Just a note on Cold Calling

[K2012]

There has been much said on here regarding this topic of late with many people for and many people against, that's normal (Democracy)

Now for the truth, in my business 70 - 80% of the business comes from this and does it work? yes it does work and I don't think anybody should be reading a sales book on "How to" do it.

The secret for success on a Cold Call is simple I go by 4 simple rules, follow these if your stuck.

1) Passion
2) Knowledge
3) Having the goods / inventory of whatever it you sell
4) Agree the next steps, in your favour

It really is that simple and there is call nerves I know, but you get over them.

I mainly struggle theese days with finding the data to call.

Have a great Friday and come follow me on twitter,

Kev

 

[Mark Rosebury]

I agree cold calling can work. When people cold call us I don’t mind, what I do find annoying is when people start on a 15 min sales pitch and you can’t get a word in. Tell me who you are and what you do, if it’s something interesting or something that would be beneficial I’ll ask for more info.
This is what I do when calling people, 98% of people we contact want more info which is given over the phone and followed up by e-mail or post.
Mark

 

[vvaannmmaann]

Kevin,don't ever ring me,or you will hear my passionate response.

 

[patientlady]

Kevin,don't ever ring me,or you will hear my passionate response.

Just had my daily fix

 

[vvaannmmaann]

I do what I can.

 

[K2012]

I doubt I would ring you I only target companies with relevent TO.

Kev

 

[Tej]

I doubt I would ring you I only target companies with relevent TO.

Kev

LOl....

How do you know he does not meet your criteria?

Guess your point 4 must be hard

What is your business as a matter of interest.

 

[K2012]

I don't have a clue what he does but the reply to my original post was unnecessary and pointless.

It neither helped nor advised anybody for the greater good of advice, which is what this forum is about. It was a comment of mere school boy sad antics. In short "Pathetic"

Kev

 

[PewPew]

I don't have a clue what he does but the reply to my original post was unnecessary and pointless.

It neither helped nor advised anybody for the greater good of advice, which is what this forum is about. It was a comment of mere school boy sad antics. In short "Pathetic"

Kev

You were also asked about the nature of your business, and this forum is about questioning others about their businesses, potential businesses or finding advice on how to run a business.

On a more relavent note though;

I don't particularly like cold-calling, but the majority of cold-calling that I get is from Indian/African call-centres attempting to sell me mobile phone contracts, insurance or something similar to that.

I don't mind it if their based in England, so that I can understand them clearly, it usually depends on how friendly the "hello" sounds, if they sound desperate to sell something, I'll usually tell them where to stick their product and never call me again, but if they sound friendly, I'll listen.

It all depends on the first thing you hear on the other end really.

 

[RJS]

I'm glad it's working for you but think you're advice lacks substance and saying "don't read" is like saying you're not open to learning. All of us can always learn to be better at what we do? What you suggest is cold calling isn't a skill and can be delivered using your points you mention.

Cold calling has changed to the extent that your objective is simply to start a relationship with a view to gaining enough trust for a second call to take things further. You need to work on an opening statement and the value you're adding. This is difficult because you only get a short period to deliver this info. It's not as easy as it looks - I've been learning the process for a good few months and only now feel like I have a confident script to use. I don't read it word for word, it's used as a guide but my first attempts simply didn't cut it no matter how much passion I'd put in!

It really isn't as simple as you suggest.

You know what, I'd be interested in a rough outline of the conversation you have - how do you open and deliver the value? Maybe you're lucky enough to just know the way of the cold call from the off?!

 

[vvaannmmaann]

I don't have a clue what he does but the reply to my original post was unnecessary and pointless.

It neither helped nor advised anybody for the greater good of advice, which is what this forum is about. It was a comment of mere school boy sad antics. In short "Pathetic"

Kev

I was trying to be polite.The last time this subject came up I suggested the OP should burn in Hell.
Then it all kicked off.

 

[KDMINX]

Some people always bash Cold Calling but if it's done correctly it works well and you form long term, mutually beneficial relationships.

I’m always polite to cold callers, even the bad ones. I find out what their product / service is, qualify if it fits with my objectives in the short or long term, then move forward to a meeting or not. Takes about 30 secs to 2 mins max.

I’m still astonished when people say they’re not interested when they don’t know what they’re not interested in! How do these people stay in business?

That all said I’d never buy anything over the phone, if you can’t come and meet me I can’t be your customer.

 

[Lorro2]

I always send a £10 invoice to the cold calling company for wasting my time. Also cold calling is associated with rogue traders, rip off merchants and criminalilty and would like to see it completely outlawed. Finally if you are a successful business you will not need to cold call.

 

[telemax]

I always send a £10 invoice to the cold calling company for wasting my time. Also cold calling is associated with rogue traders, rip off merchants and criminalilty and would like to see it completely outlawed. Finally if you are a successful business you will not need to cold call.

Ahh we have another marketing guru here!!

 

[RJS]

I always send a £10 invoice to the cold calling company for wasting my time. Also cold calling is associated with rogue traders, rip off merchants and criminalilty and would like to see it completely outlawed. Finally if you are a successful business you will not need to cold call.

If you're talking about business to consumer then I agree - it's a bit out of order to disturb somebody in the comfort of their own home.

But if you're talking about business to business then I'm amazed that you spend time invoicing for something you'll never get paid for and your attitude really suprises me if you're in b2b sales..

If someone cold calls me and does it well - i.e. short and to the point with an easy way for me to tell if their service is of relevance then I have no problem at - that's business and I may actually be able to benefit from their service by saving money or improving service. If someone is genuine and interested in understanding my business long term (you need to build trust) then great.. If they have the get up and go to make a call then maybe they'll have the same tenacity towards assisting me..

If somebody is pushy or insincere then it's pi**es me off.. All this "how are you today?" crap is just wasting my time..

 

[Tej]

I always send a £10 invoice to the cold calling company for wasting my time. Also cold calling is associated with rogue traders, rip off merchants and criminalilty and would like to see it completely outlawed. Finally if you are a successful business you will not need to cold call.

I don't agree.
Telemarketing Companies have their uses... most of them do a very good job

 

[Snap Executive]

Finally if you are a successful business you will not need to cold call.

Bulls**t

I would bet that most "successful" businesses have a proactive and tenacious sales force at the heart of their business development activity. Don't be such a grumpus!

Cheers
James

 

[sysops]

I don't have a clue what he does but the reply to my original post was unnecessary and pointless.

Some would argue that your original post was unnecessary and pointless...

 

[KDMINX]

I always send a £10 invoice to the cold calling company for wasting my time. Also cold calling is associated with rogue traders, rip off merchants and criminalilty and would like to see it completely outlawed. Finally if you are a successful business you will not need to cold call.

You clearly have very little business experience.

As previously stated most successful businesses have at their front line a team of dedicated tenacious and hardworking business development people.

Even the longest, highest value, business relationships often start with a cold call!

 

[carole2]

Depending on how busy I would try to take the call. I coud imagine that a lot of people work in these places as a neccessity as opposed to choice so I try to be civil if possible.

I have also used cold calling to bring companies on board. So I guess I'm saying treat others as you would like to be treated yourself.

Rs,

Carole

 

[K2012]

And if we review all these comments here I think the result is 87% for and 13% against cold calling.

Regardless if my original post was pointless or not that isn't the question I asked! so why would it be pointless when it is about a topic to do with B2B?

I agree with the latest post that most business relationships are indeed started with a cold call....

Kev

 

[sysops]

I agree with the latest post that most business relationships are indeed started with a cold call....

No frickin way! Seriously?? You agree???



I deal with over 300 suppliers, spending anything between £500 and £50k a year with each one. I've racked my brains, but I can't think of a single one that started with a cold call.

 

[mcgovern]

I always send a £10 invoice to the cold calling company for wasting my time. Also cold calling is associated with rogue traders, rip off merchants and criminalilty and would like to see it completely outlawed. Finally if you are a successful business you will not need to cold call.

What a load of rubbish!

to quote " if you are succesful in business you will not need to cold call"

what planet do you live on?

Some cold calling is a pain in the ass, a most recent cold call i recieved now have a great deal of business from ourselves, the company that rang us where offering a service we where looking for, not only could they provide the service for what we needed but where able to offer a complete service that we had sub contractyed out to various different companies.

So from a cold call they had got a majority of our business and saved us time searching for suitable sub contractors ect.

99 out of a 100 calls may be a waste of time, you know this within a few secounds, so you can make your exscuses and hang up, not all calls, cold calls are a waste of time.

 

[telemax]

No frickin way! Seriously?? You agree???



I deal with over 300 suppliers, spending anything between £500 and £50k a year with each one. I've racked my brains, but I can't think of a single one that started with a cold call.

Good for you

 

[mcgovern]

No frickin way! Seriously?? You agree???



I deal with over 300 suppliers, spending anything between £500 and £50k a year with each one. I've racked my brains, but I can't think of a single one that started with a cold call.

they supply to whom , you! if so did you contact them. I need to get on board with this telepathy sales stuff,

why do people advertise in papers, surely if they have a succesfull business then they wouldnt have to.

 

[Pap_sak]

I don't mind guy's cold calling me esp if it's business related. If its about a phone or insurance I just say "thanks, but not interested". No sweat. If it's a product I might be interested, then sure. I can think of one supplier that cold called quite a few times before ordering, and now very happy that he did - we doing a storming trade between us.

 

[MASSEY]

COLD CALLERS

The funniest one i read was some one from t-mobile selling dongles with 15 mb allowance, the bloke told her after he managed to get a word in that he didn't even own a lap top and still she persued him.

cold calling appears to be essential to most businesses

when you recieve a cold call that has no relevance to you it is just best to say thanks but im not interested and hang up, if you do not hang up they will continue.

 

[phenoptix]

I think the most important part of a cold call is establishing a need. If the client needs your service then it might be worth talking, if they don't it took all of 30 seconds and there's not much point continuing.
I worked for a FTSE 250 business and there was a hell of a lot of cold calling. You could say they were a successful business. I've not cold called in my own business since going full time last year but it's not something I'd rule out. I think it's a great way to win business. If someone calls up and can genuinely save me some cash, then I think it would be pretty stupid not to talk to them.

 

[RJS]

No frickin way! Seriously?? You agree???



I deal with over 300 suppliers, spending anything between £500 and £50k a year with each one. I've racked my brains, but I can't think of a single one that started with a cold call.

If you have enough business being generated by another cost effective medium then great, you don't need to cold call. However, what about those customers you might not reach by advertising. Maybe there's 10 customers you would like to win? Isn't it tempting to pick up the phone and have a conversation?

 

[maxine]

I always send a £10 invoice to the cold calling company for wasting my time. Also cold calling is associated with rogue traders, rip off merchants and criminalilty and would like to see it completely outlawed. Finally if you are a successful business you will not need to cold call.

What a load of utter rubbish

 

[KDMINX]

Lorro2 = Moron

 

[directmarketingadvice]

I always send a £10 invoice to the cold calling company for wasting my time.

Doesn't that result in even more of your time being wasted?

(the time it takes to send that invoice that'll never be paid)

Steve

 

[james Minion]

I believe most business can benefit from some form of telemarketing. I prefer a very targeted approach using a combination of other media in support but that is a whole other subject.

I do not understand people like Lorro2 who cannot understand it's relevance and get angry about it. Every business has to market themselves somehow and they must have used some form of marketing that could equally be considered rude or intrusive. Some tv ads are very annoying, press ads can be annoying and likewise for radio, email, even people at networking events and so on.

I think its just about keeping it as targeted as possible and being respectful of the other persons time. Explain why you are calling and what you are trying to achieve and give the person the opportunity to back out if they want to. This should mean few invasive conversations and more relationship building.

 

[Dot Design]

I think its just about keeping it as targeted as possible and being respectful of the other persons time. Explain why you are calling and what you are trying to achieve and give the person the opportunity to back out if they want to. This should mean few invasive conversations and more relationship building.

I think its depends on the approach as James has said, if you go in like a bull in a china shop and then hangup/end the call as soon as its seems they aren't going to buy/or aren't interested ie: with no respect for the person on the other end of the line then its not successful.

I've worked with Symmetry Business Marketing and they have a very good approach to Telemarketing almost to the point where a so called 'cold call' doesn't come across as cold at all.

 

[maxine]

Agree James

And a "Cold Call" can take on many styles and purposes so probably means different things to different people.

 

[Alex@AMB]

I do it, it works.

It's merely a numbers game. Throw enough **** and some of it will stick.