I just don’t get it. Why do sales reps that hate cold calling still do it?
I came from the sales era where all I had was a phone and a printed list of prospects. My first sales job didn’t include a computer on my desk! As blind as that seems now, remember that prospects were equally blind. The internet was useless and prospects learnt from brochures and your cold calls. If you didn’t call them, they won’t learn about new product initiatives.
We are about to enter 2013 – where prospects don’t need a sales rep. 70% of the buying process is done without you. Why are you banging the receiver of the phone against your ear 100+ times a day, only to see the results diminish?
In 2013, the buyer is leaving fingerprints all over the internet. On LinkedIn, Twitter, blogs, webinars… there is a virtual trail of buying interest everywhere. The problem is you are “spraying and praying”, hoping to call Mrs. Decision-Maker on her happy day.
Here are all the reasons you HATE cold calling:
- Calling random people that don’t want to talk to you
- Gatekeepers that won’t put you through
- It’s exhausting and boring
- Where the &%$@ is everyone, you can’t get anyone on the phone
- You’re sick of hearing NO all day long
And let’s call a spade a spade, if you’re born after 1978 like myself, I’ll bet you haven’t called a friend in years. We are the masters of text, BBM and Google Talk.
The solution is so dead simple. You have a LinkedIn account. You’re speaking to friends on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter. Guess what – your microcosm of friends is a representation of all North Americans. Social Media is where EVERYONE is connecting. Yes, even C-Level executives of Fortune 500 companies.
The sales world has changed and the way people communicate has changed but yet many sales people are still trying to do everything using the phone. Do you know how simple it is to book a new meeting on LinkedIn, Twitter or other forms of social media? If you knew the right strategies and tools, I guarantee you won’t be killing yourself with the telephone…
Here are the reasons you would LIKE Social Selling:
- You are no longer cold calling, you are educating prospects
- There are no Gatekeepers, message the CEO for a Fortune 500 directly
- Forget 9-to-5, drive business anytime
- You don’t need to rely on marketing; you can curate great stories from other sources
- You can read prospects thoughts!
If you don’t want to be left behind the 8 ball – you need to start to take action. The following dozen blog posts on utilizing Social Selling strategies using LinkedIn can help you start. If you are really looking for some hidden gems on how you can attract a very specific prospect, I recommend you check out – How-to-Guide: Making $$$ with Social Selling.
Find the topic of Social Selling interesting?
Click to book a time in my calendar to explore further!
