A lot of companies look to cold calling to find new leads and boost their sales funnel. However, it’s not quite the most efficient way to prospect — for every sale you make, you likely had to spend hours reaching out to unresponsive people. So, is cold calling really the way?
No, it’s not. I’m going to start this by answering the question right away. It doesn’t work, and it leaves people feeling irritated instead of interested in what you have to offer.
That leaves the question: What can you do to replace this outdated method of communication? Well, I have a trick up my sleeve that you are going to love. I call it warm calling.
What’s Warm Calling?
I can see your confused faces now as I put forward the concept of a warm call. Let me tell you now: It is the way forward when trying to get new clients and expand your business. The way it works is quite simple as well, and all you need is at least one delighted customer.
When you have finished an event and the client is happy with it, make a note to contact them a week or so after. When you get in touch, make sure to ask how they are and have a quick catch up about the event. Then, ask them if they have any friends that might like to use your services.
Most of the time, you’ll find that they are excited to be able to provide you with some new customers. After all, people love to help — it’s in our human nature. They want to feel as though they are part of the success of your company, and this is the perfect way to make them feel good. You can set up an introduction with your client’s friend through them, as this will make them feel as though they are part of the process.
If you do this after every successful event, you will end up with a respectable number of new clients, and you can keep getting them to recommend you. It’s a polite way to reach out and customers will love helping you to get better reach. There are no losers here, unlike cold calling.
How to Get Started
If, for example, you host private events and want to reach out to the corporate world, there is a quick and easy way to do this. Speak to your clients and ask them what they, or their spouse, do for a living. If you discover they work for a corporate company, keep it in the back of your mind and ask them if they can get you in for an event at a later date. You’ve also got social media, which is always useful regardless of whether you are in private events.
Social media is the gateway to success and it is where you will find reviews, recommendations, and more information about your client. Do your homework as a salesperson and take five minutes to really learn more about your potential customer, their interests, and what they are posting.
Warm calling is the way forward; cold calling is dead. It’s a stone-cold fact because people don’t like it when they are bothered by someone they don’t know on the phone. It’s all about using what you already have to expand, and it can do wonders for the growth of your business.
With 30 years of experience owning event planning, high-end catering, and design and décor companies, Meryl Snow is on a mission to help businesses get on their own path to success. As a Senior Consultant & Sales Trainer for SnowStorm Solutions, Meryl travels throughout North America training clients in the areas of sales, marketing, design, and branding. As a valued member of the Wedding Industry Speakers, she speaks with groups from the heart with warmth and knowledge, and covers the funny side of life and business.