What are your thoughts on Cold Calling?

[CarlyNewton123]

Do you cold call?

What are your thoughts on it?

How do you source your data?

Would an unlimited feed of data speed up your Sales Team?

Do you use a CRM?

Wondering what other businesses/business owners thoughts are on these?

 

[Newchodge]

You might like to look at this thread. http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/t...-and-cold-approach.368632/page-6#post-2715302

 

[AllUpHere]

Cold calling can work, but using bought data is for those who have no idea how to market a business.

 

[CarlyNewton123]

@AllUpHere What makes you feel bought data is for those who have no idea?

I think its great to buy data and/or create a call list to target the industries specific to what you're selling.

 

[CarlyNewton123]

Also thank you for the link. Great Posts!

 

[Leave it to Laura]

I believe that cold calling has a bad reputation. It might work for larger businesses that have the resources, but there are more effective online advertising methods that offer better customization, customer relations, and targeting. Cold calling has a lower than average conversion rate, and - if not done right - can hurt the reputation of the company. Hope this helps.

 

[CarlyNewton123]

I agree there are greaqt resources, but surely nothing beats an old fashioned phone call and introduction. Again, agree it has to be done the right way, but surely with training and finding the right companies to target and having the best sales people to do this, you would get great results... have you ever tried this method?

 

[Leave it to Laura]

I agree, however, if you find the right companies to target it is not completely cold. What I really meant was the "shooting in the dark" type of cold calling. If market research precedes the calls that is something that could work well. Hope that clarifies it, Carly.

 

[CarlyNewton123]

Oh, I understand what you mean. Still a type of cold call, but you know your product could work/help/benefit those on the line.

 

[garyk]

 

[christian_d]

Do you cold call?
Yes but nowhere near as often as we'd like. We're classing cold calling as telemarketing BTW!

What are your thoughts on it?
With the right data and good telemarketers, it's a gem.

How do you source your data?
Good quality data is what we need. Therein lies the big problem for us. Get it yourself from knocking doors & referrals and our return is second to none. If we purchase it - then it's a slog.

Would an unlimited feed of data speed up your Sales Team?
An unlimited supply of un-cleansed data? No, it would ruin it in an instant!

Do you use a CRM?
Yes, Act!

Hope that help you a tad!

 

[christian_d]

I agree, however, if you find the right companies to target it is not completely cold. What I really meant was the "shooting in the dark" type of cold calling. If market research precedes the calls that is something that could work well. Hope that clarifies it, Carly.

I see what you're saying but in my opinion, not strictly true. If your business hasn't called them before, despite whether or not it's decent data (M.A.N) etc then surely it's still classed as "cold". No?

 

[garyk]

I agree, however, if you find the right companies to target it is not completely cold. What I really meant was the "shooting in the dark" type of cold calling. If market research precedes the calls that is something that could work well. Hope that clarifies it, Carly.

Targeted? Yes
Cold? Yes

Doesn't matter if its *of interest* its still a cold call.

 

[Gecko001]

I had a cold call yesterday. It was the first one in maybe two years which did not get my standard answer of "I have a policy of not tec. etc. " It became apparent right from the start that he was not reading from a script and I talked to him. In fact did not need what he was selling, but I came away from the telephone with a good impression of his company and the sector in which he was trading.

You might say he did not get a sale and that is all that matters, but he also did not get a prospective customer inwardly condemning his company as just another company who uses cold callers to drum up business.

 

[CarlyNewton123]

I love this!!

I cold call and the best part of it is building rapport with other businesses, having a genuine interest in what they do and how we can both help eacother.

I think more people should give those that cold call a chance, however, I do understand that those that go straight in for the 'kill' get shot down, because of lack of knowledge or interest in the others business needs/wants.

Great response @Gecko001

 

[Mark T Jones]

Cold calling works. Fact. In a limited, small business environment the intro needs to be warmed as much as possible to make it effective.

My experience of bought-in data (admittedly I've not bought a lot) is that it is fairly under researched and generic - so only marginally better than what you can get for free.

 

[CarlyNewton123]

What about if data was screened daily and allowed you to create your own industry specific call campaigns?

 

[Closer]

Data is opportunity ..... And opportunity is never served cold,
Intro
Presentation
Short story
Offer
Close
Consolidation
How can this be wrong?.Having been in the "cold calling" industry with great success I can say IT DOES WORK when implemented properly.An average agent (dependent on product/service) will make an average of 80-100 calls a day.....a BDM will sit around 2-4 appointments a day, The maths is simple.Contact is opportunity and opportunity is all an experienced agent needs.

 

[efr8online]

Cold calling can work, but using bought data is for those who have no idea how to market a business.

Here Here!

 

[Closer]

I have over 30M contacts from an industrial deafness compensations company that closed (I bought the it equipment) It's mostly opt-in and to be honest it's "worthless" without the engine that turn both name and number into a value customer.