Cold Calling -- ARRRRGGHH!

[RandomJord]

Ironically my existing client list is something a lot of people would kill for, and the people i deal with are nothing but professional. its the 'small' people like foxtons that seem to be jumped up sh!ts.

Im going back to employing someone to do this part i think! who wants a job??

[Jay]

My missus 

[matg340]

Big part of my job is now answering the phone and simply the amount of people that pester me every day , drives me feckin insane !!
Problem is Im normally doing somethin constructive an i have to drop it to answer the phone to yet again be told that i could be saving money by swapping utilities , insurance , breakdown cover, phone contracts , gov anouncments , debt advice,,, the list goes on ,, so when someone like yourself who may well be selling somethin genuinly genius , calls up, im normally quite sharp and dismissive ,,as im guessing most of the folk you call are

[Guy]

mate... cold calling is one of the hardest sells.. don't envy you that

[Bellend]

Keep getting load offers etc.

One bloke yesterday:

Me: "Nah I'm not interested in any loans at all."
"You must be looking though"
"No"
"Well you must have been applying for a loan on the internet because that's what it says here"
"Nope, might be whoever else had this number before"
"Was their name Joshua R........ as well?"
"I suppose not but no I haven't been looking, I don't want debt."
"Well you must have put your details on the internet"
"No, I didn't and please don't phone again"
"Yes you did, it says here" 
"Well I'm saying f*ck off and don't phone again, apply that to your job half as much as that computer and we'll get on a lot better".

Haven't been phoned by them all day! 

[stealthwolf]

As above, the way cold calling has developed with automated services or worse, no answers, has wound the general public up to the point of it being a complete nuisance.

Most people will Google for what they want

[RandomJord]

Tell me this, and this is genuine because I'm always open to new ideas on this stuff, what other methods are there that are effectively free, that can make people aware and interested in a service that isn't particulary well known in the market at the moment and generate 9 face to face meetings in under 2 hours?

I spend a hella lot on traditional advertising, yell, direct mail an all that sh!t, and looking at 2 trade shows this year also so I'm covered for that part.

And this is BUSINESS people, I'm not talking about being bugged at home!

[R32UK]

I would go to trade shows. I did a couple of these a few years back and the amount of business you can drum up at these places is unreal. Managed to get some huge resellers to make some pretty big purchases, which also opened many other doors.

[Martz]

Are you getting your van sign written? It's a great way of advertising as it acts as a sleeping salesman. I get quite a bit from that.

[RandomJord]

I would go to trade shows. I did a couple of these a few years back and the amount of business you can drum up at these places is unreal. Managed to get some huge resellers to make some pretty big purchases, which also opened many other doors.

That's good to hear, the expense makes them a bit errrrrr but as you said the potential can be massive!

Are you getting your van sign written? It's a great way of advertising as it acts as a sleeping salesman. I get quite a bit from that.

Helllss yeah!