No cold-calling?

 Should you love or hate cold calling?

First of all: don't read this if you are one of those rare people that actually enjoy it!. You are a breed apart...!

And for the rest of us....

I have mixed feelings about it. I have done it, and had some significant successes with it too but like most people I find it hard to do - particularly if its your own service you're selling.

So here are a few do's and don'ts from my own experience.

• Don't have it is a your main channel to market - it should be one of your tools
• Don't expect to sell your service there and then - use it to get an introduction, a meeting or relationship
• Always be polite and always be sympathetic to a frosty reception at the other end - everybody hates being cold-called
• Ask permission - I find it works quite well if you ask permission to send them an email or some info
• Make it interesting and relevant to their situation - send some data
• Be patient - it takes time to establish a relationship

It may feel like its just a numbers game - which to some extent it is - but its more than that. It is better to have fewer, better quality targets than just do loads and hope for the best. Research them , find out what their current issues are likely to be and call with something interesting to say.