Comments on: How NOT to do a sales call

By: Kevin Juntunen

Kevin Juntunen — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:51:29 +0000

Sounds to me that the “Sales Rep” was just a crappy sales rep. He didn’t even ask you if you were at your desk!

How can you sell SEO/SEM without the prospect at his computer?

This article and my response is a waste of time. I wasted almost 2 minutes! Damn it!

By: 6FigurePhonePro

6FigurePhonePro — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 02:47:43 +0000

Try using Hoovers or Jigsaw, even if you’re working with a limited budget you can get an account with Jigsaw and trade out names to get new ones. When asking for the President of any Company, ask for the executive offices of whom ever the Presidents name is. Identify yourself with the Secretary and ask to speak with the person who handles whatever Dept. The gate keeper is exactly that, they are trained to not let you speak with the head honcho. You can befriend a receptionist with many tactics and it is strongly recommended. A gate keeper is not your enemy, they just have a job to do. Tell them that you thought their voice was a recording and they should be doing voice over work for commercials. That will get a giggle out of the 8 buck an hour kids most of the time. Getting past the gate keeper is the easy part. Press for an ext. to someone else and then talk to that person to get you through. Spell out a name in the dial by name directory, (Smith usually works well) then tell them you pressed the wrong ext. and you were trying to reach “Your Buyer”. The bottom line is if you want to get the person you want on the phone you can do it, be determined. “Let me speak to Bob Smith, and yes, it’s urgent. Decision Makers field tons of calls from Vendors each day, distinguish yourself.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 09 May 2007 17:01:33 +0000

At my place of work we get no lists, nothing. A phone book or “driving around and looking” is what I do to get ideas for potential prospects. I think that if I had lists it would make my life 120% easier. You CAN make lists but it takes forever.

Another idea is to type the words “President” and “TOWN YOU LIVE IN” into google to get names of Presidents of companies to call - that way you avoid getting ditched by the receptionist because you’ve asked for the President by name - always ask for them by first name - that way you sound like a friend.

Receptionists to me are the hardest part of the cold call - it’s like a game - I want to get through and they want to stop me - so I’ve become quite creative.

By: 6figurePhonePro

6figurePhonePro — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 03:53:07 +0000

Resa? Know your target market? Ummmmm, affirmative and correctOmundo. That’s pretty much a no brainer for most of the people who have posted on here. “Do you know your blog audience?” Do you stop at red lights? These are Entrepreneurs looking for phone sales advice, not special ed children trying to find a way to the bus stop blind folded. If they happen to call the wrong prospect… in all likelyhood, they will figure it out lol. Resa ^^ “Knowing your target market group then you will have greater success on your “cold calls”. Thanks, why not tell everyone to floss because it’s good oral hygeine while you’re at it? Everyone know’s that you have to focus on your target market to get results. Give some phone advice Resa, or do you not have any? Cold calling isn’t for the weak… ;)

By: Resa

Resa — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 17:17:32 +0000

Despite all of the good (and bad) advice from this posting, I ask “who is your target market?” Is the receiver of your call really within your target market group or some random individual you hope will purchase your product or service? Knowing your target market group then you will have a greater success on your “cold calls”.

By: Russdesign

Russdesign — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 23:53:31 +0000

I am a customer of Webxcites. They have a really good product and have made a very nice and functional website for me. My business has very definately been improved by using their service. BUT… They are very slow with service and seem to have no problem lying to customers about issues being handled and then not doing it. I am quite frustrated with them at this time because of the lousy service. Time will tell.

By: 6figurePhonePro

6figurePhonePro — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 04:51:47 +0000

Ummm, I’m responding to the masses up there ^^. Hopefully I can provide Entrepreneurs with some practical phone sales knowledge. Strap on your helmet and bang out 150 numbers a day. Cliche: “It’s a numbers game.” Who cares about a list, just pick up the nearest phone book and stretch your fingers. Don’t think about a game plan, think ON YOUR FEET. It’s a total waste of your time to consider a business plan before dialing your market. The AVERAGE sales person has serious phone anxiety. Anything that you do to distract youself from doing actual phone work is nothing more than procrastination. Improvise your marketing plan as you dial. The prospects know more about your business than you do. You are not only learning how to sell your proposition and overcome rejection, but they (prospects) are feeding you with information about your industry that you weren’t aware of. This is the most methodical approach considering that you are learning and trying to understand the behaviors of your industry prospects. Meanwhile, you are polishing your phone sales skills and simultaneously marketing your business. Do you understand the collective needs of your prospective customers? Do you listen to your customer’s REAL needs or concerns? Do you talk more than the prospect? Do you ask meaningful questions pertaining to the issue being discussed? These are rhetorical questions BTW, always let your prospect speak more than you do “Tele Guru.” 36,000 numbers a year will make you a pro on the phone with time. Good luck~!

By: JEM

JEM — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 03:43:50 +0000

Why buy list if you have a library card … Log on to Reference USA
and build your own list, then Google your research prior to your 1st call. Don’t call to chat, have something new to offer/discuss on every call. Good Luck

By: Sales123

Sales123 — Sat, 12 Aug 2006 19:00:42 +0000

Cold Calls do work… You just don’t know how to sell on the phone.
=====D ~o ~0 ~O (|)

By: Gene McCubbin

Gene McCubbin — Mon, 09 Jan 2006 05:23:23 +0000

I was monkeying around on Google, chasing down the links to see what the world had to say about Webxites…and discovered this forum. You guys all make interesting points. Several of you seem rhetorically interested in or at least curious about phone sales. As one of you accurately stated, we did millions of dollars in revenues reaching out to customers via the telephone. I am happy to help out or provide any of you who are fledgling entrepreneurs the Ups and Downs of phone sales. Just let me know. I am more easily reached vie email, as I don’t know how often I’ll check this post. Regardless, good luck on your future endeavors. - gene mccubbin, president, Webxites