User Comments

1. 

   1/31/08

   ViciGuy

   Well... I own a start-up magazine. (Yes I know print is a dying world, we can talk later about our long-term plan if you'd like). I am usually a sales callER not a sales callEE, so I can only speak from that perspective. And no - the following is not a sales pitch, so feel free to read on with ease.
   
   I coincidentally just made a post along the lines of this topic on my blog about 22 minutes ago, so it's fresh in my mind. viciguy.blogspot.com/2008/01/pair-of-thoughts-on-global-improvement.html
   
   I own a magazine of sorts. I make many, MANY phone "sales calls" in the course of a year. I think it's a shame that this function (i.e. cold calling) across many industries is entrusted to the less-than-capable callers we've all received calls from - some more often than others. I LIKE selling over the phone. You learn from and connect with new, exciting, high-powered people. The connections are efficient - you only have one chance to break through the "noise," say what you're saying, and demonstrate perceived value. I'm considering writing a book on the topic (not b/c I think I'm close to the best, but b/c I think it's an art form through which I enjoy expressing myself. That sounds like BS. It's true.)
   
   Too often have I submitted a sales email to the ever-popular "marketing@companyx" or "proposals@blahblahblah," only for them to be vaporized in a bottomless black hole. Plus, even if it's an individual's email - if they're close to upper management, how many emails do they get in a day? More than they read.
   
   Sure, maybe you "annoy" a couple of a people who were engulfed in a creativity cloud when you happened to ring them. Big deal. Make sure the people you're calling are the right people at the right company. Then make it a numbers game and "smile and dial."
   
   People buy from people. Not from emails.
   
   - Kevin

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2. 

   2/01/08

   completebizsystems

   Hi Kevin,
   
   Thanks for weighing in on the cold call.
   
   I read your blog and liked what you had to say on the subject.
   
   I completely understand where you're coming from because of my previous employment in sales. I remember what it was like trying to "meet my numbers" and making cold calls were tough at times, but many times I met wonderful people through my sales calls.
   
   I also agree that most of the people that need to hear your message aren't accessible any more. I believe it to be from the barrage of telemarketing calls from people who don't know what they are doing and are just reading from a script in a monotone voice
   
   Thanks again for contributing!
   
   Joanne

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