Know-How Exchange : Just for Fun

I think cold calling, as you intend it, is not only difficult for most of us, but it's also a very inefficient use of your precious time. There's a better way.

Why not identify one target client and focus all your energies on learning what that client needs and how you can make a real impact on his/her business. Then when you've completed that research, call the senior person at the client company and tell them that you have some information and recommendations for his/her business, and get yourself a 30-45 minute meeting where you can present your findings, conclusions and recommendations.

If you do a good job, the client may very well hire you, and you will have a new client. That's a better way, in my opinion, to get a new client than cold calling and having to contact 50 prospective clients with nothing important to tell them in order to get 1 client -- if you get lucky.

This philosophy is explained more fully in Rasputin For Hire : An inside look at management consulting between jobs or as a second career. If you click on the link and go to the website, you can review the introduction, table of contents and chapter 1. If it looks like something that interests you, you can get the book at the website or through most bookstores in the US, Amazon.com and bn.com.

Hope this helps.

Here is a story about cold calling.. dialing for dollars.
I have a friend who ran for US Congress. His political party sent in some top name & highly paid consultants because the seat was important in the balance of power. The first day the consultant said, we need to get you conditioned for the "ask". they gathered the names of every school he had attended from grade school to law school. Somehow they were able to find the list of most of the people who were in his classes. (remember 1st grade on). Then had him in a room with two workers each dialing and getting people on the line. He was given exactly 90 seconds to ask for their support and their money... and he did it for 4 hours straight on day and 3 hours straight the next.
He said after that ordeal he wasn't afraid to speak to anyone... and he got pretty good at it.
So, pick up the phone and start calling..... dialing for dollars..

send something via email or snail mail. Then when you call as follow up, you can ask if the person you sent it to has received it. It won't feel like a cold call to either of you and you can proceed from there.

Also, it's always better if you make an offer of useful information. Identify what information would be useful to your target and make it available in a highly accessible way.

hope this helps,

Steve

I also started an agency about 1 1/2 years ago. I've worked for many other agencies in the past that used cold calling as a tactic to try and drive sales. The fact remains that whether it's an effective method or not, being in business for yourself means turning over every rock to find business. I hate cold calling. It's so impersonal and in my opinion disrespectful. During a cold call you are making the assumption they need a service you are offering. And while they might, they have no idea who you are. So try and build the relationship not the sale. People want to do business with people they like. I did have to cold call some when starting out, I tried to make it as painless as possible for the person on the other end of the call. I would simply call and ask for the person in charge of marketing and then ask if it would be okay if I sent them some information. Instantly I would know whether or not they would be interested simply by their response. Some would ask questions, which is always a good sign. Others would flat out say no or just say "sure" and the give me some generic email address to send the information too.

So in answer to your question, cold call if you have too because you want to stay in business. Network as much as you can. That's always more effective. Also, go where your audience is. Obviously as marketers we know that the search engines are a great way to get in front of your audience. It can be expensive though.

Good luck!

Anthony