Definition of a "Cold Call"

[maxine]

I hear quite a lot "They have had emails/letter's so they are warm calls not cold calls" but I don't agree with this.

For me a "warm call" is where there has been some contact and the person to be called has expressed an interest of some kind. Anything else for me is a "cold call" as it is unsolicited in that the customer or prospect hasn't asked for the call.

What are your views on this?

[biomed86]

I'd agree with you maxine. A cold call is calling someone who is not expecting your call. Calling someone after a mailout is a follow up, but doesn't necessarily make it a warm call as the recipient may not have even seen your mail!

[cjd]

I hear quite a lot "They have had emails/letter's so they are warm calls not cold calls" but I don't agree with this.

They're just trying to make themselves feel better about what they do.

The letter/email would have been unsolicited too. Following up junk mail with a junk call is just doubly annoying for the recipient.

[Mattonella Tile Studio]

They're just trying to make themselves feel better about what they do.

The letter/email would have been unsolicited too. Following up junk mail with a junk call is just doubly annoying for the recipient.

I agree. Send me some information with a call to action. If I'm interested I'll follow it up. If I don't, don't ring me about it, as I'm not interested.

[Crunch Breaker]

Maxine

You are 100% spot on. A 'warm call' is in response to a sales enquiry. Everything else is cold.

Chris

[ThePublisher]

I agree. Send me some information with a call to action. If I'm interested I'll follow it up. If I don't, don't ring me about it, as I'm not interested.

But not everybody is as efficient as you, people lead busy lives and don't always get around to following things up even if they ARE interested.

I've been finding out decision makers names, putting information in the post then following it up with a call. Only on 2 occasions since the start of the year have people called me following the information I sent them. However because I'm doing low volume really targetted approaches, when I follow up, I'm converting about 20%.

I had one prospect last week who said, yes I'm interested but I lost your details, can you send me your rates again. They could be a very good customer if I can convert them, but left to their own devices, would be a customer that got away.

[GreatSEO]

Agreed

Dave

[wecandobiz]

Agreed Maxine.

Any cold call should be properly thought out. There should be prep done which means that when you call, you have some evidence that the recipient has a need for what it is you do.

I endlessly get calls from people whose services I would never ever use and they didn't do some basic research into establishing that first. These are way more annoying then the calls for a service I do use, although I may not wish to change suppliers or establish a new one.

That someone has put thought into it doesn't mean it's any warmer a call though!

IH

[SharpShooter]

Absolutely agree with you, Maxine. Warm lead or contact can only been classed as warm if they have expressed some kind of interest in the past or recently and so are ready for 'picking' or at least for further marketing and sales... Of course the other side of things is to keep the lead warm, i.e. keeping in touch, cultivating relationship, etc..

_________________________________________________
Anna Shaw Associates
Telemarketing services with a Difference! Just Google us!

[maxine]

Thanks for this everyone. I thought I was going batty as have heard this a lot lately "not cold calls as they have had a letter/email".

The comments have mostly been made by sales and marketing consultants so I wondered if some people viewed this differently but at least I know I am still on track with my thinking on this.

I should probably just file this away as another approach to try and get my cost down :)

[Rags]

I'm with you too Maxine. Just because I received a letter I didn't ask for does not entitle some to feel justified in calling me about it.

A 'warm' lead is someone who has actually taken a step towards the product/service on offer.

[othellotech]

But not everybody is as efficient as you, people lead busy lives and don't always get around to following things up even if they ARE interested.

And for as long as people buy from junk mail, junk email and junk calls the "problem" of constant bombardment with unwanted cr@p will persist.

*IF* I want your product or your service I will contact you.

Back on topic, Maxine, no they're not "warm" simply because they've been pre spammed.

[steve prescott]

A highly-targeted piece of direct mail
isn't spam. If the mailing is done properly,
and followed up by a professional
telesales campaign it can convert very
well, without annoying the prospect.

It's a fact that this approach works.
The only reason it doesn't is that
the mailing isn't targeted, the copy is
weak, and the follow up call is unprofessional.

Unfortunately, that's the way most
direct marketing is carried out. And then
companies wonder why they don't make
many sales.

Stay cool

Steve

[cjd]

A highly-targeted piece of direct mail
isn't spam. If the mailing is done properly,
and followed up by a professional
telesales campaign it can convert very
well, without annoying the prospect.

That's a bit of a belief system that we hear a lot from telesales people. But I've never seen any evidence to support it.

Can you get hold of any research to prove it to us doubters?

[Rags]

It may be targeted, it may be professional, it may convert, it may be profitable.

But it is still a cold call.

[steve prescott]

That's a bit of a belief system that we hear a lot from telesales people. But I've never seen any evidence to support it.

Can you get hold of any research to prove it to us doubters?


First, let me say I'm not a telesales person.
I learned the technique from Jay Abraham's
stuff, and he seems to know a bit about marketing.

I used it with a client selling a software package
(with continuity) for interior designers and we
got 12% of prospects to take up the offer.

But as I mentioned, all the elements need to
be in place for it to work. Targeted list, good copy
and pro telesales team. Maybe a lot of telemarketers
say they can convert, but the other elements are
weak, so the promotion falls flat on its face.

Doing it properly costs money, and a lot of companies
aren't willing to spend.

And yes, it's a "cold call in print", but it does work
when done properly.

Cheers

Steve

[Carol123]

Just for the record, the Ministry of Justice have outlawed cold calling for any of the individuals and companies that it regulates.

It is now a criminal offence to break this rule!!

I work for the Loancheck Foundation and they absolutely refuse to accept and clients that have initially been cold called.

Maybe this should become a general rule.

[cliffa]

I, as do so many others, hate cold calling! This pain in the behind method of selling, I hope, will one day cease. However, it seems to be gaining pace in the Middle East and now is being backed up with txt messages!

[Big J]

What if you have a brand new product that you believe will help the business or person? If you don't send so-called junk mail, junk email, junk phone calls, how are you going to tell them about it? Please don't say the Yellow Pages!!

[Carol123]

What if you have a brand new product that you believe will help the business or person? If you don't send so-called junk mail, junk email, junk phone calls, how are you going to tell them about it? Please don't say the Yellow Pages!!

There are lots of ways of advertising both on-line and off-line.

There is also Search Engine Optimisation.

I know of one organisation, The Loancheck Foundation, that only started trading in January 2008 and now has over 200 new clients per day being provided via the web.

They did not use any cold calling or junk-mail techniques.

[steve prescott]

There are lots of ways of advertising both on-line and off-line.

There is also Search Engine Optimisation.

I know of one organisation, The Loancheck Foundation, that only started trading in January 2008 and now has over 200 new clients per day being provided via the web.

They did not use any cold calling or junk-mail techniques.

The high rate of enquiries probably
has more to do with the financial
crisis than any marketing techniques
you use. It could be that thousands
of people are now searching online
for advice to see if they've been
ripped-off when they took out
their mortgage.

Most businesses need to market
their services, and direct mail,
when done properly, is a perfectly
legitimate and ethical way to do that.

Steve P

[Carol123]

The high rate of enquiries probably
has more to do with the financial
crisis than any marketing techniques
you use. It could be that thousands
of people are now searching online
for advice to see if they've been
ripped-off when they took out
their mortgage.

Most businesses need to market
their services, and direct mail,
when done properly, is a perfectly
legitimate and ethical way to do that.

Steve P

I would normally agree.

However, when Loancheck commenced trading in early 2008 very few people realised that they were being ripped off (amazing to think such nowadays) and further, since then several "me too" firms have mushroomed but Loancheck have always remained at the top of the tree.

Whilst I agree that direct mail has its place, online Search Engine Optimisation targets directly those people who show an interest in your service offering and of course, results can be tracked.

[steve prescott]

Whilst I agree that direct mail has its place, online Search Engine Optimisation targets directly those people who show an interest in your service offering and of course, results can be tracked.

PPC directly targets prospects and results can be tracked.
Direct mail from an opt-in list directly targets prospects and results can be tracked.
Email marketing from an opt-in list directly targets prospects and results can be tracked.
An ad in the right publication directly targets prospects and results can be tracked.

Other techniques work just as well as SEO, and often much better. By putting people off other marketing methods you could be seriously hampering that person's chance of growing their business.

Cheers

Steve

[wecandobiz]

This is truning into an interesting discussion of what is better than what. Butthe truth is that ALL methods of lead generation should be used.

It's rare you'll get higher value sale without dialogue of some sort. Counting clicks to your website or opens on an e-mail isn't dialogue. Both are great marketing tools, but it's discussion that will help expedite the sale. That's what cold calling has existed for as long as it has, as it gives the chance to help find a need, develop it and pitch a bespoke solution.

I do believe that social media is a valid alternative to cold calling though. Things like Twitter and WeCanDo.BIZ help get the conversation going with someone who has stated a need. With the relationship warmed up, you can then move to the phone or face to face to complete the process.

Any internet marketing "experts" who don't position social media as part of the mix are doing their customers a disservice.

IH

[steve prescott]

Butthe truth is that ALL methods of lead generation should be used....

Any internet marketing "experts" who don't position social media as part of the mix are doing their customers a disservice.

IH


Right on... Use everything at
your disposal to get better
results. Thanks for the post.

Steve P