5 Reasons Experienced Salespeople Should Cold Call
Lots of businesses insist that novice salespeople cut their teeth by cold calling.
Their jobs are to prospect, qualify buyers and to set appointments that the more experienced “pro’s” go out and see.
Presuming the initiates pass muster, they’ll graduate to the ranks of regular sellers and it will then be their opportunity to run the leads others set for them.
You see this pattern in financial services, real estate, and insurance, to name just a few industries.
There are five reasons I believe EVERYONE should cold call, at least occasionally, and this includes SALES MANAGERS.
(1) Cold calls build confidence. Nothing is the mother’s milk of selling, like self-confidence and swagger. Winners exude it, and by making successful cold calls, you’ll earn this money-making aura.
(2) Cold calls build sales. Cold calls, properly deployed, build NEW BUSINESS. Nearly anyone can up-sell or cross-sell an existing account, though too few do. But the real dough is in adding new clients to the books, whose upside potential is great.
(3) Cold calls build independence. Assemble a decent list, get on the phone, and you’re half home. You don’t have to depend on direct mail, space advertising, trade shows, or gosh forbid, the iffiest leads that come from articles and publicity.
(4) Cold calls build character. You’re in the ring
(5) Cold calls build futurity. With fresh accounts, you’re at the very beginning of their expected “life cycle,” not in the middle or end, and therefore, they’re worth more than your current book
Finally, and you can make this number six if you wish, but I believe it is even more important than the previous five points:
COLD CALLING FIGHTS COMPLACENCY.
Experienced salespeople are their own enemies. Most retire on active duty, seeing only those buyers that are “lay-downs” or “walk-ins,” the ones that are pre-sold or so docile that it’s like shooting fish in a barrel.
That won’t work in cold calling.
The best reward is that you’ll stay at the top of your game, close additional business, and not lose deals to more aggressive competitors.
Dr. Gary S. Goodman is the
best-selling author of 12 books and more than
a thousand articles. His seminars and training
programs are sponsored internationally and he
is a top-rated faculty member at more than 40
universities, including UCLA Extension, where
he has taught since 1999. Dynamic, experienced,
and lots of fun, Gary brings more than two decades
of solid management and consulting experience
to the table, along with the best academic preparation
and credentials in the speaking and training industry.
Holder of five degrees, including a Ph.D. from the
Annenberg School For Communication at USC,
an MBA from the Peter F. Drucker School of Management,
and a law degree from Loyola, his clients include several
Fortune 1000 companies along with successful family
owned and operated firms across America. Much more
than a “talking head,” Gary is a top mind that youʼll
enjoy working with and putting to use.
He can be reached at: gary@customersatisfaction.com
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