Every day I get minimally 3 – 5 emails from people proclaiming to me how effective their social media plan is for getting new customers.
Each one claims to know exactly why others fail and why they have a plan that works perfect.
Along with the emails are the numerous articles on the web about how old school selling is just that — old school — and how cold-calling and the like is a complete waste of time.
It’s time I share my perspective on the subject, and I’m going to blunt and in your face. Why? Because I can!
First, I find it so ironic how the emails I get from people extolling their social media prospecting programs are nothing more than cold/dead emails. I don’t even know these people! Ok, I’ll get off that rant for a moment and move on.
Leveraging social media is effective when it’s done right, but that’s like saying running a 30-second advertisement on television is effective. A single television ad or a single social media message isn’t going to do anything.
We’re all inundated with far more messages in many different forms each day, so why do you think your social media message is going to stick out? It’s not, unless it involves a stupid cat, a cute baby or a winning lottery ticket.
Effective social media takes time — a lot of it.
I’m not talking about the time it takes to set up and do. I’m talking about the length of time to build a relationship. This strategy might be fine if you’re rich and don’t need to work, but if that’s the case, then why are you doing it to begin with?
Banking on your social media strategy to quickly bring you enough prospects that will put food on your table is going to put you on a great weight-loss diet!
Social media is fine for building awareness and helping to reinforce messaging, but it’s merely ONE tool in the prospecting toolbox.
Oh and while I’m ranting, the same goes for email. Blasting out stupid emails repeatedly is no better than posting lame stuff on LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.
Telephone prospecting still works, contrary to what all of the pundits like to say. I can give you one proven situation after another where I’ve worked with salespeople and companies and have used the telephone to create clients.
Key with the telephone is not spraying and praying. That’s what social media is. Key is having a plan and being deliberate and targeted.
Three rules I adhere to:
1. Don’t start what you can’t finish – It’s going to take repetition. Don’t think one or two phone calls is all it’s going to take.
2. Voicemail messages are powerful – Never leave the same voicemail twice. Key is to leave messages that are short, direct and delivered with energy.
3. Be targeted – The calls you make aren’t random. In the Internet world we live in, there is no reason why you can’t narrow who you call to the high-potential prospect.
Prospecting via the telephone works, but just like social media, email, etc., it’s just one tool in the prospecting toolbox. If you want to avoid starvation, you’ll use the telephone tool.
I’m tired of hearing and reading so called “experts” say the telephone is dead. Sorry it isn’t, but if all you want to be is a broke hungry salesperson, go ahead and not use the phone.
When you’re ready to move your prospecting game to the next level check this out….
Copyright 2015, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of High-Profit Selling: Win the Sale Without Compromising on Price.
One Response
Mark,
Thanks for championing the message that cold calling is not dead.
Our best prospects are usually not looking.
When a prospect is looking, he is looking at many suppliers and he is likely a long way down his buying cycle. Why is that prospect better than the ones we proactively engage and are happy to engage with us.
You are the guru and I’m a fan.
Cheers,
SengHee