OLD SALES GURU MYTH # 1 "Cold Calling is a Numbers Game"

When all you know is the traditional way of cold calling, selling is indeed a numbers game. Yes, you can call people over and over. You can also chase them until they listen just so that you go away.

Have you ever wondered how someone came up with the "numbers game concept?" It was really about the rejection we constantly experience when making cold calls. The boss just said to call someone else, and so we did. The idea is that if we call a hundred people a day, then we should squeeze out at least a few good leads. However, there’s a better and easier way of getting your product or service message across -- all on one call.

If you simply change your cold calling approach, you'll make fewer calls and more sales. How? By engaging in conversations. Yes, that’s right. Just talk to people...in your normal tone of voice, and without the usual sales pitch approach. When we focus on relationship rather than salesmanship, we’re calling with the anticipation of meeting someone new. We’re looking forward to a pleasant conversation to find out whether we can be of service.

The other person subtly but powerfully feels this mindset. You’re no longer meeting with defense and resistance right from the start. That will dramatically change the way people respond to your cold calls.

OLD COLD CALLING GURU MYTH # 2 "Use a sales script"

People can tell when you're reading from a script, even if you think you're pretty good at it. There's just nothing personal about a sales script, and people pick up on that. Being artificial immediately tags you as a typical salesperson. Therefore, if you can learn to get your message across in a different way, then you'll eliminate the negative triggers that can lose your sale within seconds.

So once again, the best way is to begin with a conversation. Anticipate a dialogue, not a monologue. People will respond much more positively. When you allow a conversation be natural and to "breathe," they know you’re present and listening. T hat feels good to someone who is having to "fend off" salespeople who are really just talking billboards.

OLD COLD CALLING GURU MYTH # 3 "Focus on closing the sale"

Are you "going in for the kill" with your closing sale technique? If you are, you could end up killing your deal instead.

Old cold calling sales techniques do nothing more than pressure potential clients. They feel like they’re being chased. What do most people do when they feel chased? They run! They naturally want to retreat away from that pressure -- and that pressure is you.

So learn to avoid the "push-pull" dynamic between you and the potential client. You'll actually find the sales process moving forward much more naturally (and more often) than when you’re forcing things.

In this old myth, the idea is that if a sale is lost, it’s usually at the end of the sales process. The truth is that it’s often lost at the beginning of the cold call. When all you’re doing is going for a sale, the other person can sense it, no matter how well you think it’s camouflaged. When someone senses this sales pressure, "The Wall" goes up and the defenses come out. So stay away from focusing on making the sale. Rather, your goal is always to discover whether you and your potential clients are a good fit.

I can’t tell you how useful these new ideas have been in my own life, and in the lives of hundreds of others who have tried it. It’s not always easy to shed the old cold calling myths. Nevertheless, it’s worth it. With a little practice, you’ll come to a place of actually enjoying your cold calls and getting better results.