# Cold Calling



## tim3560

I was just wondering what you guys and gals thought is the more effective approach of cold calling? Walk-ins, or phone calls? On the one hand, I think that walk-ins give the person a face to think of and is a more personal approach, but some places hate soliciting. On the other hand I can reach many more people on the phone in a day but it might just be viewed as telemarketing, and nobody likes a telemarketer. I have gone out cold calling to market my screen printing and embroidery services several times ( I only take off one day a week right now to market my business. The other days I work for my family's business.), and have gotten a few sales while seeing at the most about 20 businesses in a day, but if I made phone calls I could call dozens of different businesses in a day. 
What do you think that customers prefer?


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## Rodney

> What do you think that customers prefer?


If it's the "lesser of two evils", I think most *customers* would prefer a phone call because they can just hang up on you.

That's the thing about cold calling though...it's not so much about what the customer wants, but what is most (cost) effective for the marketer.

The *customer* would probably prefer to find new business/vendors by word of mouth, or to have them easily found when they are out searching (YellowPages, local google/yahoo searches, etc)

If you are truly concerned with what the customer prefers, you might try a "warm" call and start with a postcard mailing or even sample printed shirt and then follow up with a phone call if they don't contact you first.


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## gabescully

I'd argue that it really comes down to your approach. If there is place you want to physically walk into to sell your services, make sure your approach is perfect and not too "commercialized". Act like a freind first and at least leave them with a positive impression of yourself.


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## Robin

Here is my opinion.

Phone...Because there are so many telephone solicitors out there, I wouldnt bother. If you were to call me, Id hang up, you wouldnt get time to say what you want to say

Cold Calling....I can see you! Even if Im not interested, you can leave your literature, and I will very likely look at it later before I throw it out.

Cold calling is about the only thing that has consistently worked for us. We *do not* give a schpeel or do any hard selling. We pop in, tell them who we are, and say "We just want to leave you our brochure and business card, if you need any of our services, please give us a call." Then we head out towards the door....then tell them to have a nice day. 

........every single time, when we looked back once we got to the door, they were looking at our literature. Many times, they have rushed to stop us before we actually leave, and have had orders and checks in hand by the time they were done with us. Other times, several months later one of the folks we dropped in on still had our card, and she wanted new signs for her store. (She remembered us)

Cold Calling is more time consuming, but in my opinion, a better bang for your (buck) so to speak.


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## COEDS

I agree, I 'm more successful with the face to face approach. I have used the phone too. I think the best approach is like Robin said' introduction and leave literature. I wear alot of embroidery embellished clothing too( this allows me to show off my work). Good luck ...... JB


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## sachi

COEDS said:


> I think the best approach is like Robin said' introduction and leave literature.


Cold call in person and ask for an appointment. Let the store know you value their time and yours; introduce yourself and immediately let them know you are not expecting them to stop and engage in a sales call. Ask for an appointment and if you don't receive one, ask for a good time to call and follow up after they have a chance to look at your brochures.


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## Robin

sachi said:


> Cold call in person and ask for an appointment. Let the store know you value their time and yours; introduce yourself and immediately let them know you are not expecting them to stop and engage in a sales call. Ask for an appointment and if you don't receive one, ask for a good time to call and follow up after they have a chance to look at your brochures.


I dont do this....I think its because of all the years in retail, and all the salesmen/women coming into my shop or store trying to sell me something. I get really put off by it, and tend to not want to bother....then get irritated, and tell them no. 

I know this works for alot of ppl, but for someone like me who isnt a hard sell type of person, I cant do it.


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## badalou

Robin said:


> I dont do this....I think its because of all the years in retail, and all the salesmen/women coming into my shop or store trying to sell me something. I get really put off by it, and tend to not want to bother....then get irritated, and tell them no.
> 
> I know this works for a lot of ppl, but for someone like me who isnt a hard sell type of person, I cant do it.


The thing about visiting a store (You can call it cold calling) is the person who manages the business actually sees the person who they would be dealing with.. Now me I have a charming personality.. LOL But what I do is have a very nice slick 4 x 6 business card with pictures of the product I am selling and I simply say my name and that I was in the area and thought I would drop this off for your consideration. If your business sells the type of product that I produce maybe we can sit down and discuss this in the future when you have time or if you can give me a few minutes of your time I would love to show you samples. This is not a yes or no question. I usually get "Well I don't have time now but maybe if you give me a call later maybe I will consider it" or "No I actually have a distributor for the products I carry, so sorry" Or Looking at the card. "These look nice why don't you show me what you have.." Now what is really important is that you not be nervous.. you should know your product info and what terms you can offer. The biggest mistake a person makes in trying to sell something is not trying at all. When I got a new product in to our operation I would have a meeting with my employees and tell them to read the box because it has all the info on it and they should know the product. marketing your company and product is essential in building a business. I have signs on my car that work and I also make signs. On Thursday I delivered magnetic signs and placed a sign on the back of a truck for a new handyman service. I left him with I hope this works for you as well as it has it worked for me. (he actually saw may SUV, that's how I got the business) he called me on Saturday to tell me he had over 30 calls. I almost fainted. My wife heard me talking out load down the hall and i kept saying "Your lying to me" when he was telling me this.. she thought I was being disrespectful to someone.. I told her, no we were both excited for him.. I thought he was pulling my leg. well I got an additiona 6 lawn signs and a large metal sign for the back of his trailer. Lou


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## Robin

Lou!! I love the 4x6 card!!!! I just love it!!! ......something else to add to my to-do list lol We have brochures we hand out with our cards, but with so much new work lately, the brochures are becoming outdated (but we still have about 1500 of them) Thanks Lou!!!!!


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## plan b

Ok here is my 2 cents, the old fashion way of marketing is wearing out shoe leather, it has worked forever, and it is the approach I would take, walk into the prospects store, look around get familiar with what they sell, don't act like you want to sell them something, this will give you time to see if your items will live in their store or not, ask questions (non-selling), 9 out of 10 times the owner or buyer is not in or to busy to talk, do not bother with a pitch to a sales person, its non productive, rather ask who makes the buying decisions, get the card or contact name, leave it at that, follow up with mailing brochure, buz card and a hand written note, not typed but hand written, this is very important, it tells the buyer that its not a form letter and gives the I really care and personal touch, explain in the note that you will give him or her a call in a few days to set an appointment, make that call , don't forget, after the appointment, hand write a thank you letter, hand write do not type and do not use email, you can use email after you close the deal, do not use a canned sales pitch, but rather look around the office see if there is something in common you see for chit chat, this will break ice and a personal trust, remember people dont buy products the buy products from people they like and trust, this is a long sales cycle but you want them as a partner not just a customer, partnerships take time to cultivate so take your time but always ask for the sale, test close,over and over, but always ask.

R.


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## randytees

This is a question I've pondered many times. I am in a relatively small market area with no direct competition in town, but very large volume printers in neighboring towns to the north and south. My business hasbeen developed almost entirely on word of mouth and the Yellow Pages. When I do make a sales call I make sure I have a new product or idea that I would like to "demonstrate" and not necessarily push for a sale. So far this approach has served me well for 16 years.


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## HATSNTS

I currently use both approaches. Usually I call them first and schedule a visit, which works pretty good. Somtimes we may go out and just go from business to business with our material and see what happens. sometimes we do very well and sometimes we don't.


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## tim3560

HATSNTS said:


> Somtimes we may go out and just go from business to business with our material and see what happens.


What materials do you take with you? Sample shirts, flyers, both?


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## TripleT

> If your business sells the type of product that I produce maybe we can sit down and discuss this in the future when you have time or if you can give me a few minutes of your time I would love to show you samples. This is not a yes or no question.


That's a nugget of gold. Don't ask a yes or no question to start. People will say "No" without even thinking about it.

If you use the phone, there is no reason why you can't be professional and let your personality come through. A business calling another business during business hours, is not the same thing as a telemarketer calling your home during dinner.

Not everybody buys, but so what? If you call someone and they don't want the call, just be polite, apologize for interrupting their day, and move on. If they want to blast you for calling (and some will), they are the ones with a problem not you - just be polite and move on. 

As long as you are not trying to "hard sell" ('you must buy today, today, today...'), the telephone is a great way to open-up business relationships. Ask the same questions you would if you were sitting there with them, and if they want to see your stuff, send it to them or take it over to them - and don't forget - ask for the sale!


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## Tedd1154

I have not posted here before, but I will say I have gotten a lot of good information from this site. Anyway, this thread is close to home for me, since my wife and I are about to move our home based embroidery business out into the "real world". We have added a DTG printer (which is beginning to pay off) and will add digital color, digital b/w and large format color. I said all of that to say this, my approach to growing this business will be all of the above mentioned techniques, appointment selling, telephone call, mailing and cold calling. If selling was easy, everyone would want to do it. The key is to sell consistantly. Week in, week out. We will be fully operational in August, so I will let you know what I find is most effective.

Ted


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## Chani

Our approach will be a little different, but a little more costly.

We're still deciding for sure, but because of our business structure and what we really want to do (shirts will be a part of it, but they will be secondary), we will buy into a new business mailing list and mail out brochures.

You'll notice that anytime you register a new business, you'll get TONS of mailings for that business. My last business happened to be retail sales online, yet I KEEP getting credit card processing mailings in our mailbox, even a year later.

We target new businesses, so I believe this is the way to go. Reach them before they even get into the phonebook.


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## tim3560

Here's what I've found out so far through my own experience and I hope you all find this usefull. While screen-printing and embroidery are well known and popularly used means of advertising, most of the people that I have talked to so far except for 1 have had NO sense of loyalty what so ever to previous companies that they've ordered from in the past. I've gotten 3 orders in 2 days just from walking in to places during business hours and asking "Do you use t-shirts for promotional advertising?" 1 of the 3 said that he had been using a company from another city and would rather use someone in town. 1 had ordered them in the past and had priced around and I happened to beat other's prices by about $0.50 per shirt and I was there so they placed the order on the spot. 
Here is what I'll be doing from now on.
I made a line sheet, a flyer, and a business card that I will take each day for around 4 hours per day to different businesses so that they know I'm available thanks to Verizon screwing me over, and will perform follow-ups religiously to make sure my name stays fresh in everyone's minds. 
The lack of loyalty is two-fold, 1 it's good in the beginning because it will help me get a lot of orders. On the other hand it means that I'll have to fight that much harder to get orders in the future.


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## tim3560

I decided today that I would try some phone calling just to see how it worked. I called 15 places. Now, let me first say that each day since I began full time, I have done no direct marketing except walk ins. When I looked at 2 things, my watch and my odometer it became very clear to me that I was not being as efficient with my time as I would like to be....and I was putting a lot of miles on my car, some of which are unnecessary. 
Back to the top. I called these 15 places in one hour's total time and I have done no driving. Everyone was just as receptive on the phone as the other customers had been in person and I have set up 6 appointments with people/companies that I know are interested in learning more about my company, 4 said they will call when they run out of inventory (these I will put on my call back list and try again in another 2 weeks or so), and 3 said that they would pass my info along to the appropriate person(I will also call back at a later date), and 2 were committed to other companies. 
All together everyone was very nice, no one seemed put off by being approached on the phone and I would consider this a very positive form of getting the word out about my business.


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## Majestic Leper

I have another question to add to this thread: What business types are most receptive to our industry? I'll be cold calling soon and want to get the big orders first.

Thanks,

ML


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## tim3560

Majestic Leper said:


> I have another question to add to this thread: What business types are most receptive to our industry? I'll be cold calling soon and want to get the big orders first.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> ML


The most receptive to me have been privately owned businesses. The big franchises and chain stores all seem to get their products done by the "home office" so to speak. I've seen shirts in my city advertising tanning salons, car repair shops, electric companies, contractors, restaurants, specialty auto parts, you name it. They are out there, but they don't know that you are until you or someone else tell them. Ask around, you find that you know a lot of people that have their own businesses that might want to talk to you or know someone else that does. I talked to someone today at one of those check cashing places that said she would be interested in some shirts for a car club that she's a member of. You never know until you ask. 
Also don't worry so much about getting the big orders first. Get every order that you can get and the big orders will come.


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## perfecttextile

I am working in a facotry to supply services and garments to the worldwide.
Now I have some clients, but i am fewly to make a phone call with them.

I also wanna sell my goods to other people, but i didn't find a good way to introduce myself except by email.

After browse these opions I think calling is good for our business.. That's because you are the forienger s to me.. I didn't call them was just because I am afraid they don't like. Now I know that at least they will listen to me.


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## tim3560

perfecttextile said:


> I am working in a facotry to supply services and garments to the worldwide.
> Now I have some clients, but i am fewly to make a phone call with them.
> 
> I also wanna sell my goods to other people, but i didn't find a good way to introduce myself except by email.
> 
> After browse these opions I think calling is good for our business.. That's because you are the forienger s to me.. I didn't call them was just because I am afraid they don't like. Now I know that at least they will listen to me.


There will probably be differences in our cultures as far as what is accepted and what is not, but I have a feeling that as long as you are friendly and don't try to push anything on anyone, that most will be receptive to you as well.


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## geekfitters

I would say, very simply, call first, walk-in later as a follow-up to the call.


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## TripleT

For some reason, most people are afraid to use the telephone to sell their products. Think about it - you want to make more money, right? It's a slow day and you have some time on your hands. You have a telephone and you have a telephone book (not to mention the fact that you can easily find unlimited business telephone numbers on the Internet), why not pick-up the phone and make some calls? If you are friendly on the phone, most people will be friendly. Of course, if you smoke 3 packs a day and drink yourself into a stupor every night, your voice will sound like sandpaper rubbing against gravel, for you, don't use the telephone.


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## Flannigans

Tim

Making an appointment is always better. Just keep your phone call simple. Most small business's will respond well to an honest phone call trying to create new business. Someone gave me some advice when I first started. Always carry business cards, Always. Give them out wherever you are, at the bank at the movies anyone and everyone you come into contact with.

Good luck.


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## dmgabin

Still a newbie to this forum but have several years sales experience and retail management - and for me I would MUCH prefer the approach that Robin suggests then getting a phone call. I prefer the polite face to face intro and some literature/promotional material. I realize everyone is different but with a brochure, I can look at it, perhaps visit the web site for more info. 

However, if a face to face intro turns out to be a pushy, overbearing person, I would tell them that I'm too busy to talk and never deal with them again. No matter how many times they call, stop by, or try to schedule a time with me. It simply will never happen. For me, it applies to whatever the product or service is that's being sold. It's all about approach.

I also agree with Rodney that "The *customer* would probably prefer to find new business/vendors by word of mouth, or to have them easily found when they are out searching (YellowPages, local google/yahoo searches, etc)." Therefore, networking is key. Try to network with local businesses/events/town stuff.


Personally, I absolutely hate cold calling (phone). Just not for me - I think it's a huge waste of time, not to mention frustrating. Hey, it may work for some people. In my experience, cold calls have not been advantageous. I personally never speak to telemarketers for any product/service. 


The suggestion of warm calling is much better and a "softer" approach. Mailing out post cards, coupons, magnets, etc., first and then following up with a call. ..much nicer. Everyone is different and does what is most comfortable for them. 
Good luck!


Denise


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## tqualizerman

I hate cold calling and I am willing to pay good people good money to do it for me.


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## Robin

I intensely dislike anyone calling me and trying to sell me something! I wont listen, and once I realize you want something from me, I hang up.

But if you come into the shop, at least you have an audience.

Here is what happened yesterday. 
A fella came in wanting to sell us phone service. We told him we use cell phones, and instead of arguing with us on the benefits of his service, he shruged, gave us a big smile, and said , "Aw, well then you dont need me then do ya?!" 

Because he was so nice, and personable, we took his card, and his information sheet. He will be one of the first we will talk to when its time to get a land line for the business.

I guess there is a point to this.....when you go cold calling.... 1) look professional! 2) have your business card, and when they ask you questions, _*know *_the answers 3) Have literature to back up what you are talking about. 4) carry samples with you, or have them in your car so you can offer samples for the customer to see.

We always wear our own printed clothing, and had our truck parked close by so others could see it. We dont appear to be an overnight business that is coming in to take your money and run. Too many who come into our shop look like that! Our truck was filled with our graphics and business info. We now have a car........and havent gotten around to getting it decked out. The store has been keeping us busy. The sign guy is always the last to get his/her stuff done right?!


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## TripleT

There are many different ways to use the phone while cold calling - some professional, some not.

Yesterday, I had a friendly message on my voice mail, "Hi, this is Joe Blow. Give me a call at xxx-xxx-xxxx." I thought I knew who it was so I called back.
When he answered, I realized he didn't know me and the friendly voice mail was just a ploy to get me to call. When I asked who he was and what his company did, he was rude and I hung-up on him.

That is one way not to use the telephone in business. On the other hand, if a confident, professional person calls, I'm willing to give them a few seconds to find out why they're calling and what they're selling. If I have no interest in their product or service, I politely end the conversation - but it's surprising how much you can learn about a product or a market from a short conversation.

If they're professional, they're not going to insist that you buy, "Today, Today, Today." And a cold call turns into a warm lead.

Especially if your selling to a large, or national, or even international marketplace, to not take advantage of this sales tool is short sighted. B2B calls, are not the same thing as B2C calls (that's the telemarketer calling you at home.)

Whether we like it or not, sales is the engine that drives the machine - incorporating the phone into your sales/marketing plan is smart business.


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## jennmiesz

I utilize a 2-step approach to cold calling. I have used this for everything from insurance to artwork. I first go to the business and ask the gatekeeper, or receptionist, if they could please help me out. 9 times out of 10 you will get a yes because most people like helping others. When they say yes, I then say I am a new business in the area and I was just wondering if I could get the card of the person who handles "whatever it is you are selling." I make it clear that I am not there selling anything to them, just want to get a name. I also never leave any information with the gatekeeper. I then make a phone call to that business the next day and now I can ask for the individual in person. When asking I ask quickly and casually. For example, "Hi, I'm calling for Jim". When they ask who I am, I just say "this is Jennifer". Most of the time they will patch you right through thinking you are a personal friend or an already established business client.

Good luck! I hope if you try this attempt it works for you.


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## Scrnprntmom

Robin said:


> Here is my opinion.
> 
> Phone...Because there are so many telephone solicitors out there, I wouldnt bother. If you were to call me, Id hang up, you wouldnt get time to say what you want to say
> 
> Cold Calling....I can see you! Even if Im not interested, you can leave your literature, and I will very likely look at it later before I throw it out.
> 
> Cold calling is about the only thing that has consistently worked for us. We *do not* give a schpeel or do any hard selling. We pop in, tell them who we are, and say "We just want to leave you our brochure and business card, if you need any of our services, please give us a call." Then we head out towards the door....then tell them to have a nice day.
> 
> ........every single time, when we looked back once we got to the door, they were looking at our literature. Many times, they have rushed to stop us before we actually leave, and have had orders and checks in hand by the time they were done with us. Other times, several months later one of the folks we dropped in on still had our card, and she wanted new signs for her store. (She remembered us)
> 
> Cold Calling is more time consuming, but in my opinion, a better bang for your (buck) so to speak.


Absolutely! I am amazed at how many return calls we get within a few days of going by a business, walking in, and leaving a flyer (with beautifully printed graphics of our work!)...we have also received referrals from people who either saw us give the flyer to the business people or were given it by them.


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## zagadka

i think cold calling in person is probably the most effective. like others have mentioned- keeping it short, sweet, and positive does leave a good taste in people's mouths. 

if you really know your market, you will do some research beforehand to make your trip as efficient as possible. we usually go to a few neighborhoods in chicago where our market lives/works...walk up and down a few blocks window shopping before we head in. Or we go in pretending to shop, if the prices, garments, and overall style is similar...we go in for the kill!


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## johnnyd87

Hey Tim,
I think calling on a perspective customer in person is usually the best way to build sales, and yes everybody on this blog is very awesome as far as good info, but I have something to add. 
We are supposed to be very specialized professionals (We sort of create magic in a lot of ways) don't ever forget that.
Being a part of your community is very important, and that all takes a huge amount of time and effort. We all know and understand that right now we are in very drastic times with businesses tanking and people loosing their homes, so we as business people have to be good sales people and prove to people they need what we have. Be an extrovert, make eye contact, enjoy the new people your meeting, and try to meet every apprehension they may have. 
If you care about your customers needs, they will meet yours. (Thats your base, that makes you valuable to your community.
And last but certainly not least (WHEN TIMES GET TOUGH, THE DEMAND FOR QUALITY GOES UP)
Much Luck Buddy!!!!!


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## madaradio

Lots of great info here, thanks everyone! When I reach the marketing stage of my company, I will definitely be cold calling. True, phone calls are faster, but a face to face meeting is always better (It's all psychology).


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## LYFE9

When calling a shop should you ask to speak to the buyer right away? Should you ask to speak to the manager than ask for the buyers information or just ask for the buyers information right away to whoever answers the phone first?


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## johnchesley

I try not to cold call using either method mentioned. I go to as many social functions as I can. That way, I am meeting people in a more relaxed environment. Prospects have their guards down, and are more likely to speak with you, especially if you don't come on to strongly. I might ask if they have ever used screen printed products and then suggest that I mail them a sample. After they receive the sample I would ask them by phone if they received it. Then I would ask if the sample was in line with their expectations, and if they would consider me for their next screen printing purchase. I would also ask them if their are any other products that we sell that could be of value to them. Finally, I would ask them if they knew any other business owners, schools, or churches that might be interested in our products. I believe this method of interacting with people is more productive and any method of selling and will net you better results. At least that's my thoughts. Best wishes !


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## johnchesley

I try not to cold call using either method mentioned. I go to as many social functions as I can. That way, I am meeting people in a more relaxed environment. Prospects have their guards down, and are more likely to speak with you, especially if you don't come on to strongly. I might ask if they have ever used screen printed products and then suggest that I mail them a sample. After they receive the sample I would ask them by phone if they received it. Then I would ask if the sample was in line with their expectations, and if they would consider me for their next screen printing purchase. I would also ask them if their are any other products that we sell that could be of value to them. Finally, I would ask them if they knew any other business owners, schools, or churches that might be interested in our products. I believe this method of interacting with people is more productive and any method of selling and will net you better results. At least that's my thoughts. Best wishes !


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## Alex Parker

I think cold calling used to work long back. Today it is mostly swears and abuses, no matter how politely you ask.


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## Ripcord

Funny, I was just thinking about this subject yesterday. I was a print salesman for many years and I hated calling people on the phone. The initial phone call was OK...introduce yourself, tell him a bit about your company, offer an estimate, etc. But we were always told to "follow up" every few weeks with another phone call, and another, and another. 

This is extremely annoying for the prospective customer, especially if you don't have anything new to tell him. "I'm just calling to touch base. Have you had a chance to review my estimate?" can be translated as "I assumed you weren't doing anything important so I thought I'd call and help you pass the time by talking about my business." 

What prospects want is good quality and customer service at a reasonable price. But somehow what many salespeople prefer to talk about is their "mission statement," "turnkey operation," total solutions..." etc. Maybe this BS was effective in the old days, but in the internet age we have all the information we need right at our desks.

If you feel you must cold call to improve your business, I'd suggest exactly what has been mentioned in earlier posts. Stop by in person (Don't wear an expensive suit. That looks lame and cheesy...) and briefly introduce yourself. Make it clear that you have no expectations of a meeting with a buyer, you are just there to drop off a business card and a brochure. Cheerfully tell them that you hope to be of service and then get out of their office.


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## metalbone

Ripcord said:


> Funny, I was just thinking about this subject yesterday. I was a print salesman for many years and I hated calling people on the phone. The initial phone call was OK...introduce yourself, tell him a bit about your company, offer an estimate, etc. But we were always told to "follow up" every few weeks with another phone call, and another, and another.
> 
> This is extremely annoying for the prospective customer, especially if you don't have anything new to tell him. "I'm just calling to touch base. Have you had a chance to review my estimate?" can be translated as "I assumed you weren't doing anything important so I thought I'd call and help you pass the time by talking about my business."
> 
> What prospects want is good quality and customer service at a reasonable price. But somehow what many salespeople prefer to talk about is their "mission statement," "turnkey operation," total solutions..." etc. Maybe this BS was effective in the old days, but in the internet age we have all the information we need right at our desks.
> 
> If you feel you must cold call to improve your business, I'd suggest exactly what has been mentioned in earlier posts. Stop by in person (Don't wear an expensive suit. That looks lame and cheesy...) and briefly introduce yourself. Make it clear that you have no expectations of a meeting with a buyer, you are just there to drop off a business card and a brochure. Cheerfully tell them that you hope to be of service and then get out of their office.


This is exactly what I do. I hate sales, I can't stand sales people that try to talk your ear off. I go in, introduce myself, give them a card grab one of theirs, tell them what I do and then leave. I am probably the worst sales person in the world, but I would do more damage than good if I tried to actually sell them something other than just introducing myself. I leave that for them to decide if they want to talk to me further or inquire more. I will always carry a couple printed samples with me to show. But I am never in their face for more than two or three minutes on the first visit.


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## Ripcord

metalbone said:


> I go in, introduce myself, give them a card grab one of theirs, tell them what I do and then leave. I am probably the worst sales person in the world.


Sounds like you're a good salesman. As I mentioned, now that we all have websites, a prospect can learn all about your company and what you offer by himself. There's no longer any need to tell them all about it in person. And these days most busy people don't want salesmen taking up their time. 

And if they're not interested, the best thing you can do is leave them alone. They might become interested later, now that they know who you are and what you do. If their current printer screws up a job, they know who to call to get it done right.

There's a guy around here that drops by to give me samples. He's a nice enough guy, but I explained to him that I work by myself and that I'd prefer if he contacted me by email rather than stop by. That way I can continue to do my work rather than answer the door and talk to him (I was polite, but obviously in a hurry to get back to what I was doing....) He stopped by again and I reminded him that I had asked him not to. A few weeks later he stopped by AGAIN! You think I'm going to buy anything from that company?


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## treefox2118

Cold calling in person is a big investment of time for little return.

If you're slow and you have a marketing budget, print one free shirt for a local business and mail it in a nice package with a note saying "We would love your business, we're local."

I've done that a few times during slow months and always make a profit on the overall costs involved.


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## Ripcord

treefox2118 said:


> Cold calling in person is a big investment of time for little return.
> 
> If you're slow and you have a marketing budget, print one free shirt for a local business and mail it in a nice package with a note saying "We would love your business, we're local."
> 
> I've done that a few times during slow months and always make a profit on the overall costs involved.


I like that idea Brian. I had what I thought was a great idea a few years ago. I was going to get some of the mini T-shirts that Gildan uses for color samples, print them up with an ad for myself and mail them in cute little boxes to businesses around town. 

My problem was that Gildan wouldn't let me buy a set of those all in one color...no matter how politely I asked. I wanted to use a specific color to get a theme going...So I lost interest in my project...

(edit) My project is revived. I did a search on this forum and learned that there are a few places that offer those...


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## Alex Parker

The little t-shirts with graphics sounds like a really nice idea. This adds a very cute touch. I have a different problem. We want customers in almost every country, so meeting them in person is not possible. We are selling software. Cold calling returns A LOT of Abuses. It is very difficult to reach the right person. Any database of people interested in that would be nice. May be a better way is just to advertise, and wait to hear from prospective clients rather than bugging them.


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## joey1320

I hate telemarketers and I'm sure 99% of the people here do too. Therefore try not to sound like one. 

If you are calling, kindly explain who you are, what you do and let them know you are another local business reaching out to other locals. 

Over the last few years I have noticed a shift towards a "community backed mentality". So the whole idea of "locals supporting locals" is a great way to approach this. 

At the end of the day though, you will need to be presentable, knowledgeable and your prices must be competitive.

Sent from my HTC One X using T-Shirt Forums


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## edward1210

tim3560 said:


> I decided today that I would try some phone calling just to see how it worked. I called 15 places. Now, let me first say that each day since I began full time, I have done no direct marketing except walk ins. When I looked at 2 things, my watch and my odometer it became very clear to me that I was not being as efficient with my time as I would like to be....and I was putting a lot of miles on my car, some of which are unnecessary.
> Back to the top. I called these 15 places in one hour's total time and I have done no driving. Everyone was just as receptive on the phone as the other customers had been in person and I have set up 6 appointments with people/companies that I know are interested in learning more about my company, 4 said they will call when they run out of inventory (these I will put on my call back list and try again in another 2 weeks or so), and 3 said that they would pass my info along to the appropriate person(I will also call back at a later date), and 2 were committed to other companies.
> All together everyone was very nice, no one seemed put off by being approached on the phone and I would consider this a very positive form of getting the word out about my business.


Thank you for this info
Do you have an specific script that you said when you call?


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