Many times a week I’m asked several things:
“Is cold calling dead?”
“What is the best way to keep track of your calls and call backs?”
“Is there an easy way to record your calls?”
“How can you keep all your scripts near you so they are easy to get to when you need them?”
Whenever I asked these types of questions, my answer is always the same:
Have you tried the best CRM solution on the planet for inside sales: VanillaSoft? VanillaSoft does it all – keeps track of your leads, organizes your call backs, displays your scripts, records your calls, and SO MUCH MORE.
They even have a “Lite” version that will fit many selling situations for just $16 a month!
Try it for free for 30 days here.
I want to share an email the owner of the company, Ken Murray, sent me the other day:
Dear Mike,
You and I always joke about the naysayers that claim the phone is dead, cold calling is old school, social medial has the answers and so on. Well my friend, you still remain a leading force in helping those that sell by phone do it more professionally and successfully and VanillaSoft remains the leading software platform driving phone sales. Perhaps we are getting the last laugh.
If we had listened to the pundits we would have pulled the plug years ago. Selling by phone is dead they yelled. We heard it all. No one uses the phone anymore; people can’t be reached. If you reach them they do not want to be bothered. When sales people kept selling by phone in growing numbers, the voices remained loud but changed directions slightly. The new chant was “cold calling is dead.” To be successful by phone, you must social-sell. Well Mike, here we are at the end of 2011 and I am here to tell you that the phone is still alive and well, cold calling still works and companies still sell and acquire customers by phone. Why? Because as you and I know, it still works!
Knowing this does not give one permission to stick you head in the sand and ignore the changing dynamics of selling by phone. Yes– you can still cold call and be successful. But, you can do it more professionally, more productively and more successfully. The pundits were wrong on many accounts, but the concerns they raised led to many new market innovations and selling techniques (and training) that greatly enhanced selling by phone. Think of the early DNC (Do Not Call) regulations. It was said that this will kill the industry and end selling by phone once and for all. It actually had the opposite effect. Today, companies benefit from DNC by not calling those individuals that have opted out. They were the “guaranteed NOs” that in past days you would have had to spend time and effort on. Today, the government has removed them for you. The legislation actually saves businesses money. Nice! How often do we hear that about any government regulation?
The same is true for software and the many innovations that have taken place in the last several years. Using your father’s CRM, contact management, or a “dialer” to sell by phone is like- well, sticking your head into the sand again. Today, many choices are flourishing that can make your phone selling efforts more professional, more productive and more successful. Gone are the days of one-trick ponies. Today’s software can be deployed as SaaS, up and running in hours and deliver amazing functionality for cold calling, setting appointments and selling by phone. The functionality, features and modules can be tailored to your specific selling needs. An abundant amount of research has been conducted in the last few years highlighting what features “best-in-class” companies are deploying to maintain their success. Many features are covered in the white paper, “Why Traditional CRM is Not Enough.” Simply visit: click on the title and you can have it for free.
Selling by phone is alive and well. The pundits and naysayers have not killed it. Doing it right, leveraging the new tools available and garnering new success… that is up to you. Get the best training and marry it to the best software. That is my story and I am sticking to it.
Great Selling in 2012!
Ken
Grab a Free Trial of VanillaSoft from Mike’s page at http://www.vanillasoft.com/mrinsidesales
Thanks, Ken. Again, if you are looking for an affordable, robust and highly effective CRM solution for your calling situation, check out VanillaSoft.