Is Cold Calling for Losers: Answered.

The video by Hubspot, if nothing else, was very funny.  It also does have a some truth to it.  Cold calling in the manner this video portrays surely will have minimal positive effects compared to the amount of time spent dialing.  There is no question that real cold calling is a high activity and low execution tactic with the best of them yielding a 1-3% success ratio.

However, cold calling is not all lost.  There are two main factors that need to be addressed when cold calling is an option that is being considered.

• Create a Profile - Whatever it is you are selling has a target buyer based upon sex, race, age, income, etc.  Find out what these are and make this the basis for your list pull.
• Contact Medium - In some cases research is available that will tell you what the best way to reach a particular target is; it may be calling it may not be.  This information can usually be had  based upon various breakdowns along demographics or industry.  Not heeding this information can be the nail in the coffin for this list of leads.

The importance of determining the best medium cannot be understated.  Cold calling a person that would be interested in your product/service, but catching them at the wrong time can yield a serious negative consequences.  For instance:  if you are "selling" a high performance driving experience at your race track and you call a gentleman that has purchased 4 Corvettes, the last one in the last 6 months, he would be a good target.  However, if you cold call this warm lead and reach him at a bad time and he does not want you to ever call him again; then you have buried a warm body.  Be careful not to do this by making sure the preferred and most successful mediums in which this profile can be reached.  The importance of this cannot be understated.

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