Is Cold calling a good way to promote business and get sales leads?

and does it work? if not any other ideas?

It is especially effective in capital sales to B2B customers. It takes time and discipline but in today's cluttered multi-media blizzard it gets through (and you know your message got through) if you physically cold-call.

I use the following technique:
I assume I get one paragraph...three sentences of time.
1) I Identify myself..."I am xxvcxcv from fdssdf company.
2) I state my purpose..."Could you give my card and this flyer to whomever handles sdasdfsd for your company?
3) I Pause....if they say OK or just take my materials...and ask..."Could I also get their business card?"

Remember, the front desk is not authorized to do much...but if I am nice my card and flyer will get through and in a larger percentage of the time I will get the target person's card or the company. Both can be entered into my marketing DB often they will contain the email address, and even cell phone numbers for follow up. If I like the company as a prospect, I set them up in a standard automated sales campaign which I call "farming".

Also, beware early, late, Friday nights and weekends I often run into senior management who are often direct. I state my business clearly. Many have engaged me out of curiosity. So I have my sales pitch ready and never hesitate to go for a trial close. I know what I am looking for so I don't waste my time or the executives time. If we have a match, I have cut weeks or months off of the sales cycle.

If physical or phone cold calling works for you, use it. As long as it is short and respectful, only 5% will hate you. I am only looking for the 1% that has a real problem to solve for the other 94% it is only a few seconds out of their lives and it is quickly forgotten.

If it does not fit you, your product or industry find some other way to prospect. But, if you are a new account salesman make prospecting a way of life.

You can call on 30 to 40 business a day based on the density and traffic. One day a week can add 100+ prospects to your DB with higher than normal returns.

You will get very adept at counting cars and lack of parking space, checking for over flowing warehouses, watching for who is delivering (suppliers), who is picking up (FedEx, UPS, Company trucks). It time and skill you can put together the entire supply chain. Dozens and Dozens of things you can't learn over the phone, company searches, etc.

Properly done cold calling can be a competitive advantage with so many marketeers and salesman just counting their clicks or complaining that their leads are fully qualified from a outsourced prospecting firm, because when you get the shot at an executive, you can have tremendous insight into why they want to waste their time with you on a sales call (usually, they are trying solve a very real problem). The more you know the better your odds. If your competition never left home to prospect they often only know their product.

depends on your area really but these days people dont like to be cold called on especially in the afternoon or early morning. i myself have had a few and sometimes i let them in if they are doing research but i hate people knocking at the door trying to flog me something an idea would be to make some leaflets and post them trhough the doors people could read them and if they are intrested they could give you a call to come round at a time convienant to them, although it sometimes can be costly at least you wont be giving any bad marketing it would be more postive than standing ont heir doorstep

Sometimes produces sales but not good service.

only if you are backed up by a national company every one knows other wise they just want to say no. i say if i want any thing i just go out and get it.

As you may have realized, traditional marketing has changed rapidly. Don't take my word for it, Try this:

Type: BMW on Google Local, Yahoo Local
You will see a store listings, choose one of the Store Listing, you see a business page, with 4 ads on the page and links to other dealers.

Type BMW on www.thelocalindex.com

You will see BMWâ€™s, click one, and click go to store. You will see their Whole Inventory Online.
Yes we are in beta, meaning we are currently adding Google Maps for directions to each store, Coupons for discounts to customers, a URL to direct customers to your store (exampleâ€ www.thelocalindex.com/ Your Store Name) and alot more including Youtube videos, Slide: Slideshows, the ability to share on Myspace, Facebook, Flikr.
A Contact Importer to import current customers to your new store, with announcements to keep them updated on your business. Local Business events, networking events and a whole lot more.

The Local Index, is the best resource for local businesses because we promote top local businesses via Radio, Television and Printed Media.

The Goal of this site is to reintroduce the concept of local businesses to consumers as the hip, hot new thing. Instead of Pizza Hut, Walmart, Circuit City and Etc.

Business Samples:
Auto
http://www.thelocalindex.com/store/?ID=1...

Clothing
http://www.thelocalindex.com/store/?ID=8
Food & Dining
http://www.thelocalindex.com/store/?ID=9

Spa
http://www.thelocalindex.com/store/?ID=5

* 23 hours ago

Source(s):
Business Samples:
Auto
http://www.thelocalindex.com/store/?ID=1...

Clothing
http://www.thelocalindex.com/store/?ID=8
Food & Dining
http://www.thelocalindex.com/store/?ID=9

Spa
http://www.thelocalindex.com/store/?ID=5

if it did not work they wouldnt do it they have been doing it years now so somebody must fall for it.
my grandaughter works in a call centre doing cold call telephone calls and she makes a fortune in commision every week. it would depend on the product basically
some companies have been using cold calling for 30 years and are still going strong, some companies that are muti national where built on cold calling

in a perfect world, but this world can be dangerous. I prefer a leaflet to explain everything and then i can contact you in my own time

When companies call me to solicit their product...they go on my "never do business with" list.

...and I never....ever, take them off the list.

majority of people gate cold calling, I know I do when it happens to me. But the reason why major companies still use this method of selling is because it works! thats why you hear of so many scams happening because believe it or not there are more gullable people out there than ones with sense, sad but true!
You will find it hard to sell without a company behind your back, people feel safer if you can show them a badge of some sort. dont be put off by all the negative feedback regarding cold selling, for every 1 customer who complains youll have 5 buying off you...considering your selling something good and your sales pitch is excellent!

NO! However, it is a great way to alienate your potential customers and have them remember you for all the wrong reasons

Nothing more annoying than someone at your door trying to sell you something.

Actually it can be very beneficial. Here's a link to an article I wrote discussing the pros and cons of cold calling.

http://hubpages.com/hub/Service_Providers_To_Cold_Call_or_Not_To_Cold_Call

Good luck!

No coz the phone just gets put down in my house - I hate it - they do not have the right to bother me. If i want something I will go and look into it, pestering me will just make me annoyed. The help should be there when you want/have bought the product, if companies put as much into aftercare and existing customers as they do trying to get new ones I think we'd all be much happier so in my opinion cold calls are a waste of space,time, money, energy and life

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