Nearly all salespeople hate cold calls. I don’t like the term “cold call.”
Why? There should be nothing cold about them. Any good salesperson does as much research as possible before ever making a first contact. If it were up to me, I’d call them “thoroughly-researched-but-first-time-face-to-face” calls. I don’t expect the term to catch on.
What I did expect was more aggressiveness on the part of my sales staff making—well, whatever you want to call them.
The problem is that you can beat it into them for only so long before the “easy-for-you-to-say” syndrome kicks in. Some of my salespeople told me it wasn’t me out there trying to woo hostile strangers while they were busy making a living. No matter what I said, some of the salespeople weren’t buying it.
That’s why I decided to get help from Steve. Steve loved cold calls—so much so that it concerned me. However, judging by his track record of bringing in new business, no one knew the ropes better.
I figured if I rode with him for a day, by the next sales meeting I’d be armed with all the secrets, not to mention an example everyone could emulate. Or at least one they couldn’t argue with.
That morning, Steve had to see a few customers before we went prospecting. I used the time to pick his brain. “There’s nothing to it if you follow the rules,” he explained. “One, be fully prepared. Second, identify common ground with your prospects and build on it. Three, be alert for opportunities.”
I loved it so much, as these are what I’ve been preaching to the sales team. Finally, we finished up and headed into uncharted territory.
After stopping at a coffee shop, we quickly drove at a speed exceeding the speed limit, while Steve took turns eating a bagel, drinking coffee, returning phone calls, taking notes, and driving with his elbows. I was glad that we never had him drive a company vehicle. I also took my glasses off so they wouldn’t break when the air bag inflated.
But I couldn’t keep quiet when Steve slammed on the brakes and skidded to a stop in the middle of nowhere. “Are you trying to kill me?!?!” I shouted.
He hesitated for only an instant. “No, of course not; didn’t you see the site?”
Sure enough, deep in the trees, a house was under construction, along with three more foundations. At the front of the driveway, a sign read, “Peter Roberts Builder.” We pulled up to the house and walked around the back, where a laborer was struggling to lift rafters to the top plate.
“Hello, is Peter around?” Steve hollered. “Doesn’t it look like Pete’s busy? Or are you stupid?” came a voice from the staging on top of the walls.
“Stupid,” replied Steve as he scrambled up the ladder. “It’s my best quality.”
For the next 90 minutes, the laborer and I hoisted rafters while Pete and Steve nailed them in place. During that time, we found out that two laborers called out sick. When we left, we had a signed credit application, along with orders for the siding, trim, and roofing.
“Good work,” I admitted as we drove. “But it doesn’t exactly jive with your rules of cold calling.”
“Are you kidding?” Steve replied. “I saw my opportunity, and I’ve got muscle soreness to prove it.” And I found common ground—Pete’s using rafters instead of trusses, which means he’s like me—he’s baffled by trusses too. Ha, ha!”
“So, what about that careful preparation?”
“I am prepared for the next three stops we’re going to make. But, when an opportunity arises, grab it, because it may be a long while before another comes.”
At the next sales meeting, I talked about my day with Steve, how we got business from Peter Roberts Builders, and Steve’s fine preparation for the three cold calls we made.
Doc, our oldest salesperson at 72, chimed in and said, “I can’t help guys build houses—it’ll kill me!”
Mike McDole has 40+ years of actual LBM experience, including being SVP of a large regional pro-dealer, and is the principal of Firing Line LBM Advisors. He’s also partners with Greg Brooks of the Executive Council on Construction Supply and his LMS. Mike can be reached at 774.372.1367 or Mike@FiringLineLBM.com.
