Category: Marketing

B2B Cold Calling Made Easy

Marketing, Sales Coaching, Sales Management, Sales Training

 

Cold calling for Business-To-Business sales is one of the most misunderstood opportunities for salespeople. Quite often anymore it feels like a tool that no one even has, or if they do, they don’t know how to use it. Many salespeople like to think that emails were the long-awaited coffin nail for actually picking up the phone. So now a wave of passive-aggressive sales tactics has washed ashore mediocre salespeople to flop around on the beach. I say flopping around because email oftentimes is a choice of quantity over quality for cold calling as we flop our message around the internet. Don’t get me wrong, emails can be very effective and they certainly have their place in the sales process, but despite what your open rates tell you, you don’t really know what’s going on in terms of how your message is received. 

 

All that said, salespeople most often overcomplicate cold calling when using the telephone. This is because they either forgot or don’t know the primary purpose of a B2B cold call using the phone. Don’t believe me? Just ask your salesperson, what is the desired outcome of the initial phone call? It is not to sell something or even to discuss your product or service at length. In fact, it’s much easier and simpler than that. The goal is to get the meeting. That’s it. The more direct and purpose-driven you can be with that goal in mind, the more you will improve the results of your cold call. But let me give you a play-by-play of a simple and effective B2B cold call using your phone. There’s also a sample conversation as well.

 

    1. ‘Did I call you at a bad time?’ – This is by far the best opener you can use. The prospect will always say ‘yes’ (which you want them to get in the habit of doing) and will immediately follow that with, “what’s this about”. They just gave you permission to sell without being aware that they did so. You’re off to a good start.
    2. ‘I assumed this was a bad time to call’ – No need to apologize, but let them know that the only reason why you called was to schedule a meeting with them to discuss how your product or service may be beneficial to them. 
    3. Head for the goal – Remember, every part of this brief conversation has to be to get the meeting. You won’t have a lot of time, so don’t go into a deep dive about what you’re offering and why it is so great. 
    4. Keep it brief – As I said, you already know you called at a bad time, so don’t disrespect the prospect by using this opportunity as your meeting. Answer any questions she or he may have and keep the conversation focused on getting the meeting.
  • ‘Can you think of any reason not to meet with me?’ – This is the best way to get a commitment. If they offer an objection then be sure to work through the problem, but if they said ‘no’ to this question, then they just said ‘yes’ to a meeting. Schedule it.
  • Always ask twice – Don’t be discouraged if they decline the offer to meet the first time. Empathize with their objection and ask at least one more time. You’ll be surprised how many times a ‘no’ becomes a ‘yes’. Persistence is powerful. 

 

Here’s a sample of how the phone call should go for you:

Salesperson – ‘Hi (customer) my name is (name) from (company). Did I catch you at a bad time?’

 

Prospect – ‘Yes you did. What’s this about?’

 

Salesperson – ‘I figured this would be a bad time, but that’s why I wanted to give you a quick call. I have been helping companies like yours to (reduce costs, increase profits, find more customers, improve efficiencies, recruit new talent, etc.). I wanted to schedule a 15-minute meeting with you next week to learn more about you and share what we are doing for our clients. Could we schedule a meeting for next Tuesday at 2:00 PM?’

 

Prospect – ‘Tuesdays are never good for me. What do you mean that you can (reduce costs, increase profits, find more customers, improve efficiencies, recruit new talent, etc.)?

 

Salesperson – ‘Well, basically we (*use one or two sentences to describe what you do) but I would need a little more time to really explain how this would work for you. Would Wednesday be better for you?’ 

 

Prospect – ‘I’m not sure this is something I would be interested in.’

 

Salesperson – ‘You know, all my best clients said that to me when I first met them. Let’s have a 15-minute conversation next week and, after that, if you decide this isn’t for you, I’ll respect that. But I have a feeling that there is something valuable for you and, at the very least, you can learn some of the options that you have. Can you think of any reason not to meet with me next Wednesday?’

 

Prospect – ‘No. I am very busy, but we can talk for 15 minutes. Let’s set an appointment for 10:30 AM. 

Selling To The 5 Types of Challenging Customers

Business Analysis, Customer Service, Marketing, Strategy Planning

Did you ever have that one customer? You know the one that I mean. When their name appears you know that it’s going to take a little extra time, you force a smile on your face and brace yourself for something that would otherwise be a simple issue for any other customer. Let’s face it, at the end of the day we are happy to have the sale, but why does this one make you work harder than all of the other ones? 

One of the main issues with challenging customers is that they are not all the same and cannot be treated the same. Many salespeople are like hammers always looking for a nail. We don’t know what to do when we encounter a screw, bolt, or staple. Sure, they sort of look like a nail in some ways, but when you hit them with your sales hammer they just bend and break instead of going into the wood. The agile salesperson always keeps a screwdriver, staple gun, and wrench nearby just in case. Here are the 5 different types of challenging customers and how best to work with them.

  1. Needy – Some customers just need a little extra time and care. They take comfort in the relationship that they have (or are developing) with their salesperson. Give them the assurance they need in your relationship, but help them to develop trust with you over time to shorten their buying cycle. Do this by asking them enough questions to demonstrate that you understand their need.
  2. Indecisive – Some people just can’t seem to make up their minds and, if you give them too many options, they might just bust a mental spring. These types of customers often operate unknowingly out of fear. The best way to help these types of customers is to give them limited options and create reasonable deadlines for making decisions.
  3. Curious – These customers are your tire kickers. They can spend more time thinking than buying. They are always on the hunt for more information, sometimes without any intention of buying. They can have you spending a lot of time preparing quotes but never really having a true intention of making a sale. Set the expectation up front with them by asking them how important this issue is, what their buying decision criteria are, and when they plan to make their final decision.
  4. Confused – These customers are struggling to connect the dots. Perhaps they don’t speak your lingo or maybe what you are offering them is overly complicated. Sometimes this confusion can appear as anger when it is expressed in an email. Respectfully, some customers have to be talked to like a 5-year-old not that they are unintelligent, but they are just operating on a different wavelength. Make sure you slow things down and try not to spend much time proving how smart you are by using too much industry speak. 
  5. Angry – A customer has either verbally expressed that they are upset or you can clearly detect it in their tone. Be careful jumping to this conclusion based on email threads as they do not accurately depict emotions. If you do encounter an angry customer, use the intensity reduction method. Acknowledge the issue, demonstrate that you understand the problem, embrace the challenge, and take ownership of the solution.

CHOPPED For Change: A Sales Culture Makeover

Business Analysis, Marketing, Posts, Sales Coaching, Sales Management, Strategy Planning

Do you know what you look like when you are stressed? We think we do, but other people can see stress on us better than we can see it on ourselves. In fact, for salespeople, we are doing our best to hide our stress, but our body language gives us away. Our jaws stay clenched. Our brow outlines the hint of a scowl. You look like you are ready to fall asleep or collapse under the weight of exhaustion. No fun. You want and need something to change. Wouldn’t it be nice to get one of those makeovers that you see on TV? I admit that I am not one to consult when it comes to your physical appearance, but you know what else looks stressed? Your sales culture.

 

It is hard to hide the symptoms of a stressed sales culture. New sales people last for 12 to 18 months at best. Few, if any, salespeople are reaching their goals. Phones get more attention than the agenda at the sales meetings. There is no sense of sales process. You’re losing customers. You’re not finding new customers. Your sales culture looks like it will collapse under the weight of its own exhaustion. Now, here is a makeover I can help you with. Things need to get better, and they can, but you will need a process to do this. You need to get CHOPPED for change. 

 

  • Communication – You need to start talking more with your salespeople and their customers. You want feedback that is honest and conversations that happen frequently. Be ready to listen and you will hear what you team and the culture needs.
  • Habits – Small habits compounded over time make big results. What small and achievable changes can you make with your team today that will start to turn things around? Celebrate victories? Run a better sales meeting? There is much to pick from.
  • Outcomes – What is it that you really want? It could be sales, higher employee retention, better processes or just better engagement. Stay focused on that goal and, if possible, focus on one or two goals at a time.
  • Process – Change, as a concept, is easy but the work is hard. You need to create a simple roadmap that you can follow toward your desired outcome in case you get lost along the way.
  • Patience – Good things take time. Stay the course. Change is not a pass/fail test and some days it is an endurance challenge.
  • Engagement – Be with your team during the change. Cultural changes are scary for sales people; even when they are good changes (they are a suspicious bunch). Don’t become an absentee leader during this critical time.
  • Desire – Make sure the change is something that create a mutual benefit and everyone will want. No one ever likes working in a negative sales environment, but if you tap into their desire, you have plenty of people helping you with this change.

When Clients Go Silent – The Capitulation Method

Uncategorized, Marketing, Posts, Sales Coaching, Strategy Planning

Is silence a surrender or a capitulation? It can be when you are dealing with a client who has suddenly gone quiet with their communication. Nothing makes a salesperson more paranoid than a client who suddenly goes silent and stops communicating. I’m not saying that you’re the jealous type, but when it comes to sales, you kind of are. You go crazy telling yourself all types of stories about why the customer isn’t calling you back. At least 95% of those stories are guaranteed to be totally wrong, but you’ll keep repeating those stories over and over until you find out what is really going on. After all, this customer has always great and responsive and it is quite unusual that she is not responding to my email and phone calls. Clearly, she must be getting a quote from your competitor and you are going to lose her business. Is that true?

 

Salespeople tell themselves some of the most awful stories when they don’t have all the information about the client and the sale. We are a worst-case scenario bunch as we try to figure out what went wrong before we even know if there is anything wrong at all. Before you let your mind go to all the wrong places, there is a simple and effective method that will get the information and communication flowing again; The Capitulation Method.

 

Before we talk about the Capitulation Method, let’s take a moment to explore possible reasons why a client can go silent. The most common reasons usually have to do with how busy or overwhelmed a client is at a particular moment. They don’t mean to ignore you, and may not even realize that they are doing so, but they likely don’t understand the importance of your outreach the same way that you do. Even unfortunate issues in their personal lives such as sickness, divorce, or even death will make your issue rather unimportant to them. Clients are almost never silent to be vindictive or to send you some kind of message. Most of the time it is not deliberate and they are not aware of their inaction. 

 

No matter what situation your client is dealing with, you still have your needs. You have to get that form signed or get an answer for one of their orders. Perhaps it’s time to renew an agreement and it is getting down to the wire. Before you use the Capitulation Method, you need to check your communication method. Salespeople love emails as a tool a little too much. If this has been your only form of outreach, it is possible that you have been contributing to the noise in a client’s already overloaded inbox. Pick up the phone. You will be surprised how, more often than not, this gets you unstuck in less than 5 minutes. If that still doesn’t garner a response, here is the Capitulation Method (in email form)

 

Subject Line: Customer, I will be stopping by your office Thursday at 10:00 AM

 

Dear Customer,

 

I hope you have received the previous messages I was sending you about the contract renewal. I will come to your office this Thursday at 10:00 AM with the final paperwork for you to sign. Unless I hear otherwise, I’ll assume this time works for you.

 

Sincerely, Salesperson

 

Suddenly the client has to respond to you because your communication just became a reality instead of an option. Silence is capitulation, meaning that they are agreeing to your request if they don’t respond. At first glance, you think this method is bold and makes you feel uncomfortable. It is bold, but what is more uncomfortable; being bold or not getting a response from your client for several weeks? One thing is for sure, this method will almost always get you unstuck and rather quickly. You can expect one of these outcomes and most of which will work in your favor.

 

  1. ‘That time doesn’t work’ – After the client read the subject line of your email, they suddenly realize that they have to respond. That response usually starts with an apology. “Sorry I haven’t gotten back to you. Thursdays are not good for me. Can you come by Friday morning?” This is the most common outcome of the Capitulation Method.
  2. *no response – You come by Thursday morning as you promised because you weren’t told otherwise. When you arrive, you finally get to speak to a real person (hopefully your client) and find out what is really going on. You may not be having the meeting you intended to have, but this should get things back on the right path because, at the very least, you’ll either find out what you needed to know or you can reschedule this meeting with your client face to face. 
  3. ‘The truth is’ – Perhaps there is a change in your relationship that the client finally has to come clean about. Maybe they are switching to the competition after all. At this point, they are forced to come clean about whatever information they are withholding. This is rarely the case, but if this happens, you now at least know what you’re dealing with and come up with a plan of how you will deal with it. 

 

The Capitulation Method can take on various forms. For example, your client’s office may be several hours away and a drop-in visit isn’t practical. Instead, you can send them a calendar invite for a video meeting and send some reminders up to the meeting. Be creative but be bold. Give your client the benefit of the doubt for sure, but don’t let them create a log jam in your process just because they are not being responsive. 

What Do You Do With A Customer Who Is A Bully?

Marketing, Posts, Uncategorized

I don’t like jerks any more than you do, and still, they exist. Do they even know that they are jerks? Do they even care? Why are there so many of them? Why are some of them trying to be my customer? How do I go about handling difficult customers? To be clear, I am not talking about customers that are angry or mildly difficult to manage, I mean customers that want to walk all over you, show you little respect, and constantly try to take advantage of you. A bully. These customers take an enormous amount of time and emotional energy and too often there isn’t a win/win outcome. They want what they want and they will stop at nothing to get it.

The first problem is that we believe these bully customers are in control and we let them have control because we fear losing the sale. We get caught in their trap of aggressive behavior and must constantly play defense. You’re a people pleaser and you want to make everyone happy. I don’t blame you. But there is a way to change the odds in your favor without stooping to their level. Assuming that you believe this aggressive customer is worth closing the deal with, there are 5 simple things you can do to keep these kinds of customers in check and start doing business on your terms.

 

  1. Listen Listen Listen – Sometimes the more we talk the more trouble we cause for ourselves and the same is true for an aggressive customer. Let them wear themselves down and spill their guts. This may take some time and test your patience but these type of people always need to hear themselves talk. Avoid the impulse to react and speak until the moment is right.
  2. Ask questions – As much as it might pain you, keep the aggressive customer talking by asking questions. This will change them from playing offense to defense. Even questions that allow them to clarify their position keep them responding to your cadence and takes them off their course.
  3. Normalize their irrationality – You can’t tell a crazy person that they are crazy, but you can win them over by normalizing what they feel is rational. I am not suggesting that you agree with them, but let them know you understand where they are coming from. In other words, tell them that if you were in their shoes, you might see how they arrived at their idea.
  4. Challenge what they say – You always have a right, if not the duty, to challenge any aggression from a bully customer and you don’t have to be aggressive to do it. Instead of telling them your position, ask them if they have considered the opposing viewpoint. Let them talk through that viewpoint and many times that will start to see things differently and, hopefully, your way. 
  5. Maintain your position – You cannot let aggressive customers bully you into getting their way. They won’t respect and they will have their way with you again. You don’t have to bully them back but tell them confidently and calmly your position and why you have no choice to maintain it. You do risk losing them as a customer, but that might not be such a bad thing. There is a better chance that you will get them to change their behaviors and start doing business on normal terms like the rest of your customers. 

What To Do When Your Customer Is a Bully

Marketing, Sales Management, Sales Training

I don’t like jerks any more than you do, and still, they exist. Do they even know that they are jerks? Do they even care? Why are there so many of them? Why are some of them trying to be my customer? How do I go about handling difficult customers? To be clear, I am not talking about customers that are angry or mildly difficult to manage, I mean customers that want to walk all over you, show you little respect, and constantly try to take advantage of you. A bully. These customers take an enormous amount of time and emotional energy and too often there isn’t a win/win outcome. They want what they want and they will stop at nothing to get it.

The first problem is that we believe these bully customers are in control and we let them have control because we fear losing the sale. We get caught in their trap of aggressive behavior and must constantly play defense. You’re a people pleaser and you want to make everyone happy. I don’t blame you. But there is a way to change the odds in your favor without stooping to their level. Assuming that you believe this aggressive customer is worth closing the deal with, there are 5 simple things you can do to keep these kinds of customers in check and start doing business on your terms.

 

  1. Listen Listen Listen – Sometimes the more we talk the more trouble we cause for ourselves and the same is true for an aggressive customer. Let them wear themselves down and spill their guts. This may take some time and test your patience but these type of people always need to hear themselves talk. Avoid the impulse to react and speak until the moment is right.
  2. Ask questions – As much as it might pain you, keep the aggressive customer talking by asking questions. This will change them from playing offense to defense. Even questions that allow them to clarify their position keep them responding to your cadence and takes them off their course.
  3. Normalize their irrationality – You can’t tell a crazy person that they are crazy, but you can win them over by normalizing what they feel is rational. I am not suggesting that you agree with them, but let them know you understand where they are coming from. In other words, tell them that if you were in their shoes, you might see how they arrived at their idea.
  4. Challenge what they say – You always have a right, if not the duty, to challenge any aggression from a bully customer and you don’t have to be aggressive to do it. Instead of telling them your position, ask them if they have considered the opposing viewpoint. Let them talk through that viewpoint and many times that will start to see things differently and, hopefully, your way. 
  5. Maintain your position – You cannot let aggressive customers bully you into getting their way. They won’t respect and they will have their way with you again. You don’t have to bully them back but tell them confidently and calmly your position and why you have no choice to maintain it. You do risk losing them as a customer, but that might not be such a bad thing. There is a better chance that you will get them to change their behaviors and start doing business on normal terms like the rest of your customers.

Would you like to learn more? Check out Aaron Jacobs e-book, “Controlling the Sale”, The New Way To Win Customers, Deals & Profits On Your Terms.

Beware of the Comfort Zone

Business Analysis, Marketing, Sales Training

Are you comfortable? I’m not asking if you’re in your favorite chair right now, but are you following a routine that keeps you safe and happy? If so, good for you I suppose. If you have really found the key to your happiness and you have arrived at where you always wanted to be, then you are among very few who have. The rest of us have yet to satisfy all of our desires.  But if there is one thing we can all agree on, it is that we don’t like being uncomfortable. This is what keeps us from growing. Without discomfort, there is little chance for growth. Think about all the important improvements that have happened in your life. Did it start from a point that was uncomfortable? I am certain that is had, and still, we avoid discomfort even when we desire change and growth. 

 

You must not only embrace discomfort, but you must also have to actively pursue it as well. It is the only way to bring about meaningful change. I’m not talking about change for the sake of change, but rather fully exploring your greatest potential to satisfy your deepest desires. That can mean wealth, status, achievement, or whatever is in your heart, but there is something you have always wanted that you are not actively pursuing because you are afraid of the discomfort that risk will bring. In sales, in order to be successful, we must constantly put ourselves in uncomfortable situations, yet some of us still avoid it. If your sales career has left you feeling unsatisfied for any period of time, then it is time to embrace discomfort. Here are 5 things you can do to get uncomfortable, grow, and achieve better results.

 

  1. Network – It’s time to get out and meet new people. That’s what you should be doing all the time. If you find yourself in a lull, check your contact list and see how many new names you have recently added. There is a good chance that there aren’t many new faces. Take the uncomfortable chance of meeting new people. 
  2. Prospect – Nothing is more uncomfortable for a salesperson than cold-calling. But this activity is what kick starts sales for sure no matter where you are in your sales career. Activity breeds activity, but it must start with you.
  3. Target new markets – Try hunting in a different pasture. It is as exciting as it is uncomfortable. This could be a new territory, demographic, or industry. It is a challenge that you can meet with success.
  4. Set higher goals – Why do you keep settling for the same results every year when you know you can do better? It is because you don’t want to be uncomfortable. Striving to get higher than you ever have can be done easier than you think if you try. 
  5. Change careers – If you have maxed out your current opportunities and you are still unhappy, you are likely just collecting a paycheck at this point. No one else can change this for you except for you. Most people don’t like starting over again, but sometimes you have to take a small step back to take a big leap forward.

An Open Letter from an Aggressive Salesperson

Marketing, Sales Coaching

I recently had a response from a prospecting email that gave me pause. I had sent the prospect 2 emails in one week and they are sent 4 days apart. His response was, “Hey, you are being aggressive.” Really? I was amused because I thought this light touch email campaign was slightly passive. At the very least, I had caught his attention. Good, bad or otherwise, that’s the first step I always want. Let’s face it, prospects are your biggest critics because some people enjoy the power they think they have beating up on salespeople. But you and I know better. I did not respond to his email, but here is what I would have said if I thought persuading him was worth my while.

“Dear Prospect, thanks for taking the time to share your feedback. I can understand what I view as being determined can come across to you as being aggressive. I think it is important for you to understand why I am being aggressive.

  • I am determined to succeed.
  • I am determined to get the attention of my prospective buyers. 
  • I am determined to offer you something that I am certain will benefit you.
  • I am determined to not let sales objections like yours get in my way.
  • I am determined to find customers who were glad that I took the time to reach out to them.
  • I am determined to not be discouraged by rejections.
  • I am determined to make sure that, no matter what, I will never give up.
  • I am determined to silence the criticism. 
  • I am determined to do whatever it takes.
  • I am simply determined! 

 

Mister Prospect, it’s okay if what I am offering is not a good fit for you. Perhaps you meant your simple words to be insightful, and I suppose they were, but I think you would do well to notice the difference between being aggressive and being determined. After all, I bet you wish you had more determined sales people on your team like me and, if you did, you probably would respect my approach instead of criticizing it. Again I thank you for your feedback. It reinforces my desire to succeed. 

 

I share this with you because as a salesperson, you face more critics than anyone else in your company. Stay determined because what you are doing is not only correct, but also noble. I am not telling you to be aggressive, that’s a sin of a different sort, but don’t let others hold you back from your success.  Press ever forward mighty salesperson. You can do this.

The Yellow Brick Road of Prospecting

Marketing, Posts, Sales Management

There can be nothing more daunting to a salesperson than to be handed a list of prospects to begin calling on. The list usually has hundreds of names and, at first glance, it looks like you have a mountain to climb. In some ways, it really is a mountain as you prepare to introduce yourself to new people. Who knows what this list has in store for you. One thing is for sure, it’s going to be a lot of work as you head into the unknown world of cold prospecting.

 

“Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!” as Dorothy and her entourage declared in the Wizard of Oz as they embark on their yellow brick road. You have your own golden path to follow, but instead, you find dead leads, rejections, and voicemail hell, oh my! Yes, prospecting is an adventure for sure and it can be an exciting one if you adopt the right attitude. Here are some helpful reminders if you’re starting with a new list of prospects.

 

  1. There are no witches – No one on your list can hurt you. They can’t physically attack you, they can’t have you arrested because you asked for their business and almost none of them will be downright nasty to you. There isn’t much to be afraid of other than ‘no thank you.’
  2. Be persistent – There may be rejections, objections, and other flying monkeys along your journey, but push beyond them. Don’t let one ‘no’ hold you back. That one ‘no’ does not represent the rest of your list. Keep on going until you get to the end.
  3. Work steady – Prospecting is exhausting and although you must remain consistent, you have to choose a pace that you can maintain. Don’t burn yourself out by burning through your prospects just for the sake of getting to the end.
  4. You will make new friends – Somewhere in your list are people who will like you, be glad that you called, and actually need what it is that you are selling. Who knows, there may be a few new friends for you to make along the way. They just don’t know it yet.
  5. Your treasure awaits – Work through your list with full knowledge that there are nuggets of gold to be uncovered. There may be a lot of sifting, but it is there somewhere, you just have to find it and there is no other way to do this than to begin your prospecting. Good luck.

No Apologies For Prospecting

Marketing, Posts, Sales Management, Sales Training, Strategy Planning

Have you ever been cold-called by a salesperson who opens the call with ‘Sorry to bother you, but…”? You should never apologize when selling and prospecting. How many of your co-workers in other departments, such as operation or finance, have to spend their time apologizing for doing their job? So why should you apologize for doing yours? Timid and weak salespeople bring timid and weak results. Why? Because they have a poor self-image that they project onto prospective customers who will, in turn, reinforce those beliefs.

 

If salespeople could accept the hard truths about prospecting and the benefits it brings, the less reluctant they would be to do these essential selling activities. Frankly, these aren’t big mountains for us to climb, they are little bumps that trip us up every once in a while. Prospecting new customers not only works, but it is the best way to acquire new business. So embrace these 5 realities of reaching out to new customers.

 

  1. Your call is unexpected – Of course, it is. So what? The day can be filled with a lot of unexpected things and many of them can be good? Why wouldn’t you and what your selling be one of those things? If you didn’t have something great to offer, why would you bother them with an unexpected call?
  2. You are calling at a bad time – Yup. At least that’s what prospects will tell you. My advice? Open your call by acknowledging this. “Hi, did I catch you at a bad time?”. It’s a personal favorite way to cold call. They will always say ‘yes’, but ask you what the call is about. This means they have given you permission to start selling. Go for it.
  3. You are a disruption – Salespeople who are not willing to disrupt their prospect’s day will not bring in new business. Period. You have to be a disruption to get their attention. Today, phone calls achieve this better than emails for sure (for those of you who say that phone calling is dead). If you don’t disrupt people, you will not get noticed. 
  4. You must get noticed – This is the fact in sales. You have to get noticed in order to begin any sales process. Unless you have a fantastic marketing plan that brings in a lot of new leads, you will need a campaign that gets you in front of people one way or another. 
  5. It takes more than one try – It can take as many as five, ten, or more tries to get time with your prospect. Be persistent and don’t give up too easily. Be willing to try several methods including phone calls, emails, cold call walk-ins, social media, and so forth. Sooner or later they will have to notice you good, bad, or otherwise.