Sometimes it's hard to let go. We've all been there... not wanting to say goodbye to something that we've outgrown, not letting go of someone who wasn't good for us.
It's like having to put a beloved pet to sleep. It was the best thing, the most humane way, but it's just never easy.
As we grow, learn, strive, we have to let go of ways that we functioned in the past, ways of being that no longer apply to our present selves.
I'm about to reveal to you 1 of 2 things that I absolutely believe you should NOT be doing in persuasion. These things are NOT part of persuasion and will hinder your results when you carry them out (hint: the 2nd of the two is in the last sentence of this post)...
Cold calling.
At a recent seminar an attendee asked me how criteria elicitation can be applied to cold calling. And my answer, in a nutshell was: It can't.
Cold calling is not selling. It's marketing. Learn how to market, spend money on marketing and actually market your product or service. Forget about cold calling as a sales technique.
If cold calling is a part of the business that you're involved in, supplement it with real marketing.
There are a few business that have to cold call. I understand that. Realtors farm areas all the time. It works in this profession and more likely still, they don't cold call, but they cold visit getting the face to face element to work in their favor.
Some stock brokers choose to prospect by telephone. It isn't easy, nor is it fun. But in some ways, the game is rigged. If they work for a company that has a compliance department, they may not allow them to do much else.
In these cases maybe cold calling is all there is, the only option. If this is the case, just know that cold calling is marketing, not selling.
In sales, in persuasion, even in relationships, we are looking for someone with a raised hand. Cold calling is getting someone to raise their hand (marketing). Once their hand is raised, criteria and sales become the issue.
If you can, stop cold calling. Sell to current clients. Develop new clients from your current clients. Work with getting new clients through some systematic method of advertising that will create a steady stream of traffic.
It's time to let this one go. Sorry old pal, your time has come. As with 'features and benefits', our time together must come to an end.
Kenrick Cleveland teaches techniques to earn the business of affluent prospects using persuasion. He runs public and private seminars and offers home study courses and coaching programs in persuasion techniques. Click here to get your own unique version of this article.
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