Category Archives: Guest Posts

My mom is the best cold caller I know.

rsz_laura-128Allow me to introduce you to the amazing and fabulous Laura Posey – Founder and CEO of Simple Success Plans (www.simplesuccessplans.com). She wrote this post on Cold-Calling. And, frankly, I think it’s the best I’ve ever seen on this topic! So, I asked if I could steal it and she said “GO FOR IT!”

So, thanks to the wild generosity of Laura Posey, I give you: My Mom Is The Best Cold Caller I Know. Enjoy!

“She’s retired now but she was so good at cold calling she lost her job. That’s because she sold the entire inventory her company had available. (It was cemetery plots that time)

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

Seriously, she has sold everything from burglar alarms to siding to charitable donations starting with cold calls. And she was the top performer in every company she worked for.

So what is her secret?

It is so simple you’re going to wonder why you didn’t think of it. Here it is:

She never tries to convince anyone to set an appointment when she calls.

What???

Isn’t that the point of the call?

Not according to Mom.

You see, she views calling as a survey. The purpose of the call is to sort people into three lists:

  1. People who are curious about what you are selling
  2. People who are not ready to talk about what you are selling
  3. People who are too dumb to be curious about what you are selling

As she tells it, when you cold call someone who isn’t already curious about your product and you push to convince them to set an appointment, all you end up with is a crappy appointment.

Instead of wasting your time trying to hammer the wrong people into meeting with you, why not just call enough people and find the ones who are interested now.

Recognize that the ones who say “no” are really just saying “not now”. You can always call them back at a later time when they might be in the “yes” pile.

If you’re skeptical about how this would work, imagine this scenario.

I give you a list of 100 people to call. Your job is ask them 1) if they like chocolate ice cream and 2) if they would like a free sample if they do.

That’s it. I’ll pay you $100 to do the survey and give me the tally sheet of results.

Could you do it?

Of course you could! A survey is so simple to do because you don’t care about the outcome. You aren’t trying to convince people to like chocolate ice cream; you are just seeing who does and who doesn’t. And you only offer the free sample to people you know want it.

That is all that cold calling is – a survey.

Your job is to dial enough numbers to fill in your ‘’yes” column with quality appointments.

That’s it.

No more freaking out about…

  • “What if they hate me?”
  •  “What if they hang up on me?”
  • “What if they are mean to me?”
  • “What if I don’t know what to say?”
  • “What if I can’t get the appointment?”

You are just doing a survey – there is nothing to hate.

(And, while we are on the subject, even if they did hate you, they would forget about you the moment you hung up the phone.

Seriously, can you remember the name of the last person who cold called you?)

Your job now is to grab a sheet of paper and make four columns like this:

Screen-Shot-2016-05-10-at-10_29_01-AM

Write your list of prospect names in the first column. Then just start your survey calls, making tick marks in the appropriate column after each name.

That’s it.

I can tell you this technique saved my butt when I first got into sales.

And it has saved countless other entrepreneurs and salespeople over the years.

It requires no fancy software, no automatic dialers and no manipulative call sheets.

Give it a shot and let me know how it goes. I’m willing to bet you are making more appointments than ever by the end of next week.

For more ideas on how to generate consistent, profitable sales, check out our 144 other strategies for making more sales and growing your business.”

Did you love this advice? Check out Laura’s Simple Sales Magnetism Plan! http://bit.ly/29r10Xd

Love ‘em ALL UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

And go here to get the Truly Irreverent Tuesday Newsletter from me! http://bit.ly/IrreverentTuesday

A Guest Post by Little Ol’ Me on Selling Fearlessly!

A Guest Post by Little Ol' me on Selling FearlesslyI am delighted to announce that Robert Terson has agreed to allow me to guest post on his site today.

http://bit.ly/15T7BDx

While you’re over there, take a look around. Robert has some STELLAR articles with some great stories.

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

What do you think of THAT?

Love it UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

A great story! Please join me to listen to the One-Call Close Master tell his stories!

Selling Fearlessly
Announcing the VaVaVaVoom Selling Fearlessly Book Release Interview

I am excited to announce a special 45-minute telephone event that will ENTERTAIN you on November 8th (and give you some great sales tips, too).

Ever wanted to know how to walk into a COMPLETELY COLD sales call and “BE” the equal to your prospect,  GUIDE  the conversation, while you CONTROL  the environment?  (And,  get the close the first time?)

ME TOO! That is exactly what we are talking about!

On November 8th at 10 am Pacific/1 pm Eastern, join me for the VaVaVaVoom (Voyeuristic, Vicarious, Virtual) Selling Fearlessly Book Release Interview with the renowned Robert Terson!

You WILL walk away with stuff no one else is ever likely to tell you (‘cuz, frankly, they don’t know).

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

The great part is, that it’s MOSTLY free. We are offering admission if you’re willing to Pay With A Tweet or simply Opt-In to Irreverent Sales Girl’s email list (don’t worry — I have a strict “I Hate Spam” policy). There will be a surprise give-away at the end to a lucky caller, too!

We’re having a ton of fun putting this event together, and we hope you’ll join us.

Just go to The Irreverent Sales Girl’s Homepage to sign up: http://www.irreverentsalesgirl.com/. You’ll learn all the details there!

Let’s ROCK THIS THING. And don’t keep it to yourself. If you think YOU ARE going to love it, think of a someone else who will, too, and send them along to sign up. (We’re not selling ONE SINGLE THING – just putting together loads of value for you and your career).

Love it UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

A funny thing happened to me last week!

Are you the sales bully? One of the most amazing women on the planet today allowed ME to be a guest blogger on her site. Erika Napoletano is REDHEAD WRITING. She is a columnist for Entrepreneur Magazine, she is a Tedx Talker. She is, in short, the real deal.

AND, she is SO human.

I am humbled by her interest in the message of Bringing a Dash of Dignity to the Art of Sellling. So, today I share the Guest Blog that she allowed me to contribute.

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

It is on one of my FAVORITE TOPICS. I OBJECT to you overcoming my OBJECTIONS!

Enjoy good storytelling here: Are you the sales bully?

Love your peeps UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

Boy, do I have a surprise for you!

We have got some COOL stuff about to happen.

The amazing Robert Terson received delivery of his BRAND NEW book Selling Fearlessly today. I wish I could have seen his face when he opened the box…smelled the fresh new pages…saw the colorful covers…the completion of many, many hours of loving work.

Here is what I LOVE about this book. It is written by one of the most generous men I know. Someone whose writing chops are a match for his selling chops. Someone who ACTUALLY sold his whole career. (Go to http://www.sellingfearlessly.com/mound-road/ and read The Mound Road story he has avaialable on the site – it will draw you in!)

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

Bob doesn’t tell you how to sell, he SHOWS you how to sell.

So, the cool thing that is happening is that Robert is going to do a VaVaVaVoom (Vicarious, Virtual, Voyeuristic) Interview with me, The Irreverent Sales Girl, later this month. The interview will be fun, inspiring, will share some highlights and give you at LEAST one thing that will make a difference in your success.

It is my privilege to help this amazing man introduce his masterpiece to the world. Stay tuned for more information!

Love your stories UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

Ask and You Shall Receive … A lovely guest post from Kira Geairn

I just started my first retail job and went into it thinking it was going to be a breeze. How hard could selling shoes possibly be? Turns out, harder than I thought. My first real day (i.e. after my training day) I had a goal of selling $600. After five hours I hadn’t even come close! I finished the day with under $200 in sales.

Pretty pathetic, huh?

The second day I went in with pretty low expectations but decided that I was going to try opening up more. I started approaching people more often and asking other employees or my managers when I needed help. I even gave a client to someone else because I was too busy helping other people.

I ended up selling $615 when my goal was only $400.

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

The biggest differences? Asking for help. Trying to be independent or self-sufficient will only go so far.

It’s a lesson I’ve been learning this year all over the place and one that I’ve been fighting pretty hard. But the adage “Ask and you shall receive” is rapidly becoming my mantra. Good things will only come to those who ASK for them!

So whether you’re a CEO or a shoe salesman, SUCCESS is only available to those who ask.

From ISG: Great work, Kira.

Love your peeps UP!

The Irreverent Sales Girl

A very personal note – not for the faint of heart

Many of you know Dan Waldschmidt, Chief Antagonist and Master of Sales and Sales Managment. (www.danwaldschmidt.com). He allowed me to conduct a public interview last year about Edgy Selling, maybe you attended.

Recently, Dan ran a 125-mile race (yes, that’s like 5 THOUSAND marathons) in one day. He did it to benefit TWLOHA (www.twloha.com) an organization that helps people with serious depression, addiction, and suicide. He shared why this was important to him. You can see more in his blog.

At any rate, I was so moved by his commitment….it was personal for me.

Finally, two nights ago I had the courage to write him the email that follows. Amazingly, he found the time in his schedule to read it AND TO RESPOND to me. He encouraged me to make this private conversation public — because it matters to heal — and when you involve people in the REAL conversations, they can heal, too.

So, I share my letter with you…..it is vulnerable and visceral. It is my gift to you – if you have something important you need to heal, too.

I can tell you that things like this never go away, but they do get less disruptive and sometimes they even give you pathways to connect with others that weren’t possible before.

“Dan,

My mother killed herself when I was 28. She took a butcher knife to her throat, and arms, and ankles. She died in the tub reading a book called “The Black Marble” – she always read to pass the time.

She tried before when SHE was 19 and tried again when SHE was 25.

I have not had the courage to face the issue the way that you did. It ran too deep. I did not know how to even THINK about that I could make a difference for others.

My mother and I were very close. We spoke every day. I loved her dearly and did not see it coming.

She tried the first time before I was born and I was WAY too young to remember the second time.

After she died, it took weeks before my family finally told me that she had attempted this before in her life, as I wracked (sp?) my brains to figure out HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? THIS WAS NOT LIKE HER!!! I had no idea.

I am grateful I got 28 years with her. I can’t imagine the impact if she’d succeeded when I was little.

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

She was amazing – (she didn’t know it). You would have LOVED her. Talk about edgy and loving and precise and brilliant! She was all of that.

I do not fault my family for not telling me, a young girl, that my mother was a suicide risk. Yet, it was hard that they took so long to tell me (once it had happened) that it was not a surprise to them. It startled me to no end. My world shook apart.

Your honesty and candor is moving to me. With your 125-mile run, I started to get in touch with a side of me that maybe I could make a difference with someone so dear to me. But just a touch, a light feather of an inkling. I didn’t even donate to your run, it’s so scary for me to touch it.

I don’t know how I found you, but I am lucky that there are “you’s” in this world.

So, thank you for making a difference with me. I know you are ABOUT making a difference for people and it matters that you know. Your vulnerabilty, swagger, passion, and madness are dear to me.

Thank you.

Love,

The Irreverent Sales Girl”

Building the Bridge While You’re Walking On It

This is the year! This is the year that The Irreverent Sales Girl makes her big splash, becomes a REAL business, and places her mark on the world.

I will be building the bridge while I’m walking on it and I’d love to keep all of you who are interested “in-the-loop” about how we’re doing and what we’re up to!

So many of you have been a part of this journey. Some of you have posted your thoughts and insights. Some of you have shared your knowledge and advice. Some of you have done work on my site, my marketing, my business plan.

Some of you may be wondering……what is the Irreverent Sales Girl working on these days? How is the business going? Is she still around?

SO, I am designing a newsletter that I will send out once a month. It is called:

The Irreverent Sales Girl – UNDER CONSTRUCTION

The newsletter will contain shouts out to people who have helped me, news on what I’m building and how things are going. It will illuminate the hurdles I am overcoming. And it will allow me to connect with you – because you have been so generous to connect with me!

If you would like to start receiving this newsletter via email…..please send a message to salesgirl@irreverentsalesgirl.com and ask to be put on the list. Some of you will receive the newsletter whether you write to me or not – you probably know who you are…..of course, you can unsubscribe if you’d like under my I HATE SPAM policy.

Wondering how to go from 5 to 6 figures in sales? Check out this Free eBook: http://ebook.solidsixblueprint.com/solid-six-ebook/

I could not do any of this without YOU and I LOVE doing this!

Gratefully,

The Irreverent Sales Girl