Based on my talks with local executives, indicators point toward our getting back to business. Many companies that were taking a wait and see stance on Sales are now beginning to once again invest in selling.

As we all know from the go-go days, deploying a new sales team takes significant investment, especially if the sale cycle is lengthy. When venture investment was pouring in, I saw scores of companies spend months building and investing in a sales infrastructure before a single call was made! Their new sales VP would first start his search for regional managers who would subsequently recruit field reps. And then, after the grand sales kick off, it was 6-9 months before the first sale! This just isn’t practical for most companies, regardless of the economic environment.

Over the years, however, I’ve seen an extremely cost effective model being implemented by guerilla companies not flush with cash. The concept leverages the best of both inside and outside sales departments. If you run the numbers, you will see that an inside team is a fraction of the cost of an outside team, especially when you factor in travel, entertainment and other field related expenses. Additionally, an inside lead generator can double - even triple - the effectiveness of an outside representative.

Consider this: If a rep needs to make 100 contacts to generate 5 appointments, then he is essentially wasting 95% of his calls. Okay, it’s not really wasting time, but if the sales reps were in front of qualified prospects instead of talking to unqualified suspects, then their productivity would be significantly increased. The most cost effective model I’ve seen has been to employ inside lead generation to support the outside sales efforts. Rather than hire 3 outside reps, consider hiring 2 outside reps and 1 inside lead development or inside sales rep to support them. The immediate benefits you will see include:

Reduced payroll
Reduced field costs

Centrally managed lead development process

Increased productivity of outside reps

More appointments into target accounts

Better coverage of marginal accounts in dispersed geographic areas

Cube Management provides sales acceleration services to emerging growth and mid-market companies in the technology, manufacturing, healthcare and business service sectors. The experts at Cube Management work across the entire spectrum of marketing, sales and business development to provide customized solutions that drive revenue and profit growth. Cube Management combines Strategy, Process & People to produce winning results.

“Rumors about my death have been greatly exaggerated,” a famous man once quipped.

The same can be said for the business of cold calling.

By now, you’ve seen the ads, and very possibly one of them will be placed next to this very article, proclaiming: “Cold Calling Is Dead!”

That statement is like a monkey picking up a violin, mangling the strings, and concluding that this thing doesn’t play!

In the hands of a primate or a primitive, a telephone is nothing more than a blunt object, good only for knocking other dummies over the head.

In the hands of a true professional, it is a Stradivarius. It can embolden, uplift, and transport people to new understandings and lasting relationships.

Would you seek the help of a known procrastinator to teach you time management skills?

Of course, you wouldn’t.

Would you expect an ultra-shy person to assist you to become a dynamic public speaker?

Heck, no!

Then how, may I ask, can someone who so disrespects the phone, it’s power, its immediacy, its directness, cost effectiveness, ability to create give and take and real time feedback; how could we expect such a disadvantaged soul to teach us anything about SELLING?

Do yourself a favor. Check out one of my best-sellers at the library. I’d look at YOU CAN SELL ANYTHING BY TELEPHONE! Or, if you prefer, try REACH OUT & SELL SOMEONE.

Both are good, established primers on telemarketing that should help anybody, even a Doubting Thomas who tries to build his business reinforcing people’s fears instead of leading the way to overcoming them.

Dr. Gary S. Goodman, President of http://www.Customersatisfaction.com, is a popular keynote speaker, management consultant, and seminar leader and the best-selling author of 12 books, including Reach Out & Sell Someone and Monitoring, Measuring & Managing Customer Service, and the audio program, “The Law of Large Numbers: How To Make Success Inevitable,” published by Nightingale-Conant. He is a frequent guest on radio and television, worldwide. A Ph.D. from USC’s Annenberg School, a Loyola lawyer, and an MBA from the Peter F. Drucker School at Claremont Graduate University, Gary offers programs through UCLA Extension and numerous universities, trade associations, and other organizations from Santa Monica to South Africa. He holds the rank of Shodan, 1st Degree Black Belt in Kenpo Karate. He is headquartered in Glendale, California, and he can be reached at (818) 243-7338 or at: gary@customersatisfaction.com

For information about coaching, consulting, training, books, videos and audios, please go to http://www.customersatisfaction.com

You wouldn’t think a dumb salesperson could get anywhere. Nothing could be further from the truth. Acting dumb on cold calls is one of the smartest sales strategies for breaking down the gate keepers information storehouse.

Gatekeepers usually recognize salespeople when they walk in the door or say their first words on the telephone. It is like wearing a giant sign that identifies salespeople. The gate keepers defenses go up and most salespeople don’t get the information they want. Occasionally, some salespeople will get through and they might get limited information. But overall, the sales strategy doesn’t work with experienced gate keepers.

Some of us walk in the door and identify ourselves immediately as salespeople. Why? This is the sales strategy for people who like rejection. If you have done this, you know what I’m talking about. In many cases the gate keeper shifts in their seat as the protection instinct is turned on and they mentally prepare the lies they will tell us as they get rid of us with poor information they are told to give salespeople.

Be Smart, Act Dumb and Get Information

When I make cold calls, I rarely introduce myself and always begin with a question. Besides, I’m there to get information to reach my next step in the sales process. In my sales process, information is the only goal I have. If the gate keeper thinks I’m a salesperson, they won’t give me the right information. Starting with a question changes everything. The gate keeper doesn’t recognize me as a salesperson. I quickly discover what I need to know and move to the next step of my sales process. Everyone is happy and rejection never enters the picture.

Steve Martinez implements sales management strategies with a focus on automating sales for printing organizations. Selling Magic teaches businesses how to automate and customize ACT or Outlook with the best practices of sales management while integrating email marketing and technology for greater profits. http://www.sellingmagic.com