Cold Calls

The Art of the In-Person Cold Call

What’s old sometimes becomes new again. I go on sales calls with my team members every week. We pick a day and I accompany them on in person cold calls. Yes. That’s right, we walk into a business that we have never met before and make a sales call. Not for you? Please read on.

I work for a media company, I understand for our company and for me to survive, we must find new ways to generate revenue. Specifically, produce revenue from local business, I virtually have done this for 32 years and I still love it. And the only way to develop new local revenue, is to “dig it out of the ground”.

One day a week, I go on calls with each of my sales team members. I first demonstrate to them how to make an in person cold call. And here is how we do it:

First, we have a plan and we know who we want to call on and why. Then we produce a possible solution or a leave behind with their logo on the sales material. My sellers understand, they are to be prepared with sales materials and to also plan-out whom we will call on first, then who is next after that in a geographical fashion. By using our time wisely, we accomplish more calls and achieve better results. My sellers were skeptical at first but now they don’t want to miss a day of any week, going out on in person with me on calls.

We began doing this at the first of the year and we have developed many, many new accounts, some large some small but all are new found money. And this new revenue is money my competition is not getting or seeing. Of-course once they see the ad solution of my local client, then my competition will call on them. But since we are first at the table, we typically can keep the account.

This type of cold calling is efficient, effective and is time management at its best. Your goal of an in-person cold call is to get an appointment, get a no or make a sale.

If you decide to start making in-person sales calls that matter, just try the in-person cold call and here are my rules:

Lead with your card-Present your card and introduce yourself to the first person you encounter at the business.

State whom you would like to talk to and why (this should be the owner, marketing manager, office manager, General Manager, etc.). If you don’t know the owners name, state why you are there and that you would like to speak to the decision maker.

Be extremely nice to everyone in the business and smile. Talk to them like you would talk to your Mom, your Dad or best friend. Be genuine and be yourself.

When you get to talk to the right person, again state why you are there and ask for an appointment to come back or time to sit down and talk right then and there. Never forget, you may be talking to someone whom can say no but can’t say yes. Always be polite to this person, they can help you get to the decision maker. I call these type of people: our coach. And always be ready to sit down with the decision maker right then and there and be ready to close.

Never sell standing up, ask if there’s a place where all of you can sit down.

Never park in a prime parking spot, park away from the door.

If you present a solution, ask for the order. (Yes, that’s right, right then, on a first-time call).

If you get an immediate no, probe for a why. Sometimes, they see zero value in you or your company, but don’t take a no personally.

Always ask for a business card.

Always follow up that day or the next morning with an e-mail, thanking the prospect for their time and attentiveness.

Do take a small thank you of some kind by any business that was gracious to you and you deem a potential client.

Don’t go on Social Media to talk about a business that was rude to you.

Don’t present any type of solution you don’t believe will work for that company.

Don’t try to hit a “home run” on the first call, you are trying to establish a connection.

You do need to do a great CNA (Client Needs Analysis) but that can be done as your relationship with the client grows.

Have fun, for me Fridays are the best days to make cold calls, usually everyone is in a good mood.

Think of something entertaining to say before you introduce yourself.

To close, practice makes perfect, make cold calls every day, each week and you will get good at doing them and become a better seller.

Original content produced by Tracy C. Smith