Cold calling’s ultimate demise will be because of the universal law called the Law of Cause and Effect. In blunt terms, this means for every action there will be a reaction.
Our Actions Haven’t Been Good
When the telephone became the primary tool for prospecting in B2B sales, I’m sure none of us could have really imagined that it would end up here. The medium of talking by phone is certainly not dead, but how it’s being used (and abused) today will cause its demise!
Do you agree that we’ve abused cold calling? Even though our collective intention hasn’t been to harass and bother people, what do you think has resulted?
The answer is fairly obvious: YES!
We’ve disrupted, disturbed, bothered, interrupted, intruded and interfered on many people for far too long. And, we’ve done it all without a second thought. Although this was without bad intentions, this is the reality of what MOST buyers think of cold calling and us.
How Do Buyers Feel About Being Cold Called?
I was recently embroiled in a bit of a LinkedIn street fight. Okay, I’m exaggerating. It was more like a spirited debate. Here’s the topic.
A sales rep who uses social media posted this on LinkedIn. I saw it and jumped in to participate because I saw one of my clients commenting on it.
I was SHOCKED to see comments from sales reps TRASHING the use of social media in favor of cold calling. However, the best reaction was one that wasn’t posted!
An executive who posted the comment below, and then removed his comment because it was probably a little too brash. I still got the update via e-mail. His comment shows you EXACTLY how executives feel about being cold called.
The Reaction Won’t Be Good (For Us)
For all the action of cold calling, the reaction won’t be good my friends. How effective has cold calling become for you in your sales efforts? While cold calling coaches LOVE to tell us how less cold calls from other people mean more success for those who continue to call, the reality is that buyers just don’t prefer to be contacted randomly.
Let’s change before it’s too late. Let’s warm up those calls with information that’s articulate and helpful.
The Bottom Line
While it’s not entirely anyone’s fault (leadership or reps), the real change will only happen when Sales Leadership gets squarely behind social selling. We’re seeing this happen slowly. Once management is involved, they can help redefine the perspective of the organization.
We’ll still be going after potential buyers. We’ll still be using the phone. However, if we don’t mix in social media as a way to boost our efforts, then the work we’re doing now will spell our ultimate demise. That wouldn’t just bad for you, or me, but bad for the entire sales community.
Click the TimeTrade button below and let’s chat on how you can start incorporating a little bit of social selling into your sales routine.
