Cold Calling 2.0 - New Methods

Opening up the telephone book and cold calling numbers at random might have worked in the past but it leaves a lot to be desired and probably doesn't work as well as it once did if for no other reason that times have changed.

Times have changed but has cold calling? Does cold calling need to change? Should there be a cold calling 2.0? -Seth

Personally, my opinion is that opening a phone book and calling someone is only going to work from a call center.

Cold calling works best FOR ME, when I've prospected the callee first. At worst, a call list provided by infousa, directoriesusa, etc, which at least has some information about the business is a minimum requirement towards making them a prospect.

Finding out about a business is the only way to make them a prospect, in my opinion.

Cold calling/Prospecting I cannot see changing much. The media might change, but the process I cannot see changing... you meet someone, ask your questions, present your wares, and ask for the sale.... in very simplistic terms.

Aloha... shds; ;bg -rattus58

From what to what??

The minority in sales that have been effective at cold calling in the past will probably continue to be successful in the future. -Ace Coldiron

Change from whatever gives it such a bad reputation to a well received and respected method of lead generation. -Seth

Seth, you're onto something here. I've been searching for exactly the same info. I ran into some web info recently called "attraction marketing" and the concept was this: use social media (twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) to get the prospects to come to you. I think this could be a new form of cold calling. Example: I was recently seeking specialty legal advice and started surfing twitter. Found precisely the type of attorney I was looking for who linked to his website. He was in Canada, or I would have considered calling him for the free consultation he was offering. So I do think there are NEW ways of prospecting for new biz, I just haven't quite determined all the possible new ways that might be best for my industry. -Ms.Sales

Cold calling is when the salesperson approaches the prospect not the other way around.

There will always be new places to promote yourself or your company. The key is to cast your line where the fish are biting. thmbp2; -Seth

What gives cold calling a bad reputation and what is a well received and respected method of lead generation (an example)? -Ace Coldiron

I think poor cold calling practices such as those that prompted the "Do Not Call" list have given cold calling a bad reputation.

A well received and respected method of lead generation cold be cold calling if the calls were handled properly which would require the salesperson to sell effectively. -Seth

Which were those that prompted the "Do Not Call" list and what would be an example of calls handled properly that would require the salesperson to sell effectively? -Ace Coldiron

Automated (autodialer) calls using pre-recorded messages to anyone with a phone. Contrast that to a salesperson who restricts her calls to only those who have a high probability of wanting what she offers and who instead of rolling off a pre-recorded sales message engages the prospect in a productive (two-way) sales talk. -Seth

Certainly those are excellent examples. But how does the latter example reflect change or represent this topic's "new methods?" I know people, and I consider myself among them, who have been doing that for many years.

There have always been people bad at that type of prospecting and there have always been a smaller number that are very good at it.

I do acknowledge the regulatory changes, i.e., "do not call lists", but many here are in B2B and not directly effected by it.

Somebody else here has said (regarding cold calling) that methods that don't work NOW didn't work THEN. I tend to agree with that. -Ace Coldiron