Are You Ready for Prospecting with Web 2.0 / Social Media To Replace Cold Calling?

May 5, 2009 - PRLog -- Prospecting for new sales opportunities has not changed much in the past two decades.  You purchase a list of potential sales leads from a third party source, you "scrub" the data through a merge and purge process with your existing CRM database leads, you assign them to your sales associates, and they begin a "Cold Call" campaign.

A standard cold call is typically made to a mid level manager and follows one of the following call scenarios:

Scenario #1
----------------
Sales Representative: "Hello, this is Dave Kalstrom with AIDC Equipment Inc.  I'm looking for the person in charge of your AIDC equipment.  Who would that be?"
Gate Keeper: "I'm not able to provide that information.  If you'd like, you can send the information to me and if the decision maker has an interest, she will call you back."

Sales Representative: "My intent is to send some information, but in order to tailor the information; I need to ask the decision maker just a few questions."

Scenario #2
----------------
Sales Representative: "Hello, this is Dave Kalstrom with AIDC Equipment Inc., is Jim Smith Available?"
Gate Keeper: "One Moment"

Jim Smith: "This is Jim."
Sales Representative: "Hello Jim, this is Dave Kalstrom with AIDC Equipment Inc.  We specialize in the sales and support of AIDC equipment, and we've
had a good deal of success helping other companies in your industry reduce their service costs through our new "Single Flat Rate Repair" program, and I was calling to see if this program might save you money as well."
Jim Smith: "Go ahead and send me some information and I'll take a look."

These types of standard Prospecting Calls are both highly inefficient and ineffective which has led to a cottage industry of "Cold Calling" and "Appointment Setting" boutique companies as well as a significant shift
of outsourcing call centers offshore where the inefficiency doesn't seem to improve much, but at least the process is inefficient at a lower "short term" cost that it is in the U.S.  

For those companies that are unable to outsource, especially smaller companies faced with fewer sales opportunities in a challenging economic environment, what do you do? How do you tackle the problem?

A sales process engineering company out of Phoenix, Az. has developed a solution that is showing great promise in helping companies solve this challenge.  Outbound Excellence has leveraged the increasing sophistication of Web 2.0 / Social Media technology, moving at the speed of light, and integrated them together with 12 years of research into developing a suite of sales best practices, and has come up with a solution that is showing great promise in companies that are conducting live beta tests.

Outbound Excellence's - Prospecting with Web 2.0 / Social Media to Replace Cold Calling consists of the following components:

1. Internet spidering applications compile list of sales leads with full contact information
2. RSS feed systems capture target prospect news releases with stated needs and an executive contact
4. Internet Press Release and press distribution websites help spread thought knowledge and awareness  
5. Tracking and reporting software added to e-marketing documents provides target prospect interests  
6. Webcasts establish credibility and trust and establish a company as a thought leader and key knowledge source
7. Social media discussion groups provide an opportunity to identify and engage with target customers about their challenges
8. Viral marketing components spread marketing and messaging strategies like a good virus should

These components lead to highly targeted calls, with high level decision makers about stated needs.  

Here's an example of a call made to a Senior Level Executive:

Sales Representative: "Hello, this is Dave Kalstrom with Worldwide Webcasts, is Jim Smith Available?"
Gate Keeper: "What is this in regards to?"
Sales Representative: "I'm calling in regards to the press release he just made announcing the release of your new Video Conferencing application for the YPhone."
Jim Smith: "This is Jim."
Sales Representative: "Hello Jim, this is Dave Kalstrom with Worldwide Webcasts."  
"Jim, I just saw a news release you made earlier today come across my desk where you announced the release of your new XYZ application that provides Video Conferencing capability for the YPhone.
On May the 15th, we're holding a Mobile Application on-line summit which is a day of back to back webcasts from thought leaders and niche solution providers from around the country.  We're expecting a large
audience of key decision makers and I was wondering if showcasing your XYZ application would fit into your messaging and marketing strategy?"

When I started the mission of President and CEO of Outbound Excellence I knew I wanted to not only make a difference, but to bring a great deal of simplicity to sales growth processes.  The sales industry in the U.S.
in the area of sales processes has been highly inefficient and I felt a need to bring a more systematic approach to our American sales model to allow American sales organizations to remain competitive with outsourcing options.  

Welcome to the “Next Generation” of sales prospecting.

The vast majority of companies that see our articles in business network sites such as LinkedIn, or view our webcasts on BrightTALK, see the value in process and have wholeheartedly embraced our system.  They understand that in order to grow and prosper, especially in this difficult business climate, they must be willing to change their standard sales model.  

So together we tailor a prospecting system that enables their company to become more profitable using sales tools they may not have thought of, or may not tried before.

We all know that Web 2.0 / Social Media tools and technology won’t ever replace people in the selling process.  But we can leverage technology that is available today to best position companies to increase their sales and customer growth performance today and in the future.  

For more information, visit www.outboundexcellence.com.

Outbound Excellence welcomes your questions and comments.
Send your e-mail to: davekalstrom@outboundexcellence.com
Contact: David Kalstrom at 877-337-2674

# # #

We Develop Tools To Improve Sales Force Effectiveness Using A Lean Six Sigma Methodology - We've automated the process - providing pre-developed and pre-proven -plug n' play processes - that provide an immediate financial gain to the organization.