This is for my own company (if you could call it that)...I'm going to be homeless and penniless if I can't convert some cold leads. Good news is I do work best under pressure.

So, anyone here have real cold calling experience, mainly b2b sales? I need to steal hour or two of advice/pep-talk from someone with real calling experience.

I don't think I've ever NOT closed a warm lead or referral, so I'm not a total lost cause on the phones.....but these cold leads have thrown me off my game completely.

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1991 300E - 212K and rising fast...

Have you thought about asking existing customers for referrals, and perhaps offering something in return?

Secondly, Just Do It(tm). I assume that if you stuff up the first few calls, there are several thousand other people you can call. Depending on what your business is and where you're located, it may be more effective to GO to the larger potential customers, drop off a card, and chat up some people.

Did it for a while for a friends biz...


Are you going off of leads where you have info, or where you have no info at all?

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-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

I've already picked most of my previous customers referrals dry unfortunately.

I have the business owners name(s) almost always and I try to find a little bit of info on the company beforehand. FWIW...Selling website design/re-design, graphic and print services.

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1991 300E - 212K and rising fast...

Too much competiton in that sector? Buyers still not sure enough of the current economic footing to commit to very much? Maybe time to seek other venues of employment? I always kept more than one iron in the fire just in case something was falling off. Made the changes far less painful.

Back in around 1972 i talked to a guy who did cold calling "door to door" which is about the hardest kind of sales;

And he was happy, and he had a 1966 Cadillac convertible with red leather seats;

And while we rode in it, he was asked: "How can you DO such a hard job"?

And he told us this:


"The way I see it, is that each rejection takes me that much closer to the next sale."


~~~

I never forgot that. I think it was a great life lesson to hear..

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

I've got another company on the side in a totally different industry, but its going to require capital to realize any profit from the business model. This isn't the first time I've had my back up against the wall, I've just never had to resort to cold calling, but it might just be the best thing that ever happened to my entrepreneurial toolbox.


Thanks for the wisdom Jim, in between posting this I found the PeachParts of the cold calling world. Lots of amazing tips.

The goal is to make 200-300 calls tomorrow. I'll post the results back.

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1991 300E - 212K and rising fast...

Great advice!
Sales is hard, but cold calls are really hard.
However, all those old bromides ARE true--
Sales is a numbers game. Your success is directly proportional to the number of calls you make.

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

In the niche software industry that came and went and in which I had my great years, I spent some of the time in sales, but it was due to my technical understanding of the product and not my pure sales ability, and it was a good thing. I was only successful because we had great technology that offered a great ROR. If I would have had to feed my family based on my sales ability, we would have gotten REALLY hungry.

Most of the REAL in the trenches selling was done by my distributors. I provided technical expertise and deal cutting for them.

Anyway, I had a very successful distributor sales guy that, for some reason, LOVED cold calling. He never wasted a minute or a mile. When we went to major presentations and such, if he had even 15 minutes along the way to stop somewhere he'd never been before that had the slightest chance of needing our technology, he would stop.

In those days, most facilities still had receptionists and the like, so there was no email or voicemail firewall to get past. He had grown up in Ireland and the receptionists were usually mesmorized by his accent. He was a very pleasant and polite guy and never had a problem getting the receptionist to cooperate and give him all the help and information she could.

What I learned from him was that cold calling had to be approached with absolutely no fear of failure. We all know that very few cold calls turn into business, but in B2B, it usually only takes one to make it worthwhile. When he DID hit, it was usually a pretty big hit. I think that for him, it was the thought that every stop might be the one that turns up something worthwhile and the curiosity about what was behind that door, that drove him to love cold calling.

Along these same lines, several times I watched the "trail of broken glass." When a sales guy would get under pressure, he would say anything or do anything to get an order that was impossible to bring to a good ending. If the heat is on, don't let yourself fall into such a situation. Whether you're self employed or selling for someone else it will lead to disaster for you.

Best of luck and I wish I had more help to offer. Hang tough!

__________________
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2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

Good stuff Larry......

In B2B one sale can turn into decades of residual commissions from just that one account. The hard work is sometimes getting the first sale closed, then you reap rewards for a period of years if all stays on track. Knowing this, keeps you hustling. I'll be calling on an account later today that I've been selling products to for 27 consecutive years running. They were not an easy sale in 1985 - they were known as a distributor that would not buy new lines, and they still are. This actually builds your moat for you, if you can ever sell them in the first place. I happened to have a very innovative product at the time, that none of the competitors had anything like for a period of years, so I got in the door. Hence, the business grew.

One guy I called on in Mississippi 35 years ago, related a story of how when he was being trained by a sales manager that was doing the customary ride along with him, the sales mgr. critiqued his driving habit of not running yellow to red lights, as missing one or two sales calls a day because of the lost time. Ha!

I have been cold calling for 22 years and have pretty good record. When I cold call, I give my sales pitch quickly and while I'm doing that, I look around in the person's business and see what things that make them happy, like sport team stuff, pics of kids etc...
and will ask them question about those things. that disarms them and they let their shield down and then they consider me a friend that has worked for me, maybe it can work for you.

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For the Saved, this world is the worst it will ever get.
For the unSaved, this world is the best it will ever get.

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It's just numbers, John, as I'm sure you already know. You just have to keep hammering. If your product is in a niche market, your universe is somewhat finite. If you're in a business like I am, I can hit a good prospect no matter which way I turn. So, in my case, I typically make 50-100 calls a day when I'm prospecting. Every "No" is that much closer to the next "Yes."

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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

The fact that you are debt free, tells me that your advice is superior to mine.

__________________
For the Saved, this world is the worst it will ever get.
For the unSaved, this world is the best it will ever get.

Clk's Ebay Stuff BUY SOMETHING NOW!!!

One more old truth---Never Pre-judge a prospect. Give everyone the Million Dollar presentation.

Heard a story about machine tool sales--may or may not be true...At n exposition where all manufacturers and distributors set up and display and try to sell their wares, a shabbily dressed buy came in to one booth asking about a specific machine. Most of the reps suddenly became "too busy" to deal with this "nuisance", but one guy answered his questions and talked to him at length with respect--while all his co-workers were mocking him for wasting his time. Turned out that the shabby guy was really a purchasing agent looking to make a large purchase. The guy who did not pre-judge him got the order.

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

I've seen this sort of thing, albeit not to this extent, a number of times.

I've been on lots of calls and in lots of meetings with lots of different distributor sales people. It always amazed me when I saw some of them not treat EVERYONE they spoke to with respect. It starts with the receptionist. I've seen guys talk to the receptionist like she's dirt, but guess what? The receptionist is the person that can get you connected with the person you need to talk to!

__________________
2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution