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DBeavers
Advisor
Joined: 07 Jun 2004
Posts: 155
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| Cold calling vs. networking |
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I did a bit of cold calling in my early years. Didn't care for the low productivity. Learned some lessons the hard way.
For example: After calling on a new car dealer about 4 or 5 times, I learned that the person I was directed to had no buying authority. His job was to entertain salespeople, listen to what we had to offer, and keep us from seeing who we really needed to see. All that time wasted, along with the catalogs and samples that were never seen by the buyer. Ugh! 
I decided to check out the local Chamber of Commerce, and found it was worth joining for around $100 a year. At one of the first Business After-hours meetings I attended, my insurance agent, who had also ordered from me, introduced me to one of his fellow State Farm agents. Agent #2 has been doing business with me for 20 years.
Turns out by networking through the Chamber, breakfasts, lunch meetings, open houses, and evening mixers, I was getting a much better percentage of closings than from cold calling. I could also make 6 to 20 new contacts at every meeting.
Didn't take too long to find out that one of my best sources for leads and referrals to new prospects was my existing customer base. Treat people right, give them good value for their money, undersell and over-deliver, and they will remember and reward you.
I would say that I have gained more new clients from referrals than from any other source over the past two years, except for those gained through networking.
Chambers of Commerce are not the only good place for sales pros in our industry to find good prospects. (I pay for memberships in three Chambers in my area of SW Louisiana.)
I also network through:
The Louisiana Chemical Industry Alliance
Local Republican Party
My fishing club
A networking breakfast group which exists primarily as a source for generating more leads from each other.
A monthly non-denomination Christian lunch meeting
Networking can work for almost anyone in sales, regardless of product or market. I've even enjoyed some success in networking through online contacts.
Dennis Bevers
Last edited by DBeavers on Mon Apr 17, 2006 4:39 pm; edited 1 time in total |
Tue Jan 17, 2006 5:56 am |
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Mark
Site Admin
Joined: 03 Apr 2004
Posts: 135
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There is nothing tougher in sales that that dreaded cold calling. I wouldn't have the heart to do it, it seems like such a long-shot. Perhaps "seems" is too weak of a word. 
Good lesson on where to spend your energy. |
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Thu Feb 02, 2006 8:06 pm |
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kamen2006
Joined: 17 Apr 2006
Posts: 2
Location: NEW ZEALAND |
i'm a member of business networking and it works very good for me.
at least it gives you more publicity and exposure.
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Mon Apr 17, 2006 3:35 pm |
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DBeavers
Advisor
Joined: 07 Jun 2004
Posts: 155
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| RE: Networking |
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Hello Kamen and welcome to the Home Run Business Forum.
I actually received an order from NZ last year, when an online acquaintance referred them to me for some "American" style mini-footballs. Seems they only stock the mini-soccer balls for imprinting Downunder:
Networking can be the most cost effective form of advertising online or off, unless you have a product that is limited to very small niche markets.
Dennis Bevers
BASSCO, Inc. |
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Mon Apr 17, 2006 4:44 pm |
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DBeavers
Advisor
Joined: 07 Jun 2004
Posts: 155
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| Sometimes cold calling pays off! |
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quote:
Originally posted by Mark
There is nothing tougher in sales that that dreaded cold calling. I wouldn't have the heart to do it, it seems like such a long-shot. Perhaps "seems" is too weak of a word.
Good lesson on where to spend your energy.
It wasn't pure cold calling as I had met one of the employees at the local Women's Conference two years ago.
I was just following, stopping by and dropping off a catalog. Missed the Marketing people two years in a row, but left catalogs both time.
Last week, the buyer called to order 3 items imprinted with the company name/logo and contact info. So, for two cold calls in two years, I wrote up orders for 2500 hand fans, 500 collapsible can haolders (Coolies), and 500 flyswatters, for over $1500.00.
I might have to up my cold calls from 2 to 20 per year
Dennis |
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Fri Apr 21, 2006 2:27 am |
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sunbird
Joined: 21 Apr 2006
Posts: 1
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| Re: Cold calling vs. networking |
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Cold calling is not easy. It doesn't matter what product you are selling.
quote:
Originally posted by DBeavers
I did a bit of cold calling in my early years. Didn't care for the low productivity. Learned some lessons the hard way.
For example: After calling on a new car dealer about 4 or 5 times, I learned that the person I was directed to had no buying authority. His job was to entertain salespeople, listen to what we had to offer, and keep us from seeing who we really needed to see. All that time wasted, along with the catalogs and samples that were never seen by the buyer. Ugh!
I decided to check out the local Chamber of Commerce, and found it was worth joining for around $100 a year. At one of the first Business After-hours meetings I attended, my insurance agent, who had also ordered from me, introduced me to one of his fellow State Farm agents. Agent #2 has been doing business with me for 20 years.
Turns out by networking through the Chamber, breakfasts, lunch meetings, open houses, and evening mixers, I was getting a much better percentage of closings than from cold calling. I could also make 6 to 20 new contacts at every meeting.
Didn't take too long to find out that one of my best sources for leads and referrals to new prospects was my existing customer base. Treat people right, give them good value for their money, undersell and over-deliver, and they will remember and reward you.
I would say that I have gained more new clients from referrals than from any other source over the past two years, except for those gained through networking.
Chambers of Commerce are not the only good place for sales pros in our industry to find good prospects. (I pay for memberships in three Chambers in my area of SW Louisiana.)
I also network through:
The Louisiana Chemical Industry Alliance
Local Republican Party
My fishing club
A networking breakfast group which exists primarily as a source for generating more leads from each other.
A monthly non-denomination Christian lunch meeting
Networking can work for almost anyone in sales, regardless of product or market. I've even enjoyed some success in networking through online contacts.
Dennis Bevers
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Fri Apr 21, 2006 4:46 am |
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mcbeth59
Joined: 24 Apr 2006
Posts: 13
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When I was working with a certain MLM I did a lot of cold calling. I found a lot of people that didnt remember signing up for information. I also found a lot of bad numbers, and people who didnt want to sell anything to make money on the internet.
Lol... I have to say I was pretty bad at cold calling, but I gave it a good try. 
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Tue Apr 25, 2006 1:14 am |
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DBeavers
Advisor
Joined: 07 Jun 2004
Posts: 155
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| Cold calling vs. leads |
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McBeth,
Who were you cold calling? Was it possibly some names and numbers off a list of leads you had purchased?
Maybe some of those who didn't remember calling for the info were being honest. Some will harvest info off websites just to build lists they can sell to others.
If you have no control over the leads you receive, you don't really know the quality or age of the info you are paying for.
Don't be so hard on yourself.
Dennis Bevers
Last edited by DBeavers on Wed Apr 26, 2006 1:06 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Tue Apr 25, 2006 1:23 am |
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mcbeth59
Joined: 24 Apr 2006
Posts: 13
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Lol.. I know you are right. I actually did speak with a lot of nice people, even if they couldnt remember asking to find an internet business. I never had anybody be rude, and if they said they were no longer interested I just said "Thanks for your time, and have a great day!"
I wouldn't say I would never cold call again but I am trying a different method now. I am using Veretekk that creates the leads, notifies you when you get a response making the lead a premium lead, and sends replys. And it is all free! 
If you are interested in this send me a pm and I will give you the website address. It is pretty cool I have to say.
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A Great Way to Get Your Business Advertised For Free! |
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Wed Apr 26, 2006 8:40 am |
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DBeavers
Advisor
Joined: 07 Jun 2004
Posts: 155
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| Lead creation vs. lead buying |
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I've never bought leads, but have a website that generates them for me. I know they are fresh and I know they are likely to remember me, my site, and the company I promote if they receive my mailing within a week of their request.
I started generating my own leads over 6 years ago via my website. I have no experience with purchased leads, but have heard countless horror stories of people who bought leads only to find out they were:
Shared - sold to numerous other buyers at the same time
Out-of-date - Any lead that is over 30 days old, especially after it has been sold multiple times will have less value. Some may have found what they were looking for and are no longer looking, while others are fed up with their phone ringing, inbox full, and mail box filled with more offers than they wanted or expected. You may even find your email results in some of the leads reporting you for spamming them.
Non-targeted - Were you targeting people who responded to a ad for time share info, but the person had responded for something totally different. Some lead sellers will use any responses they get and compile them into lists that are unrelated.
Mis-represented or harvested - Some unscrupulous list generators will get names and email addresses by whatever means they can, including using software to harvest email addresses off forums and message boards. They then sell these lists as "safe-lists" or even double-opt in. Obviously, they aren't your primary market.
If you can't get a sampling from an unknown list source, I wouldn't recommend you do business with them, unless you have been referred to them by someone you know and respect who has gotten results using their leads.
Dennis Bevers |
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Wed Apr 26, 2006 1:18 pm |
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jjscuttrim
Joined: 25 Apr 2006
Posts: 1
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quote:
Originally posted by mcbeth59
Lol.. I know you are right. I actually did speak with a lot of nice people, even if they couldnt remember asking to find an internet business. I never had anybody be rude, and if they said they were no longer interested I just said "Thanks for your time, and have a great day!"
I wouldn't say I would never cold call again but I am trying a different method now. I am using Veretekk that creates the leads, notifies you when you get a response making the lead a premium lead, and sends replys. And it is all free!
If you are interested in this send me a pm and I will give you the website address. It is pretty cool I have to say.
I can not stamd cold calling, especially when they hang up on you.
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Thu Apr 27, 2006 3:41 am |
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mcbeth59
Joined: 24 Apr 2006
Posts: 13
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I just love it when you call somebody and they swear they never got on any list, and I am looking at their ip address and the time they did it. Oh well....lol. I have decided sometimes they really dont know what they clicked on to when they got added to the list.
I am basically restarting from scratch again, and I hope that there will be no need for cold calling. Those silly leads cost too much just to have people say they didnt sign up for anything.
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Get 3 Programs for the Price of 1
A Great Way to Get Your Business Advertised For Free! |
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Thu Apr 27, 2006 3:12 pm |
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DBeavers
Advisor
Joined: 07 Jun 2004
Posts: 155
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| Leads |
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Beth,
The best leads are those you generate from your own website. You can have them sign up to receive a free report, weekly or monthly ezine, or even your opportunity info.
Dennis Bevers |
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Thu Apr 27, 2006 7:10 pm |
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Asone
Joined: 07 Dec 2004
Posts: 8
Location: NY |
I don't like cold calling either, I generate my own leads as well. Even with that I still don't like making calls. lol It is weird I job requires that I call people I call at least 30-40 people a day at work but when it come to working my own business I really do not want to do it. 
I'm with Dennis if you are in any sales type position and you need leads I would say generating them yourself is the best way to go. I wrote a article Build Your Opt-in List Today that give some tips on building your own list in no time. It is really simple. good luck
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Sat Jul 22, 2006 2:59 pm |
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