All Entries Tagged With: "cold calling"

Voice Mails, Gatekeepers, and Unresponsive Prospects

I recently had a reader send me some great questions regarding my strategies for leaving effective voice mails, dealing with unresponsive prospects, and working with gatekeepers.

I wasn’t sure if any of our other readers were dealing with these challenges (SMILE)… but I decided to “chance it” and share the Q&A with you!

Using Stall Tactics to Your Advantage!

Don’t you love it when a prospect throws out the same old lame stall, “Can you just send me some information?” For years, we’ve been taught to respond with our own canned reply, “What kind of information would you like me to send you?” …ultimately knowing that we really don’t send any information at all.

You can use this stall tactic to your advantage.

6 Cold Calling Scripts that Win!

If you look at the Lijit search widget on the right side of my blog you’ll see that the most popular topic readers search for is… Cold Calling Scripts. I find it interesting because using scripts is one of those “BIG Debate” topics that sales people and their manager often argue about. In my very first management role I wanted everyone to, “say it just like I say it …word-for-word and you’ll close more deals!” I quickly learned it was the wrong approach. I got a lot of push back, and my sales people would always revert back to saying it their own way… That’s when it hit me.

The Difference Between Sales Success and Failure

Last week, I asked the question, “Is the sales mindset shifting?” I want you to know exactly where I stand. Selling is about being tough, confident, smart, competitive, strategic, active, compelling, aggressive, professionally persistent, solution oriented, and slightly empathetic… It’s about hunting, and it’s about closing! If anyone is hoping to hear about a warm, fuzzy, cozy, softy approach to sales… it won’t come from me.

Sales people who win focus on…

My Biggest Challenge With Cold Calling

What is the biggest challenge you are currently facing when you are cold calling and prospecting over the phone? Starting RIGHT NOW, I’m running a contest to help YOU improve your cold calling strategies and tactics!

Win an hour long one-on-one “Cold Calling Superstar” session with me, Doyle Slayton, where I will determine the 5 things you can do to help overcome your challenges and immediately improve your cold calling results!

Driving Unbeatable Sales Numbers!

Someone recently ask me, “What are the critical things they should do to drive more sales for their business?”

I was pretty busy at the time, so I responded with six quick bullet points. Today, I decided to provide all of my readers with an expanded, more detailed version. Actually, it’s a specific breakdown of how I personally try to build my sales week!

That’s a Bunch of Sales Talk

I recently had the opportunity to join Joe and Mike on the SalesRoundup Podcast. Checkout the rundown of all the things we talked about during the podcast… then press the play button at the bottom of the post to listen to the show!

Selling on Price

I often notice managers and executives frown upon sales people who sell solely on price. The sales rep gets into a situation where the prospect’s entire decision making process hinges on the cost.

Managers and trainers often look for ways to steer the sales person away from a price driven sale and try to teach a “value” based approach. So I have two questions for everyone this week…

6 Goals for Leaving Voice Mail

I spent the majority of my career believing that leaving messages was a waste of time. Why? Because return phone calls are rare, and I preferred calling multiple times until I finally got a voice-to-voice connection with the decision maker. More and more, it seems like people are not answering their phone. So I began thinking, “Am I really in control?” and “Am I really being more efficient?” I realize now, that if I’m going to regain control and gain traction over time, I have to leave messages.

Should I Leave a Voice Mail?

What’s going on out there? Is it just me, or does it seem like no one is answering their phone? I used to have a very strong opinion about whether or not to leave voice mails. That view point has recently changed. Share your thoughts on the questions below and I’ll explain my new point of view on the next post!

Reader Q & A: Do voice mails work? Should you or shouldn’t you leave voice mails?