Sales Prospecting Perspectives

I would like build on my business partner's blog which has stirred up a fair amount of conversation, entitled "Stop telling me cold calling is dead"

I agree with Pete that inbound marketing is important and can help accelerate the sales process, but I also believe that nothing real happens until the first sales conversation.

Unless you are selling a true commodity where price drives the sale, nothing can replace a skilled cold caller with best in class process & execution.  There in lies the problem, many want to believe cold calling does not work because they know it is difficult to do well.  It is difficult to source, hire and train the right callers and even more difficult to find great managers to drive results day after day, month after month, quarter after quarter.

Cold calling is not just about a butt in a seat with a list and a phone, leaving a few messages and giving up. It is as much an art as it is a science.  It takes skilled leadership with a well thought out process (science), balanced with the creation of a culture which combines the right combination of hard work and fun (art).  Not an easy task.  

I believe many are afraid.  Afraid to pick up the phone and sell.  Afraid to attempt something where most fail.

I know for a fact that cold calling works. Cold calling is far from dead.  I have sold millions and millions of dollars of products and services over the phone over the past 25 years, most of which was generated by a cold call.  I have also created a company with Pete and have helped a hundred or more companies over the past eight years close hundreds of millions of dollars in business from cold call originated leads.

I have seen the statistics, as well as the closed revenue.  Cold calling just plain works better than any other method.

Other than that, I have no strong opinion on the matter.

Thanks for reading.