Let's talk sales...not the easy stuff like anticipating objections, giving choices, features, and benefits. Let's talk about something difficult: cold calling. (Next week it get's worse)
Come In Out Of The Cold
Does anyone love cold calling? I've been there. It's the worst. IT STINKS!
What you want in this call is to ask for a face to face meeting, 20 minutes, to see if there is an alignment between your product or organization and your prospect. All you get is rejection, the end around run around, "she's on another call" or "he's in a meeting and unavailable now."
What you need is to get past the gatekeeper and on the phone with that CEO/VP/PRES/Manager.
What you should be saying to that gatekeeper, aka receptionist (once you have her name) is...
"Hey Joan, would you let Mr. Jacobson know that he has (your name) on the line holding" or "Hey Rick, would you let Mr. Jacobson know that he has (your name) from the Good Sport Foundation on the line and that I am not calling to ask him for a contribution."
The rest is in the details...good details. That's where coaching comes in to play. Together my clients and I discover the details.
Here's an example:
Sammy, a professional cartoonist moved to Australia. He's in a new country with no contacts and a bunch of unpaid bills. He knew that the folks he had to speak to were creative directors in ad agencies. He applied the "Hey Joan" technique, gets THE MAN on the line and says, "As an art director, Mr. Shaw, you often have crazy deadlines for certain ads. And sourcing the right photos and getting the shoot ready can be a nightmare. I'm a cartoonist...a good one...and I can show you how we've used cartoons in crazy deadline situations. I can show you how ad agencies have used them without losing impact. When can we meet for 20 minutes to see if I am a good fit for you?"
Breaking It Down
So here's what happened in sequence:
1. Sammy put forward a realistic and isolated problem.
2. He put forward a solution.
3. He killed the objection: :"How ad agencies have used them without losing impact."
4. He offered a case study or "social proof": ad agencies have used him before.
5. He made certain the next step was in place: a meeting.
6. He was very precise about the time: "20 minutes."
Sammy prepared.
Then Sammy prepared his prospect (soon to be his client) by being precise and void of hot air.
And he displayed enthusiasm, which is always contagious.
Coaching Works, Which Brings Me To The Elephant
Many many millions of Americans have never seen an elephant. That's why circuses keep coming back. That's why the same old elephant walks serenely confident that among every bored group of people who say, "that's just an elephant," some eager voice will shout, "Oh! THAT"S an elephant!"
And so when you talk your business you are not talking to a grandstand, but rather to a parade that is constantly moving with new faces - new buyers - coming into the picture every day.
Come In Out Of The Cold
Does anyone love cold calling? I've been there. It's the worst. IT STINKS!
What you want in this call is to ask for a face to face meeting, 20 minutes, to see if there is an alignment between your product or organization and your prospect. All you get is rejection, the end around run around, "she's on another call" or "he's in a meeting and unavailable now."
What you need is to get past the gatekeeper and on the phone with that CEO/VP/PRES/Manager.
What you should be saying to that gatekeeper, aka receptionist (once you have her name) is...
"Hey Joan, would you let Mr. Jacobson know that he has (your name) on the line holding" or "Hey Rick, would you let Mr. Jacobson know that he has (your name) from the Good Sport Foundation on the line and that I am not calling to ask him for a contribution."
The rest is in the details...good details. That's where coaching comes in to play. Together my clients and I discover the details.
Here's an example:
Sammy, a professional cartoonist moved to Australia. He's in a new country with no contacts and a bunch of unpaid bills. He knew that the folks he had to speak to were creative directors in ad agencies. He applied the "Hey Joan" technique, gets THE MAN on the line and says, "As an art director, Mr. Shaw, you often have crazy deadlines for certain ads. And sourcing the right photos and getting the shoot ready can be a nightmare. I'm a cartoonist...a good one...and I can show you how we've used cartoons in crazy deadline situations. I can show you how ad agencies have used them without losing impact. When can we meet for 20 minutes to see if I am a good fit for you?"
Breaking It Down
So here's what happened in sequence:
1. Sammy put forward a realistic and isolated problem.
2. He put forward a solution.
3. He killed the objection: :"How ad agencies have used them without losing impact."
4. He offered a case study or "social proof": ad agencies have used him before.
5. He made certain the next step was in place: a meeting.
6. He was very precise about the time: "20 minutes."
Sammy prepared.
Then Sammy prepared his prospect (soon to be his client) by being precise and void of hot air.
And he displayed enthusiasm, which is always contagious.
Coaching Works, Which Brings Me To The Elephant
Many many millions of Americans have never seen an elephant. That's why circuses keep coming back. That's why the same old elephant walks serenely confident that among every bored group of people who say, "that's just an elephant," some eager voice will shout, "Oh! THAT"S an elephant!"
And so when you talk your business you are not talking to a grandstand, but rather to a parade that is constantly moving with new faces - new buyers - coming into the picture every day.
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