Comments on: Prepping for the dreaded cold calling http://www.virgoguidetomarketing.com/2009/01/prepping-for-the-dreaded-cold-calling/ a real-time experiment in marketing a new business Mon, 07 Jun 2010 08:07:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: @TheGirlPie http://www.virgoguidetomarketing.com/2009/01/prepping-for-the-dreaded-cold-calling/comment-page-1/#comment-32 @TheGirlPie Thu, 05 Feb 2009 03:15:21 +0000 http://www.virgoguidetomarketing.com/?p=41#comment-32 Re: your question on the VM script: yes, include a short phrase up with the referrer mention on your cred. Like: "... Phyllis Diller suggested I call you because of my popular advice column, my on-screen career, and my sell-out marketing workshops." Not the real detailed qualifications, just the shorthand. They get it. (And I know you get it, like I'm telling YOU -- ha!?) Re: the Email follow-up -- kick-ass subject line comes first, obviously; consider using there referrer's name in it (not yours - that's visible in the From line.) AND I'd offer up a benifit to her and to the kids and to the program -- as well as a bit of exculsivity and a time frame -- before you get too far into who you are. Talk about them, their needs, etc. THEY'D be the first ones offering their students cutting edge marketing plans; THEY'RE on the top of your wish list of edu's you want to work with; SHE'LL be a hero when she fills that open slot in the sked; THEIR STUDENTS will achieve greatness sooner and will earn enough to donate buildings sooner... or whatever. You know all this, so I'm guessing you have a plan for when to interject that stuff, but I know I like to be made to feel special (sincerely) when I get a 'research call" like that. Will you only have room for one course per county/month/semester or whatever? I'm thinking about the scarcity factor... maybe too early, eh? Thanks for the prep-talk! Re: your question on the VM script: yes, include a short phrase up with the referrer mention on your cred.
Like: “… Phyllis Diller suggested I call you because of my popular advice column, my on-screen career, and my sell-out marketing workshops.”
Not the real detailed qualifications, just the shorthand. They get it. (And I know you get it, like I’m telling YOU — ha!?)

Re: the Email follow-up — kick-ass subject line comes first, obviously; consider using there referrer’s name in it (not yours – that’s visible in the From line.) AND I’d offer up a benifit to her and to the kids and to the program — as well as a bit of exculsivity and a time frame — before you get too far into who you are. Talk about them, their needs, etc.

THEY’D be the first ones offering their students cutting edge marketing plans; THEY’RE on the top of your wish list of edu’s you want to work with; SHE’LL be a hero when she fills that open slot in the sked; THEIR STUDENTS will achieve greatness sooner and will earn enough to donate buildings sooner… or whatever. You know all this, so I’m guessing you have a plan for when to interject that stuff, but I know I like to be made to feel special (sincerely) when I get a ‘research call” like that.

Will you only have room for one course per county/month/semester or whatever? I’m thinking about the scarcity factor… maybe too early, eh?

Thanks for the prep-talk!

]]> By: Get your motor runnin’, Day 16: Do do that doo-doo you don’t do so well | communicatrix http://www.virgoguidetomarketing.com/2009/01/prepping-for-the-dreaded-cold-calling/comment-page-1/#comment-13 Get your motor runnin’, Day 16: Do do that doo-doo you don’t do so well | communicatrix Sat, 17 Jan 2009 02:24:42 +0000 http://www.virgoguidetomarketing.com/?p=41#comment-13 [...] tried to remember the fun when I committed to this week’s project. I tried sooooooo hard. And I still put off making (ack! eek! ook! uk!) cold calls until the last [...] [...] tried to remember the fun when I committed to this week’s project. I tried sooooooo hard. And I still put off making (ack! eek! ook! uk!) cold calls until the last [...]

]]> By: Jon Buscall http://www.virgoguidetomarketing.com/2009/01/prepping-for-the-dreaded-cold-calling/comment-page-1/#comment-11 Jon Buscall Tue, 13 Jan 2009 05:39:38 +0000 http://www.virgoguidetomarketing.com/?p=41#comment-11 Preparing a script is a great idea. Personally, I have a loose framework to go on. I also make sure my desk is uncluttered before I call. Maybe it's just me but my desk seems to fall into a vortex of insanity just when I have to make important calls. Pens vanish, Post-its grow wings. Getting through to voicemail is great but I'm not so sure about the email follow-up. It's too easy to avoid an email. At least if you get to speak to the person you form a connection and may get your email read. I find that cold-call voicemail messages + email follow-ups result in silence so I have to force myself to be more proactive and do my utmost to actually speak to the person. Preparing a script is a great idea. Personally, I have a loose framework to go on. I also make sure my desk is uncluttered before I call. Maybe it’s just me but my desk seems to fall into a vortex of insanity just when I have to make important calls. Pens vanish, Post-its grow wings.

Getting through to voicemail is great but I’m not so sure about the email follow-up. It’s too easy to avoid an email. At least if you get to speak to the person you form a connection and may get your email read.

I find that cold-call voicemail messages + email follow-ups result in silence so I have to force myself to be more proactive and do my utmost to actually speak to the person.

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