Tell me more ×
Answers OnStartups is a question and answer site for entrepreneurs looking to start or run a new business. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 1 down vote favorite
1

I have collected books on the subject out the wazoo and they aren't helping. Most of them assume that you're already a sales person, or you have a corporate career background related directly to your targets (IE, you're a former marketing person calling marketing departments). I have neither, although I have deep experience and a wealth of knowledge in the industry that I want to call into.

I'm looking either for specific tactics that have helped some of you overcome this, or, recommendations for specific career/business coaches that deal with the challenges of cold calling.

Thanks for any help.

share|improve this question

3 Answers

up vote 1 down vote

To expand a little on the above answers, and, forgive me for laziness, to cut and paste my answer to a similar question above:

1) "First, provide value!" That is the mantra of Jeffrey Gitomer, a top U.S. sales trainer and the author of a slew of best-sellers about sales. The one generally considered the best is "Sales Bible, the ultimate sales resource" Be sure you are looking at the revised 2008 edition when you read the reviews of it on amazon.com

Let me add another book of his for you to take a look at also: "The Little Black Book of Connections." Some of it you have to take with a grain of salt, but it is an easy read and reminds one of what one needs to do.

2) FORGET cold calling. It is a demoralizing waste of time. Think about how to provide people value. Think about asking questions (survey, poll). Think of using videos on your website.

Again, let me add another reference for you. If you must, at least upgrade from cold calling to warm calling,i.e. having considerable information about someone before you call. My recommendation here is: "Take the Cold out of Cold Calling," by Sam Richter (believable rave reviews on Amazon.com).

3) Jeffery Gitomer says the business owner has to be the key salesman. Nonsense! Bruce Henderson, the founder of Boston Consulting Group, BCG, today with 4,800 consultants in 41 countries, is just one of a zillion examples. He was so bad at direct, belly to belly sales, that senior partners would go white with fear when he wanted to accompany them on a sales call.

But he had some brilliant marketing ideas, executed by others.

4) Consider dealing the sales out.

4.1 - You find a company with an existing customer base and suggest a strategic alliance. It adds your services to its product offering.

4.2 - You find commission salesmen. Get creative here. Think outside the box for where you could find people who would enjoy helping your business grow. How about someone who is retired and bored?

4.3 - You focus on on-line lead generation.

4.4 - You form an advisory board of directors for your small company. You are looking for senior, experienced mentors who have connections to your marketplace. They help you arrange presentations ("first, provide value") to get you in front of prospective future buyers.

I could go on, but Jeffery Gitomer does it better. Also Google his free weekly E-zine, Sales Caffeine.

Regards, JH

share|improve this answer
up vote 0 down vote

"I have deep experience and a wealth of knowledge in the industry that I want to call into."

(Then why aren't you networking in it? Doesn't every industry have it's inner circle? It seems that finding the strategy to have people recommend you because it makes them look good is what's going to validate you. no?)

share|improve this answer
The addition to that quoted sentence is ... and a fairly dead network. I contracted for years through a bunch of smaller companies (due to the local market, that's the only work I could find) so I literally have no current network. – user2757 Aug 13 '11 at 3:33
Same answer... if it's small and local then I bet you could meet 50-100 people in a week. – Randy Sep 14 '11 at 22:23
Same answer... if it's small and local then I bet you could meet 50-100 people in a week. Don't sell on a cold call..give. Perhaps you could have a free, short, lunch seminar and your cold calls could only be about getting permission to send an email or letter about your event. I do not like sales books. They don't offer actions points. They are, like most business books, a brochure to sell consulting. Show me the ones where the reviewer says "this book made me money" instead of "must-read", "easy to digest", "great purchase", "enjoyed it", "must read". Please – Randy Sep 14 '11 at 22:33
up vote 0 down vote

This seems like something a trip to the library or Amazon can solve. Cold Calling Book

There are tons of books on sales techniques, and even specific to cold calling. You can get a ton on amazon for dirt cheap. Skim through them, make notes of your own and devise a plan.

You can also use outsource cold calling companies that will set appointments up for you. Might be an option. I'm considering using a Malaysian company for under $2,000 a month for a full time telemarketer for a new product of mine. They work with you to build the script, they call 8 hours a day ~ 200 calls and set appointments for you to close them.

But, buy some books on the subject. In general great sales books are: Jeffery Gitomer

share|improve this answer

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.