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Sales cold calling has reached its use by date. It’s no longer an effective means of targeting new customers – no one enjoys being on the receiving end of a random phone call from someone attempting to sell them a product or service, it’s cringeworthy and downright annoying.
Let’s also not forget that cold calling is no fun for salespeople either. This ancient ‘revenue generation’ method is damn hard work, deflating and often conducted in isolation – a hit and miss scenario, with no team motivation in sight.
On-top of the demoralising feeling of cold calling, it’s also really expensive – both in time and costs – with hours spent on the handset, or emails catapulted into outer space – all pinned to the hope that someone may answer, or check their spam.
According to HubSpot, the quality of cold calling leads is ridiculously low, with leads costing 60% more than other forms and phone calling only resulting in a 2% chance of a meeting. And, that relentless persistence just doesn’t add up or stack up on the motivation front either – no one feels good about ‘annoying’ potential customers or being constantly being hung up on.
However, whilst cold calling may be a killjoy, a modern-day version is now leading the charge for B2B lead generation thanks to advances in today’s technology landscape – and it’s even secured a new name, ‘Warm Calling’.
Search and content marketing, social media – Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn – and other data-led channels, when used smartly, are the channels of choice when working to warm up what would otherwise be an ice-cold lead.
To effectively secure ‘warm’ customers you’ve got to work on getting to know them – do your homework – treat them as individuals not as a group. Lead generation of now relies on segmenting out potential customers – not surprising them.
The goal with all of this effort? Getting your potential customers engaged, so that they contact you! And hey, if the customer doesn’t go that far, then at least they’ll know who you are, and what you do.
The data stakes have been upped, so there’s no excuse not to enrich customer databases and drive real difference into revenue generation streams – and improve sales team motivation.
Equipped with information from funnels and customer journeys, sales teams can confidently contact those that have then shown an interest in a product or service with fingers uncrossed.
This new age of warm calling is heating up business’ growth across the board . . .
- Increased sales conversions: By filling in the gaps and redefining your pre-selling leads you optimise your sales funnel.
- Lower cost per sale: By optimising engagement through targeted marketing strategies, you cull time and save sanity.
- Increased sales team motivation: When you sustain a growth-centric workplace you build loyalty and drive.
- Higher levels of customer satisfaction: When you deliver above and beyond customers' expectations, you retain them and strengthen your brand image.
- Increased organisational revenue: By sharpening your strategies and aligning your processes, you sustain dollars - and sense.
So – with so many benefits for updating your approach, and just as many negatives for traditional cold calling, you really have no excuse not to move forward.
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