You lost me at “hello”
With three bags of groceries in hand, I exited my grocery store a couple of days ago. A handsome young man stepped into my path. “Hi, do you want to save the environment today?”
Grrr! This was a guy from Greenpeace, I think, and they wanted me to sign something, donate something, volunteer for something… I don’t know exactly, because there’s nothing that turns me off more than someone infringing on my time, getting in my face to sell me something. I get phone calls all the time that start, “Hello, Ms. Z [incomprehensible proununciation]. This is [name] from [one of a billion charities with my phone number]. How are you doing this evening?” They proceed to start talking so quickly about whatever critical need they have (“This issue is about to go up for a vote, and we desperately need your assistance to get the word out!” or “Now more than ever these children need your help!”), and I politely try to wait for them to take a breath to tell them to STOP CALLING!
I try not to get angry at the caller or the pollster — after all, this person is just doing his job. But I can get sincerely furious when I rush to get the phone only to find a salesperson or fundraiser trying to get my attention and my money.
As a business person, I face the challenge of how to sell my services without bugging people. I would literally wilt if I ever made a phone call and someone said, “Thank you, but no. Please take me off your list and stop calling.” I would hate to be considered intrusive and obnoxious. I tried cold calling a couple of times since I started my business, but for the most part I rely on letters, postcards and email to reach out. I think they’re less invasive and more easily ignored or stopped if people don’t want to hear from me.
The problem is that people cold call and finagle a face-to-face meeting because they work. It’s simply my personal bias that makes me so resistent to these approaches. For example, I was very interested in an offer I received in the mail from an email blast service. I had them on my desk to call, but then they cold called me, and the guy was aggressive and irritating. “Please take me off your list,” I said as I tossed their flyer.
But that’s just me. Like I said, calling works. Walking up to people in an exhibit hall works. But you have to choose a marketing method that makes you comfortable as well as your prospective clients. If you hate receiving that kind of approach, chances are you’ll suck at making that kind of approach.
chris uschan on 17 Jul 2009 at 8:06 am #
Beth — you got me at “less invasive.”
There are more effective ways for sales reps.
And yes, as an experienced marketer who is on the receiving end of SEM/SEO companies who call me (eh-hem) interrupt me, I find it annoying when they “sell.”
I’d prefer to have a conversation, not hear a pitch.
Grr! as you say it.
The only thing worse is leaving me a 4 minute message on my voicemail. However, I don’t even know it’s 4 minutes because I push delete after 30 seconds… maybe 15 seconds.
Companies need to EARN the ear of their potential buyers through different channels of marketing. Sales representatives should be consulting with prospects who already are familiar with your business, not cold calling.
Let’s call that “warm calling” and maybe they will get the time they are looking for.
But, hey… he was a handsome guy, right? So it couldn’t have been that bad. LOL
Papa on 17 Jul 2009 at 8:18 am #
I sometimes tell them tol tell me all about it and then put the phone down. Nothing makes them madder than to talk for 5 minutes to a dead line. I hang the phone up when I am sure they have gone.
I think they take me off their list when I do that. It does not work for recordings though.
How should small business owners market themselves? | Life on Avenue Z on 20 Aug 2009 at 9:05 am #
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