how do all, things have slowed down. A lot. We've never been in a position where we've had to really chase work hard before, but it seems that all over , what with credit crunch concerns, everyone's tightening their belts and not spending anything. As it is, we're feeling the pinch and so I'm finding myself making cold calls. How does it work for you? We're a communications agency who produce video, audio and websites so in theory we're one of the target things people cut when it's tight – but we're hoping to hang on in there until finances start moving again.

Also, quick cheeky plug – if you need that kind of thing (internal comms, training, DVDs, audio) give me a nudge!

Any advice greatly appreciated

Be pleasant. If they're not interested just stop.

Try not to stick to a script. (you'll sound like you're reading from a script)

Enjoy yourself.

Don't be afraid to ask for business.

If they ask for a follow up call make sure you do.

Relax, you're just chatting on a phone…

Pook – send me an email. We have clients that might be able to use your companies skills.

Cold calling is a pretty disheartening thing to do, especially if you've not had to do it before. Not had to do it yet (run a PR firm) but been close a few times.

Can you get any more out of existing clients? Also target PR companies – we find that if we send a press release out with a video it gets MUCH more pick up than without. Are you fully clued up on social media opportunities? Lots of potentials for writing social media strategies for corporates IMO.

Yes we are – matt, can't find your email addy, so chris at soundhouse-media.co.uk and I'll reply

I hate cold callers and would never give them any business on principle – sorry – but I suspect I am not normal person in this respect.

However I have found them a useful way to get back at people – when I get one I nominate person who has annoyed me the most recently and promote them to Head of IT and pass the call along.

Pook – mail sent!

I get a lot of cold calls.

I get rid of very quickly anyone who doesn't know my name or my company and who is clearly just randomly fishing

I get rid of anyone who doesn't really understand what they're talking about (eg scripts)

I get rid of anyone who sounds boring

Maybe one in 30 or so, I'll listen to what they're selling (before telling them I don't need/want it)

Maybe 1 in 200 I'll actually consider what they're selling.

We're a communications agency

😳

Some of them are quite aggressive and door step as well as call – fairly regularly somebody turns up at the main entrance and the call comes through from recpetion. They claim their secretary made an appointment with me "oh what a dozy cow, but as I got the train all the way from blahblah do you have 5 minutes".

Worse recently with the new Sharepoint release.

No I don't.

Don't do it mate you will end up shooting yourself !

I agree with you hels

Most of my freelance jobs (web design and dev) stem from cold calling in one way or another. I don't tend bother with the phone though, prefering mail drops followed a week later by physicaly visiting each business. Aside from a small minority, people seem okay and even if they are not interested they quite often know someone who might be.

My clients are mainly in the cateering sector oand my FL work is only for chips and beer so it may not suit you.

I hate it. Hate it with a passion. React the same way when people cold call me, that's why it's so alien to find myself doing it.

And tails, yes, I appreciate the irony! I communicate very well with people I know, and on behalf of clients to their audience, but phoning up random strangers and trying to strong arm them into giving me money isn't nice.

Just on the off-chance, can you produce "corporate image" type artwork? Could you do some soon? Have you got some examples to show?

I might (weel, I do actually) know of something I'm working on currently that needs that type of thing.

Drop me a mail, in my profile.

Rachel

hi rachel – ygm, cheers!

look at that who needs cold calling when you got STW.

B2B cold calling is tough but if you are a service business then in this day and age you have absolutely no choice but to get on that phone, I'm in recruitment so are 500 other businesses in Bristol, trying to get that USP can be challenging.

we have a USP – it's establishing it beyond the already well known video/audio skills that's the thing. We're very good with people, very good. A lot of our work is in quite sensitive areas eg: terminal disease awareness etc, and an empathetic approach to covering this kind of subject is vital. We have that, but it's difficult to 'sell' without losing it!

Of course, we do more than just that 🙂

Kingtut – how long have you been doing that for?

Did IT Recruitment with Project People many moons ago and then construction stuff with ITS.

Quite enjoyed it (the IT stuff paid very well too) but glad to be out of it now.

Kingtut – how long have you been doing that for?

21 years, would you believe.

I might know you then! All my stuff was in Bristol.

Surf-Mat – Member

I might know you then! All my stuff was in Bristol.

Possibly, although I only really stick to Avonmouth and the surrounding years and I've only worked for one agency – mine!

Maybe not then.

I was right in the city then on Whiteladies road working for others.

smile when you pick up the phone to dial.
If you don't know who need to talk, ask politely, make a note, ask if it's convenient to talk to them now, if not, ask when is a good time. Say thank you for your time and hang up.

Be natural, don't be nervous, what can you offer them? What needs can you fulfill? Listen to them.

Practice a 'lift conversation' that is, how can you introduce, promote, sell your company within 90secs (the time it take to ride a lift)

Good luck

Be rude, don't listen, immediately ask them (a person you don't know) "how are you today?", use their first name even though you don't know them, be over pally, say it's "just a courtesy call" to try and hide the fact you are selling something.

All techniques used when people cold call me, all techniques that result in immediate cutting off.

I'm a font designer if anyone needs one 🙂
ahem

I really enjoy the cold calling part of sales. It's not that difficult either, for a small commission I will give you some advice. 😉

Remember that you're dealing with people and peole are different, some people like being asked "how was your day?", some people offer their first name and clearly invite you to use it especially in a first call as it's polite and friendly, some people will expect you to be pally, some people like to know it's a courtesy call very often a cold call is just that. Surf-Mat clearly isn't one of those people! 😉

He clearly uses the best suppliers available and wouldn't be too interested, so I wouldn't waste my time with him and I wouldn't worry about anything negative he says about me. As I don't know him or his industry or the market or the competition, this is hypothetical. Thereare good and bad clients out there, you don't have to sell to everyone. Just to put it into perspective in my last job I took an area with 30k turnover pa to 270k turnover pa in my first 18 months, air con products.

I was involved in face to face contact though, cold calling with telephone isn't my bag at all.

I also know a great many of the IT recruiters in Bristol.. as a candidate 🙂