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Cold Calling: I know I have interrupted you but... (insert wise conclusion here)
Tibor Shanto (http://sellbetter.ca/) coined the phrase "interruption marketing" about cold calling. Whomever is on the other end of the line has after all been involved in something else. They were not just sitting there waiting for your call.
What would you say to capture the interest of a prospect and engage them in conversation that is headed in the right direction?
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4 Answers
"Hi Mr. Perkins! My name is Lt. Brown with the (Boston area) fire department and we need to talk about your garage.” I certainly hope it never happens but I’m betting you would take the call.
"Good morning Mr. Perkins! Michael A. Brown calling from the Massachusetts / New Hampshire Lottery Commission and I have good news for you, sir!” Take the call?
Net: let’s not rule out “interruption marketing.” But by all means, let’s do it right and respectfully. Homework first to find a relevant event in their business life about which to propose a conversation. Truthful, compelling “reason for my call” based on them, not us. Request OK to continue.
"I know you were not sitting there waiting for my call Mr John Doe and I do respect your time so let's make an up-front contract. Give me 5 minutes of your time right now and at the end of 5 minutes if you see value in what my company provides, you will invite me back for a scheduled appointment (phone or in person). Out of respect for each other's time we will go our seperate ways if you do not see a fit. Agreed?"
Up front contracts are a part of the David Sandler sales methodology and they work very effectively in technology selling. (book - You Can't Teach a Kid to Ride a Bike at a Seminar)
@Joanne - I like the idea of referrals but I wonder: is it realistic that one can get referrals in the kind of volumes needed to support healthy business growth? Clearly you would need to make less calls to get the same results, but there must be a lot of front loading work involved too. For the sake of our Focus readers, can you elaborate on how sufficient numbers of referrals are acquired?
@Paul - The idea of a contract is good, and respect is always welcome. When I think of how I would feel about this approach, it still leaves me feeling less than enthusiastic. In other words, if I am a busy executive, I want to know within a few seconds (not 5 minutes) that you've got something I would be stupid not to explore with you. What would you say that would strike a nerve and really capture my attention?
A cold call means you call someone who does not know you and is not expecting your call. Yes, you are definitely interrupting the person. I don't make cold calls, so I can't suggest anything you would say.
Think of the opposite sales technique--referrals. When you receive a referral introduction, the sales prospect knows you and expects your call. You enter into an immediate conversation and collapse your sales process. Get referrals, and watch your sales soar!
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