Recently I wrote about why I think phone sales cold calling still works, and the feedback has been amazing.

All of the feedback I received confirmed that cold-calling does still work when it is done right.

The biggest thing I heard regarding phone sales cold calling is simply making the time to actually do it.  This is without a doubt in my mind the biggest problem people have.  I feel it is bigger than the need to have good people or leads to call.

The reason I say this is simple. They call it cold-calling for a reason…it’s cold!

Please, if you’re not a fan of cold-calling, don’t stop reading. Let me share with you my firm belief that yes, cold-calling is not as effective as it used to be.  I know that and so does everyone else.

Despite this fact, there still is no valid reason to give up on it all together.

Making the time and sticking to it is going to be the difference between a cold-calling process that works or and one that doesn’t work.

Far too many salespeople are quick to come up with other things they need to do in place of making cold calls.

The exact time you set aside for making cold calls is going to vary based on who you’re calling, where you’re calling and where you’re calling from.    For many B2B industries, cold-calling on Mondays or Fridays is not feasible. However, for some industries it is the best time to call.

My general rule is this:  The time period you set aside to make cold calls has to fit two things.

First, is it a time when the decision makers are most likely going to be available?

Second, is it a time when you’re mentally prepared?

Sometimes these two periods can conflict with one another, and if they do, then I guarantee you’re going to have a problem.

For many decision makers, the best time to reach them is between 7:15 AM and 8:30 AM.  Typically they are in the office, but other people are not, and they may be more likely to answer the phone.

For some industries, especially those involving production employees or a lot of staff, the best time might very well be after 4:15 PM when production has wound down and the day is moving to a close.

The reason I share these two examples is simple: The time periods you select to use to make cold-calls may very well consist of nothing more than 45-minute or one-hour windows on a daily basis.

Your challenge then is to maximize the window by being mentally prepared to call. This means you have to be prepared. If you merely go into your daily “cold-calling window”  literally cold,  I guarantee your success rate will be zero.

B2B cold-calling works!

Copyright 2012, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.

I’ve always said that those who demonstrate leadership will succeed in their sales career.

The phrase I use is “sales is leadership and leadership is sales.”

Sales leadership is not being the top performing salesperson in terms of numbers or being #1 in your industry.

I define “sales leadership” as being the type of salesperson and sales team that is seen by not only your customers, but also your competitors, as being the source to turn to for answers.

The role of the salesperson has changed dramatically with the expansion of the internet and the use of technology.  Many of the tasks salespeople did in the 1990s are now gone, being replaced by technology.   Not only have many tasks been eliminated, but for many industries, the need for salespeople has also declined.

The failure of far too many salespeople and sales organizations has been the narrow vision they’ve taken on how they serve their existing customers and develop new customers.

Customers have more options than ever before.

Gone are the days of a single choice.

What this means is the role of the salesperson is even more important.  When we allow ourselves to be seen as mere carriers of information regarding product features, then we are doomed for failure and obsolescence.

Our role today in sales is to be seen as a leader, and when I say that, I much more than merely selling top-line products or services.

What I mean is we ourselves have to be seen as a leader.  More than ever, our world is looking for leaders, but not just ones who take control of power, but also ones who empower others.  In our case as salespeople, that means empowering our customers to make better decisions.

Sales leadership is being able to ask customers and prospects questions that both you and the customer are not going to know the answer to.

Tradition-bound salespeople would never think of asking a customer a question they wouldn’t be able to answer.  In fact, most traditional salespeople are even afraid to ask a question they don’t know the answer to already.

Leadership in sales is just the opposite.

It’s being comfortable and personally confident enough to ask tough questions.

Sales leadership is about being responsible and allowing the customer to have control of a conversation.  When we allow customers to have control of a conversation, it allows us to learn far more about the customer than when we try to show up and throw up.

How do you show your sales leadership?

Do your customers look to you for answers and insights that go way beyond what it is you sell?

If they do seek out your opinion on these types of things, then yes, you are seen as a sales leader.

The amazing thing I’ve found in working with thousands of salespeople over the years is the salesperson who is seen as the sales leader by their customers in time winds up being the sales leader in their organization in volume and profit.

Copyright 2012, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.

We all need better sales prospects.

Rarely do I run into a salesperson who is not looking for more sales prospects.

But I’ll argue it’s not good enough just to have more sales prospects. It’s more important to have “better” sales prospects.

Too many salespeople waste time with people who they think going to be a good prospect, but in reality, they are nothing more than a suspect. Worse yet, they’re using the salesperson to accomplish something else.

Here are 4 things you can do start doing right now to get better sales prospects:

1. Don’t consider someone a sales prospect until they have shared with you a piece of proprietary information.

If a customer is not willing to reveal to you something about them or their company that is not known by the general public, then run!

Chances are if they won’t share with you something of proprietary nature, then there is either a lack of trust between the two of you or they’re merely planning on using your information to validate some other decision they’re making.  Either way it means the customer is a waste of your time, as they’re merely a sales suspect.

2. Find out quickly the prospect’s timeline for making a decision.

I may have a sales prospect, but if for an extended period of time they’re not planning on making a decision for one reason or another, then I would hardly call them a “better” sales prospect.

This is why I tell salespeople in all of my programs that it is necessary during the probing phase to find out and validate what their timeline is for making a decision.

3. Have them call you.

Sounds strange but I’ve always said a prospect who calls you is a “full-profit prospect.”

When a prospect calls you, this means they have a pain and are ready to enter into the decision making phase.  To get the customer to call you does require you to have a strong marketing / awareness campaign, but when you do have it in place, the results can and will be impactful.

If you’re reading this and you work for a large company, you might be saying that it’s impossible for you to do that.  My response is, “No, it’s not hard. Regardless of who you are and who you sell for, you can still create that personal awareness via your network.”

4. Expand your prospecting funnel.

The best way to do this is by developing a very tight profile of who your existing customers are and then capitalizing on finding others that match that exact same profile.  Yes, this means asking your current customers for referrals, but it means going way beyond that.

Best way to do this is by focusing your prospecting efforts by segment.  I’m a big proponent of not simply calling randomly, but rather call by industry segment or personal profile. Calling using this approach allows you to be more informed and engaged with the segment and thus ready to be able to handle specific questions that might arise.

Don’t settle for average sales prospects. Whatever you do, focus on better sales prospects.

In the end, the most valuable item you have is your time.

Copyright 2012, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.

It’s time for another one of my rants.

This one is regarding cold-calling and websites.

I’ve always been an advocate of cold-calling as part of an overall sales strategy.

One piece, though, that it seems some people want to leave out — or worst yet, include in the wrong way — is the website.

Let me explain.

First off, if you don’t have a website and a web presence with your name, you are wasting your time cold-calling and leaving voicemail messages.

My reason for saying this is simple. People use the internet to validate who they’re talking with or who they may want to do business with.  What’s the point of leaving a voicemail message if you don’t also have a footprint on the web?

If you work for a major company, you might be saying this doesn’t apply to you.  Sorry, it does.

What do you get when you Google your name?

Does your Linkedin profile appear?

Are there high-ranking links to other things on the web (particularly things that are positive!) (Skip the pictures of Cancun and any photos taken after 8 PM.)

People want to deal with successful people, and successful people are going to have their name appear in a Google search.

Why should we expect anyone to even think about doing business with us if we don’t have some sort of a positive presence on the web that is easy to find?

My second rant is this: What purpose does leaving your website URL on a voicemail message do for you?

Sure, there are those who will say they have tracking software in place to tell who visits.  To this I say, go ahead and track me. See how quickly I will blow you off if you call me back and say something like “Oh, I noticed you visited our website.”

I’ve got one word to describe you…stalker!

(If I want to visit a website, I’ll visit it the same way I prefer shopping in a store — Don’t bug me unless I want you.)

The vast majority of times when you leave a URL as part of a voicemail, you’re leaving the person with the ability to determine why they don’t want to do business with you.

I want to leave a message that doesn’t rule people out, but rather rules people in by leaving them one compelling sentence and that’s it.

Use the telephone as one way to reach prospects, but don’t try to point people to your website in that call unless  your website is unbelieveably compelling.  A good rule to follow:  95% of you who think you have a compelling website probably don’t!

Sorry to be harsh, but cold-calling is not for the timid people who don’t want to make money.

Cold-calling is for those of you who know the only thing separating you from being more successful is finding more prospects you can close.

Do you need a website? Yes.  Is it necessary during a cold call to tell people about it? Doubtful.

Cold call using the skills that will set you apart from your competition. This goes for your voice mail skills too.

Copyright 2012, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.

Guest post Monday brings us Jeff Beals, an award-winning author who helps professionals do more business and have a greater impact on the world through effective sales, marketing and personal branding techniques.

What’s your area of self marketing expertise?

Not sure what that means?

Well, you have one, but it’s possible you haven’t isolated and cultivated it yet.

Before defining “area of self marketing expertise,” allow me share how I unwittingly stumbled into one years ago at a cocktail party.

“You’re in real estate — you’ll know,” my friend said with an inquisitive look on his face. “What company is moving into that big office building under construction along the freeway?”

This was a problematic question for me, because I hadn’t even noticed the office building under construction along the freeway.

It was 2001, and I had just left a position in college administration for a brand-new career in commercial real estate.

After two weeks on the job, I went to a party where three separate people asked me questions about office buildings, retailers and condominium construction. I must have sounded pretty stupid, because I had trouble answering all of them.

I had spent my first two weeks on the job diligently learning about the legal, technical and even mathematical aspects of real estate. But at the party, nobody wanted to know the boring stuff. They wanted to talk about the sexy, glamorous side of the industry.

Something suddenly became quite clear: It wasn’t enough to become technically proficient in my new trade.

I had to become an expert on those things related to commercial real estate that were most fascinating to people outside the profession.

I made a commitment to become an expert on the most interesting aspects.

I studied the local marketplace.

I read every magazine, newspaper and website I could find that related to construction, real estate, business expansion and economic development.

I became the “Cliff Clavin” of growth and development in my town.

Armed with a collection of eyebrow-raising stats and trivia, I had something to talk about at social gatherings. Better yet, I had material to pitch to the local media, allowing me to become a go-to source.

Community groups booked me as a luncheon speaker, and I even started an economic development radio talk show. All of this public exposure was good for business.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but I accidentally discovered an “area of self marketing expertise.”

Everyone is hopefully an expert in his or her profession, but an area of self marketing expertise is quite different. It consists of the most fascinating aspects of your job, company or industry.

So, what’s your area of self marketing expertise?

If you’re not sure, sit down with a few friends and explain what you do. Ask them what they find most interesting. Take notes.

Once you have decided on your area of self marketing expertise, think about how you will communicate it in an intriguing way.

When that’s mastered, it’s time to put your area of self marketing expertise to work for you. Use it at networking events, in newsletter articles, in public speaking, when dealing with the press and in your social media postings.

Professionals who have well defined and carefully crafted areas of self marketing expertise will ultimately be more successful, because they never run out of interesting things to talk about.

An area of self marketing expertise becomes a magnet, attracting people to you.

When people are dazzled by what you have to say, they’ll be more than happy to hire you when they need help with the more technical and “boring” aspects of your profession.

As a professional speaker, Jeff Beals delivers energetic and humorous keynote speeches and workshops to audiences worldwide.   You can learn more and follow his “Business Motivation Blog” at www.JeffBeals.com.

Whether you’re a rookie salesperson, a veteran salesperson or a sales manager, here are 5 sales training tips you need to take action on:

1. The success you have in sales is dependent on your level of confidence.

Every salesperson needs another voice they can count on for support.  One of the biggest things a sales manager can do is to help salespeople build confidence.  This means even though things may not be going as desired, you’re still providing them the support they need to win.

2. Learn something from every sales call.

No matter how many sales calls you may have made, there is always something to be learned.  Benchmarking performance and process is critical, as this will prevent the slow erosion that many times occurs in veteran salespeople.

3. Seek out others by building a network of sales peers — those you know and ones you read about.

Sales managers who attempt to do all the training themselves are not nearly as successful as those who allow their salespeople to tap into other resources.

4. Maintain a personal journal of each day’s successes.

At the end of each day, every salesperson should take two minutes to write down the positive things that occurred that day and, more importantly, why they think they occurred.

Keeping a journal of this type allows the salesperson to have a personal sales training book of their successes.   Don’t worry about what didn’t go right, only record the things that went well.

5. Inspect what you expect.

We all need to have somebody watching over us.  It doesn’t matter how good we might think we are, there will always be areas we can improve.

It is the role of the sales manager to inspect what they expect.  When something is not being done correctly, then action at the appropriate time needs to be taken.  Nothing will cement bad behavior faster than seeing bad behavior and not commenting on it.

Now the same must also be said about the positive.  Feedback is good, as I tell sales managers frequently.  Do not allow the windshield or the cube wall the salesperson looks at all day to become the source of their feedback.

Salespeople are quick to see what I call “conspiracy theories.” This happens when the salesperson who is left alone too much begins to come up with all kinds of reasons as to why something won’t work.

Sales training is not something for only new salespeople.

It’s a never ending process for every member of the sales organization.

Copyright 2012, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.

When somebody tells me they do inside sales, I want to choke.

“Inside sales” makes it seem like people are locked into a room and nobody leaves until a sale is made.  Sure, that might have been the case years ago, but that’s not what inside sales is today.

Today’s customer, whether it be B2B or B2C, are not locked into doing anything they don’t want to.

Customers have more options than ever before. It’s amazing how the internet has given a level of knowledge and confidence to customers.

The problem I see is too many salespeople are not yet accepting how the playing field has changed.  Not only does the customer have access to more knowledge, but the entire closing process has changed.

Inside salespeople need to ensure the inside sales process can continue over an extended period of time, if it should come to that.  What this means is the salesperson has to be far more prepared to follow-up with the customer via email, telephone, mail, etc.

Following up with a prospect is certainly nothing new, but what has changed is what is contained in the follow-up.

When following up with a prospect, it is imperative for two things to occur.

First, the salesperson must reference back to something the customer shared during their meeting.  This allows the customer to see how the salesperson remembers and values what they, the customer, had to say.

Second, the follow-up needs to include a new key piece of information the prospect would find of interest.  This does not mean sharing information about features, but rather it means sharing information they would see as a benefit.

The entire objective of the follow-up is of course to help close the sale. This more likely will happen if the salesperson demonstrates they are willing to go beyond the norm of what many people believe inside salespeople would do.

Another area where the sales process has changed for inside salespeople is in being able to close the sale anytime, anyplace.   This requires more flexibility and willingness on the part of the inside salesperson to work hours they may not have expected to work.

Recently, while working with a team of inside salespeople, I was dumbfounded to find there was no way for the customer to contact them when they were not at work.   Customers don’t buy in an 8 – 5  / M – F pattern. They buy when they want to buy and that means 24/7.

For those inside salespeople who do not want to adapt to this new model, they will simply find themselves becoming less and less effective. Over time, the inside salespeople will become a commodity that is not needed.

Copyright 2012, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.

Too many salespeople begin negotiating with customers too quickly.

As soon as the customer gives any sort of resistance, it seems like the going norm is for the salesperson to roll over and play dead and give away the farm.

It’s time to cut to the chase and provide some perspective on the who, what, when, where, why, and how of sales negotiating.

Who: You can’t negotiate with anyone unless they have the power to buy.

Don’t waste your time if the person you’re talking to doesn’t have the authority to make a decision.  If you’re not sure if they can make a decision, then ask them.  A question I like to ask is, “How have you made decisions like this in the past?”

What: If you don’t know what it is you’re negotiating over, then you’re doomed to fail.

Until the customer has shared with you what they’re looking for and have provided to you what their objections are, then you’re wasting your time.   This is a key part of the sales process. The earlier you can find out this type of information, the more likely you’ll be able to close a sale.

When: You negotiate only after the customer has rejected your offer.

This means you don’t start negotiating until after the selling process is over.  I like to say we sell first, negotiate second.  Second part of when is by doing it at a point in time that fits the customer’s timeline.  The closer you can do the negotiating to when the customer must make a decision, the more leverage you will have.

Where: In-person if at all possible.

Sales negotiating that takes place in person has the added benefit of body language which is impossible to read over the telephone.  When the negotiation can take place in presences of the actual item that is the focus of the negotiation, then you can leverage the customer’s sense of time to help close the sale.

If the item is actually there, then the customer is likely to have more of a sense of urgency.

Why: Yes, there is a why. You, the salesperson, must know before negotiating if it even makes sense to negotiate.

If the outcome of the sales negotiating could be something you’re not interested in, then don’t even waste your time.

How: Sales negotiating requires a process, and to sum it up, it means the following:

1. Know in advance what your walk-away point is.

2. Know what it is you and the customer are negotiating over.

3. Have a list of items you’re willing to offer up  to the customer in exchange for something of equal or greater value.

4. Know what the key things are the customer is looking for.

5. Know the value of time to the customer and, in particular, what their timeline is for making a decision.

Sales negotiating does not have to be a daunting task and it doesn’t have to be one that destroys your bottom line.

It can be a process where both you and the customer come out on the winning side.

Copyright 2012, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.

The best way to increase your profit is by increasing your prices.

Sounds pretty straight forward, but for far too many people, the idea of raising prices is absolutely scary.

It seems the most popular way to try to increase profit has been by cutting expenses.  I’m sorry to say this, but the easy stuff has already been cut. As I often point out, “You can cut your way to survival, but you can’t cut your way to prosperity.”

Below are 6 ways you can raise your prices right now.

1. Don’t ask your customers for a price increase. Tell them.

Customers of all types are experiencing price increases.  The shock of hearing about a price increase is long gone, no matter what you might be thinking.   Don’t give your customer an option by asking them.  You tell them you’re going to be taking a price increase.

2. Start softening up your customer now for an increase you intend to take in a month or two.

By starting to talk now about a price increase you might be looking at taking, you can begin to mentally prepare them.  Don’t give them absolute amounts or percents, as that can box you in. Merely start talking about it.

3. Provide your customers with an updated set of benefits customers like them have gained from buying from you.

Many times customers will find themselves with tunnel vision if they’ve been buying from you for awhile. As such, they’ve lost the sizzle from the benefits you provide.  Take the time to update them. This will get them thinking and allow them to confirm once again in their mind why they like buying from you.

4. Alter your supply-chain slightly.

Many times by making just a slight change in your own supply-chain, you can create significant new value for your customer at zero cost to you.  Changes could be in order lead-times or delivery schedules or any number of other things but it is always amazing at what you may not think is a big deal is actually a huge benefit to a customer.

5. Talk quality with your customer.

Engage your customer in a conversation regarding quality and, in particular, long-term quality.  Your objective is for the customer to see both tactically and strategically why they appreciate working with you.

Having this type of discussion a few weeks or months ahead of a price increase will provide you with key talking points you can potentially use with the customer should they raise concerns with you when you do announce your price increase.

6. Believe 100% in your price increase.

In fact, believe the price increase should actually be significantly more than what it is.  If you don’t believe 110% in your price increase, there’s no way your customer will believe in it.   This is especially true when you’re sitting across from your customer telling them you’re taking a price increase.  If you can’t give your customer solid eye contact when you’re having this discussion, how in the world would you expect your customer to believe you?

If you want to be part of high-profit selling, you would be wise to do what it takes to raise your price when it needs to be raised.

Copyright 2012, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.

It is Guest Post Monday and we have Lt. Col. Rob “Waldo” Waldman. He is a former combat decorated fighter pilot, leadership speaker, and author of the National Bestseller Never Fly Solo. Today’s post will particularly resonate with sales managers, but I think anyone in sales could glean some valuable points.

When your squadron commander meets you at your jet, it’s normally not a good sign.

“Waldo, we need to talk,” he said as he headed for the aircraft hangar.

Had I messed up? Was I in trouble? I gulped. Was something wrong at home?

“Waldo, Sgt. Tyler told me what happened before you took off this afternoon, and I am not impressed.”

In an instant I knew what he was referring to.

Just a few hours earlier before taking off on a training mission, I had reprimanded my 22-year-old crew F-16 chief for shorting me 500 lbs of fuel. My wing tanks just wouldn’t feed and there was nothing he could do. It didn’t matter to me. My mission was going to be cut short and I was upset…it reflected in my tone of voice and I unintentionally insulted him.

The commander continued, “Waldo, I’m taking you off the flying schedule tomorrow, and I want you to dig out your oldest flight suit. You’re spending the day on the flight line with the crew chiefs.”

That day was the longest of my career.

I was up at the crack of dawn and didn’t stop for twelve hours — fueling jets, inspecting engines, and inventorying aircraft parts. By the end of the day I was exhausted. I smelled of jet fuel and my flight suit was trashed, a huge grease spot down the length of each pant leg.

Despite the negatives, walking the flight line gave me an appreciation of what the maintenance troops go through to make sure the jets of the 79^th Fighter Squadron are mission ready.

It also gave me the opportunity to get to know them on a personal level. Without their sacrifice, there would be no mission.

Are you getting out there with your troops and walking the flight line?

Do you know their issues, gripes, and personal concerns?

Are you spending time with your IT staff to see the hoops they have to jump through to make sure your web site, computers, and software are up to speed?

Do you walk the factory floor and talk to the quality assurance inspector about the challenges she may be facing?

Have you ever spent a day with your channel partners and joined them on a few sales calls?

William James, a well known psychologist, said that the desire to be appreciated is one of the deepest drives in human nature. Knowing that our contribution is valued gives us fuel to crank our engines to afterburner when the heat is on and the missiles of business and life come zinging our way.

You don’t need a formal title to do the things that great leaders do. Here are a few examples:

• Take one person out to lunch each week from a department other than your own.
• Schedule an (unannounced) “squadron tour.” Visit your various “shops,” and — casually, in a way that doesn’t put anyone on the spot —  randomly interview your wingmen.
• Sit in on a strategy session with your marketing team or a weekly budget update with a project manager.

Walking the flight line builds your credibility and effectiveness as a leader.

When you know the job details and understand the challenges your wingmen face, you’ll be far better prepared to deal with human resource issues such as hiring, firing, and job moves.

What results is a more trusting work environment. Your coworkers and employees will be more likely to approach you with their problems, because you know what it’s like to walk the flight line in their shoes. They’ll view you as a wingman, a trusted partner, and will see that you care — not by your philosophy, but by your action.

Sure, you may have to get a little dirty, but the rewards are well worth it!

See you on the flight line…

Waldo Waldman

Lt. Col Rob “Waldo” Waldman is a former combat decorated fighter pilot and the author of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller Never Fly Solo.  Known as “The Wingman,” he is a professional sales and leadership speaker with Fortune 500 clients such as Aflac, Nokia, New York Life, and Medtronic. He’s been featured on CNN, Fox News, The Harvard Business Review, and Investor’s Business Daily. To learn more about Waldo or how to be a more trusting wingman in business, visit www.YourWingman.com or call 1-866-925-3616.