A better way to think about cold calling

I'm seeing a pattern to the conquering of fear where cold calling is concerned.

Judith Reppucci described her "Just Do It" method of turning things around right here last week.

And the other day, I got an email from designer and Twitter bud of mine, Dani Nordin, of The Zen Kitchen. She's in the throes of ratcheting up her business; in fact, she recently became a Marketing Mentor client, to help things along.

In a recent blog post, Dani relates that she realized pretty fast (smart girl!) that part of the engine of growth at this new and rarified level is—you guessed it—cold calling.

She also talks about the small-but-huge shift in attitude that helped her get over the hump of a couple different aspects of connecting:

In my mind, part of the reason networking events (or cold calls, for that matter) can be difficult for some folks is because it's hard to tell what the point is. What are you looking for? What do you expect to happen? What would you LIKE to happen? And often, I've found that just articulating that one thing before you get to an event, or before you call a prospect, can make all the difference between leaving the situation feeling like you've gotten something done and leaving feeling like you've just wasted your time.

Both Dani and Judith are really doing the same thing: looking at something differently. It's a small but significant shift. In Dani's case, she came up with an actual prescription (which I love, and plan to use); Judith powered through, but still, the fundamental difference between before and after for her was to wonder "what if?"

What if I could make this a pleasant experience? What if I felt the fear and did it anyway?

I've been thinking about this a lot myself, wondering what I would do or how I would act if I wasn't afraid of x, y or z. For me, kind of ironically, the fear has been more about expressing fear. And guess what? In not one single instance has actually verbalizing something I thought might be stupid, lame or foolhardy made me blow up in a puff of flames and smoke; most times, the thing itself wasn't even stupid!

What one thing have you looked at differently lately? And has looking at it in a new way either changed how you dealt with it, or made it possible to deal with it at all?

Comments

[Jasmine Holmes]

I have been following Ilise and Peleg for about a year now and have also been working their process for that time as well. I chose my target market a long time ago, have done some of my research, and determined that it was a good prospect. But then I just stalled. I could never get past that initial research and choice phase. I never actually found industry related networking event or started the cold calling process. I thought it was because of my dislike for cold calling but I recently had an epiphany. Though I have experience in the industry I choose and there are a lot of opportunities, I am just not that interested in the industry as whole.

I had met with a client in an entirely different industry and had a great meeting. I was able to give the client a ton of great ideas and ended up getting the job. After that meeting, I was thinking about what made it so great and the truth hit me. I was actually passionate about the industry I was dealing with versus following something that seemed to be the right choice. As a result of that meeting, I have decided to rethink my chosen niche. For me, doing those things that I am not looking forward to (like cold calling) will be so) if I am actually interested in the industry that I am pursuing.

[Colleen Wainwright]

Passion makes all the difference, doesn't it?

Or "lack of indifference makes all the difference", for that matter.

I resist with all my might the things I *should* do; you can't keep me away from the things I *want* to do.

There are always going to be tasks I'm less crazy about (reconciling QuickBooks much?) but it's way less painful when I'm doing those things in service of something I really want to accomplish, rather than have to.

[Ilise Benun]

I love this post, Colleen, and thanks Jasmine for your inside experience too. It really helps people see the nitty gritty of what's involved -- and it can be complex, but simple all at the same time.

Underneath it all, however, is our attitude to the process, whatever it is. That is what shifts when we work on it.

So at the risk of promoting myself, I'll just let you know that in August and September, I'll have a new round of groups starting and in the Bi-Weekly Marketing Plan Group, you will learn, over the course of 3 short months, how to change your attitude about cold calling -- and how to do it as well.

Details here:
http://www.marketing-mentor.com/html/marketinggroup.html

[thomson dawson]

There is no doubt cold calling is hated by 95% of creative professionals who believe new clients will come to them because of their beautiful and compelling work...

Here is my suggestion on what to think about before you cold call someone– put yourself deeply in that person shoes! Here is what the person on the other end is probably thinking as you begin to "pitch" your value over the phone:

"I don't you, I have never heard of your firm, don't you realize you are interrupting my busy day, are things so bad you have to call a stranger for business?"

Make you feel warm and fuzzy? No friends, cold calling is for suckers. Far better to have prospective clients hear about you than from you...

write, speak, share information, be seen adding value to someone... by someone else you would like to add value to...

get your mind into a space where you create opportunities to be known by the people you want to do business with... then you can simply call with confidence knowing you have something of value to offer them, and they, through their familiarity with your value proposition, are most interested in hearing all about it...this process takes time and patience to nurture. And it is worth it!

In my discipline (brand consulting and corporate identity www.pullinc.com) the sales process from first contact to first project is about 18 months...sometimes less, sometimes much more. I am working on next year's business right now.

Most creative people start looking for business when they have no business. Business development is about developing a garden of prospects who are in your funnel and are made "harvest ready" through discipline, hard work and persistence. Master this and your introductory phone call will get returned, and you will have greater impact on your destiny and never cold call again!

[Colleen Wainwright]

write, speak, share information, be seen adding value to someone... by someone else you would like to add value to...

Most definitely, Thomson. Ilise and Peleg come out pretty strongly against the old-school, coffee-is-for-closers cold call. They even talk about renaming it a "research" call or somesuch, to separate the communication from the pitch. If you're calling someone for the first time (and esp. if it's first contact) and you're pitching them something, you're doing it wrong.

Personally, I'm not even a fan of that type of calling, b/c I'm just not a phone person. I would much rather, as you say, connect other ways: via writing, like blog posts, newsletters, articles and other stuff that people will find useful. Or meet in person, or via Twitter, or whatever.

I think what you're saying and what they're saying boils down to the same thing: don't look at the person on the other end of the line as a mark, but as someone you want to meet, or, as you put it, start the long sales process with. (Although I'd argue that even that intention is unnecessary; the wanting to meet is reason enough!)