The Rant: Alternatives to Cold Calling

Cold calling. Such a contentious subject.

Studies indicate the “death of cold calling.” In fact, the research shows less than 2% of cold calls result in a meeting. As reported by HubSpot, Assuming a 0.3% appointment-booking rate and a 20% win rate, it would take 6,264 cold calls to make just four sales.

Forgoing research, common sense also tells us that cold calling is dwindling away. Hey, when was the last time you saw an unknown, out-of-state number and was excited to pick it up. Did you even answer the call?

There are, of course, the staunch supporters of cold calling. These are the people that vehemently oppose the scrutiny that cold calling is a thing of the past and justify why it’s right to call people out of the blue. Some professionals even call it criminal negligence to suggest to salespeople that they no longer need to make cold calls…

While I admire the tenaciousness of these brave souls, most people don’t have the time for unwanted interruptions.

And for those companies that have auto dialers that regularly call with taped messages, I will never purchase your services or product. Please put the opt-out option in your first sentence.

Before diving into that list of cold calls, please consider the following reasons they should be placed at the bottom of your to-do list:

• They’re a thing of the past. Calls are screened, voicemails deleted, and the chance of success is slim.
• They’re a waste of time for the sales representative and the majority of people that answer the call.
• They’re disruptive and found as an imposition.

While cold calling diminishes goodwill, other options help to build trust with prospective customers.

• Build a customer base by engaging your audience on social media.
• Be the expert in your industry. Resolve your prospects’ problems through blog writing, by joining LinkedIn groups and responding to questions, and by sharing relevant content. Reportedly, 70% of people make purchasing decisions to solve problems.
• Use CRM system information to provide justification for making sales calls.
• No one likes listening to a written script. Personalize every call you make to your prospects.
• Send follow up emails to those prospects who haven’t yet purchase. 63% of people requesting information on your company today will not purchase for at least three months – and 20% will take more than 12 months to buy.

The employees of Laser 1 Technologies strive to be an informational resource to clients and prospects. Our goal is to provide content and solutions that are aligned with your greatest challenges.

Isn’t that what you’re looking for in a manufacturing company?

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