Please accept my apologies if this subject is in the wrong place or already covered.

I am thinking of hiring someone on a self-employed, commission only basis to do cold calling on my behalf.

I have already got interest from people willing to do it and was just after some advise please.

Thanks.

I wouldn't consider it as as personally I find cold callers are just a time wasting irritation, either saying no thankyou and hanging up or letting them go to voicemail and deleting. A cold call to a business will be answered by a receptionist, exec assistant or secretary (otherwise known as "the gatekeeper") who are traditionally diffcult, if not impossible, to get past to whoever makes business decisions. Your services [I]may[I] be something they need, but to them you are just one of a number of service people who cold call every day to be got rid of as quickly as possible.

Just my two pennyworth.

Lynne

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The Wordpro Wizard
www.wordprowizard.com

That is why I put them on a commission only basis.., no business development from them... no money for them.

Originally Posted by ss-bs

Please accept my apologies if this subject is in the wrong place or already covered. I am thinking of hiring someone on a self-employed, commission only basis to do cold calling on my behalf. I have already got interest from people willing to do it and was just after some advise please. Thanks.

What advise are you looking for? I, personally, hate cold calling (not that I've ever done it, but the thought of doing it is kind of like the thought of eating liver which I, thankfully, have also not done...lol). However, some people seem to like doing that sort of thing and have no problem with it. If you find the right people and they're fine with the payment terms then I don't see a problem with it.

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Stephanie
New VA in the research phase :daisy:

Some people don't mind cold calling..me personally could not. Have you thought about direct mail marketing? If you are willing to pay someone maybe that $$ would be better spent printing up postcards or a mailing of some kind to target businesses.

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Marisa H. Skolnick
www.actualdelegation.com

"Cold Calling" Sucks, But When Implemented With "Secrets To Question Based Selling, by: Thomas A. Freese"
*A Sales Technique and PROCESS Used To By Pass The "GATEKEEPERS",
*Find Out What The Companies Needs ARE, and Then Where One Or More Of Your Proposed Services May Fit In To The Companies Area Of "Needs" Or Projected Future Issues They Themselves Are Unaware Of But Would Like To Avoid,
*and Reaching The "Decision MAKER". With A Air Tight Proposal. Because Now You Know There "PROBLEM" And How To Fix It) (I Like To Say, "I've Found There Weakness")

It Takes A Few Steps (Research, and A Few Calls) But The Technique Turns "Cold Calls" Into Much Hotter Leads. Your "Proposed self-employed, commission only basis to do cold caller"
Should Be Provided With Some Kind Of List Of TARGETED Prospects,That You Really Have Interest In and Wish To Provide Service Too Because (EVERYONE IS NOT A PROSPECT.)

Or He/She Should Have Intent Of Implementing Research To Present A Powerful Objection-Free Presentation ) Once They Do Reach The "Decision Maker".

(and So Your Cold Caller Is Not Just Like A Hamster On A Spinning Wheel For Hours, They Do Have Families, Three Words, " Consideration For Others

Well Hope That Helps Some, I Could Go Deeper, That Book Gave A Good Perspective.

Originally Posted by daisymss

Some people don't mind cold calling..me personally could not. Have you thought about direct mail marketing? If you are willing to pay someone maybe that $$ would be better spent printing up postcards or a mailing of some kind to target businesses.

A good friend of mine runs a mailing company so I could use her servcies, but need to get names of people at companies first.. that's where my cold caller can come in. I have advised that i need records of companies they contacted, who they spoke to what was said, some background on the company etc.

I do not like cold calling either. One thing you need to watch for are the do not call lists so that you abiding by this law. There are many other ways to build your list. I subscribe to a local business newsletter that lists new DBA and LLC registrations. I send a congratulations on starting your business, etc. etc. There are other resources you can tap into. You can also join non-VA forums to make contacts there as well.

Have you considered face to face networking to build you list as well? This would work for you better than cold calling since you will actually be building relationships with others while promoting your business.

My belief is that you need to invest the time yourself to promote your business. Until you start to build relationships you will not acquire a solid support system.

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Lee Drozak
My Office Assistant

Originally Posted by ss-bs

A good friend of mine runs a mailing company so I could use her services, but need to get names of people at companies first.. that's where my cold caller can come in. I have advised that i need records of companies they contacted, who they spoke to what was said, some background on the company etc.

I Wouldn't Suggest A "Mailing Company" For Physical Mailing Of Anything Just The Use Of The "List",
(And Still Ween Out Your Top Selects) (For Your Own Benefit, That Time Is Money, and None Is Made WAITING For Leads .)


Hate To Say It, But If "JUNK MAIL" Isn't Thrown Away By The Mail Man (Heard About It On The News) , Then The Next One Is The GATEKEEPER.

Your "Fliers/Brochure/Mail" Should Arrive To A Business With A Appearance Of "Direct, Personal, And Private" So It Makes It At least To The Office Desk Of Your Prospect.

( Hand Written Outside Envelope Addresses And Real Adhesive Stamps Not The Other Red Rubber Stamp Look)

I'm personally not a fan of any kind of "cold" marketing. I know that in some cases, postcards and fliers do work, but at the same time, I tend to ignore those when I receive them in the mail and send them straight to the recycling bin. I'm in agreement with Lee - the success I've seen comes from networking, either on forums like here, in-person networking events, or networking online. Marketing is all about getting people to "know, like and trust" you, and I think you'll find the more people who get to know you and understand what you do, the more success you will have.