Maybe "idiot" is too harsh. If you're in a production role and currently employed there has to be something between your ears.

If you've seen the "Cold Calling is Dead" headline before than you might be like me and laughed and then opened the email.

BOOM! We just proved their point. Not that cold calling is dead but that email engagement, when done correctly, can drive brand engagement and lead development. This can lead to future warm leads which lead to things to fill the pipeline and hopefully sales.

Does that last paragraph sound simple? It shouldn't. How many of the words or phrases were unfamiliar to you? Lead development is a complex process that combines content, a database, reporting, follow up, and most importantly a capable person to manage all of it. Who can manage that at your agency?

COLD CALLING IS ALIVE

If you consider yourself a one-man-band when it comes to finding your own opportunities then you already know where they come from:

Referrals
Cold Calling

At this exact moment I have 18 opportunities at various stages in my pipeline. Cold Calling generated 11 of them. There were 3 referrals. I already closed 3 opportunities this month and all 3 were from Cold Calling.

Unless you have a dedicated marketing person driving leads, this is where your business comes from. Take a look at your pipeline and see what your ration is.

COLD CALLING IS EASY

You just need to know what to say.

Unless you don't like talking to people. Then you should probably be working at a toll booth.

Each call needs a goal. Mine is to walk away with an appointment.

I'm interrupting whatever it is that they're doing before they picked up the phone so I'm not trying to tell them my life story right now.

COLD CALLING THE WRONG WAY

"Hello PROSPECT'S NAME, I'm Rob Erfurt from ABC Insurance. How are you today? 'FINE'
"That's great. I was hoping to talk to you about how we might be able to save your-" '(interupts) WE ALREADY HAVE AN INSURANCE BROKER, THANKS.'

You're giving them way too much information upfront. Our natural defense skills kick in and they hear sales call. You don't get a chance to share with them how you could truly help.

Thus the frustration of Cold Calling.

COLD CALLING ROB'S WAY (SCRIPT)

My calls are not scripted but I know what I want to say before someone picks up the phone. Here they are:

"Hi, PROSPECT'S NAME. It's Rob Erfurt, you and I have never had a conversation before. Can I tell you why I'm calling?" 99% OF THE TIME THEY SAY YES
"Thank you. My firm is called FIRM'S NAME and we help PROSPECT'S TITLE with WHATEVER VALUE YOU BRING THEM (I tell them 2 things, DON'T SAY SAVE MONEY).
"Because this is the 1st time we've spoke I don't know if either of these things interest you or not." SILENT PAUSE. THEY'LL SAY YES.
"OK, can you tell me more about that?"

Now you're having a conversation. And that gets you closer to a sale than playing Solitaire or online poker. Or reading blogs.

Go sell something.

-R