| I hate cold calling! Most people do. Learning to cold call | | | | your offering. So you need to go from an interruption |
| is the first step in becoming a sales professional. This | | | | to an invitation. The first time you walk in the door |
| step is usually what puts people out of the selling | | | | you're an interruption. Find a way to turn that into an |
| profession faster than anything. Let's see if we can | | | | invitation and you're on the road to sustained success. |
| find some benefits from cold calling. Then turn that into | | | | - The perfect pitch/presentation is the key. Cold calling |
| a Cold Opening. | | | | isn't the time to make your presentation it is a time to |
| Cold Calling Advantages | | | | make friends. It is time for you to put a face on the |
| - Builds a pipeline of potential prospects. When you first | | | | prospect. It is time to observe. It is a time to listen. It isn't |
| start your sales career or when you are in a slump | | | | a time to present. |
| cold prospecting can begin to build your pipeline. You | | | | Turning Cold Calling into Cold Opening |
| need to be talking to people about your business! Cold | | | | - Never sell out of bounds. If the gatekeeper wants to |
| calling gets you talking to potential prospects. | | | | know why you are there you better have a reason |
| - Teaches you to think on your feet. Nothing you do | | | | that doesn't give her an opportunity to say no. You |
| will benefit you more than putting yourself in a position | | | | must never "sell" to the gatekeeper. If the person who |
| where you have to think on your feet. Cold calling puts | | | | can tell you yes is there, make an appointment to |
| you in situations where you don't always know what is | | | | come back. Never try to sell when you are cold |
| going to happen next. I learned to think on my feet by | | | | opening! You are prospecting not selling. |
| cold calling. You will too. | | | | - Treat the gatekeeper with the love you would show |
| - Teaches you to think like your prospect. Your | | | | your mother. That gatekeeper must become your |
| presentations will suffer mightily until you learn to think | | | | friend if you are ever to get to the person who must |
| like your prospect. Cold calling puts you in a position | | | | tell you yes. Offend her and you may never do |
| where you are forced to learn to think like your | | | | business there. Love her and she will assist you in |
| prospect. | | | | getting to the person you must talk to about business. |
| - Helps you develop marketing skills. There is a vast | | | | Cold opening requires loving the gatekeeper. |
| difference between marketing and selling. Cold opening | | | | - Give value first. This begins by the way you walk |
| keeps you focused on the marketing aspect of your | | | | across the lot to the building. By the way you treat the |
| business. Because selling is completely out of bounds in | | | | gatekeeper. By the way you respect the time of the |
| cold calling. My definition of marketing is: "Building a path | | | | business owner. By your marketing message. Cold |
| so that people can find what they want/need and get | | | | opening demands that you give value before anything |
| it from you." You can't do that if you're selling when | | | | else. |
| cold calling. Cold calling is simply marketing to secure an | | | | - Leave an impression. You never want to leave a |
| appointment so you can sell. | | | | brochure. A brochure gives the opportunity to tell you |
| Cold Calling Myths | | | | no. You don't want to leave a business card. A |
| - The gatekeeper is your enemy. That is so old-school | | | | business card isn't a cold opening tool. You want to |
| selling it is embarrassing! Don't ever treat the | | | | leave the impression that you really care. The only |
| gatekeeper as an enemy. They are far too | | | | thing you ever want to leave when you are cold |
| sophisticated for that. You need that person to be | | | | opening is an impression. |
| your advocate. Without her you may never get to see | | | | Take a fresh look at your cold calling efforts. Are you |
| the person who can tell you yes. | | | | doing cold calling because your manager requires it? |
| - The potential prospect is waiting to do business with | | | | Maybe it is time to rename that "dreaded activity" |
| you. There will never be a time when the potential | | | | something that will actually help you grow as a sales |
| buyer is sitting at his desk waiting for you to arrive with | | | | professional...Cold Opening. |