Cold Calling. Golden rule talk less than the customer

[DodgyAgent]

I have had enough of Islam so back to business.

Cold Calling..

Mail shots will be a waste of time. However try this.

Call up the IT director (or the most senior person you can ..FD or MD even). Do NOT CALL HR.
Introduce yourself as a specialist LOCAL IT consultant with say extensive development/support skills.. NO MORE, keep it vague. If it is a secretary just say that you need to contact the man/woman in charge of support/development/telecomms... They will ALWAYS pass you down but NEVER up.
If you are an Oracle Financials man ask for the FD, the secretary will tell you whaT financials products they use and tell you of any problems.

Ask the secretary/manager/director some "HOW" or "WHAT" OPEN QUESTIONS it is vital that you get them to talk because what you really want is for them to admit to having problems

For example "How do you support your desktop systems?"
"How is that working out?"
"What does it mean if the system falls over?"

RESIST TALKING about yourself until you can see a problem. When the prospect eventually admits to a problem that you feel that you can sort out ASK them a question with the words: "IF I CAN WILL YOU?"
This tests to see:
1. How genuine and serious is the problem
2. Does the person on the other end have the authority to engage your services to help them out.


When you make a call ALWAYS set an objective for the call:

Is it to find information?
Is it to get a meeting?

I suggest that you make a call to find out who the right person is to approach, ring that person to let them know that at the very least you are going to write to them .It is likely that you will only get to speak to a secretary in which case do NOT fight her. Ask her for help in getting you access to her boss. For example ask her to show him your letter/mailshot/CV, and then ask her if you can call her back to check his reaction.

One of three things will happen:
1. She will say that there is nothing going (at least you have heard it from the top)
2. The director will talk to you
3. You will be passed on to someone who may be interested in you... In which case ring that manager up and say that you have been told by the boss to contact him...

If there is nothing going make sure you stay in touch, keep them updated on new skills, ring them up every 4 months.

Remember you MUST concentrate on getting 'them' to do the talking.
STAY in touch
Avoid HR other than to find out how they work? (still worth a call)
Do not just ring one person in a large company, it is worth speaking to as many people as you can..though avoid being seen or caught going "over peoples heads" or behind their backs.

[ajh]

DodgyAgent - How many times has this worked for you?

ajh

[Plebian]

ajh. I have yet to try it

[Plebian]

Just joking!

It is meetings/interviews that you want and you know your hit rates better than I do!

You must discipline yourselves to make say 30 calls (introductory/follow up) a day, send 20 letters. Once you have done that for a week let us know how you have got on.

For me my hit rate in terms of getting meetings is about one in ten of people that I target. As far as getting business is concerned that becomes one in three (getting requirements for jobs of which we would fill one in ten)

[arfwit]

all very well but the typical IT manager has little or no personality / ability to hold a conversation. how do you get them to open up?

[DodgyAgent]

IT managers

Arfwit (love the name), they are going to open up to someone. If you get them try and get them to talk about something. Call every 6 months, but in the meantime keep finding out about their business. New ventures, projects products mergers, and then ask them how they affect IT. They will talk one day!