Ignore every stigma you’ve ever heard about cold calling. People still love hearing from a real person! Here’s how you can turn your COLD calling into GOLD calling, and in the process create a lucrative source of new business for yourself and your company.

Why should you consider cold calling?

Some years back, I interviewed master graphic designer, Debbie Millman. I asked her how she started her business. Here’s what she said:

“To get clients, we cold called. I’m a master cold-caller as a result of that experience. We were fearless about asking people for business. And our company really got big within the first couple of years.

What about rejection?

“When I was cold calling, a lot of people weren’t interested, but I never took that as a personal rejection. I just got immune to the rejection. I began to realize it has nothing to do with me.

Basic tips to start your cold calling efforts:

• Start with your target industry. Public annual reports, product descriptions and press releases are a great place to find prospects to add to your calling list. Also, hoovers.com is a great source of prospects.
• Call outside normal hours. It’s not enough to call several times a day; that’s annoying. Instead, call early in the morning, during lunchtime or after work.
• If the person that answered the phone isn’t the one you wanted, act like that person IS the one you’re trying to reach. Instead, modify your strategy for that person. If they try to direct you to the correct person, thank them.

Are you overwhelmed by the idea of starting a blog? Let us help you. Check out our website design and blogging packages to see how easy and affordable it can be!

Add the phrase “Can you help me?” and many people will!

First off, try NOT to sound like a salesperson. You’ll have 10 seconds to catch their attention. Don’t waste it making it all about you. Say”, Hi (name), my name is (your name) from (company). I’m hoping you can help me. If I wanted to provide (your product or service) to your company, who would I need to impress to get that business?” Remember, if you sound salesy, you’re guaranteed to get a dial tone.

How do you get good clients?

More from Debbie Millman:

“Get a lot of clients. Because it’s impossible to know which of them will be good.

“Some of my best clients have come from jobs that I would have considered to be the worst. And some of my worst clients have been with jobs that I would have considered to be the best. So I think it’s very hard to determine who’s going to be a good client and who’s going to be a bad client. There’s going to be good clients and bad clients anyway, and there’s no way to project.”

Finally, shoot for the stars.

“Seriously. So many people start out by thinking about all the things that they can’t do and once you take that path, it’s very hard to get off of it. The only person that can make every dream that you want to come true is you. And if you start out with limited dreams, you’ll only achieve limited dreams. And that’s really sad when that happens.”

If you enjoyed this post, you may also want to check out these others:

The Correct Way To Use LinkedIn To Grow Your Business
Grow Your Business With Email Marketing
How to Keep Your Messages Out of Your Customer’s Spam Box
Why Should You Care About Starting A Blog?
Combining Blogging and Social Media into a Truly Effective Strategy
How To Amp Up Your Visibility With Facebook

This article is published by Will Sherwood | The Sherwood Group |Website Design | Graphic Design | Marketing Communications: The Sherwood Group has over 30 years of experience working with all sorts of companies, small and large. Our clients range from entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 firms, in nearly every business sector, from across the street to around the world (and yes, even Europe, China, and South America). Our goal is to create advertising,  graphic design, website design, and marketing communication that still looks fresh and relevant 10-15 years later. Our mission is to stir your imagination and leave your competition shaken and wondering,  Now what do we do?”  We are located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Do you need help growing your business? Click here to check out the social media marketing and website design packages from The Sherwood Group. We’ll help you capture new business and achieve your goals.

“Like” us and/or “Follow” us at these social media sites and we’ll return the favor:

LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter

Please comment. We’d like to know if you found this article informative or helpful?