A few weeks ago I wrote about how there is lots of sales BS floating around that is not grounded in reality. (See that here)

Again, today I see an anti-cold calling piece.  It pokes fun at someone who is successful at prospecting and had shared his own best practices–which are pretty sound–in an article.

Then the piece goes on to provide “connection” strategies to get new business …posting on social media, going to networking events, taking existing customers out for coffee, giving referrals, sitting at your computer and writing things… because this will attract business TO you. Without having to proactively pick up the phone and talk to people who haven’t contacted you first.

Umm, ok.

Solid suggestions? Oh, sure. Assuming you have existing customers, and no quota or personal need for actually bringing in new business, sooner rather than later.

Social media and other “attraction” strategies are fine, but they can’t be the sole method for people whose existence relies on new business. That would be like saying that just taking the stairs up one floor to your office every day instead of the elevator will cause you to drop that extra 20 pounds you must lose.

These are nice-to-do activities that will complement the more aggressive, results-getting direct actions that get results. In a salesperson’s case, that’s contacting people who would not have contacted you first.

Of course, it needs to be done the right way, the Smart Calling way. I agree that “cold” calls are dumb and never should be placed. I have files of success stories who tell me that they have become wealthy by calling people who never would have contacted them first, nor would have been referred to them.

So, fellow Smart Callers, I’d like to hear from you. Give your opinion on this article, and then please share below how you have had success prospecting for new business by being proactive.