Cold Calling is dead! Get clients calling you!

Are you using this? If so, what percentage call? what percentage convert?

Thanks for the post.

The problem I have a million WSO's on ways to get clients but none of them actually say oh this is converting at 5% or something like that it's just keep sending/calling till someone responds.....

I like this idea, always a fan of offline marketing. Do you use this yourself?

Folks,

My best suggestion is that with *any* lead generating tactic that you hit it at least 100 times to see if you get a response - believe me, if you can't get a response from at least one person in one hundred, no amount of "tweaking" is going to help.

So rather than debate percentages and numbers, spend the $50 or so that it would take to actually DO and find out for yourself.

I think it's a neat idea.

Paul Barrs

I can relate to this

Networking converts at phenomenal rates.

No scrapers, tricks, tactics, memorized phrases needed.

I suggest a read of Networking with Millionaires by Dr. Thomas Stanley.

Here is an excerpt in article form:

How to reach the affluent; a marketing expert shares his networking approaches for building an impressive client base - Tutorial | Home Office Computing | Find Articles at BNET

CT

Or you can just call them straight up, which I think will convert just as well or even better, and it will be less time consuming. Also, you can't be sure that they will call you, or even open the letter at that, so IMO, I say just call and get on the phone with the owner.

But to each their own

I have to agree with Charles that face-to-face networking is powerful, but in order to turn it into a cash cow, you have to keep doing it all the time.

Doesn't seem like a big deal at first, but I was spending 2-3 nights a week going to different events and it started to become too demanding on my family.

I finally got to a point where I wanted to build my business around my lifestyle instead of building my lifestyle around my business.

The same thing applied for cold calling, but with cold calling I hired a salesteam to keep milking that cow. The easy cash was too hard to give up.

Now, I spend the bulk of my time wading through lead generation wso's and testing to see what will work in my business. Although, I haven't found any shortcuts to actually testing campaigns in my market...even in the wso seller told me they received stellar results, I have to test it out.

Hope this helps,

Chris Rivers

I agree nothing beats cold calling and face to face meetings they convert at a much higher rate.

Yes I use this method but only on restaurants they convert like crazy. So far my conversion rate is 60% and I also use postcard with a picture of their restaurant on the front to grab their attention.

Referrals from satisfied clients is probably the highest converting. Get a couple clients, make them happy, and they will tell others. Or you could require that part of your "fee" be to get a few referrals from the client. If you are helping the business make more money though, they will talk to other biz owners for you.

When you doing what EVERYONE else is doing you have to be a SUPERSTAR at it to rise above the noise of every one else.

Thank about that.

The problem with cold calling is that most people do it wrong. They don't have a clear idea of why they are calling, other than to try to sell something.

What helped me improve my cold calling success rate was making the whole goal of the call to get an appointment. Instead of going into a whole big spiel about who I was and what I offered, I get straight to the point within 20 seconds of calling.

A sample script of what I use is this: "Hi, I'm Ben and I own a local internet marketing company that specializes in helping small businesses like yourself increase revenues by putting together a comprehensive web strategy. The reason I'm calling specifically today is to set up an appointment to show you how I can increase your bottom line. How does tomorrow at 2pm sound?"

What this does is get straight to the point and puts the ball in their court to either say, "yes, that sounds great, 2pm works" or "no, I'm busy tomorrow at 2" Surprisingly most business owners will suggest a different time to meet. Going in with the assumption that they want to meet you, does wonders for cold calling.

I'm not trying to disagree with the OP in this thread, I actually think he idea is a good one, but if you are looking to hammer out calls, get straight to the point. A cold call for an appointment shouldn't last longer than 2 minutes. If they say no, just go onto the next.

I saw a dramatic increase in appoints this way-- usually about a third of the people I get a hold of will schedule an appointment using this method.

I think that is a great tactic offered by the OP. It's more personal than a mass letter/postcard. I would suggest calling a few days after you send the letter to see if they received it. It's an easier lead in to ask for an appointment or sales pitch than just calling cold.

Cold calling works only in certain countries and under certain circumstances. In my country, cold calling does not work.

What I have found to work however, is a system where I have created an income-generating product or service, and advertised it by creating flyers and hiring unemployed youths to distribute them to people on busy streets, or paste them in public designated spots.

Invariably, I have always had good response rates. For every $40 I spend, I end up making $450.

I will say this: study your environment and find out what works for you. For some of us in the third world, cold calling is a waste of time.

Another way to enhance this idea, is when you send the letter put some info regarding there competition. Let's say plumber 'A' does not have a site only yellow pages, and plumber 'B' has a site and some social networking. This will show plumber 'A' that he competition has a heads up on him.

Also, in the letter, mention that you will follow up with a call, and would appreciate the opportunity to meet with mr. business owner to 'educate' them on what internet marketing consists of, and see if increasing there business would be 'important' to them.

Great thread- thanks. Got me thinking!

Thanks for all the post, I have learns somethings from reading the different post. I like this method because I don't like to get on the phone and make calls, I would rather go in person. But putting together a letter I think will work. I'm going to put together a seminar at my local library educating the local business on how they can use the Internet to grow their business. I plan on hiring a teenager from my community and having them go to the local business and give them a flyer on the seminar. I don't know if it will work but I do know if I don't do nothing,then I can't expect any results.

great post, but i think this is a different way of approaching the client to host website for their business in online. does it really creates dollars for them. no not at all. you need to do internet marketing to reach their clients.

Great work,but what percentage conversion takes place

Nonsens, i never cold call and i have enough clients to life a comfortable life, so it isn't a fact of life, not of my life anyway... there is no need to called call and have a good running business... you can get clients on 101 other ways often with better results.

nice info to read later....

Cold calling is FAR from dead. It is still one of the most effective and preferred methods of just about every big company out there. The difference is they can afford to pay someone to do it, versus yourself that rather not be bothered.