Yes, You Do Need to Actually Speak with Prospects

Think of all the relationships you have with existing clients and prospects. How do you stay in touch with them?

Some you call. Some you e-mail. You probably even have a few that you only e-mail and have never actually spoken to.

In the Information Age here, it’s so easy to value convenience over genuine relationships. It works for some of your clients and prospects, so it appears like that’s a fine way to sell.

But this approach is so flawed it’s not even funny!

In a previous post, I talked about the fact that cold-calling is far from dead. In fact, it still works very well.

One of the important points that gets missed in our current sales climate is that genuine relationships built on trust are more valuable than ever. You can (and should!) use inbound marketing to form relationships with clients and prospects.

The modern consumer wants direct, person-to-person interaction. Your website, blog, and social profiles give you one way to build those relationships.

But Cold-Calling Still Works Too!

If you’re constantly leaving voicemails and never actually talking to someone though, you won’t see any results. What really works with cold-calling is actually speaking with your prospect, understanding their needs, and giving them the solution (but only if your solution is in fact a good fit).

At the AG Salesworks blog, Samantha Strong agrees. Here’s what she says:

“When you finally do talk to someone in person, don’t scare them with too much information. Entice them with your product or service, concentrate on how it can improve their specific situation, and then schedule another conversation for more information.”

That’s relationship building 101, my friend.

When you really think about human beings, we weren’t originally designed to use digital methods of communication. We’re all built to be social with one another, so it only makes sense we respond best to real, in-person contact.

So Why Do You Hear So Many People Bash Cold-Calling?

Well, it might be because this whole inbound/content marketing has now turned into “the next big thing.” Some of the people who believe in the movement have lost sight of the fact it’s really just one of many ways to attract qualified prospects.

Plus, a lot of salespeople just don’t know how to do it that well.

The lesson – hire a sales coach!  Ask them for insights into how you are pitching vs. how the best of the best are pitching. What’s your conversion rate from Dial to conversation to meeting to opportunity?

Conversations really do matter!  The more the better!