Hardly a day goes by without my cell phone ringing with a happy, trying-to-be cool and charming voice on the other end.  Sometimes they are so convincing, I have a hard time telling them from my "real" telephone calls.

Sad but true eventually the truth comes out; not only is the caller NOT a potential client they are in fact trying to sell ME something.  On my phone, on my time, yes on my dime!

It is irritating, annoying and oh so enlightening.  Enlightening you ask?  Absolutely, they give me clues of how I NEVER want to be.  Annoying and irritating are givens, but deceptive, manipulative and oh I could go on here, but you the wise reader already get it!

Telephone Solicitors and Lead Aggregators here are some sales tips for you:

1. Be cheerful and polite.  ASK and don't assume if this is a good time to talk.  My phone is not rooted to my desk like yours, I may be with clients and not be able to "chat" on your terms.
2. Don't fake situations, for instance pretend you have a "website" that is bringing in lots of leads.  The 10 guys before you did just that.  I hung up on them too.
3. Don't fein interest in my business, you don't really care all you want is to make a sale.
4. Be sure to check your lead line, if you are selling web positioning don't start off by telling me you can't find me in the search engines.  Maybe you like appearing like a jerk, but most people don't so validate your information before you put you foot in your mouth.
5. Consider asking me how you can HELP me.  Maybe your service is actually something I've been looking for.  Perhaps I am so turned off by your presentation your product could be good as gold, but to me you are annoying, irritating and untimely I close my mind and my ears to you.  Old fashioned sales techniques just don't work anymore. 
6. Last but not least when I tell you I don't pay for leads, don't try to flatter me by saying "oh my you must be one of the two people in Denver that doesn't need extra business."  I mean what I say and your comment is offending and doesn't annoy me at all.  I laugh at how little you just  made yourself look. What did it gain you?  Personal satisfaction of being a jerk, or do you actually gain points by being sarcastic to the people you are working so hard to impress. 

Sales takes character. 

Making a "sale" takes care and concern.  It means you listen first and act later.  It's not about strong arming a naive prospect into doing something they will regret.  Selling is more about learning what the other person needs and then making a plan, a strategy if you will to assist that person to achieve THEIR goals not yours.

Zig Ziglar has been saying for over half a century now, "If you help enough people get to their goals, you will get to theirs."

Zig is right.

There maybe a place in this world for old-school style selling but not in my world.  So do it right or leave me alone.  Does this bite?  Good, it was meant too.

kk