I'm in the Rejection Business........and Loving it!

Renee, Your right, cold calling can be a major struggle.  I have to say though, if done correctly, cold calling can be very rewarding.  The first thing I always try to do if I don't know the people at all, but do know someone that knows them, is to get the intro call from their friend or acquaintance. 

The way I see it, we are all here to provide our customer with great value, so we are actually hurting people inadvertently by not trying to help them by offering our service.  Does that make sense?  Sometimes writing words does not effectively make the point you want to.

Frank, I'm not aware of anything like that in Texas.  I agree with what your saying though.  If you know in advance the people are not in need of your service, it would be a waste of your time to call them. 

 I'm not suggesting going through a phone book at random and calling people.  I'm talking about leads, past prospects that could not go forwards, and people like that.  Perhaps you held a buyer seminar and collected business cards or maybe spoke at a toastmasters function or chamber of commerce function and picked up business cards there. 

If they give you their number in some form or fashion, they are wanting more information.

Anthony,  I'm referring to anything except a "true" cold call.  I think of a lead as anyone that I have worked with, been referred too, been handed a business card at a speaking function or networking deal.  Or anyone that I have met at an open house activity, buying seminar, etc...

I don't recommend a true cold call unless you have some knowledge of their interest.  Otherwise it is a waste of time in my experience.  I would call expireds for sure though, you know they need help.  For me, I really make my best effort to provide value first, before asking for their business though.

Anthony,  I am not against cold calling.  I think we are saying the same things sort of.  Because I agree with you.  The fear of rejection is the number one reason people don't make more phone calls or ask for the sale.  In our business though, I don't see the point necessarily of just thumbing through a random phone book.  It seems that time could be better spent.

I have actually done that (gone through a phone book, have even gone door to door).  Instead of wasting my time to find the few prospects at random.  I discovered ways to make them come to me instead.  I would team with either builder friends or vendor partners I have made to have home buying type parties or gatherings.  I would target a certain location that I wanted business from, write a short but very catchy letter or postcard with "free" give aways, food, information, etc.  The parties would be fun for everyone and I always would walk away with a stack of very good leads.