(Entertainment-NewsWire.com, October 16, 2013 ) Dallas, TX -- Cold calling is dead. That's the word from New York Times best-selling author Frank Rumbauskas, of Never Cold Call Again and several other books. Frank retains a research assistant who keeps tabs on the state of cold calling, and the numbers and case studies she continually produces don't look good for the cold callers.
According to Rumbauskas, "Study after study shows that cold calling is dead -- and I mean completely dead -- in today's economy. From universities to private studies to surveys of business decision makers, the conclusion is always the same: Cold calling produces the worst return in time investment of all sales prospecting activities."
Here are a few of the case studies and statistics Rumbauskas provided in support of his argument:
- A study done by the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina concluded that 80% of B2B decision makers in the United States absolutely, positively will not buy as the result of a cold call.
- A more recent study by Baylor University concluded that cold calling is horribly inefficient, taking 7.5 hours for an experienced salesperson to get just one qualified appointment. (Baylor's criteria of "qualified" mean that the prospect is in a current buying cycle for the product or service being sold, and is financially capable of making the purchase.)
- A survey of 300 business owners and decision makers by marketing firm CR Cards revealed that cold calling is the most hated form of contact by a salesperson. Surprisingly, a personally written introductory email was voted the most favored form of salesperson contact.
What does this mean for the average salesperson?
"To me, it means don't be average. Don't settle for the status quo and do what everyone else is doing. The numbers don't lie -- cold calling simply doesn't work anymore."
Rumbauskas concluded by explaining that the Internet and Social Media have created numerous new methods of effective sales prospecting.
