With all of the online marketing tactics available these days I do find cold calling less and less effective. But, if you're going to use cold calling for lead generation it is important to sharpen your strategy...
- Use a top down approach
- The executive assistant is our ally
- “Be people with people”
- Standardize all leads regardless of source
- Start with a great database
- Script your introduction & create a calling guide
- Write a voicemail script
On average 20% contacts in a database change annually.
It is imperative to make the most of each call...
- Confirm the decision-maker
- Find other players in the decision making process
- Gather basic information (eMail is critical)
- Start to talk about basic needs and concerns
- Leave your website address on voicemail messages
- Use phone and eMail combination
- Send an eMail follow-up
- eMail is cheap. Which is why spammers love it. They don't care whether response rates are low because their costs are negligible. If you want to reach a large number of people and if you have access to a solid, opt-in list, go for it. A test sure won't cost you an arm and a leg.
- eMail is fast. In two senses. First, your production time is minimal. As soon as you get an idea to test, you can write a motivating email, and hit the send button. Second, your prospect gets your email instantly so responses can start pouring in within minutes. Speed, from start to finish, means you can be a super-agile marketer.
- eMail is a fabulous testing medium. As a result of the speed I mentioned above, you can get virtually instant answers to your marketing questions. Is a cross-sell offer going to be a winner? Send a group of prospects an email and you'll have an answer. Have you written two great headlines but can't decide which one to go with? Do some email testing and get your answer fast!
