You've probably heard lots of people tell you that cold calling is dead, dead, dead. That's simply not true. Lots of people are still doing it, but they're no longer just dialing for dollars.
Here are three savvy cold calling strategies you can use to get new opportunities:
- Do your homework. Research a prospective company to understand which decision-makers you'll be calling on and to learn about the company's key issues and concerns.
- Craft targeted messages. These should focus on the specific business issues a prospect may be facing.
- Plan a campaign. Create a series of 10 to 12 targeted messages using a variety of media, such as emails and phone calls, because these days you rarely get in the door with just a single call.
Cold calling is alive and well for smart, savvy sales people. Intelligent salespeople operate more slowly but are more effective, because they have a depth of understanding that shows through in their marketing messages and conversations.
