| Steve -
Actually, I was talking about true cold-calls - i.e. Selling to VITO calls, where you don't know they have specific needs, other than knowing that all companies can benefit from the service.
That was when I thought I'd market to large companies. I had initial success in that market when, by chance, I met a SVP from Pitney Bowes, who agreed to refer me in to the Executive Development area. But, local networking makes it hard to meet those folks - few large company reps (other than sales) show up to Chamber of Commerce events.
I tried an ExecuNet meeting once, on the premise that by helping the out-of-work execs with what I'm expert at (presentation skills), I'd be able to contact them after they landed. Don't remind me - it actually was a stupid strategy, as it diluted my perceived focus.
FInally, I realized I'd rather "go small". I've since tried a lot of face-to-face marketing (trade shows, speaking, networking events), with little success. I found the educational gap to be the primary problem - unless someone has a proximate need, few are all that interested in spending more than 2 or 3 minutes understanding what I do.
Believe it or not, Ryze has reinvigorated my marketing. The ability to demonstrate, through posting, what coaching is and that I do it competently, is unique to the message board mechanisms. And, to be fair, I think I'm more relaxed in this medium - I respond to people with expressed needs, which (other than "wanna buy from me") is not that common in face-to-face networking.
And the results show it - One client found me through my posts, someone gave me a card at one of the mixers, and yet another person posted initial interest on my GB. That's more bites in less than 3 weeks here than over a year of doing it the "old-fashioned" way.
Go ahead, Steve - let's have some questions.
Coach Eric
> Steve Levy wrote:
> E-
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>I'm making an assumption that you make calls when you hear or read of a real opportunity - for example, a brand new CIO at a local company that has had "cultural problems" the past few years.
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>Anyone who is a CIO probably has spoken at conferences or has been quoted in a local or national business journal - perhaps even giving you fodder for identifying "issues." Take all you can find and formulate a list of possible areas of need that may be coachable.
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>Here's where it becomes creative. With the list complete, it's time to create calling plan. Hint: The CIO's assistant probably knows about the CIO's personal and professional needs better than you.
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>So Eric - I'll stop here and see how you're "hmmmm" turns into questions to ask.
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>See you in a few hours.
>
>> Eric Sohn wrote:
>> Folks -
>>You've probably noticed that I ask a lot of questions. Normally, I'd ask them one at a time, but the inherent slowness of doing this online (not via iChat) makes that infeasible.
>>The purpose of the questions, as you might have guessed, is to get people to question their assumptions and limits, and consider other possibilities currently walled-off to them by their own hand. Coaches try to ask questions that make you go "Hmmm..." :`)
>>So, how about you ask me questions to help me with a problem?
>>As I said, I hate cold-calling. I don't know how to approach calling someone I don't know on the phone, and being asked what this is all about. When I've done it, I've identified myself as a business coach and asked if we could get together to talk about coaching over coffee. All but once, I got "we're not interested" and "Click!"
>>To me, it feels funny to say "I just want to get to know you" - actually, it feels phony, which I don't want to be.
>>So, what questions would you ask me to figure out how to market with initial phone contact - or to decide to abandon it as a strategy (my current choice)?
>>I am open to the possibility of changing my attitude and behaviors about this, so... ask away!
>>Coach Eric
>>Some of you are coaches... I'd prefer you lay low on this one, except to comment on other's questions - Thanks! Private Reply to Eric Sohn (new win) |
