Cold Calling Effectiveness...

Most people in network marketing have had some experience with cold calling. Just to so we are on the same page, I will define cold calling and either you agree or disagree. By definition and according to Wikipedia, cold calling is the process of approaching prospects or clients, usually using the phone, who were not expecting an interaction. The word "cold" is used because the person receiving the is not expecting a call or has not specifically asked to be contacted by a sales person, meaning you.

For many salesreps, the telephone has posed challenges that have driven them to stop cold calling. The reasons are:

1. Only 5% to 30% of the prospects are at their desks and answer their phones.
2. Most calling lists do not contain the decision makers correct names.
3. Voicemail is universal and blocks most calls.
4. Roughly, 30% of cold callers time is spent using the phone systems and company directories.

How successful cold callers make their sales involves four critical activities. These activities help to alleviate aggravation and investment of time. The four activities include the following:

1. Make absolutely sure you have the very best list you can obtain. The calling list accounts for 70% of the success in a campaign. Today, effective cold calling campaigns require targeted, accurate list. There is an entire industry of internet researchers who create custom lists at rates of $60 - $150 per hour, using proprietary databases and other techniques.

2. Develop a compelling voice message and call multiple times. Most sales training involves people with the practice of never leaving a voice message because they are a waste of time and money. It is absolutely false that no one will return a cold call. Recipients in greatest need of your product or service will return persuasive voice messages. Every voice message serves as a "touch". Advertising experts say it takes six to thirty "touches", such as, print ads, t.v. ads, phone calls, or letters for a prospect to take action. If an individual is not ready to respond now, he or she may respond to another "touch" in a month or two.

Each voice message is a new touch. Three companies - major national marketing firm, a 60 year old national fund management company, and an up-start regional advertising firm targeting Fortune 100 companies - can attest to the benefits of repeat calling. Each reported gaining some of their most valuable prospects after the third or fourth phone message.

3. Create a B2B cold calling department or hire an outsourced calling team. A top-tier sales person could be on the phone for five hours before getting a single qualified lead. This is a waste of time. You don't need a top-tier sales person to make calls. Callers need to know two things and only two things. One, what problems your products or service solve for the prospects and two, what makes your firm unique.

You can hire an entire team of callers with no experience in your industry to canvass prospects via the phone and hunt down hot leads. Your team of cold callers must be conversational, work without a script and sound alert for every call. Leave the technical and pricing details to the high priced sales person.

4. Create campaigns that intersperse mailings and calls. Mail prospects before and during your cold calling campaign, especially if your product or served is (a) Visual, such as advertising or promotional products, (b) Complex, such as, a technology or pharmaceuticals, (c) A mature product in a saturated market, such as printing or collections.

If the mailing piece is memorable, it will create a warmer reception for the cold caller and enhance opportunities for success.

In today's environment, planning and creative thinking result in cold calling success, and help sales professionals fill pipelines during times when referrals fall short.