Cold Calling is Giving Me a Headache
Ok, it is just a guess, but I am thinking some of you have been pulled into this blog post by the title. Well, good, then it worked. After all, this blog is “perception is reality,” so that was my idea. So, you ask, why is a person who consults on sales for a living complaining about cold calls? Good question.
First, I am not suggesting that I do not like to prospect, that I do not like teaching others to prospect, or that I think calling via phone is the only way to prospect. For the record, I enjoy prospecting and teaching people to get better at this as well. So, you ask, what is giving me a headache?
The salespeople who keep cold calling me, during the day, all day.
This past week I have spent more time working from my home office, which just had a new phone service installed. My guess is that my number just became fair game to a million of my closest, annoying pests—oops, I mean telemarketing salespeople. So, what has pushed my buttons and what can we all learn from it? Let’s dive in.
1) Most of them have had no clue of who they are calling. They don’t have the correct company name (Sauers Consulting) or for that matter know if they are calling a person or a business. As an example, I got a call that (and I am not kidding) said, “Can I speak to Mr. or Mrs. Consulting.” I had some fun with that. I asked them which one they were looking for, Mr. or Mrs. Consulting? They were silent and then said they were not sure. I told them Mrs. Consulting was out but could get back to them. More silence. True story.
2) I got a call the other day from someone selling refrigerator and other promotional magnetic items. They must have gotten my name from some of the conferences I speak at. However, this person did not ask for me if it was a good time or if I was even able to talk...and instead went right in to a “cold call robotic script.” They sounded like a robot. I was about to cut them off but decided to have some fun and listened. Ninety seconds later, I was still silent and they were still talking. They finally asked me if I would like to take advantage of their special magnet sale. Sorry folks...I could not resist. I asked them what magnets were and what they did? Again, silence.
- Categories:
- Business Management - Marketing/Sales
Ryan T. Sauers has spent nearly 30 years running, leading or consulting with printing, graphics, promotional and visual communications-related organizations. Sauers is CEO of two companies, Sauers Consulting Strategies LLC and End Resultz Inc. that among other things, owns magazines and is a media firm. Key areas of focus of the firms include sales training, marketing strategy, personal branding, leadership development and organizational change.
Sauers is a frequent national speaker and columnist. He has been recognized as one of the top 80 CMOs globally and achieved the top designation of Certified Marketing Executive through Sales and Marketing Executives International.
Sauers is an adjunct university professor teaching leadership and communication courses to current and aspiring leaders. He is a Certified Myers Briggs, DiSC and Emotional Intelligence Practitioner (one of few in the U.S. to achieve all three rigorous certifications related to human communications, personality and behavior).
Sauers has completed his doctoral-level coursework in Organizational Leadership and is now (ABD - All But Dissertation) working on his dissertation on why some entrepreneurs and small businesses achieve initial and long-term success, whereas countless others do not.
Sauers is the host of the Marketing Matters radio show in Atlanta that later becomes a global podcast. He also is the host of the Community Connections TV show that comes out in video and podcast form. Sauers is the author of the best-selling books, Everyone is in Sales, and Would You Buy from You? More info at RyanSauers.com or call (678) 825-2049 or email Ryan@RyanSauers.com
