Mad 4 Blog

Last week, we talked about the role and relevance of cold calling in the modern marketing world. Whether you’re attempting to simply establish a new business contact, make an immediate sale or get your foot in the door to form a long-term relationship, cold calling is a mode of communication that can still play a pivotal role in your process.

Here are a few more ideas to keep in mind:

4. Don’t be generic. A cold call should never come with a cookie cutter speech. Be sure you know who you’re calling by name, what their position is and what you’d like from them. By using their name and title, they will feel like you specifically reached out to them–not just whoever was the first to take your call, not just anyone with the power to sign a check. Be sure to speak to this person like they alone are of utmost importance to you for very specific reasons. And never, ever give them the impression that they’re just one among many identical cold calls.

5. Know when to let it go. Although this call might be very valuable to you, think of it from your target’s side: There’s nothing worse than being called over and over again by someone you don’t want to speak to. Calling repeatedly won’t ingratiate you to an individual who for some reason or another doesn’t seem to want to take your call. In fact, the opposite might be true: Your persistence might take you from being a neutral party and turn you into an annoyance. The fact of the matter is, someone is going to want your business or they won’t. Determining this is 90% of the battle on a cold call. Your time might be better spent elsewhere. If you feel like you’re getting the run-around rather than a firm “no,” know when to decide if this person is just being polite but will not work out.

6. Keep strict records. You should have a very thorough account of each attempt you make to reach out to a certain individual–including the time, date and the name of the person you already spoke to at their offices. You should be able to easily refer back to prior conversations and what was agreed upon—such as saying that you were told to call back on Monday morning when you spoke to someone’s secretary last Thursday afternoon. This not only conveys professionalism, but you can keep track of your attempts and stay organized despite how many calls you’re making. This data—along with notes from your call—can also be very valuable for future marketing endeavors.

Whether your cold-calling goal is to get something, sell something or just make a connection, remember one thing: Your call has already helped you increase brand awareness and let this person know that you exist. Every call you make is an opportunity to set the tone for your business and represent yourself personally as a professional as well. So even if your call may not feel successful right when you hang up, if you’ve done your job right, that call recipient may see your ad in the newspaper or run into you at a conference and remember your name and the impression you left on them. It’s a start.

In an age of mobile apps, social networking and 3-D, a technique like cold calling may seem like a nearly extinct residual from the dinosaur age of advertising. But the truth of the matter is that cold calling is simply a lost art—and it still has a valuable role in today’s marketing world.

Here are some tips to consider when considering cold calling:

1. Determine if calling is the right approach. Think about the way business is conducted at the company you’re calling. In some cases, such as when you’re calling someone who largely conducts business online, maybe an e-mail or some other form of contact is more appropriate. On the other hand, a phone call might seem more personal and engaging. You should consider your relationship with the business. Do you have a connection that you can refer to, such as mutual business partners or being members of the same organization? Having an “in” can also make your business call seem just a little more personal—which is only enforced by calling as if you were reaching out to a friend rather than sending a generic letter or sample. After all, if you consider cold calling rare these days, think of the flip side: Maybe calling your contact on the phone can actually make you stand out, if executed well.

2. Don’t delegate. There’s nothing worse than wasting your one opportunity. A professional won’t like it if they take your company’s call only to get the run-around. That’s why you or an informed member of your staff should be making your calls, not an intern or your assistant. This has the added benefit of showing this prospective customer or client that you personally took time out of your day to call because the relationship with them is important to you. If someone takes your call, they don’t want to be put on hold while someone less qualified searches for the information they’re seeking—or worst of all, be told you’ll get back to them with further materials by e-mail or mail. If all you want to do is send over samples and materials, stick with speaking to a receptionists or someone lower on the totem pole simply to confirm your target’s name, position and mailing address—and to let her know to look for your mail. Then, you can follow up with the receptionist or the recipient to see if they received and liked your materials. But if you happen to get your target on the phone, don’t cut them off by saying you’ll send along the information they actually might want. They took your call didn’t they? Talk to them.

3. Keep it brief and polite. Whether you’re on the phone with the president of a company or someone in the mail room, treat this person with respect and be sure to show that you value their time. Although some chatting and conversation is better than just jumping into your sales pitch, be sure to also get straight to the point so that you don’t wind up wasting their time–which is also a waste of your own.

Still unsure if cold calling is the way to go? Check back next week for more strategies.