Picture this. I’m sitting at my desk, looking at a list of prospects to call. After picking up the phone and putting it back down a few times, I choose to do something else. Then a few hours later I try again to make the calls – cold calls. And I can’t.

Questions run through my head. Will they want to talk to me? What if they’re busy and get angry because of the interruption (and thus, angry at me)? What if they say …. “No!”?

Cold calling giving you the shivers?

Cold calling giving you the shivers?

Just the thought of cold calling makes me shiver and sweat at the same time! So what do I do to promote my business? What did I discover that allows me to market and sell our service without this cold-calling torture? I network instead.

Networking gives you warm calls and most often pre-qualified opportunities. Now when I make a phone call, the person at the other end of the conversation at least knows who I am and why I’m calling. Sometimes my fellow networkers even explain our business and qualify interest before giving me the name of a potential customer! How great is that?

There are formal and informal business networking groups, civic clubs, chambers of commerce, power circles, church groups and industry associations. The result of building relationships among the members is that you now have a team of people who will refer you or even promote your business to their connections.

Another networking format is on-line social networking. There are a plethora of online sites that assist you in connecting. Though called social networking, many people and companies are using these sites to meet potential business associates and develop relationships.

Sites that have a strictly business format are also on line and normally require membership fees. This is understandable, because they provide the same benefit as face-to-face networking. The purpose is a formalized business connection opportunity. Normally, just one customer per year will more than cover your fees. LinkedIn is free, but has two business-level upgrades that are fee-based. My favorite business networking site is OneDegreeConnected.com. Members have the ability to meet people in each others’ databases. Each member is just one degree away from everyone else. However, your database remains confidential until you agree to make the connection for the requester.

In-person networking, social networking and business on-line networking provide 3 unique opportunities to be introduced to those you’d like to meet. They provide an opportunity to start building a relationship. You receive warm introductions from people they know, and that relieves the cold-calling shivers.Cindy Hartman is President of Hartman Inventory LLC, a woman-owned business that provides business and home inventory services. She and her husband Mike also own Hartman Inventory Systems LLC, a complete turnkey inventory business package for those who want to establish their own inventory company. Cindy enjoys writing and speaking on topics related to her industry, networking and small business. Visit her at http://www.HartmanInventory.com

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“Equal business stature, Tim, that’s all I want, to be treated as an equal. I believe I have earned that right and yet to a gatekeeper or prospect, I am the lowest form of humanity.” So lamented a friend of mine over a recent lunch of burgers, fries and a heaping plateful of frustrated sales efforts.

As a sales trainer, it’s frustrating for me as well to listen to such stories when I know that the man I was sitting across from – and others – have all the requisite skills of a trusted advisor. Unfortunately when they engage in the work of finding new prospects their self-esteem gets the whack. Prospects can be cold, tough. Gatekeepers can be worse.

Let’s be fair. No one likes taking calls from salespeople. Not you, not me, not any rational human being. Gatekeepers take sales calls all day long and who can blame them for being edgy at the sound of an unrecognizable voice (“It’s gotta be a salesman!”). However in the salesperson’s defense, gatekeepers are paid to take telephone calls and while part of that pay means keeping salespeople at bay, a bigger part is to discern who may be useful to the organization. Gatekeepers are not paid to unilaterally dump potential business partners, especially at the expense of a business plan. Read the full article →

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Is your business prepared…?

February 24, 2010

Many businesses currently experiencing a slowdown in operations are taking advantage of the additional time to work "on" their business for a change.  A constructive use of this opportunity -- and a great way to keep employees working -- is to evaluate and take steps to secure your Emergency and Continuity Plans.
How quickly can [...]

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Length of a Selling Cycle is Critical

February 15, 2010

Two things are paramount in determining your business development success: Your ability to establish a trust-based relationship and the length of your selling cycle. Both require focus, perhaps even more focus than you’re employing now. I invite you to consider taking on the challenge of working on both.
Trust is hard to come by and [...]

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Are you connecting people this holiday season?

December 21, 2009

One of the best gifts you can give someone in business this holiday season is the gift of your contacts' business.  Most of us have never really sat down and thought about how we could really help our top 10-20 business contacts for any great length of time.
So where do you begin?
1.  Sit down [...]

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Entrepreneurship – do you have what it takes?

October 15, 2009

According to the Small Business Administration (SBA), 50% of all small businesses fail within the first 5 years. Wow! That’s scary! Think about it this way – you’re standing in a room with another small business owner, and most likely one of you will close your doors. Who will it be? There’s a 50% [...]

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Beyond Prospecting – Start with the Basics!

September 22, 2009

Generating qualified sales leads is an essential part of any successful business.  Too often sales people have the willingness to meet with any prospect—whether they are qualified or not.  There are several factors that are involved in making sure a lead is a quality lead, and new online tools are taking you beyond prospecting, [...]

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Network even when you don’t need business

September 18, 2009

I have attended networking meetings when the conversation includes people stating what they’re currently looking for to help grow their business. Sometimes a person states that they don’t need anything. Business is great, revenues are on target, they’re working the amount of hours they want to work and their goals are being met.
So, why [...]

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Adapt… or die!

August 17, 2009

Businesses today are facing inflation, higher taxes, a contracting economy, more regulations, and competition from overseas, to just name a few challenges.  Those companies who embrace new tools to optimize their client acquisition strategies will be better positioned to protect themselves against these economic challenges.
Not too long ago businesses claimed that being online was [...]

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Looking for a Sales Position? … STOP what you’re doing!

interview June 14, 2009

The interview process can be a harrowing experience for anyone. I get it. It’s a tough processes no one likes to go through. I have a great deal of empathy for those of you who are out there pounding on doors.

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