Like many of you, I receive my share of “cold calls” from sales people who believe their product or service is the solution to what keeps me up at night. And, like many of you, I find myself declining their offers to speak or meet with me long before they even have their foot in the door. Why? They don’t differentiate.
Let’s assume for a moment you are the sales person. Let’s also assume the product or service you are selling really does hold some perceived value to your prospect. The reasons your prospect is not interested may have more to do with timing, budgets, or competing priorities.
If your cold calls are being met with rejection, how then do you keep the door open to potential sales opportunities in the future? Differentiate yourself.
How do you keep the door open to potential sales opportunities?
DIFFERENTIATE YOURSELF
For starters, differentiate yourself. Remain positive, even in the face of rejection. Thank your prospect for his or her time, add a personal touch to your message and offer to be of assistance – if not now, then in the future.
Here’s an example of where this was done well. Mark (name changed) was cold calling me. I politely decline via email. This is his response…
Duane,
Thank you for your note and kind follow-up.
Have a terrific weekend and please do not be a stranger. We’d be happy to help any way we can.
Mark
I’M NOW MORE RECEPTIVE
The tone, the content, and the offer to help, made me feel good about the idea of potentially working with him in the future.
While I do not know if it will ever happen, what I do know is, I will be more receptive to any future communications I receive from Mark and his company, because he took the time to respond with a personalized note, thereby differentiating himself.
ADDITIONAL READING
- What Do Referrals Mean To You?
- Before You Make That Call – Use Research To Stand Out From Your Competition
- Differentiate To Leave The Door Open
- 3 Communication Strategies To Attract And Keep Great Customers
- If Attitudes Are Contagious, Is Yours Worth Catching?
- Treat Everyone Like A Key Decision Maker – How Improvisational Humor Training Helps You Sell
Photography Source: Unsplash, Filip Kominik
