Cold Calling the Wrong Way
I was in training throughout the past three business days to get a jump start on my yearly Continuing Ed requirements and to learn about Investment Strategies for clients. Seriously… 8:30 to 7:30 for three straight days, thirty miles away from my house.
Anywho, during the breaks, we would rush to the computer lab or busy ourselves with returning missed phone calls and catching up on the flow of events. It was during one of these breaks that I got a call that went a little something like this:
"Hello, Are you Ashley Myers?"
"Yes, how can I help you?"
"You're Ashley Myers and a Realtor in the Dallas area, correct?"
"Yes, is there something I can do for you?"
"Are you interested in working with Buyers and Sellers and their home needs?"
"That's what I do, yes ---"
"GREAT! Well, I'm calling with <insert Google placement company> and I'm excited to bring you the opportunity to further your BOOMING career with additional accessibility and exposure using Google placement, front page. I see that you have an ActiveRain account here… how would you like -- "
"Okay, thank you for your call - I'll have to hold off on this right now, as I'm in training and can't deal with this type of call right now. I have your number, though, so thank you…"
"Okay, well what I'm offering is the opportunity for exclusive placement in your designated city for first page Google placement. All I'm needing is your billing address to start your run and to get you all of the numerous benefits of thi--"
"Well, thanks, but no - Like I said, I'm in training and will have to call you back, so…"
"Oh -- Okay well I'm confused."
"What are you confused about?"
"Well I thought you said you were a Realtor in the Dallas area."
"I am."
"And I thought that you said that you wanted to work with buyers and sellers in their home needs?"
"I do, but you d--"
"Well then I don't understand why you would want to pass up this exclusive opportunity that I'm taking the time to call you about and further your productivity and career with --"
"Okay, you don't understand. I don't have time for this. I told you not at this time. Stop. I'm in training and wont waste my time on this. Got it?"
"Okay, bye."
And if I could slam my iPhone, I would have.
We've all known people that hang up on sales calls. I try not to, because I realize that calling people like me is their job. Don't like cold calling? Allocate a couple of hours a day or week to it? Imagine doing it all day! But...
1) When cold calling or door knocking, the number one rule in our industry is to never push your services onto another. You give yourself a bad name.
2) You aren't "taking time out to call" me about anything. You're paid to call and annoy people about your product.
3) Obviously, if you searched "Dallas Realtor" or "Ashley Myers" or anything of the sort, you found my ActiveRain profile and blog. Enough said.
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