Two Quick Sales Tips for 2013 and Beyond: Cold Calling and Big Data
We are about one-third of the way through the year already — how are your sales going?
Whatever your answer, I am sure you would love to increase them. This takes smarts, good training and coaching, and lots of motivation. It also requires staying abreast of developments in sales, especially in regards to technology. Who would’ve thought just a decade ago that you could access your entire pipeline, manage an existing client database, set appointments, send e-mails, and even video chat with customers via a mobile phone?
It’s extraordinary how far we have come. It is even more extraordinary to think of what is on the horizon. Our two quick sales tips for 2013 involve a couple of future trends we at Asher Strategies think salespeople should be paying attention to and preparing for now.
The death of cold calling
Cold calling is going to become less viable as time goes on. As Geoffrey James explains in this Inc. article on future sales technology, some of the reasons include:
- Voice mail is ubiquitous and provides an automatic gatekeeper
- The “Do Not Call List” in the US severely hampers the ability to reach anyone at home or on their cell phone
- Dining habits
- Browsing habits
- Shared connections and friends
- Real-time location and activity
- Political and religious affiliations