Cold Calling Nightmare Comes True

It's Cold Calling Day. Ugh. I schedule this task about a week after I send out hard-copy materials to people I haven't met but may use my services. Cold Calling Day is never on a Monday and never on a Friday and always between the decent hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. I open up my marketing outreach list and then I open lots of marketing articles and blogs to read between calls and keep my energy up.

Today was supposed to be a good Cold Calling Day because my prospects weren’t really cold. A client who no longer needs my services but thinks I do a great job gave me twenty referrals. Why wouldn't his contacts want my help?

It started out smoothly. I left seven left messages and got one request for materials by email. I thought I'd get another easy one out of the way by calling a gentlemen who might even remember me - I planned his retirement party at the Guggenheim back when I was in-house at his law firm. 

I picked up the phone with enthusiasm, dialed and was confronted with the first wave...the assistant. After I had thoroughly convinced her I was not some loony tune but a viable human being worthy of speaking to her boss, I heard him..."hello?"

I took a breath and was about to speak my first words to him when, it turned out, it was not my turn to speak! "Who are you? I don't know you!" came from the earpiece.

"Oh, Mr. Snappish*, I'm Ginger Donnan, an event planner. I used to work at your law firm and I planned your retirement party, the managing partner's retirement party just last year and we have another mutual acquaintance at the Generous* Foundation. I sent you some materials last week and I was calling to make sure that you received them."

At this point, I figured Mr. Snappish would turn into Mr. Semi-Niceish, but no. 

"I did not receive your package because it was probably intercepted by the people who stop unsolicitated materials at the door. We don't use event planners and we don't need your help. Goodbye."

Shaking, I hung up the phone, highlighted the rest of the contacts that still need to be called and closed the spreadsheet. That would be it for the day. 

I then picked the phone back up and used it to call my dear friend Deidre (www.virtual-marketing-assistant.com) for some marketing therapy. She suggested the MarketingMix community may have some insight and encouragement to share. 

Has anyone else had their worst nightmare come true? If so, what did you do?

*Names have been changed to protect the mean and the innocent (in that order).

Thanks to Ginger Donnan of New Jersey-based, Ginger Donnan Events (www.GingerDonnanEvents.com)

Comments

[Donna]

HI I am not an event planner, but I do plan monthly events for a manufacturer's network that I manage. This sometimes involves cold calls to companies. For example, we did a 'green' event last fall and so got the names of companies who were successful in this space. I first called some people who might know these companies for an introduction or at least some name dropping, but in some cases it was just a cold call. I am certainly no expert but here are my guidelines. One, I never assume they got the advance information, if they didn't then you automatically put them on the defensive. I just start my pitch like I never sent them anything and if they say, oh yeah I got your letter/packet, etc then I say, great, what questions can I answer for you. If they didn't and it turns out they would like more information, make sure you are clear what method is best to get to them, not the gate-keeper. The other sounds corny but smile while you are on the phone. A friend who is a vocal coach swears that your voice and tone change and it makes you more effective. I put that in the can't hurt category. Finally you cant take rejection personally. I spent 15 years in the restaurant/retail industry. The first year I was reduced to tears numerous times by angry/rude/list any bad quality here customers, until I finally had the revelation moment that this had very little to do with me and a lot to do with them. Maybe Mr. Snappish just got chewed out by a client, just got done arguing with his teenager, etc. Anyway - don't let the grumps ruin your day - the best antidote is to get back on that horse right away, don't quit on a down note!

[TurtleBlueBird]

Totally agree with Donna. If you're going to make cold calls, some small percentage are going to be complete jerks. I always hang up as politely as possible, then thank God for sparing me from having to deal with/work with/be married to that creep. And then I move on to the next call. Gotta' love the phone!

(Are you working with Ilise, by any chance? She has totally helped me deal with a bunch of "sticky" sitations like this one, and thanks to her help, my confidence has gone up about a 1000%. Last week, she even helped me figure out how to deal with a semi-colleague who's a total flake who I can't just blow off but have NO desire to work with. Ilise and I went through the possibilities and - when that person approached me today - I was ready with a polite and clear and VERY firm No. It worked like magic, I have to say. Because - thanks to Ilise - I was prepared and that gave me both confidence and positive resolve. A very happy conclusion to a potentially messy siutation.)

[Dee]

Hope you're feeling better!
Can I just ask, did rehashing the experience help you feel better or make you feel shaky all over again? If the former, great. If the latter, that might be an argument for putting the whole thing out of your mind. After all, you were being nice and friendly, and other people's rudeness is not a reflection on you, but on them - that call is over, no need to put in on loop in your mind, that's just torturing yourself.
As much as you're convinced that you would be a great event-planner for people to hire, try not to take it personally if they decide not to.
More thoughts: You already planned something for this person once - what were they like at the time? Maybe that cold-call rudeness was a one-off due to stress? And if that's his usual disposition, it may be less stressful simply not working with him in the long run. This guy wouldn't be the only client ever, right? Perhaps there's someone else in that company you can talk to?
Wishing you best of luck, a thick skin, and courage, Dee xx

[Peter Levinson]

Ginger, I feel for you -- jerks happen to me too. I usually do some breathing exercises before cold calling time, to get some detachment. Also, if you have a lot of marketing going on, there is less at stake with each call -- so there is less pressure. For better or worse, there is no substitute for cold calls if you need to expand your business base fast.

[Stephanie Todd]

This definitely would've ruined the day for me a year ago. Now, I just laugh at how mean people can be for absolutely no reason. If one day I stop caring so much about my reputation (for my company's sake) I have a whole list of witty one line zingers to stick it 'em!!

Don't let them get you down. Thank God you find out what complete total nimwits they are BEFORE you started actually working with them! THAT WOULD BE A NIGHTMARE!!

[Ginger Donnan]

Thank you all so much for your encouragement! I'm all for an array of marketing efforts to give some variety. After I left a message for one person, I followed up with my e-newsletter and at least I received a response out of them (and it was semi-nice as well). I would like to request that Stephanie do a guest post with your list of witty zingers. I'd love to see them!