There seems to be an awful lot of unnecessary debate these days.
It’s happening in the sales bull pens!
It’s happening on social networking platforms!
It happening on blogs!
Here are two of them that I find useless!
The first is this whole definition of a “cold call”
I’ve seen this one go round and round and round (and get this) round. Here’s the best part of that discussion . . . in the time we all get done posturing and possibly never agreeing . . . I could have made at least 10 calls by someone’s definition.
Don’t get me wrong. I think its cool when sales people and sales gurus want to get philosophical. I’d just rather put my energy someplace else.
Like . . .
Let’s all have an intelligent conversation about how to capture the attention of a prospect who has way too many distractions.
Let’s talk about how we can ask questions that get our prospects emotionally charged and off the fence of indifference.
Heck, I’d even consider a “Rhode Island it’s neither a road nor an island!” debate!
I commented on someone’s blog the other day and then someone else comes along and feels the need to correct the author of the blog on his definition of a “cold call” I quickly unsubscribed from the comments and exited with a “Peter Griffin-like” sigh.
I’ll stop right there because you get the point.
Next up. . .
This Cold Call vs Social Networking Disaster!
My answer has been the same since I first started with social networking 3 years ago
“I reject the question!”
Why in the heck do I have to choose?
In order to survive and even (dare I say) thrive I need to do both and a well balanced sales mix of traditional networking, email, snail mail, creative things, get referrals, drop offs etc
The thing that troubles me about this debate is that many times it comes from people who know zilch about social networking.
Paul turns on the “Irony” button in 3,2,1 . . .
I’ve even come across a few people denouncing social networking and labeling it a waste of time but . . .
They are dispensing this advice via a social networking platform.
I shall channel the immortal Jeff Spicoli on this one and simply respond with . . .
“YOU DIIIIIICK!”
The other thing about this, that aggravates me, is that in 99% of these instances, you usually have someone who tried social networking for like 15 minutes and called it a waste!
That would be like someone making 3 phone calls and saying prospecting sucks!
Here’s the thing and before I tell it to you, I would love for you to print this out, then underline the heck out of it because its really freakin important!
It doesn’t matter that there are people saying social networking sucks
It doesn’t matter that I disrespectfully disagree
I doesn’t matter that people think the phone sucks
It doesn’t matter that I disrespectfully disagree with that too
It doesn’t even matter if you agree or disagree with all of this stuff!
The thing that matters, is that you and I show up where our prospect, clients or if you prefer “audience” shows up! Why?
Because they truly don’t care if you and I get it . . . they care that we go where THEY want us to go.
I mean how pompous would it be for us to think our clients are wondering if they should show up somewhere based on the preference of the sales dude/dudette?
We need to own that one gang!
Everyone has their own preferred venue of communication.
Think about it . . . I bet you know some people that you’ll only get via email, others phone, some people have to have a meeting for everything etc etc
If you cling to any one venue of communication . . . congratulations . . . you’ve limited your opportunities!
Any who, I’ve said enough . . . going to go grab a decaf!
Did you know that I authored a 90 page social networking E-Book? Check it out for yourself here!
