to reach before you pick up the phone.
4. You do not know anything about the business or industry you call.
5. Start your call with information about your company. Begin your call with a purpose and a value proposition. If you cannot articulate the value to the recipient do not make the call.
6. Begin your calls with inane questions.
7. Operate each call without a clear purpose. Use a checklist for each call and have a path. A call should have a beginning, middle and an end.
8. Get over the myth that you are calling to sell something. NO YOU ARE NOT. You are simply calling for an introduction and to gain an appointment, any other reason is a mistake on your part.
9. You fear rejection. Get over it. Lead Generation whether you conduct it for your business or other complex organization is about the rejection business. In order to be successful get out of your comfort zone and deal with it.
10. Commence from call to call. I know of an organization that requires representatives make over 50 calls per day. This is unrealistic. What should be measured is not the call volume but the calls that lead to appointments. Success should be measured by quality over quantity.

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This economy has caused many companies to limit travel and rightly so.  Discretionary travel is restricted.  However, salespeople still need to get on the road and visit customers even if it is just across town.  National and international travel is still needed too.

The first, obvious reason is true no matter what the economy – there is still business to be had out there.  I think the drumbeat of negativity from the media gets many people to think outside of the right context.  The economy, slow as it is, continues to move.  Deals are being closed and products/services are being purchased.  There is no option to close down the country and everyone sit at home and commiserate with each other.

Second, there is a positive effect in traveling to see customers – you show that your company is active, alive and seeking those deals that are out there.  I have an issue with those companies who cut back, hunker down and try to wait out the storm.  An overemphasis on that approach usually leads to self-fulfilling prophesies.

I would recommend cutting back on the non-revenue generating trips (e.g. engineers traveling to trade shows) and redirect you travel budget to sales.  Have the salespeople get out there and visit customers and meet new prospects.  You might even find this economy to be a good time to grab market share while your fearful competitors fall to the wayside.

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