Dear Print Buyer...

We haven’t spoken in a while, you and I, so I wanted to reach out and check-in. I've got an idea.

I want to make a deal with you. You have done an excellent job of avoiding my readers and, in particular, their phone call attempts to get some face time. This is unfortunate because they have a lot to give to you and truly believe that they bring great value.

The problem is, however, you neither answer your phone or return their calls.

Statistically speaking, I got some questions for you:

• How many total phone calls do you get in a day?
• How many of those calls are from salespeople you don't currently do business with?
• And how many calls from those new salespeople are second attempts?
• How about third attempts?
• And fourth?

Here's my point:
I would guess that your phone rings 60 times a day (I am guessing high but I might not be too far off). Of those calls, let’s say 50 are from new salespeople and the remainder are either internal or from reps you know.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting...

Over the years, I have queried company presidents, owners, and managers and asked this question: "What percentage of the time does a sales rep call on you, leave one voicemail message, and never call again?"

Would it surprise you to know that the answer consistently comes in at 90 percent? That is, nine out of 10 times a prospecting sales person leaves just one voicemail message.

Okay, but let's assume that that number is just 80 percent. That means that of the 50 calls you are getting each day, only10 are from salespeople calling a second time.

Carrying that thinking one step further, if 80 percent of those callers will call more than twice. This means that just two of the 60 calls that you got today are from salespeople persistent enough to call you more than two times.