The dreaded cold call!
Posted by Jennifer on August 1st, 2006
During the summer it is usually a bit quieter here and I find it is a good time to pursue new business; set-up lunch meetings with contacts or make the dreaded cold call. As I have moved up in my PR career new business has become part of my job. I have gone to conferences and meetings that have been all about searching out and securing new business – - and of course part of these programs are how to make a cold call. Now I may be one of the few in PR that does not mind making media calls; I have developed an approach over the years that is casual and to the point. I no longer script my pitches and yammer on and on to the automated voicemail, but I have never gotten comfortable with the cold call. The internet is filled with suggestions and more programs that you can buy into, but I am starting to think it must be psychological with me…I feel like a car sales man or a telemarketer when I call these people who I have never met before or had a conversation with. I have tried all the techniques that I have learned at these meetings, but I cannot get passed the image of the person I am calling with their head in their hands wondering how to get off the phone quickly and painlessly – how I must look when telemarketers call my house! How do you make a cold call, any tips you want to share – or even better success/unsuccessful stories you want to share?
August 1st, 2006 » 9:04 pm
Jennifer, my heart goes out to you. I’ve done my own cold calls in my day (largely when I was a technical recruiter), but the *worst* cold call situation I’ve been party to has been coaching political candidates on doing fundraising cold calls.
A few tips that have worked for me in both situations are:
1. Don’t do cold calls — at least not stone cold calls.
For business development, I always prefered to network at events, meet people in real life, and then follow up later with a call. Of course, this was all pre-blog days — today I’d be networking on the blogs of potential clients as well.
If you enjoy networking (real or virtual), does it make sense for you to warm up that initial contact before you have to make your call?
2. Don’t come to beg, come to help.
The difference in the dynamic is huge, psychologically.
When I’ve worked with political candidates on fundraising, I explain to them that they aren’t asking for money — what a pitiful, one-way, self-ish dynamic! Instead, they are offering their potential contributor a way to get involved in the community, make a different in a critical election, help elect someone who is passionate about the same issues, be a hero, be a philathropist: you’re offering a chance to get involved and make a difference. You’re not taking, you’re giving.
Is your cold call about making it easier for the person on the other phone to suceed in business? To make more money? To look good in their industry? To get more results with less work?
Put yourself in your (potential) client’s shoes, and come presenting a benefit, not with an alms bowl.
My best wishes to you on your business development.
August 1st, 2006 » 11:56 pm
Jennifer,
I think that Shaula’s first piece of advice is the right one.
I too hate cold calls. So I simply don’t do them.
Instead, I spend time in places where I have a chance of getting to know someone and to talk about their interests (which I share.)
This approach leads me to attend industry conferences. Not PR conferences. But the conferences that attract people from the industries in which I specialize.
For example, over the years I’ve had a number of assignments from broadcasters. I make a point of attending broadcast associations conventions and speeches whenever I can. When I meet people there I can talk to them about their interests. And from time to time, I even meet someone who is interested in what I do and who asks me for my card. Over time, people in this industry recognize that I’m making an investment in understanding their issues and their business. As a result, my name may well come to mind when they are looking for communications services. And even when I initiate the call (yes I do make “warm” calls to people I have met), I’m likely to be greeted by someone who thinks of me as a member of the broadcast community.
So, right now I’m identifying the conferences I plan to attend in the autumn. And the only chill I’m feeling is from the air conditioner, not the icy response of the person on the other end of a cold call.
August 2nd, 2006 » 12:28 am
I HATE cold calls.
I hate sales. I hate feeling like a pesky phony.
My girlfriend does door-to-door sales and loves it! I don’t know how she does it, but she is helping me hone my techniques a little.
You’ve got some really good advice going here.
I think the only thing I could add, which isn’t related much to cold calls, is form carefully how you describe your company.
Everyday (or almost everyday) you probably meet someone that asks what you do or where you work. If they haven’t heard of it, you’ll have to explain.
My job, for example does a few different types of design, as well as professional development like facilitation.
So rather than quickly explain what we do, “Yeah we do Web design and business consulting stuff.”
I try and make a convesation out of it. You never know who may be a prospective client or who knows a prospective client and might make a referral.
If you can engage the other person, give some examples of other people and companies you’ve helped and what your work does for your customers, you’ll be much better off that giving an impression like, “yeah we do Wed design and stuff. Don’t worry; it’s nothing you’d be interested in.”
August 2nd, 2006 » 3:58 pm
Thank you everyone…this is very helpful and inspiring! I plan on using all of your advice in my new business endevours. I am glad to hear that even very senior people dont like making cold calls either…a warm call is the way to go!
August 12th, 2006 » 11:05 am
I think that if you have something interesting to say and you are honest and courteous and – above all – well-prepared, cold calling needn’t be a trial. Perhaps selling in a PR story is different than cold calling for an interview (I’m a writer not a PR pro) but even when PR people are calling me there’s a noticeable difference between the best and the worst. In the first instance, it’s about good manners. “Have you got a minute to talk?” Second, it’s about making sure that the person you’re calling is likely to be interested in what you have to say – that’s about relationship and research. Third, it’s about being well-prepared so that you feel confident about what you are talking about. Absent these requirements, cold calling must be hell indeed and require a very thick skin. Just my two pennies. Your mileage may differ!
July 15th, 2007 » 5:58 am
Yeah cold calling sucks. You really don’t have to do it if you know a couple secrets though.