Sales Prospecting

Never Wing a Cold Call


Today, Nancy Nardin of Smart Selling Tools shares her reaction to a fast-dialing cold caller who was “following up” with her after she’d visited his company’s website. She also offers solid advice for what you can do to avoid being deleted or brushed off.

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I spend nearly all of my time sleuthing on the Internet for new and cool, sales productivity software tools. When I discover a jewel, I’ll dig down deeper, which often means I’ll sign-up for a free trial or download an ebook. In short, I’m just like the prospects who visit your site.

What happens next always surprises me.

I’ll receive a phone call from a sales rep who has no idea who I am - and I don’t mean that in the sense of “Don’t you know who I am?!” They have absolutely no idea what Smart Selling Tools does.

They lead with something like, “I’m following up on your interest in our fill in the word here: software/free trial/report.”

If they had done a modest amount of research before calling (like visiting my site to learn what the heck my business is), they’d know I’m not a typical prospect. Then, they could have come up with a much more interesting introduction – one that might actually engage me in a conversation.

You might believe you have too many cold calls to make. But it is possible (and it should be mandatory) to tailor your introduction to your prospect’s business. Here’s the minimum effort required:

  • Go to their Website
  • Determine what they do
  • Write down a sentence that connects your call to the prospect
  • Think through how you’ve helped other companies like theirs

Don’t get caught unprepared when your prospect asks if you have any idea what it is they do!

After a successful career in the sales world, writing five books, and speaking internationally, Jill is now tackling an even bigger challenge. She's focused on bringing the "millions in the middle" together to solve some of the biggest issues facing our country and the world. Jill truly believes so much more is possible if we can work together.