Category: Uncategorized

Have Call Reluctance? Two ideas to defeat it.

The Virtual Bank Account and the Check Off List.

In previous blogs, I’ve written about the causes for Call Reluctance.  Most of those refer to preparation and the components of the process that need to be addressed. There are some of us, however, that even when totally prepared, would still rather being doing something else, and hence, do something else. Here are a couple of ideas that have been successfully used to visually see the value of the prospecting part of their job and then to motivate them to do it! Continue reading “Have Call Reluctance? Two ideas to defeat it.”

How is setting appointments by canvassing (door knocking) different from doing it by telephone?

How to be good at a canvas call. 

Before some of you read on and think I’m full of you know what, I am going to make an assumption here. That assumption is that I am talking to those of you who sell something where Initial Appointments require a fair amount of time and a solid set of questions in order to qualify the target into a prospect. If you are selling something that is a pure commodity, sold on price and/or availability, for instance, the situation would be different. Continue reading “How is setting appointments by canvassing (door knocking) different from doing it by telephone?”

What does the life of a dog and a sales professional’s life have in common?

Hint: It has to do with choices…

The idea for this blog came to me this morning at precisely 4:44am. One of our Australian Shepherds, Bindi, decided that it was time to get up so she came to my side of the bed and attempted to get me up and going. I looked at the clock and determined that it was not time to get up—but that got me thinking. Continue reading “What does the life of a dog and a sales professional’s life have in common?”

When are the best times to call for appointments?

A Kellogg School of Management study sheds some light on the subject.

 

There is an old axiom in the appointment setting business that there is no bad time to call. If you’ve got time, pick up the phone and make some calls.

I still subscribe to that theory. However, as you’ve heard me say in this blog before, we measure everything we do and look for ways to incrementally improve our performance wherever possible. As a matter of fact, the calling tool we use from Contact Science actually has a report that will breakdown the most successful times you have calling. As you most likely aren’t using that yet, I thought I would pass this study on. Continue reading “When are the best times to call for appointments?”

Should you block your Caller ID?

Why you shouldn’t block your outgoing Caller ID.

So, you think you’re pretty smart and doing yourself a favor by cold calling with the Caller ID on your phone blocked? Here’s why we believe you are hurting yourself. Continue reading “Should you block your Caller ID?”