Whether you’re calling from a cold list or targeting a specific prospect, our research tells us that the odds are stacked against you.

For the typical seller, it takes up to 100 calls to book 2-4 first appointments. (100 calls yields 99 contacts with gatekeepers, yields 40 prospect contacts or voice mails, yields 6 - 10 booked appointments which, after cancellations and schedule changes, yields 2 - 4 qualified appointments at a cost of 8 hours of selling time.)

One financial services sales manager told us that his sales team members set one appointment for every 2.3 prospects they spoke to after applying the techniques in this book. 23 calls to book 10 appointments versus a more typical yield in his industry of 67 calls. Nearly a 3:1 productivity difference!

You're mingling with others. Someone turns to you and says, “Hello, I'm Fred Smith from the Amoximated Company. What do you do?” You don't know Fred, you don't know what's important to him or what he's listening for. How do you respond?

(1) “Hello. Fred, I'm a senior relationship manager at ABC Company based here in the city. I manage our major account relationships in the consumer packaging industry. I work with a team of people who bring expertise from several important financial and technical disciplines to help our clients manufacture more efficiently.”

Or . . .

(2) “Hello, Fred. I work at ABC Company. I help consumer packaging companies reduce manufacturing costs five to ten percent.”

The first one is an EFFORT description — a job title and job description, bland, passive, pabulum. The second one is a RESULT — crisp, unapologetic, provocative. If Fred wants more discussion, the starting line is bold and clear.
Listen, next time you're mixing with others. What do you hear? Effort or results?

. . . whether you're making a phone call or sending a fax or email, give your prospect something to work with: you need to express something that's INTERESTING, VALUABLE, or both (interesting and valuable is really good).

Here's an example:

80% of my clients pay 15% too much postage. We save typical customers $30 a month . . . a nice lunch out.

Try Quazipost for three months. If you don't save $30, send Quazipost back and I'll send you lunch. (You can eat while you stand in line at the Post Office.)

Click “Free Lunch” at our Web site. Register to receive “18 Easy Ways to Drive Postal Workers Nuts” (a free, handy pamphlet), and I'll call to begin your trial period.”