It’s time for another one of my rants.
This one is regarding cold-calling and websites.
I’ve always been an advocate of cold-calling as part of an overall sales strategy.
One piece, though, that it seems some people want to leave out — or worst yet, include in the wrong way — is the website.
Let me explain.
First off, if you don’t have a website and a web presence with your name, you are wasting your time cold-calling and leaving voicemail messages.
My reason for saying this is simple. People use the internet to validate who they’re talking with or who they may want to do business with. What’s the point of leaving a voicemail message if you don’t also have a footprint on the web?
If you work for a major company, you might be saying this doesn’t apply to you. Sorry, it does.
What do you get when you Google your name?
Does your Linkedin profile appear?
Are there high-ranking links to other things on the web (particularly things that are positive!) (Skip the pictures of Cancun and any photos taken after 8 PM.)
People want to deal with successful people, and successful people are going to have their name appear in a Google search.
Why should we expect anyone to even think about doing business with us if we don’t have some sort of a positive presence on the web that is easy to find?
My second rant is this: What purpose does leaving your website URL on a voicemail message do for you?
Sure, there are those who will say they have tracking software in place to tell who visits. To this I say, go ahead and track me. See how quickly I will blow you off if you call me back and say something like “Oh, I noticed you visited our website.”
I’ve got one word to describe you…stalker!
(If I want to visit a website, I’ll visit it the same way I prefer shopping in a store — Don’t bug me unless I want you.)
The vast majority of times when you leave a URL as part of a voicemail, you’re leaving the person with the ability to determine why they don’t want to do business with you.
I want to leave a message that doesn’t rule people out, but rather rules people in by leaving them one compelling sentence and that’s it.
Use the telephone as one way to reach prospects, but don’t try to point people to your website in that call unless your website is unbelieveably compelling. A good rule to follow: 95% of you who think you have a compelling website probably don’t!
Sorry to be harsh, but cold-calling is not for the timid people who don’t want to make money.
Cold-calling is for those of you who know the only thing separating you from being more successful is finding more prospects you can close.
Do you need a website? Yes. Is it necessary during a cold call to tell people about it? Doubtful.
Cold call using the skills that will set you apart from your competition. This goes for your voice mail skills too.
Copyright 2012, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.
