Contrary to popular belief, cold calling still is an effective strategy to generate new business leads. In fact, I know many companies that rely heavily on this activity to capture new sales.
Over the years, I have read numerous books, listened to a variety of audio programs and even attended workshops and seminars on cold calling. What I have noticed is that very few people discuss how to deal with the real issues involved with cold calling.
It's not just about overcoming your fear regarding making calls or creating an effective, attention-getting opening or connecting with a decision-maker. Believe it or not, those are easy compared to the real issues at hand.
What's difficult — especially at first — is figuring out the lay of the land, navigating the corporate hierarchy and getting the information you need so you can effectively position your solution to your high-level prospect.
