Double Dutch

Is there a cure for the common cold call, or should we just let it rest in peace?

Before you start reading, let’s do a quick experiment. In a moment I am going to list four things.

As soon as you see number one, simply label your very first response as either positive or negative and move on to the next word.

Are you ready? Here we go:

- Telemarketing

- Cold calling

- Do-Not-Call Registry

- Networking

So, what’s your score?

Do you think your reaction is unique or universal?

I’ve just subjected a few of my friends to this unscientific test and -surprise, surprise- the numbers 1 and 2 elicited a strong negative response.

Telemarketers are among the most hated professionals on the planet. Most people would rather have their wisdom teeth extracted without sedation, than make a couple of cold calls.

In essence, cold calling revolves around fear and loathing!

Some commentators call cold calling ‘an abusive and masochistic process that damages your brand as well as your personal reputation‘. Others still believe that playing the numbers game (100 calls leading to 10 appointments resulting in 3 sales) is a foolproof system for the thick-skinned. They claim that cold callers who piss people off, just aren’t very good at their job. What do the experts think?

NAMES, NOT NUMBERS
Mahan Khalsa founded the Sales Performance Group of FranklinCovey. He’s the co-author of “Let’s Get Real or Let’s Not Play: Transforming the Buyer/Seller Relationship.”

He writes:

“When sales is a numbers game, people are numbers and each one of the numbers tends to get treated equally. After all, we don’t know which one out of ten will even want to meet with us, so we can’t afford to do the research and preparation necessary to customize the call to their company and to them as a person. And that’s exactly what it feels like on the other end. You don’t really know me, don’t know my company, don’t know what is important to us—and yet you feel you have something we want.” (click here for more from Khalsa)

John Jantsch is a leading small business expert and author of “Duct Tape Marketing” and “The Referral Engine”. He heard Khalsa speak at a conference and recently shared the following statistic in his blog:

“Cold calling results in about a 1-3% success rate for getting an initial appointment and it’s generally abusive to both parties. When that same call is made with a referral, the rate jumps up to 40% and even much higher when that referral comes from within the company.”

There you have it. As far as I’m concerned, Jantsch and Khalsa just killed Cold Calling. I don’t think we’ll have too many mourners at the funeral, do you?

DRUMMING UP BUSINESS
As Jantsch points out, there are much more effective ways to find new customers. I must warn you, though: the strategies I am about to share with you are neither for the passive nor for the aggressive. They are not for the introvert, the modest, the lazy and the ‘what’s in it for me’ and ‘wait and see’ types.

If you want to dig up potential clients, you have to become a miner. You most certainly will have to get your hands dirty and take the time to delve deeper. Here are a few gold mines that are surprisingly close to home:

1. CURRENT CLIENTS are a phenomenal resource. So: mine your own business! Satisfied customers are your best credentials and walking billboards. Please promise me to never conclude business without asking for:

a. A testimonial
b. Referrals

Tell your client:

“I really enjoyed working on this project with you. You must know a lot of people in the business. Who else do you think could benefit from my services?”

Always ask:

“Can I let Mr. so-and-so know that you referred me?”

Most of us enjoy buying stuff, but we deeply distrust salespeople. We will, however, trust colleagues and friends. That’s one of the reasons why under the radar Facebook marketing is so effective.

2. NETWORKING works, as long as you get off your butt. Don’t expect people to come to you. Anywhere and everywhere that you can meet other businesspeople face to face is better than cold calling.

Local networking groups like your Chamber of Commerce offer opportunities to meet and mingle. Here’s how to make the most of these type of meetings:

• Be unconventional! Seek out events where you might be the only expert in your field. Don’t waste your time and money talking to sad colleagues sharing horror stories at so-called conventions. Be a winner, not a whiner.

• Spend 80% of your time asking questions and listening to the answer. It’s priceless market research!

• Be sincere. Be positive. Pay people compliments. I know you’re good at that sort of thing. They will remember you.

• Realize that this is about building relationships and not about selling.

• When you receive a business card, write a few key words on the back that will jog your memory. After the event, enter the info into your database and add your personal impressions.

• Select a few people that could benefit from what you have to offer and with whom you seem to have good rapport. Then take the next step…

3. SOCIAL MEDIA offer a great way to follow up with your new contacts. Connect on LinkedIn:

“Steve, it was nice meeting you the other night. Good luck with that new project. When I drove back I had to think of that charity you’re involved in. If you like, I can help you with a logo. I’d love to contribute.”

Don’t just send someone the “I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn” message. What am I to make of such a lazy, robotic approach? Are you really interested in me, or do you just want to milk my network?

A network is often the result of years of careful relationship building. Do you think you can just tap into that treasure by sending me an automated message? You can do better than that! Why don’t you buy yourself a mailing list for Christmas instead? That will teach you the value of business leads!

Please personalize. Give me a reason to connect. Have the decency to respond to someone who was kind enough to open up his/her network to you. If you can’t take a minute or two to say “thank you,” what does that tell me about the way you usually do business?

OLD VERSUS NEW

• In the old sales model, the focus was on closing a deal ASAP. The new paradigm is: “How can I help you?” It’s not about getting. It is about giving. Don’t expect to get any referrals if you’re not prepared to give any referrals.

• The old model was built on dialing rate and breaking through respondent resistance. In the new world you would never force a relationship. Be patient. You can’t expect to reap the rewards if you’re not willing to sow the seeds and tend to your crop. Yet, too much fertilizer is overkill.

• Use social media to get to know your contact as a person, not as a prospect. Once you’re connected, they’ll get to know you too.

4. FREE PUBLICITY is a perfect way to introduce yourself to the community. Your neighborhood paper is starving for copy. How often have you seen the headline:

Local author signs new novel at Barnes & Noble

How about: “Local voice talent lands gig on national TV”? These stories don’t come out of a hat. You have to create that BUZZ. How do you do that?

• Write a press release about your latest accomplishment. Make sure it’s written in the third person. Otherwise it comes across as rather self-gratifying.

• Fax your statement. Unlike emails, a fax can’t be deleted or filtered out. Snail mail doesn’t have to be opened immediately. A fax shows urgency.

• Get in touch with the host of a radio show highlighting businesses in your area. You could be her next guest.

• Hold or sponsor a contest and make your service the prize.

• Prominently participate in your community by donating time and expertise. Don’t settle for a behind the scenes job. Be the spokesperson!

• Always follow up with a call.

5. BECOME A KNOWN EXPERT by offering free talks or by writing a blog or a column in your paper. Get your name out. If people don’t know that you exist, they will never hire you. A few pointers:

• Make sure that what you have to say is relevant to your audience. Come up with a catchy title for your talk. Instead of “Creative writing 101” try “How to sell your first short story.”

• Speak no longer than 20 minutes and stay away from Power Point; then take questions. Engage your audience. Don’t bore them with a sleepy slide show!

• Give everyone a freebie at the end with your contact information; put out a mailing list and follow up.

6. PEOPLE YOU DO BUSINESS WITH don’t need to warm up to you. Your car dealership, your accountant, your lawyer, that studio you work with, even your hairdresser, caterer and photographer are all part of huge networks. Why bother grooming a business in Baltimore when you have these resources in your back yard? Unless -of course- you live in Charm City.

Here’s the key: start sending these people some business today, but don’t do it because you expect something in return. Do it because they deserve it. And remember: make sure the friends and colleagues you refer drop your name.

What if -at first- nothing happens? I’d say this to you: Delays are not denials. This is not instant oatmeal. Besides, the old-fashioned type tastes better and it will give you more sustenance.

You can’t manipulate people and turn them into your puppets. What you can do is model certain behavior, hoping it will rub off. If you’re a parent or a teacher, you already know that this works. And if nothing happens, nothing’s lost. You have gained valuable feedback that allows you to fine-tune your approach. Focus on finding businesses that share your philosophy.

THE PROOF AND THE PUDDING
Old paradigms are like dragons: they are hard to kill. Once you cut off its head, a new one appears. People who have bought into the presumed strength of one sales system, aren’t easily sold on something they aren’t even willing to try.

I know for a fact that I can’t convince you of anything. I don’t even want to. Make up your own mind, but do me one favor: don’t diss these strategies out of hand. Try them out. Experiment, knowing that no system in the world works one hundred percent, all the time. Don’t even treat it as a system. Before you know it, a system becomes a formula, a procedure and a routine, taking us right back to square one.

Feel free to disagree. Contribute to the comment section below. Nothing attracts blog readers like a bit of controversy. Share what has worked for you and why. The only knowledge that’s worth something, is knowledge that is shared and put into practice.

In that spirit, allow me to share one last story with you. This time, it’s personal.

LOVE AT FIRST SITE
This is my wife and I love her dearly. Not only is she beautiful, wise, warm, intelligent, witty, strong, creative, a fabulous musician and teacher… she also puts up with all of my quirks. People always ask me: “You are so lucky! How did you meet her?” The honest answer is: online!

Looking for love online is no easy thing. Right now, there are millions of lonely hopefuls longing for some eHarmony or the perfect Match. And all of them will tell you they like long strolls on the beach; someone with a sense of humor who loves kids and has a steady job.

What would you do to find Mr. or Mrs. Wonderful among millions of internet singles?

Would you type a zip code into a matchmaking search engine; pick a 100 mile radius and start calling every single prospect within that area? You’d probably face verbal abuse, accusations of harassment and maybe you’ll go on a couple of first dates. Still, how would you know these people are a good fit for you? Yet, this is the old cold callers way of (mis)conducting business.

Instead, why don’t you begin by asking yourself these questions:

- Who am I?
- What’s important to me in a relationship and why?
- What do I have to offer?
- What kind of person would be a good match for me and why?

Based on these answers, it will be much easier to come up with a unique profile and zoom in on people with potential.

At the end of the day, it all boils down to this precious platitude:

It’s not about finding the right partner.

It is about being the right partner.

One last thing.

Before I put my online profile up, I did some serious soul searching and I answered the questions above to the best of my ability.

The end result?

I did not find my wife…

She found me!

Paul Strikwerda © 2010
www.nethervoice.com

PS Be sweet. Please retweet. Thanks!

PPS In my next blog: a revelation about my double life…

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Thanks to the internet, any business is now a global business. Getting through to non-native English speakers can be a serious challenge.

But just because your client knows a few English words, doesn’t mean he understands everything you’re saying.

Here’s how not to get lost in translation.

“I have a good one,” I said to my friend from France.

“Why do gun-carrying Americans usually wear short-sleeved shirts?”

“No idea,” he answered. “You tell me.”

“Because they believe in the right to bear arms.”

Silence…

“Sorry, but I don’t get it,” said Philippe. “Explain.”

“Well,” I said, “I can try, but I don’t think it would make the Second Amendment any funnier.”

“Oh, was it supposed to be funny?”

“Well, Philippe, some people think that puns are bad by definition.”

“What’s a pun?” Philippe wanted to know.

Have you ever had a conversation like that? All along you thought that you and your foreign friend were on the same page, but now you’re not even sure you’re reading the same book. How is that possible? Both of you speak English, don’t you?

ENGLISH RULES
I’ll be totally honest with you: native English speakers are spoiled rotten. Practically the whole planet has adopted your language as the lingua franca of business, and so you expect everyone to be on your page… linguistically and -dare I say- even culturally.

Not so fast, my Anglophone friends! There is a whole world out there of people who don’t get it that you don’t get it when they don’t get it… Got it?

Even though your mother tongue blasts out of every radio and television station 24/7, you shouldn’t automatically assume that we understand everything you say or write. You really have no idea how complicated Shakespeare’s language can be.

Take a simple word like “call.” Pick up Webster’s dictionary and you’ll find 15 definitions for the noun alone. That’s asking for trouble. Here are two actual mistranslations from movie and TV subtitles:

A priest explains “That’s when I got my call from God.”

The subtitle reads: “That’s when God telephoned me.”

A general has to decide whether or not to bomb an urban target, and he says: “It’s a tough call.”

The subtitle reads: “It’s hard to make a phone call.”

As someone who has been breathing in the English language from birth, it is almost impossible for you to imagine what life is like with English as your second or third language. That only changes once the tables are turned and you start learning another language yourself.

NO GAIN, NO PAIN
Imagine being in a crowded Parisian bakery to get some fresh bread. Suddenly, you are overcome by that embarrassing surge of helplessness, because your French vocabulary is still limited to that of a bedwetting toddler. All the locals are staring at you as you utter these infamous words, while pointing at a warm baguette:

“Pain pour moi madame. Merci.”

Painful, indeed.

Thank goodness the woman behind the counter was merciful.

GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS
In my last article, I stressed the importance of following-up with your contacts. Today, I’ll take a closer look at written communication, in particular, when it comes to dealing with non-English speakers.

Even though I live and work on the East Coast of the U.S., fifty percent of my clients are on other continents and for many, English is a second or third language. That means that I constantly have to bridge the linguistic and cultural divide as I respond to job offers, negotiate rates or simply share information about my voice-over services. Because English isn’t my first language either, I might be more sensitive to translation issues.

This is what I have learned so far:

1. Beware of the power of The Written Word!
Isn’t it true that, although we provide less information, printed words always seem to carry more weight? Even though communication experts tell us that we convey most of our meaning through inflection and body language, somehow, the written word seems more authoritative. Especially when coming form a trustworthy source,  people are not inclined to doubt what they read.

Case in point: when I published a completely fabricated story on an invention called “the Mic Warmer,” most of my readers fell for it, in spite of the fact that the news broke on April Fools’ Day. The next day I revealed and retracted the hoax and yet, the serious comments kept coming in. I still get emails from folks who want to know when the Mic Warmer will be on the market and how much it will cost.

The fact is: people believe what they want to believe and they are inclined to seek confirmation of those beliefs without verifying sources. We all know that President Obama is a Muslim, don’t we?

Who has time to fact-check those Tweets coming from ordinary people turned biased reporting bystanders? The need for speedy news flashes has taken precedence over the need for accurate information. It turns out, we can’t even trust news professionals anymore.

Mike Wise, a sports columnist at The Washington Post, was suspended after purposely spreading false information on Twitter (source) to prove that people would believe pretty much any tweet. Guess what? He was right. Other news outlets picked up his ‘scoop’ and ran with it, no questions asked.

Here’s one more reason why you should weigh the written word more carefully, not only as a reader.

The private is becoming increasingly more public. While spoken words disintegrate as soon as they are uttered, your emails could be kept for years. That hasty, silly comment you left online after you drank a glass of wine, still pops up when people Google your name… even after three years. Reputation management is booming because…

2. Readers are inclined to take the written word more literally.
People can’t see that twinkle in your eyes or hear the subtle sarcasm in your voice when they’re reading your email or text message. That’s why emoticons were invented. But is it professional to use a smiley face when you’re writing to that senior German project manager? Personally, I feel that emoticons should be sent back to where they came from: to the teenage chat rooms LOL.

The fact that the written word is taken literally, is also a reason why humor doesn’t work well. First of all, what seems hysterical to one person could be offensive to another. Secondly, as my conversation with Philippe illustrates, not everyone will be equally thrilled when you throw in a pun or two. Understanding wordplay requires a greater command of a language, as well as a more in-depth knowledge of a culture.

My advice: be personable but keep things business-like. And please consider this…

3. Manners Matter.
I can’t get over the fact that some folks can be downright rude in their writing. Call me old-fashioned, but I’m inclined to start a movement to bring the words “please” and “thank you” back into everyday language.

How much does it cost to be polite? How hard is it to treat people with a little respect? And what about all the name-calling?

Just because you are used to dealing with people on a first-name basis, doesn’t mean that the rest of the world has followed suit. In fact, you’ll find that -compared to the States- most countries are far more formal, and even more so in a business context.

If you’re not sure about the correct etiquette, err on the side of caution. As a rule of thumb, I always let the other party take the lead. If they wish to be addressed by their first name, believe me, they will let you know.

I also think it is a common courtesy to proof your messages before you send them. Cheq your grammer and speling. I know its nice to here from me, but your not looking very proffesional right now. Their you have it! Now, remember…

4. Keep your focus on the client.
Do yourself a favor and look at one of your most recent business emails. How many times did you count the word “I” in that message? What does that tell you? What could you have done differently to make that message less about you and more about your customer?

If you’re a follower of my tweets, you’ll have noticed that I started a “Less Self Campaign” in response to the ME, ME, ME mentality that has gone absolutely viral. I can understand that people are trying to market themselves using social ME-dia. But could you please stop quoting from that book called ‘my career’ all the time? In most cases, it’s rather thin and quite repetitive.

This is what I’d like to ask those Me, Me, Me-people:

Why do you feel the need to make yourself the center of the universe? Did your parents not love you enough when you were young? Does your partner take you for granted? Are your friends unappreciative? Do you think that this is what ‘branding’ is all about?

Don’t you realize that what others say about you is taken far more seriously than what you’ll ever have to say about yourself? Your customers are your best credentials.

Understand first… then be understood. It’s never about you. The needs of your client take center stage, whether they live next door or abroad. I also hope you’ll embrace the following principle:

5. KISS your clients.
So much to do. So little time. Now you want me to read this email-novel listing all your accomplishments followed by an endless list of clients, projects and other claims to fame? Give me a break!

I think that there’s much to be said for keeping things short and simple. Perhaps I should leave it at that. But you know me…

Especially when writing to a non-native English speaker, it’s important to use plain English without dumbing things down to Kindergarten level.  Simple doesn’t mean simplistic. Avoid long sentences, colloquialisms, slang, jargon and expressions that aren’t exactly universal.

The first time someone said he would give me a rain check, I had no idea what he was talking about and it really rubbed me the wrong way. I thought that person was off his rocker.

Also avoid references to politics, songs, TV shows, advertising campaigns or other phenomena that might be part of your culture, but perhaps unknown abroad.

Even though a show like ‘Seinfeld’ is in syndication all over the world, the impact it has in the context of another country is very different. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Just realize that things like ‘double-dipping,’ the ‘soup Nazi’ or other famous phrases and characters might not have the same effect they have on average Americans. How much do you know about Italian sitcoms?  And finally…

6. Be kind. Unwind.
One of the biggest adjustments a European needs to make when coming to the States is the fact that work never seems to stop. Even God rested on the Seventh Day, but the American people keep on truckin’… I even receive business emails on national holidays and my U.S. contacts expect me to answer them promptly.

In Holland (my birthplace) we have things called weekends where people actually relax and spend some downtime with friends and family…

So, don’t be surprised if you’re not getting an immediate response to that urgent email you sent on Friday night. You’re not being ignored. These crazy Europeans are just unwinding and practicing preventative health care. They’ll get back to you on Monday.

If they happen to be on vacation, they might get back to you in four weeks. Did you honestly think that they’d be checking their work email every day? Are you nuts?! Work is work. Time off is time off.

It’s so easy to forget that as an American you live in a no vacation nation. Out of the 33 richest countries in the world, the U.S. is the only one with no legally-required paid vacation for its workers.

To Americans, vacation is a luxury. To Europeans, it is a necessity.

MINDFULNESS
What I’m really saying is this: please become a mindful (international) communicator. This doesn’t start with acquiring knowledge. If all we’d need to change our lives was information, no one would still be smoking or send text messages while driving. Am I right? Information does not transform people. We have to become mindful first.

Mindfulness is an attitude. It’s about being perceptive and sensitive. It’s about the willingness and ability to see the world through someone else’s eyes… for a change. The easiest way to do that is through immersion.

Go away on a shoestring budget! Visit foreign lands. Taste bizarre foods. Become dependent on the kindness of strangers because you don’t speak the language. Don’t bribe the locals with dollars to treat you decently. Let’s see how long that lasts when pickpockets steal your cash, credit cards and passports…

Most importantly: participate. Don’t just observe.

Believe me, on your return, your homeland will never seem the same.

BULLET PROOF
The other day I got an email from my friend Philippe. He wrote:

“Paul, I have a good one for you!

I looked up the right to bear arms.

This is what I found.

Your Constitution says it is okay to carry guns.

But it doesn’t say that these guns have to be loaded.

Now, that’s funny, no?”

“Oh, Philippe,” I said. “You just gave me more ammunition to write a whole new blog.

I guess I better roll up my sleeves!”

Paul Strikwerda © 2010
www.nethervoice.com

PS What lessons have you learned from communicating with international clients?

PPS If you do wish to read up on international etiquette, I highly recommend Dean Foster’s books and other offerings.

Technorati Tags: bridging the cultural divide, Dean Foster, Dutch voice over, English as lingua franca, intercultural communication, Less Self Campaign, mistakes in international communication, Nethervoice, non-native English speakers, Paul Strikwerda, Seinfeld, the power of the written word, twitter