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Sometimes it's hard to let go. We've all been there... not wanting to say goodbye to something that we've outgrown, not letting go of someone who wasn't good for us. In some ways it's like having to put a beloved pet to sleep. We know that it's the best thing to do, but want to keep them around for our own benefit. Having to come to terms with what's best for the pet is really tough. There are many things in life that become outmoded--hair styles and fashion are a good example. Perhaps you've saved all those leisure suits or bell bottoms. Just as these look crazy on us at a certain point, there are things we do that can become outdated. There are two things in sales that are not persuasive and will absolutely hinder your results. This article is about one of them. Cold calling. At a recent seminar a potential student asked how the process of eliciting criteria can be applied to cold calling. As a general rule, it can't. Cold calling is not selling. It's marketing. Learn how to market, spend money on marketing and actually market your product or service. Forget about cold calling as a sales technique. If cold calling is a part of the business that you're involved in, supplement it with real marketing. There are a few business that have to cold call. I understand that. Realtors farm areas all the time. It works in this profession and more likely still, they don't cold call, but they cold visit getting the face to face element to work in their favor. Stock brokers sometimes have to prospect by telephone due to compliance issues and this method actually works in this scenario as well. In these cases maybe cold calling is all there is, the only option. If this is the case, just know that cold calling is marketing, not selling. In sales, we are simply looking for someone with their hand raised. Cold calling is nothing more than getting someone to raise their hand. When they raise their hand you switch hats and move from marketing to sales. Now criteria becomes an issue, whereas in the 'marketing' side it was not. Unless you LOVE to cold call and unless your business requires it, I'd advise to stop at once. There are less painful, more productive ways to market which create steady, reliable streams of traffic. It's time to let this one go. Sorry old pal, your time has come. As with 'features and benefits', our time together must come to an end.
Article Source: http://www.rightarticle.com
Kenrick Cleveland teaches techniques to earn the business of affluent clients using persuasion. He runs public and private seminars and offers home study courses and coaching programs in persuasion techniques.
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