Letters of Introduction and Cold Calling.
Discussion
Depends on the industry and level you sell to, but this is quite good:
www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0312195222/qid=1146920131/sr=8-3/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i3_xgl/202-5117426-6593436
www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0312195222/qid=1146920131/sr=8-3/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i3_xgl/202-5117426-6593436
Don't let people put you off cold calling - companies need suppliers as much as customers.
A few things to bear in mind:
1) The purpose of CC is to 'generate enquiries', not get order (generally).
2) Measure everything - the number of calls, the number of enquiries, the level of follow-up, conversion rates, length of time on phone, etc.
3) Once you've got a decent sample sales become quite predictable.
4) Telesales staff should believe in the product. They should have the attitude, 'you must be mad if you're not interested'.
A few things to bear in mind:
1) The purpose of CC is to 'generate enquiries', not get order (generally).
2) Measure everything - the number of calls, the number of enquiries, the level of follow-up, conversion rates, length of time on phone, etc.
3) Once you've got a decent sample sales become quite predictable.
4) Telesales staff should believe in the product. They should have the attitude, 'you must be mad if you're not interested'.
I hate cold callers, they're a bloody nuisance. If someone wants to sell my little company something then their best bet is to send some info in the post.I always look at stuff that comes in the post (as long as it has some kind of relevance), but as soon as I realise that I'm getting a cold call then the call is terminated, usually with me saying something along the lines of "no thanks, but thanks for calling anyway" (I wonder how many realise that I'm being sarcastic?)
singlecoil said:
I hate cold callers, they're a bloody nuisance. If someone wants to sell my little company something then their best bet is to send some info in the post.I always look at stuff that comes in the post (as long as it has some kind of relevance), but as soon as I realise that I'm getting a cold call then the call is terminated, usually with me saying something along the lines of "no thanks, but thanks for calling anyway" (I wonder how many realise that I'm being sarcastic?)
ditto, we used to try and be polite, but it's got to the point now where we are possibly loosing sales because all the bloody phone lines are tied up with cold callers. They tend to be dealt with by requesting they never call us again. One company we used to actually deal with we no longer do because of the quantity of calls.
OTOH, if we get (appropriate) mail through it's something to put on the pile for a time when we are not too busy, then read at leisure.
We have sent out about 2500 letters this year, each one has been followed up with a call. We have so far managed to speak to about 1500 of the people we want to from the list. Wehave another 500 letters to send and so with the follow ups we should double the figures below.
This has resulted in about 25 meetings (so far, there are more in the diary) with 20 or so proposals going in.
We have a 6 month sales cycle so I'm not expecting to close anything until june, however we are looking at around £200ks worth of work (I know we won't get all of it). This is in addition to the other work we would have go via other channels.
So it does work, although it is hard work.
D
This has resulted in about 25 meetings (so far, there are more in the diary) with 20 or so proposals going in.
We have a 6 month sales cycle so I'm not expecting to close anything until june, however we are looking at around £200ks worth of work (I know we won't get all of it). This is in addition to the other work we would have go via other channels.
So it does work, although it is hard work.
D
Hi there,
New poster here and of course i can sympathise as i indeed cold call. I work for a publishers and am fortunate to work in a very relaxed atmosphere. But if you don't give your employees the right tools then things will always go wrong. Invest in piece of software that is used for sales eg. ACT! or Outlook Express with a programme from salesforce.com integrated into it. This has basic CRM features which you're marketing depratment should be doing, then again if you are a small or medium size business you may have your sales manager also being your marketing manager. But they simply have no time to do the marketing or even manage your sales staff who more than anybody need the support and 'management' eg. motivation is key, its amazing how much better i work if other people around me are always on the phone or i really need the money that month. etc.
these programmes encourage sales staff to feel more organised with their time and hopefully have more time for the all important cold calling, which i may add i work business to business on a trade magazine so the people i deal with are MD's Marketing Directors yet i cant stand cold calling at home - i just say - i'd rather u put your efforts into someone else who wants to listen... still talk about kettle and black on my part but remember, train your sales team well and dangle the carrots and u will get results, money is the only thing driving alot of people in my office and also the fact our products are pretty damn good. But if you pay your telesales staff well in terms of commision, you will always get the sales with the right training and software..
New poster here and of course i can sympathise as i indeed cold call. I work for a publishers and am fortunate to work in a very relaxed atmosphere. But if you don't give your employees the right tools then things will always go wrong. Invest in piece of software that is used for sales eg. ACT! or Outlook Express with a programme from salesforce.com integrated into it. This has basic CRM features which you're marketing depratment should be doing, then again if you are a small or medium size business you may have your sales manager also being your marketing manager. But they simply have no time to do the marketing or even manage your sales staff who more than anybody need the support and 'management' eg. motivation is key, its amazing how much better i work if other people around me are always on the phone or i really need the money that month. etc.
these programmes encourage sales staff to feel more organised with their time and hopefully have more time for the all important cold calling, which i may add i work business to business on a trade magazine so the people i deal with are MD's Marketing Directors yet i cant stand cold calling at home - i just say - i'd rather u put your efforts into someone else who wants to listen... still talk about kettle and black on my part but remember, train your sales team well and dangle the carrots and u will get results, money is the only thing driving alot of people in my office and also the fact our products are pretty damn good. But if you pay your telesales staff well in terms of commision, you will always get the sales with the right training and software..
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