How I Did It

In our second installment, a savvy rep shares his successful tactics for breaking through on cold calls.

Jack Foley, owner of Proforma Foley Team in Rochester, NY, has only been with Proforma for a year, but his 30-year career in direct marketing provided him with some connections and the know-how to get his new business off the ground.

“It’s all about identifying who will buy,” he says, which is especially true if you don’t want to waste time and money targeting weak prospects at the start. Foley prefers warm calls to cold calls and he uses a proven process.

For one, he asks for referrals and in brief, introductory e-mails, his subject line always reads, “Referred by Mary Jones.” Other tactics he employs include perusing the newspaper for up-andcoming companies and news about people being promoted to special events coordinator and other buyer positions.

“When you have a good idea of who the right person is to contact and what they’re currently doing, it gives you credibility when you call and lets them know that you understand their needs,” he says.

He also cites LinkedIn as a great source for warming up cold calls. “I linked up with a woman I had done business with for years and saw that she moved to a new company as the director of special events, so a lot of times it’s just staying in touch with people you already know,” he says.

Foley touts the impact of an attention-grabbing mailer, such as the Proforma Pete package spotlighted in the December issue of Advantages. The mailer is focused on a friendly and memorable character, Proforma Pete, a stress-ball businessman who is stressfree because he leaves his marketing campaigns to Proforma. Pete is delivered in a custom box that includes a personalized, handwritten note, the Pete stress-ball and Proforma-branded tissue paper.

“I get at least one good, qualified appointment for every 10 mailers I send, but I don’t send a lot of them out. It’s quality vs. quantity,” Foley says. “One mistake I made early on was not sending the packages to the right people. Then I did a little more homework upfront, asking questions and identifying buyers.”

If you are making an in-person cold call, Foley says it’s vital to drop something off. These days, his drop-off gift includes a chocolate foot in a gift box (“I just want to get my foot in the door”). Another self-promo effort includes a card that says, “If you give me 10 minutes of your time, I’ll stop by and drop off a $10 iTunes card or give you a big smooch.” How can anyone resist the monkey wearing lipstick and glasses pictured on the card?

It also reads: “Are you ready to be a rock star, shock your boss, wipe out the competition, have a ticker tape parade in your honor? I could do all this and more with just one wave of my magic wand. In tougher cases, I may need to use some pixie dust too.”

He uses more serious cards as well, depending on the audience. They are all part of the Proforma selling system tools. “The marketing team created a kit that includes scripts and mailers designed to help secure a first appointment. The system includes a prospectwarming and tracking log and a presentation brochure to be used on the first appointment,” he says. “We have weekly meetings, and the sharing of ideas and success stories is very motivating.”

Such motivation also makes him diligent about following up after his mailings and drop-offs. He was recently able to secure three high-level appointments after such diligence, including a defense contractor he’s been trying to meet with for six months.

The point, Foley says, is: “Everybody needs help selling their products and services. Warm things up by doing your research and sending out ice-breakers. I’m always out looking around for what fits my personality that will make the process fun. It’s like fishing: You’re always trying different lures to see what works. My goal is to differentiate myself by being creative and persistent.”

Action PlAn

• Get referrals and peruse media and social networks for possible contacts. Research both the person in a buying position and the company to see what their current situation and needs might be.

• Send an introductory e-mail, including who referred you if there was a referral.

• Send a high-impact mailer.

• Follow up with phone calls (at least five attempts).

• Still trying to get your foot in the door? Personally drop off an attention-grabbing gift.

• Again, follow up (“I’m the guy who sent you the chocolate foot”)!

SaleS SkillS WorkShop: Cold Calls

We asked sales experts for their best tips, and here are the top five we rounded up:

Make it a warm call; do some research first (LinkedIn, Facebook, Google search, etc.). In most cases you will have a mutual connection or common interest.

– JOE SalE (ReaL naMe), DenT MaRkeTInG SoLuTIonS, DenTMaRkeTInGSoLuTIonS.CoM

Shift your perspective to the fact that you are a salesperson and it is ok to sell. The world is driven by sales, and nothing happens until something gets sold.

– CONNiE kADANSkY, SaLeS CaLL ReLuCTanCe CoaCH anD TraIneR, eXCepTIonaLSaLeS.CoM

Figure out how your ad specialty items help your customers. Do they help grow sales, build customer loyalty, increase brand awareness? You should lead with how you help your customers because your prospects most likely have the same challenges that your customers do.

– WENDY WeiSS, “THe Queen oF CoLD CaLLInG,” QueenoFCoLDCaLLInG.CoM

If you get passed to someone else, let them know that you briefly spoke to someone else who suggested you contact them (Hi, nancy, this is Brandon with XYZ Company. I just briefly spoke with Tad Wilson in marketing, who thought you would be the right person to talk to for what we do. We specialize in ...).

– BRANDON PiPkiN, SaLeS TraIneR anD auTHoR, 21FoR21.CoM

Go b-Card bananas!

Warm up cold calls by getting your business cards into the hands of as many people as possible. Place them on community billboards. Give your friends and customers extra cards and ask them to pass your card along to people they know. Drop a business card into the envelope whenever you pay a bill. Offer to exchange cards with other merchants you use. You’ll share theirs with appropriate clients and vice versa.

You’ll increase the likelihood that your business card is read and passed along when you make it something unique. Check out the website Noupe. Com, which posted 60 unusual business cards (http://www.noupe.com/ design/60-unusual-business-card-ideas.html). Note that several options are printed on promotional products including dog tags, combs, Lego people and silicone bracelets. These are definite conversation pieces!

Be sure your business cards include not only your e-mail address, but also information to follow you on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Add a QR code that will deliver prospects to your social media page(s). See our business card feature article in this issue for more great ideas.

– Tonia Cook Kimbrough