Check your pulse, guess what, if it’s there, you’re alive and human. Along with all the basic human functions, you also have a personality, likes and dislikes. One thing that, let’s be modest and say most people, do not like, is being annoyed.
The funny part is that most people get annoyed by the same things, or very few categories …
- Annoying noises
- Irritating textiles
- Irritating workmanship
But there is one category that 99.9% of people find annoying … getting cold called to be sold on something.
Getting over this hump is probably one of the most difficult processes as you’re essentially calling people who are 99.5% not interested. It’s demoralizing. So now that you’ve invested in a sales team, a process, and your life’s savings, how can we make this process more approachable and honestly, more effective.
The short answer is…cold calling doesn’t work, or work well enough to make it worth it, without you really knowing your stuff. Enter the wonderful world of the internet!
Using the “work smarter, not harder” approach, the internet allows us to connect to people we don’t know, usually in a manner of commonalities. Prime example, you like baseball, I like baseball, we probably both visit mlb.com once in a while.
Once we have something in common, we have something to talk about, once we have something to talk about, we’re no longer a random stranger, we are low level acquaintances. In the cold calling world, that barrier is the hardest and 99.5% of the frustration.
It works the same way in business, you sell digital marketing services, your client needs digital marketing, but instead of calling them up and hoping you find the right person, you create yourself a digital presence, a blog, a website, an authority space, someone that people want to follow, and more importantly, trust.
Keep in mind that only 3%-4% of people actually want what you’re selling RIGHT NOW. There is probably another 30%-40% that will eventually buy it, but they aren’t ready, and irritating them, is a way to never get that business.
So again, make a social profile, start talking about your experience in digital marketing, build a following, and then these people will come to you when they’re ready to buy.
One of the biggest hurdles as I mentioned here is building the trust factor, that would be stage 2 of the cold calling cycle then, of course, getting the handshake/payment.
How can you build trust?
Companies in general have a persona of greed, wealth, influence and power. There is “some” truth to it as ultimately you started, or you work at, a business to make a living. The term “faceless corporation” is used also negatively as it means that they don’t care about the customer other than their credit card numbers.
This is why many companies look to humanize their activities. For example, “We donate $1 of every purchase to help children in Africa.” This not only makes the consumer feel good about doing something but it also shows that the company itself cares about more than itself.
Other activities are giving the impression that the “faceless corporation” cares about its own employees. Especially in the age of Instagram, tons of company activities like Christmas parties, company outings/getaways are plastered everywhere, showing how amazing the company is and showing actual faces.
Lastly, on a more practical level for the end consumers, giving helpful “free” advice such as best ways to manage your business during Coronavirus, or things you can do while in isolation while the world is on pause. These types of articles, like this one, give you helpful things to think about and if you like what you see, you’ll probably come back time and time again.
A short setup example …
Step 1: Setup a LinkedIn profile
Step 2: Find and follow people who are interested in your product or service line
Step 3: Start posting articles that aren’t selling anything but give value, but always link back to your site! Make the articles engaging, something people will want to respond and comment on.
Step 4: Build working relationships with your followers.
Step 5: Make those sales!
Remember, the 3%-4% will immediately buy anyway, this is a process of collecting the other 45%!
Conclusion
We’re living in uncertain times, but it doesn’t mean your business has to suffer more than it has already. At our digital marketing group, we have been helping our clients up their game, using the strategies above to further their objectives. The nice part about this whole situation is that it is forcing companies to actually do these types of things which is good for everyone.
I don’t expect these activities to magically disappear when the whole situation is over, and we will all be stronger for it and the effect of “good will and giving” will be a mainstay, helping all of those in society have a better opportunity to succeed.
Kas Andz
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- Going from Strangers to Handshakes – The Art of Warm Calling - April 22, 2020