How can I make business calls more productive?
964419
Can you do it via fax instead?  Perhaps getting their attention in writing and demanding a written fax in return will help...then they actually have to think about what they're going to say.  They probably speak to so many people and put up with so much that they just say things to shut people up and move on to the next person.  Perhaps coming up with more detailed questions...or ask the managers to assign someone to help them in obtaining proper feedback.  Let them know that they're slacking on the job and your job is to get proper feedback and you'll call back as many times as it takes until you get it...and stick to your word.  Annoy them until you get what you need.  Once you get some decent feedback say thanks, have a great day!
386955
try this software CallCorder you can download a free fully functional trial edition here
248095
Mastering the cold call....
3378
I tend to listen more when the person telling me that I "need" them can offer short vignettes or case studies.  In other words, present examples of things that happened to a company like mine and explain how you could have made things all better.
52735
Here are a few keys to better business plans:\n\n1. Use a business plan to set concrete goals, responsibilities, and deadlines to guide your business.\n\n2. A good business plan assigns tasks to people or departments and sets milestones and deadlines for tracking implementation.\n\n3. A practical business plan includes 10 parts implementation for every one part strategy.\n\n4. As part of the implementation of a business plan, it should provide a forum for regular review and course corrections. \n\n5. Good business plans are practical.\n\nSome Business Plan "Don'ts" \n\n1. Don't use a business plan to show how much you know about your business.\n\n2. Nobody reads a long-winded business plan: not bankers, bosses, nor venture capitalists. Years ago, people were favorably impressed by long plans. Today, nobody is interested in a business plan more than 30 pages long.\n\nI would also suggest checking out http://www.bplans.com/ . There's a guide linked from the home page on writing a business plan as well as 60 free sample business plans.\n\nFinally, contact your local SCORE office for free advice. SCORE is funded by the SBA and is a great resource. You can find your local SCORE office here: http://www.score.org/\n\nYour local Small Business Development Center will also be able to help. You can find your local office here: http://www.bplans.com/sb/
411428
Stop being so nice and threaten them with dismissal if they are not productive. If you don't want to take that route then offer incentives for the best producers. Give bonuses for a job well done or hire a motivational speaker or give commissions plus salary instead of straight salary. If all this fails then hire new staff.
113962
Wow Cold Calling\nBeen doing it for years and average about one new prospect with every 5 contacts made. My closing ratio after that is 3 out of 5 on those prospects actually becoming a client and using my services on an ongoing basis. Following is what I refer to as the Nexxtep in Communicating Effectivly\n\nCOLD CALLING and More\nSpeaking with a potential customer is the same as speaking with a friend\nSTEPS OF THE CALL\n“The total of the whole, is the sum of all its parts” or what I like to refer to as “the steps“.\nWhen I was a kid I use to love taking my toys apart to understand what made them work. Same thing with Cold Calling, breaking down the call and understanding the steps can make the difference.\nGETTING STARTED\nWhat is stopping you?\nA lot have fears of picking up the phone and calling someone they dont know, especially if you have not planned or prepared for it.\nSetting clear and measurable goals.\nCold Calling and Sales is a number game, we all know that. What few do is really look at the numbers and using them to our advantage, helping us to improve our shortcomings.\n Attitude = Rapport\n"It is our attitude at the beginning of a task which, more than anything else, will affect it's outcome." \nWilliam James\nWho’s your customer?\nSometimes campaigns are design to find out exactly who your customers are, other times you will have more information and know this prospect better. Each campaign would have to have their own objectives designed to achieve the results desired.\nFirst objective, make your move\nCold Calling is not about Selling or setting appointments, but more about building relationships whether you are a huge corporation or a one person operation.\nI break my objectives down to 1)making contact 2)establishing rapport 3)moving towards a discussion 4)positioning our relationship 5)moving towards the nexxtep\nDECIDING FACTORS\nAwareness of, Interest in, Desire to and Action that……\nEveryone making a decision follow the above format in the process. One of your jobs during a cold calling is to discover at what level your prospect is at.\nQualify\nRemember this is a lead, not a prospect yet!\nSCRIPTING\nTo script or not to script\ntalented actor, forward thinking lawyer and highly developed explorer\nWould you watch a movie that the actors had no script, probally not. Same thing with a lawyer, they dont ask questions unless they have an understanding where it is going to lead. Add the curiousity of an explorer looking to understand what the prospect is doing now, what they have done in the past, and what they want to achieve in the future.\nRAPPORT\nRapport is not only on tone and infliction, but also about proffesionalism and confidence, not only with your product or service, but mostly about yourself.\nOPENING\nIntroduction\nWho are you and what do you do?\nReason why you are interrupting\nIf this is a cold call, no matter what you believe you are definitly interrupting your prospect. You have made them AWARE of you, now you have to see if they are INTERESTED\nIn their mind they are asking the question Whats In It For Me. Simple put, what are they going to get out of this conversation, what benefit may they realize by continueing. That brings us to the\nThe 30 Second Commercial\nSuperBowl Commercials cost millions of dollars. If you had the chance to have a 30 second spot on the super bowl, how much effort would you put into it and remember the KISS rule. No not the one that is Keep It Simple Stupid, but it is close. KISS means to Keep It Sweet and Short. As you develop your commericial continue to ask yourself the question "So What" to help you fine tune it.\nTHE DISCUSSION\nThe Art of Listening\n"Nature has given to men one tongue, but two ears, that we may hear from others twice as much as we speak." ~ James Thurber\nPrimary Questions\nThese are the questions you have developed to allow your prospect to start letting you know about them and should be
405609
Try The Call.  It really works.  www.thecallonline.com
60126
You could be a reseller for an answering service.  Every business needs live operators to answer their calls when they can't, so it is VERY easy to find customers!  Many companies have referral programs to get you some quick cash, or you can manage your own customers and bill them yourself at whatever price you can get... I recommend http://www.phonewire.com
27993
Good question.  There are a lot of options out there, some free, some pricey.  I've used Microsoft netmeeting along with a regular telephone conference bridge for business meetings with overseas divisions.  Works reasonably well.
562370
Try to come up with a problem that you solved that either saved your company money or improved sales. If you can identify a problem, detail the solution, and put some numbers to the value of the solution, you'll do well.\n\n"I identified a problem with our customer service..."\n"I found that we were wasting money on..."\n\nGet a piece of paper and start jotting down anything that comes to mind from your work of school experience. Force yourself to focus on it for 10-15 minutes. You'll come up with something.
342552
Review the productivity of your workers. Find areas where you are not getting returns on your business investment. Look for new technologies and products that could reduce the cost of producing your product.
1097463
I use it to make calls.  How do you use it?
1086655
Walk around a lot looking like you have somewhere important to go. I actually used to do that a lot when I worked for IBM. It really works and ppl think you are SOOO busy all the time. heeheh
789443
http://www.bplans.com/sp/businessplans.cfm - you can use the formats on here and keep the words down to 1500 words - not sure you'll find one except someone will do it specifically for you!!
1181548
do work\ntake tea\ndial phone\ngo on-line\nkeep standing\nlol
842141
be patient and call often.