Comments on: Winning the Selling Challenge

By: Martin Ng

Martin Ng — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 00:09:30 +0000

Seems like a positive attitude is the most important thing! The people who are good at cold calling are obviosuly positive about lots of things. For example, making calls first thing ‘gets them out of the way’ rather than ‘wrecking the rest of the day’. If they go badly, then ‘things can only get better’, they’re not ‘an omen for the rest of the day’.
Be positive when you’re public speaking, and be positive when you;re cold calling, and be positive in general! The world is much nicer then

By: Ed Roach

Ed Roach — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 15:35:03 +0000

Fred333,

I think you and I are writing the same page. I too have been eyeing the web for opportunities. This month I hope tyo launch my first product in an online store of my making. It is a do-it-yourself version of my branding process. I am anxious to ‘finally’ get it up and going. A client is testing the purchase and upload experience to look for glitches. I’ve been developing it for about a year now – what a journey. Check back when you’re products are up, if that indeed is your intentsion. FYI: I’m looking for affiliates to assist is selling.

By: Fred333

Fred333 — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 15:13:55 +0000

Well I have currently looking into the whole internet presence. I have begun to focus my marketing department on looking to the internet for new avenues to generate business. We utilize social media a lot and of course our website is a big factor. But your right cold calling was never my bag.

By: Ed Roach

Ed Roach — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 14:53:50 +0000

Ouch Freya. Mr. Booooorg wasn’t going to give you a chance from the get go. I think he just enjoyed being cruel. I don’t get why people aren’t simply polite and say they are not interested and leave it at that. Let’s face it we don’t want to speak with anyone who doesn’t want to speak with us, so let’s move on. You never know when we may cross paths again, and if I may in some way HELP THEM. After all, I am going to “remember” Mr. Boooooring. He forgot my name the moment he put the phone down – his on the other hand is going to ingrained in my mind. It at least had to feel good that his amount of business wasn’t worth the effort. I still think it would be an interesting read for some pshycologist to write about both sides of the equation.

By: Freya Bletsoe

Freya Bletsoe — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 12:22:27 +0000

Do you know what – cold calling is the one thing that really puts the fear of God into me…but it’s worth remembering in business what goes around comes around. When we first started out one of the strategies was to contact recruitment agencies at the higher end of the scale who dealt with executive placement to see if we could help relocate those execs. The first ever one that I called absolutely killed me…the guy on the end of the phone took the call but rather curtly said you’ve got 5 seconds to grab my attention before I put the phone down, so I piled into my pitch only to have him cut me off a few seconds later saying “booooorrring bye” DING… burrrrrrrr!!! I was devastated! But it made me focus on what was really needed – that headline grabbing, sit up and listen opener. So I went away and re wrote the pitch including that first sentance. Needless to say it was much better, it got to the thrust of the conversation straight off and taugh me not to waffle in the pitch – but God it hurt and I still go quite even now when I think about it…but he did me a favour, even if it didn’t feel like it as the phone went down! lol! Do we do business with him…nope…there’s too much ego there to contend with for the amount of business it brings in to be honest.
But hey Ed, I really liked the weather report tip too – I may try that one myself next time!

By: Ed Roach

Ed Roach — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 00:12:06 +0000

Fred, it sounds as though cold calling isn’t in your mix today. What is your current best strategy?

By: Fred333

Fred333 — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 18:36:50 +0000

I think the phone represents that rejection that we all fear. Great article though. Brought back a lot of memories of my first days in the sales force. When all we did was cold call. Now this was before the net.

By: Ed Roach

Ed Roach — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 14:52:52 +0000

Nesh,

What is it about that phone eh? Maybe a pshycologist could give us some insight into why it frightens us. Myself, I think it is because we are detached from whom we are talking to. Face to face I have no problem talking and selling what I do, but over the phone, cold, it just un-nerves me.

Thanks for the comments.

By: nesh thompson

nesh thompson — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 13:56:13 +0000

Boy, can I relate to that Ed, though I am not in sales directly anymore, for a brief time I used to have a job cold calling and selling over the phone. I used to have cold sweats just dialing numbers. I too found it interesting and learnt a lot about human nature and had some great calls… though even after I had finished a fantastic sale I would still have the nerves kick in dialling the next number.

By: Ed Roach

Ed Roach — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 13:26:46 +0000

Thanks Robert,

That weather bit, almost makes me want to do the cold call now.

My DIY should be a go VERY shortly. I contacted you off-line regarding it.

By: Robert Kingston

Robert Kingston — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 13:08:10 +0000

Hey Ed,

Great article… Sending them the weather is just classic.

I’m keen to see about this mini site and DIY Branding Product you’re developing too. Keep the updates coming – I’m intrigued.

Rob