* Are you sending e-mails to prospects instead of calling them?

* Is e-mail your selling medium of choice because it lets you avoid the rejection that you experience when you make real cold calls?

* Do you wait and wait for return e-mails from prospects that will give you the green light to move the sales process forward?

Sad but true, these days most people who sell for a living spend 80% of their time trying to communicate with prospects via e-mail instead of actually picking up the phone and speaking with them.

Are you one of those people?

If so, you aren't alone...but do you understand why you've turned to e-mail instead of personal contact?

I think there are 2 core reasons that underlie this unfortunate trend:

* Fear of rejection. The sheer negative force of anticipating rejection makes people turn to e-mail to generate new prospect relationships because it hurts less to not get a reply than to hear that verbal "no."

* Getting blocked by gatekeepers and voicemail. When salespeople don't know how to break through the barriers of gatekeepers and voicemail, they start thinking, "Forget it -- it's not worth the aggravation, and it takes too much energy. I'll just e-mail instead."

However, when you try to use e-mail to offer your product or service to someone who doesn't know you, you can't possibly establish the natural dialogue between two people that allows the trust level to reach the level necessary for a healthy, long-term relationship.

We all know how much everyone hates e-mail spam, but even so, many salespeople are still sending introductory e-mails to decisionmakers. They feel that, because they're from a
credible organization, they won't be associated with the negative image of a spam solicitor.

However, these introductory e-mails typically contain the traditional three-part sales pitch -- the introduction, a mini-presentation about the products and services being offered, and a call to action -- and this traditional selling approach instantly tells the recipient of the e-mail that your only goal is to sell your product or service so you can attain your goals, and not theirs.

If you're still using email to sell, watch out for these 7 pitfalls:

1. Avoid sales pitches. If you feel you must use e-mail to start a new relationship, make your message about issues and problems that you believe your prospects are having, but don't say anything to indicate that you're assuming that both of you are a match.

2. Stop thinking that e-mail is the best way to get to d ecisionmakers. Traditional selling has become so ineffective that salespeople have run out of options for creating conversation, both over the phone and in person. However, it's best to view e-mail as a backup option only, not as a way to create new relationships. Try to use it primarily for sending information and documents after you've developed a relationship with a prospect.

3. Remove your company name from the subject line. Whenever you put your company and solution first, you create the impression that you can't wait to give a presentation about your
product and services. Your subject line should be a humble reference to issues that you may be able to help prospects solve.

4. Stop conditioning your prospects to hide behind e-mail. When you e-mail prospects, it's easy for them to avoid you by not responding. Also, they get used to never picking up the phone and having a conversation with you -- and they may want to avoid you because they're afraid that, if they show interest in what you have to offer, you'll try to close them. This creates sales pressure -- the root of all selling woes. This avoidance becomes a vicious circle. If you learn to create pressure-free conversations, you'll find that you'll start getting phone calls from prospects who aren't afraid to call you.

5. Avoid using e-mail as a crutch for hand ling sticky sales situations. Are prospects not calling you back? Many salespeople who call me for coaching ask how they can get themselves out of sticky situations with prospects -- but the e-mails they've sent have already triggered those prospects to retreat. It's tricky to come up with the correct softening language in an e-mail that will re-open a conversation with a prospect who has decided to close off communication -- direct, person-to-person phone calls or meetings are much easier and more human.

6. Avoid  using "I" and "we." When you start an introductory e-mail with "I" or "we," you immediately give the impression that you care only about selling your solution, rather than being open to a conversation that may or may not lead to a mutually beneficial match between what you have to offer and the issues your prospect may be trying to solve. If you can change your sales language to a natural conversation, your prospect will be less likely to stereotype your message as a spam solicitation.

Finally...

7. If you can, stop using e-mail selling altogether. There is a way to renew your confidence and eliminate your reluctance to picking up the phone and have pleasant conversations with potential prospects. Learn a completely new way of working with gatekeepers that will get you past voicemail and to your decisionmakers without the rejection and frustration that are inevitable with traditional selling approaches.

For all these reasons, you should think of e-mail as your last resort. If you can learn to pick up the phone without fear, start a trusting conversation with a gatekeeper, learn how to go beyond voice mail and find your decisionmakers, you'll join the many who have made their own personal selling breakthrough.

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About The Author:

Ari Galper, founder of Unlock The Cold Calling Game makes cold calling painless and simple. Learn his cold calling secrets that even the sales gurus don't know. Listen to a free cold calling audio seminar, visit http://www.UnlockTheGame.com

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Sometimes we can all use a friendly reminder to keep us from backsliding into old ways of thinking about selling that lead us down the wrong path with potential clients.

I was inspired to write this article after a few coaching sessions with a client named Michael, who sells a technology solution. Michael had been struggling with a mental block about how to detach from the traditional sales thinking he had learned from old-school sales "gurus".

You know who they are. You may even have some of their books or tapes. And you know their sales messages too: "Always be closing," "Think positive, and you'll overcome all your cold calling fears," "All you need to boost your sales is a few new sales techniques."

But all these outdated sales messages fail to address the core issue of how we think about selling. And unless we get to that core, and change it once and for all, we'll go on struggling with the same counterproductive sales behaviors. We'll go on experiencing the same difficulties and frustrations. And we'll continue to believe that we're always just one new sales technique away from the breakthrough we're looking for.

New Thinking = New Results

Maybe it's time to take a different approach. Maybe we need to seriously analyze our sales thinking so we can identify why we're not making more sales. Take a look at the table below and thinkabout your current selling mindset. How would your selling behaviors change if you changed your sales thinking?

Let's take a closer look at these central Unlock The Game�122 concepts so you can begin to open up your current sales thinking and become more effective in your selling activities:

1) Stop the sales pitch -- and start a conversation.

When you call someone, avoid making a mini-presentation about yourself, your company, and what you have to offer. Start with an opening conversational phrase that focuses on a specific problem that your product or service solves. If you don't know what this is, ask your current customers why they purchased your solution. One example of an opening phrase might be, "I'm just calling to see if you'd be open to some different ideas related to lowering the risk of any computer downtime you may be having in your company?" Notice that you are not pitching your solution with this opening phrase.

2) Your central goal is always to discover whether you and your potential client are a good fit.

Let go of trying to "close the sale" or "get the appointment"-- and you will discover that you don't have to take responsibility for moving the sales process forward. If you simply focus your conversation on problems that you can help potential clients solve, and if you don't jump the gun by trying to move the sales process forward, you will find that potential clients will actually bring you into their buying process.

3) When you lose a sale, it's usually right at the beginning of the sales process.

If you believe that you lose sales because you make a mistake at the end of the process, take a look back at how you began the relationship. Did you start with a presentation? Did you use traditional sales language like, "We have a solution that I believe you really need" or "Others in your industry have bought our solution, so you should consider it as well"?

When you use traditional sales language, potential clients can't help but label you with the negative stereotype of "salesperson." This makes it almost impossible for them to relate to you from a position of trust. And if trust isn't established at the outset, honest communication about the problems they're trying to solve, and how you might be able to help them, becomes impossible too.

4) Sales pressure is the only cause of rejection. Rejection should never happen.

Rejection happens for only one reason: Something you said, as subtle as it might have been, triggered a defensive reaction from your potential client. Yes, something you said. To eliminate rejection, simply shift your mindset so that you give up the hidden agenda of hoping to make a sale. Instead, everything you say and do should stem from the basic mindset that you are there to help potential clients. This makes you able to ask, "Would you be open to talking about issues you might be having affecting your business?"

5) Never chase a potential client--you'll only trigger more sales pressure.

"Chasing" potential clients has always been considered normal and necessary, but it's rooted in the macho selling image that, "If you don't keep chasing, it means you're giving up -- and that means you're a failure." This is dead wrong! Instead of chasing potential clients, tell them that you would like to avoid anything that resembles the old cat-and-mouse chasing game by scheduling a time for your next chat.

6) When a potential client offers objections, uncover the truth behind them.

Most traditional sales programs spend a lot of time focusing on "overcoming objections." These tactics only put more sales pressure on potential clients and also fail to explore or understand the truth behind what the potential client is saying. When you hear, "We don't have the budget," "Send me information," or "Call me in a few months," do you think you're hearing the truth, or do you suspect that these are polite evasions designed to end the conversation?

Rather than trying to counter objections, you can uncover the truth by replying, "That's not a problem" -- no matter what clients are "objecting" to -- and then using gentle, dignified language that invites them to reveal the truth about their situation.

7) Never defend yourself or what you have to offer --   it only creates more sales pressure.

When a potential client says, "Why should I choose you over your competition?," your first, instinctive reaction is probably to start defending your product or service because you want to convince them to buy. But what do you think goes through your potential client's mind at that point?

Something like, "This 'salesperson' is trying to sell me on why what they have to offer is better, but I hate feeling as if I'm being sold." Rather than defending yourself, try suggesting that you aren't going to try to convince them of anything because that would only create sales pressure. Instead, ask them about the key problems that they are trying to solve, and then explore how your product or service might solve those problems --without ever trying to persuade.. Let potential clients feel that they can choose you without feeling "sold."

You too can improve your sales effectiveness if you are open minded and willing to try a new and more natural selling approach.

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About The Author

Ari Galper, founder of Unlock The Cold Calling Game makes cold calling painless and simple. Learn his cold calling secrets that even the sales gurus don't know. Listen to a free cold calling audio seminar, visit http://www.UnlockTheGame.com

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Making more sales while retaining your integrity -- is it possible to do both?

Based on e-mails I continue to receive daily, the answer is a resounding "yes."

Eliminating traditional sales thinking and tactics does take effort, because the messages of the sales "gurus" you've read over the years can continue to bubble up in your mind, especially when you're in the sales process.

Despite your good-hearted intentions of helping others with your service or product, do these traditional "sales tips" still pop up in your mind?

- Focus on "closing" the sale and it will happen

- When you feel rejected, brush it off and get ready for more

- If a potential client says "no," it's your job to turn it into a "yes"

- When a potential client challenges your product or service, just sell harder

These ideas reinforce the traditional sales message that your only focus should be on pursuing the end goal of making the "sale," regardless of the personal toll it might take on you and your potential client.

It is possible to sell without compromising your integrity.

Here are seven suggestions:

1. Focus on the getting to the "truth" of your potential client's situation. You may or may not be a fit for each other, so focusing on the end goal of making the sale only derails the trust-building process. Without trust, you compromise integrity.

2. Eliminate rejection once and for all by setting realistic expectations and avoiding traditional sales behaviors such as defensiveness, persuasion, and over-confidence. If you're not trying to sell, you can't be rejected.

3. Stop "chasing" potential clients who have no intention of buying. How can you do this? Shift your mindset and boost your truth-seeking skills so that you can quickly, yet graciously, discern whether the two of you are a potential "fit" or not.

4. Avoid calling people "prospects" or even thinking about them that way. People are people, and when you label them in your language or your thoughts, you dehumanize them and the sales process. "Prospect" reinforces the notion that sales is only a "numbers game." Train yourself to think about "potential clients" instead.

5. Take the "cold" out of your cold calling. Don't start with "Hi, my name is... I'm with... We do...". When you begin a conversation by making it about you, instead of about the other person, you immediately cut off the possibility of opening a dialogue. Try the more humble approach of asking "Maybe you can help me out for a second," and keep in mind that you're really calling to help them solve their problems.

6. Don't try to "overcome" objections. Instead, determine whether the objection is the client's truth or not. Then you can decide whether to continue to open the conversation.

7. Avoid using "I" or "We" in your e-mail communications to potential clients. These words indicate that the focus of your communication is on satisfying your needs rather than solving their problems. This sets the wrong tone for a potential relationship.

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About The Author

Ari Galper, founder of Unlock The Cold Calling Game makes cold calling painless and simple. Learn his cold calling secrets that even the sales gurus don't know. Listen to a free cold calling audio seminar, visit http://www.UnlockTheGame.com

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Almost every day, visitors to my Unlock The Gameâ„¢ website click on my live instant-messenger chat button, which invites them to "Ask Ari a selling question."

And do you know what their most common question is?

Yes, you guessed it: "Is there any way I can break through or overcome my fear of cold calling?"

Most of us have at least some resistance to cold calling, and some people I talk with have such a paralyzing visceral and emotional fear of cold calling that they can't even consider doing it.

In some ways, the fear of cold calling is practically an epidemic -- but not the kind of epidemic that gets publicized on TV or in newspapers.
 
It's a silent and personal one, a psychological struggle that happens in our own hearts and minds.

The fear of cold calling is a painful, daily struggle for many entrepreneurs and salespeople who have been trained in traditional selling techniques.

Traditional sales trainers answer questions about cold calling this way:

"All you have to do is make more phone calls."

"All you have to do is think more positive thoughts."

"Just learn to accept rejection as a normal part of selling."

In other words, "It's your fault that you aren't succeeding in sales."

This is like telling someone who's terrified of jumping off a diving board,
"Don't be a wimp! Just jump!"

In my experience, very few people are able to overcome their fears that way, because the underlying message is that, if you force yourself to do something uncomfortable, "just doing it" will magically solve the problem.

But this is a response that shows no understanding at all of the psychological barriers that underlie the fear of cold calling.
 
So, how do you overcome your fear of cold calling?

In my opinion, the solution actually is simple, and is based on understanding three simple concepts:

1. It's Not Your Fault

We can't help thinking there's something wrong with us if other people keep telling us that something shouldn't be a problem, but our own inner feelings tell us that we aren't comfortable doing it.

There's a sort of "old boys' club" sales-conditioning mentality prevalent in English-speaking countries, including the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, that says, "I had to suffer to succeed in sales success, so you need to, too!"

This thinking comes from traditional sales programs that continue to be the accepted approach to selling.

What you need to understand, though, is that you may fear cold calling because you have probably been exposed only to traditional selling approaches, which triggers rejection.

These approaches teach us to make cold calls this way: introduce yourself, explain what you do, suggest a benefit to the potential client...and then close your eyes and pray that they won't reply with "Sorry, not interested" or "Sorry, I'm busy."

If you're still using this traditional approach, you probably hear responses like these the moment you stop talking.

They're rejections, and what they do us make you feel rejected -- and that's reason enough to make you dislike, fear, and avoid cold calling.

How can cold calling be a positive experience if rejection is the most common response you get?

2. Are Your Self-Perceptions Passive or Aggressive?

Whenever I chat with people about the fear of cold calling, they almost always tell me that they're afraid to make cold calls because they don't want to be perceived as "aggressive."

This is another part of the internal battle -- they beat themselves up for being too passive and lacking the confidence to make the next call, but they don't want to call for fear of being seen as aggressive.

Here's the good news: there is a middle ground between "aggressive" and passive."

It's a place where you can be who you are while still being extremely effective with cold calling, without ever experiencing rejection again.

Unlock The Gameâ„¢ shows you how you can be incredibly effective in cold calling without triggering rejection from potential clients. Imagine the possibilities (and the income potential).

3. Learn to Let Your Language Match Your Thinking

If you can center yourself into a place where you can let go of feeling that you have to go on using traditional cold calling "scripts" and behaviors, you'll find yourself spontaneously using language that you would use in a natural conversation.

Using natural words and phrases -- speaking exactly the way you would with someone you know, can transform cold calling into a refreshing and productive experience.

And, as you let go of the old-school cold calling model, in which your product or service is your only way of generating a phone conversation with a prospect, you'll make the most crucial transition of all: you'll begin thinking of approaching potential prospects not from your perspective, but from theirs.

What do I mean by that?

Imagine what it would be like if you could hear your prospect's thoughts about the problems they are having -- and that your solution can solve.

Even more importantly, suppose you could also make note of the words and phrases they're using as they think about their problems, and that you could take that language and embed it in your cold calling approach.

"Yes, but how would I do that?" you might ask.

It's simple. Just ask your current clients what three core problems your product or service has solved for them.

When you change your thinking, you can't help changing the language that you use, which lets you connect in a whole new positive way with the other person you are calling.

If you can let go of your old-school belief system and open up to the possibility that there is a more natural, comfortable way to cold call -- one that doesn't trigger rejection -- you'll be surprised by how easily you'll break through and overcome your fear of cold calling.

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About The Author

Ari Galper, founder of Unlock The Cold Calling Game makes cold calling painless and simple. Learn his cold calling secrets that even the sales gurus don't know. Listen to a free cold calling audio seminar, visit http://www.UnlockTheGame.com

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I was sitting at my desk last week when my phone rang. I picked it up and said, "This is Ari with Unlock The Game." The woman on the other end of the phone said, "Hi, my name is Julie Jackson, I'm with XYZ company and we are a...and we offer...". As she continued to speak, I stopped her in mid-sentence and said, "Hi, Julie."

There was dead silence on the phone.

I could sense her struggling to react to my spontaneous overture at making personal, genuine contact. She was so locked into her presentation or script that she had no idea how to respond to me.

The idea of just conversing with me in her most natural way was a completely foreign concept.

(She eventually took a deep breath and we transitioned into a very pleasant conversation about the possibility of us being a "fit".)

What has happened to us?

Can't we just strike up a conversation with people we don't know and build a relationship that way?

It's ironic that most of us take it for granted that spontaneous, natural communication is the right way to relate to our friends, spouses, relatives, and others in our personal lives -- but, when it comes to selling, our language becomes, almost robotic.

Why the breakdown?

Because when we make a sales call, we want something. The people we're talking with sense this immediately. They put up their guard. Our hidden agenda and their reaction immediately destroy the trust-building process of communication.

We go into our personal relationships wanting to simply know the other person. But we go into sales situations with agendas and assumptions.

And because we've been conditioned that a sale can happen only if we control the process, we never even consider the possibility that there can be total flexibility in how we communicate and build trust.

Quick self-assessment: When you pick up the phone to make a sales call, what are you hoping will be the outcome?

Let me guess:

* Get information
 
* Find the decision maker
 
* Schedule an appointment
 
* Make a sale

In other words, you want something even before the person you call says "Hello."

It's time to throw out your "selling" language and unlock your natural language.

Here's how:

Be willing to challenge everything you have learned about selling up to this point. If you aren't open to questioning conventional sales thinking, you'll never have a chance to experience selling in a completely different way.
 
* Replace your goal-oriented agendas with trust-building agendas.

* Learn to enjoy the processing of building a new relationship.

* Build a dialogue.

* Avoid centering the conversation on you and your offerings.

* Enter the conversation without assumptions. 
 
* Trade overconfidence for humility.

Any signs of overconfidence when you first make contact with a potential client will only set off "sales alarms." Humility (not weakness) starts the trust-building process.

Visualize the person you are speaking with as a potential friend rather than a potential client. This will help you to converse rather than "sell."

When you tap into your natural language abilities, it triggers the person you're speaking with to tap into their own natural language as well.

Like you, they will abandon their "business language" and begin communicating with you in their most natural way.

Natural language is the crucial secret to transforming the outdated, ineffective "buyer-seller" role into a trust-based relationship based on open, natural communication.

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About The Author

Ari Galper, founder of Unlock The Cold Calling Game makes cold calling painless and simple. Learn his cold calling secrets that even the sales gurus don't know. Listen to a free cold calling audio seminar, visit http://www.UnlockTheGame.com

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"I always hear people talking about how e-mail is today's 'killer app,'" my coaching client Janice told me when we were discussing ways of making contact with prospects.

"But I'm afraid that people will think I'm spamming them if I try to e-mail them when we haven't met yet. I know I hate spam with a vengeance!"

"You're not the only one," I told her.

"Spammers have just about destroyed e-mail as a legitimate selling tool, but there are still ways you can use it to open communication rather than shutting it down right off the bat. E-mail is still a totally appropriate way of communicating with someone -- as long as you use language that doesn't trigger the "salesperson" stereotype."
 
First, we'll take a close look at one example of a "cold introduction" e-mail that uses the traditional sales mindset.

Then we'll apply the Unlock The Gameâ122 mindset so you can get an idea of how to create e-mails that won't trigger the negative "salesperson," or even "spamming salesperson," stereotype.

This e-mail is a real example that one of my coaching clients sent to me for comments and suggestions:

Does this "cold e-mail" sound familiar?

On the surface, it looks innocent enough, but take a moment and ask yourself what your instant reaction would be if it arrived in your e-mail box.

The problem is that this message violates the core principles of the Unlock The Gameâ122 mindset by creating the impression that the sender's only concern is making a sale. How?

Let's look at it sentence by sentence:

My comments (in blue) zero in on the specific wording and phrases that feed the negative sales stereotype and give the impression that the writer cares only about the sale.

The problem is -- even if your intentions are honest and sincere, e-mails like this are more likely to burn bridges than to build trust.
 
There is a better way.

Here's the same e-mail, but rewritten from the Unlock The Gameâ122 mindset.

My comments show the reasons behind the phrases and why they both reduce potential sales tension and increase the chances of a favorable response.

How do you think you would react if you received this e-mail?

Perhaps you would give a sigh of relief because you wouldn't be feeling any sales pressure from this stranger you've never met.

This example shows that, even though e-mail is basically an impersonal one-way form of communicating, the Unlock The Gameâ122 mindset can humanize the connection.

When you give prospects a chance to respond to your request for help, you increase the possibilities for two-way communication and trust-building.

"Always pay attention to how words and phrases that are typical of the traditional selling mindset can make you come across as a spammer," I told Janice.

You might want to start reviewing your e-mails to prospects.

Does your message focus on discussing you and your solution, instead of your prospects' issues or problems?

If you start to rethink and change your language, you may find yourself with more sales than you thought possible.

The basic principle is simple: Avoid self-sabotaging sales language.

A few weeks later, Janice reported back to me that she had been getting much more favorable responses, leading to more phone conversations with new prospects.

Try it yourself -- and do let me know how it goes.

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About The Author

Ari Galper, founder of Unlock The Cold Calling Game makes cold calling painless and simple. Learn his cold calling secrets that even the sales gurus don't know. Listen to a free cold calling audio seminar, visit http://www.UnlockTheGame.com

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Are You Risking The Relationship for the Sale -- And Then Losing the Sale Anyway?

Losing a sale can be disheartening, especially if you lose it for reasons you
aren't even aware of.

Traditional selling approaches tell us that sales are usually lost because of some element -- price, features, benefits -- having to do with our product or service.

So, when we sell, we naturally focus on what we're selling because we feel we have to differentiate our product or service so prospects understand what we're offering that's unique.

But...what if focusing all your energy on WHAT you're selling is actually the main reason
WHY you're losing sales?

"Not possible!" you say. No?

Let's hear, in my client Ryan's own words, what happened to him.

His story will help you realize why you may be losing sales without really understanding why.

Ryan's story points to a very important lesson: if you don't have an approach that is a perfect balance of nonaggression and effective penetration of your prospect's core needs, you'll end up asking yourself time after time, "Why am I losing sales, and why has selling become so painful?"

You can risk the relationship and lose the sale, but with a different sales mindset, you don't risk anything at all -- because you can preserve the relationship, and make the sale.

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About The Author

Ari Galper, founder of Unlock The Cold Calling Game makes cold calling painless and simple. Learn his cold calling secrets that even the sales gurus don't know. Listen to a free cold calling audio seminar, visit http://www.UnlockTheGame.com

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Last week I was sitting at my desk and the phone rang.

I picked it up and said, “Hello, this is Ari.” The caller said. “Hi, Ari, my name is Steve, how are you today?”
 
I knew right away that he was using a structured sales script, and that triggered the negative “salesperson” stereotype in my mind.
 
I didn’t want to hurt his feelings so I let him continue with his pitch for a few minutes. Then I gently said, “Hi, Steve.” He was so startled that he completely stopped speaking. He had no idea how to react to my simple, normal greeting.

Why? Because he was totally focused on his selling script and not on my reaction to it.

If you’ve been selling for a while, chances are you’ve been asked to use sales scripts to make cold calls. And even if you feel scripts are unnatural and impersonal, you’ve probably used them anyway because they were the only way you knew to start a conversation with prospects.

Maybe you’ve even made some sales using scripts.
 
But here are some questions you need to ask yourself.

·         How do you really feel when you use a script?

·         How do your prospects feel when they know you’re using a script? (And they do know.)

·         Most important, how many sales are you losing because you’re using a script?

When people call me and ask how they can throw out their scripts and cold call the natural way, the first thing I do is ask them whether they’re willing to role-play with me using their script.

As soon as they start reading their script, a couple of things happen. I hear their voices go up in volume so they sound enthusiastic. They also talk faster, and their voice takes on a canned, robotic quality. All these things trigger the negative “salesperson” stereotype.

After a few moments, I gently stop them and tell them they’re sounding like a totally different person from the one who called me and talked with me so naturally about their sales issues.

You know what they always say? “Ari, you are so right. When I use a script, I feel as if I can’t be myself.  I feel like a robot or an actor, and it’s very awkward and uncomfortable. Is there any way I can be myself again?”

Here are 5 ways to throw out your linear selling script and be yourself again:

1. Admit that scripts make you sound “scripted.”

When you begin your sales script, prospects detect the very subtle change from your natural voice to your unnatural scripted voice within seconds. “Fine,” you might say, “I’ll just work on making myself sound natural.” But that in itself creates a conflict.

The first step is to realize and admit that you can’t “work at” being natural. However, you can let go of your script as a crutch. The idea may sound scary at first because you’ve been programmed to believe you have to have a script to make a successful cold call. It is possible to learn another way to make calls without a linear step-by-step script.

2. Start your cold call as a conversation, not a one-way pitch.
 
If you’re used to scripts, you’re probably shaking your head and wondering, “How the heck will I know what to say without a script?” You might want to ask yourself why you think you won’t know what to say, because the reason for that is important. It means you’re basing your call on what you have to offer -- and not on what’s important to the prospect, because you haven’t found that out yet.

Pitching your solution as soon as you begin a call is one of the biggest problems with linear sales scripts because you trigger sales pressure and cause prospects to react with defensiveness or even abrupt, immediate rejection.
 
Here’s another option. Write down 2 or 3 core issues or real problems (not benefits or features) that your product or service solves. Then take that “problem statement,” as I call it, and put it into words your prospect can understand. In fact, the wording should be so familiar to your prospects (because those are the words they use every day in their business) that when you start discussing the issue, they’ll feel a sense of comfort knowing that your mental focus is on helping them solve problems, not on making the sale.

3. Create openings rather than forcing a “yes.”
 
Selling scripts are designed to be linear and step by step so you can move calls in the direction you want them to go. From the traditional selling point of view, that direction is toward a “yes,” because if you don’t get a “yes” at the beginning of the cold call, you’re not “selling.” But that’s the biggest problem with scripts. They give you only one path to follow.
 
If you can start a conversation that triggers a “What do you mean?” response from your prospect, you’ll find you can explain yourself in a natural way that creates a two-way dialogue, which in turn lets you learn what you need to find out by flowing with the conversation, without feeling you’re getting off-track. Developing your problem statement makes this much easier.

4. Tape-record yourself talking with someone you know. Then record yourself reading your script.
 
Have you ever heard yourself calling a prospect and reading your script? Probably not. That’s why most people who use scripts think they sound natural. They’ve never heard themselves. But if you do this simple exercise, you’ll hear the same kinds of differences I hear when people role-play with me.

In our day-to-day personal relationships, we simply want to get to know and communicate with others. But when we go into sales situations using scripts, we have an agenda -- to make the sale. And because scripts trigger the perception that that’s all we want, the people you talk with sense this immediately and put up their guard. Between our hidden agenda and their reaction, there’s no chance to build trust through communication. Also, because we've been taught for so long that we have to control the process, we never stop to think that scripts make it impossible for us to be flexible in how we communicate and build trust.

5. Set a new goal for your calls. Focus on simply opening the conversation rather than trying to control it, so prospects will feel comfortable telling you the truth about their situation.

Does surrendering your use of a script seem scary? Try this alternative and see how it feels. Begin the conversation with “Hi, maybe you can help me out for a moment...” Most people will respond with something like, “Sure, how can I help?” You can say, “I’m just calling to see if (problem statement)...,” which makes it easy for the prospect to reply, “What do you mean?” or “Tell me more.” And after that, the possibilities of your conversation are endless.

What do I mean by this? If you target their issues, create a conversation around the problems or issues you know they’re facing, and explain how your solution solves those problems -- in a conversation that is completely void of sales pressure -- prospects will share their truth with you. They’ll tell you whether solving the issue is a priority, whether they have the resources to commit to it, and everything else you need to know.

When you let go of a linear script, you’ll find that you’ll no longer fumble for words if prospects get “off track” by taking the conversation away from your sales process and into their buying process. In fact, that’s exactly what you hope they’ll do, because that means they’re telling you the truth.

Now that you understand why linear step-by-step scripts create the negative “salesperson” stereotype by making it impossible for you to be your natural self, you can begin learning how to engage total strangers on the phone in ways that feel as comfortable as calling a friend.

Yes, it’s possible, and don’t let anyone tell you it’s not.

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About The Author

Ari Galper, founder of Unlock The Cold Calling Game makes cold calling painless and simple. Learn his cold calling secrets that even the sales gurus don't know. Listen to a free cold calling audio seminar, visit http://www.UnlockTheGame.com

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Wouldn’t you like to make cold calling pleasant for both you and the other person?  The best way to achieve this is to completely eliminate sales pressure. 

Whenever potential clients feel sales pressure, they almost always respond with defense and resistance.  Hidden sales pressure takes many forms.  If we can avoid the ways we bring sales pressure into our cold calling, then we can stop triggering “The Wall.”

Here are four hidden sales pressures that we bring to our cold calling:

1.  Focusing On the Sale

If you're like most people who make cold calls, you're hoping to make a sale -- or at least an appointment -- before you even pick up the phone.  The problem is the people you call somehow almost immediately notice your mindset.  They sense that you are only focused on your goals and interests, rather than on finding out what they might need or want.  This short-circuits the whole process of communication and trust building.

So try this.  Practice shifting your mental focus into thinking, "When I make this call, first I'm going to build a conversation.  From this, a level of trust can emerge which allows us to exchange information back and forth.  And then we can both determine if there's a fit or not."  When your focus shifts from making a sale into making a conversation, there’s no sales pressure.  Many people enjoy conversations.  Moreover, as long as you’re sincere, this will be one of them. 

You’re also exchanging information rather than “informing” someone of your product or service.  This helps your potential client know that he or she matters to you.  This means you’re not being experienced as “pushy.”

Keep in mind that letting go of trying to force the outcome of the conversation into a sales event means being totally relaxed with the idea that your solution may not be a fit for them.  When you’re exploring right along with another person whether there’s a “fit,” then that person feels no sales pressure. 

2.  Talking About Ourselves First

When we start our cold calls with a mini-pitch about who we are and what we have to offer, we’ve introduced sales pressure right away.  The other person knows we want to make a sale, and they have to respond to that pressure.  Most will respond with defense or rejection.

So instead, start your conversation by focusing on a need or issue you know the other person is likely facing.  Step into their world and invite them to share whether they’re open to exploring possible solutions with you. 

3.  Forcing the Conversation into a Pre-Planned Strategy or Script

Here’s a hard one to avoid if we’re using scripts or carefully planned cold calling strategies.  When we rely on these methods, it’s usually because we just don’t know how else to “do” cold calling.  However, when we take charge of a conversation in this way, the other person almost always feels like they are being maneuvered.  That’s pressure. 

If we aren’t allowing someone else to be fully involved in the conversation, then we’re using sales pressure to try to control the outcome.  Potential clients feel this sales pressure, even when it’s subtle.  Therefore, once again, “The Wall” goes up. 

I’m not suggesting that we don’t prepare and plan for our cold calls.  There are some really good ways to begin cold calls that we’ll want to use over and over.  Additionally, there are special phrases we can use that convey well the fact that we’re interested in solving a problem for the other person. 

What we want to avoid, however, is trying to control a cold calling conversation.  This almost always happens with scripts and old-style sales strategies.  Potential clients feel this pressure and respond negatively. 

4.  Over-Enthusiasm

The problem with over-enthusiasm in our cold calling is that the other person has to make a decision whether to “buy into” our perspective, or reject it.  They feel the hidden sales pressure that wants them to be carried along with our enthusiasm.  This usually means braking, whether gently or abruptly. 

With over-enthusiasm (which is often just an offshoot of our tension), potential clients feel somewhat boxed in.  They feel the pressure of our expectations so they feel compelled to respond either positively or negatively.  Most will almost always respond negatively. 
 
Completely eliminating all sales pressure from your cold calling conversations will certainly invite the other person to respond much more warmly and positively.

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About The Author

Ari Galper, founder of Unlock The Cold Calling Game makes cold calling painless and simple. Learn his cold calling secrets that even the sales gurus don't know. Listen to a free cold calling audio seminar, visit http://www.UnlockTheGame.com

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Imagine being in a crowded concert or bar. All of a sudden, a fight breaks out between two men who’ve had too much to drink.
 
You happen to be a few steps away, and the next thing you know, one of the men turns to you and looks as if he’s going to take a swing at you.
 
What's your first instinct? Most of us will do one of two things. We’ll either try to step away, or we’ll raise our arms to deflect him and fight back, which can result in harm to you or to your attacker.

Traditional cold calling and selling are designed to focus only on the “close” by presenting -- or in too many cases, “pushing” -- your solution onto prospects, sometimes even when they’re not interested.

But if you focus only on your goal of making the sale before having a discussion about the problems that you can help your prospects solve, something happens.
 
They start feeling that you’re “attacking” them. After all, you’re a stranger to them, and when you start talking about yourself and your solution rather than about them and their specific issues, you immediately trigger their suspicion and cause them to start “pushing back.”
 
This pushback is the resistance or energy that Unlock The Game teaches you to diffuse. Then both of you can quickly “get on the same page” and open a natural dialogue that will let you determine whether it makes sense for you to work together.
 
Let's look at two real selling scenarios -- cold calling and “get-you-off-the-phone” objections:

Scenario 1: Cold Calling
 
Suppose you’re at your desk and you receive a call from someone who says “Hi, my name is Jack Johnson, I'm with XYZ Company, and we’re a full-solution provider of...” Is your first reaction to welcome and be open to his call? Or do your mental defenses immediately kick in and you shut down against this stranger “salesperson”?
 
Probably the latter, especially if you sense that the caller is focused on his interests and not yours.
 
That’s why this old-school cold calling approach triggers the resistance and negative energy that prospects immediately throw your way.
 
The Unlock The Game way to make a successful cold call -- "successful” being defined as not triggering rejection -- is by beginning your call with, “Hi, my name is Jack, maybe you can help me out for a moment?” That simple question is a very natural way of beginning a conversation with a stranger.
 
But you can't just read this word for word, like a script. It won’t work. That would be like an Aikido instructor teaching a first-time student the physical movements before he or she has learned the philosophy necessary to carry them out.
 
The same applies here. First you need to integrate a new Mindset that changes the goal of your call from making the sale, or getting an appointment, to engaging the person in a natural two-way dialogue.
 
To do this, your voice has to be low-key. You have to avoid communicating any hint of typical “salesperson” enthusiasm, or any sense that you’re trying to direct the conversation to an end goal. Once you integrate the Mindset, all this kicks in naturally.
 
So, if you want to succeed in prospecting and cold calling, become aware of how you might be triggering the resistance or energy that instinctively causes prospects to push back against you.

Scenario 2: “Get-you-off-the-phone” objections
 
Here’s another example. Forget the idea of “overcoming objections.” Doing that only triggers more resistance from prospects that’s very difficult to diffuse.
 
Think about it for a moment. When prospects give a reason why they don’t want to proceed --when they “put up resistance” -- you’ve been trained to “overcome” their objections rather than to diffuse their resistance by acknowledging that what they’re telling you is their truth.
 
By applying the Unlock The Game Mindsetâ„¢ and skills, you diffuse that resistance and remove the conflict from the situation, just as in Aikido.
 
Here’s the Unlock The Game™ process for dealing with objections:
 
1. Diffuse the objection with “That's not a problem... (Pause)”
 
2. Acknowledge the truth of their objection (see the sample language below).
 
3. Reopen the conversation with “Would you be open to...”

For example, suppose a prospect says, “We already have a vendor.” The path of diffusing and reengaging would go like this:
 
1. “That's not a problem...(Pause)”
 
2. “I wasn't calling to replace the vendor you’re currently using.” Here, you’re addressing their suspicion that your only focus is on making the sale and on ripping out their relationship with their current vendor. You’re simply asking whether they would be open to different ideas that might help them solve a problem. This diffuses the tension.
 
3. “Would you be open to some different ideas that you might not be using now?” After the tension is dissolved, this lets you reopen the conversation in a natural way because they clearly understand that your goal is to help them. Then, if things are a match between you, you can decide where to go from there.
 
Keep in mind that this process will work only if you fully integrate the Mindset so it feels as natural to you as breathing.

In short, if you’re using any form of traditional selling, you could be triggering a resistance every time you communicate with your prospect.

But if you learn this new Mindset, along with words and phrases that remove any conflict or tension from the relationship, you’ll have taken your first steps toward your black belt in unlocking the cold calling game!

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About The Author

Ari Galper, founder of Unlock The Cold Calling Game makes cold calling painless and simple. Learn his cold calling secrets that even the sales gurus don't know. Listen to a free cold calling audio seminar, visit http://www.UnlockTheGame.com

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The other day, I got a call from Brian, who was a first time visitor to my website. He told me during our conversation, "I see other people at work playing the old numbers game. You know, they make as many calls as they can, hoping that a few will turn into sales.

    "And they are making sales. Ari, if the numbers game leads to sales, why should I change? Deep down, the old numbers game just feels wrong somehow... can you give me some insights so I can unlock myself from having to follow everyone else’s path?"

    Interestingly enough, I had just gotten off the phone that morning with Harold Cameron and Ann Thurman, who have both been using the Unlock The Game Mastery Program. They shared with me how the idea of the numbers game has taken on a whole new meaning since they started using their new Mindset.

    And they gave me actual, specific before-and-after numbers detailing the changes in their selling results. But they aren’t numbers in the way you think -- “more calls equal more sales.”

    In a minute, I'll let them tell you about their experiences in their own words, but first I want to say a little more about the mystique of the old "numbers game" and why most people who sell still think it’s the only way to go.

    The whole idea of the old numbers game is that if you spend enough time "dialing for dollars" you're bound to make the occasional sale.

    Then, when you do make a sale, you believe even more that the number of calls you make is the secret of success -- the more you call, the more sales you'll make. Everybody assumes that because the old numbers game works once in a while, it's the way to go.

    In fact, almost every sales manager in corporate America uses the numbers game to measure their salespeople's success.

    So if you're a sales manager or work for a sales manager, this article may come as a real shock.

    The wakeup call here is that it isn't about how many sales you're making with the numbers game, but how many you're losing. Think about it.

When you're operating out of the old numbers game paradigm, how many leads do you burn through with every call you make? And how much time do you spend chasing and following up with prospects who will probably never buy?

    From the Unlock The Game perspective, the old numbers game creates a dialing "rat race." You're trapped, making huge numbers of calls to reach that tiny percentage of prospects who will buy from you.

    Well, here's what Ann and Harold have to say about the numbers game. And though they're in very different business environments, they've had similar experiences since they adopted the Mastery Program

    Ann's Story

    Ann Thurman recruits real estate agents for a residential real estate firm in the Seattle area. She had been dialing literally hundreds of prospects a day -- the essence of the old numbers game: "I was making 200 to 300 calls a day. It was taking 6 or 7 hours, and I was lucky to get 10 seconds of my script in before agents would hang up on me.”

    She said that in the first month that she began applying the Mindset, her call volume dropped by 80 percent. "But I was having actual dialogues with 50 to 60 people a day -- real conversations that would last several minutes," she said.

    "And I didn't have one hang-up in my first 100 calls. Now I get very few hang-ups, and they aren't rude -- a lot of the time, people ask me to call them back. And when I do, we usually a conversation."

    Ann said she used to set one appointment every 2 weeks. When she began using the Mindset, that increased to about 4 appointments a week, and she signed 2 agents in less than 3 weeks. She has also had more people call her back after initial conversations because they decided they wanted to talk about making a change.

    "So I'm doing fewer calls, but my results are better," she said. "I'm finding that the Mindset language like 'That's not a problem' is really important because it lets the other person feel I’m not trying to control the conversation."

     She concluded, "The Unlock The Game approach is definitely a more rational use of my time. The old approach is to pursue everyone because everyone's a potential buyer. So if you do this many calls, this many appointments, this many bookings, it'll turn into this many sales.

     "And when it came to chasing and following up, I used to really try to pressure people. Now, if I know we aren't a good fit, I don't have to pursue them. I know when to walk away without feeling guilty. The old way was the 'quick kill' method versus the Mindset way of building a long-term relationship."

    Harold's Story

    Harold Cameron sells printing services for a long-established family-owned printing business in Pennsylvania. He told me, "My challenge is that most companies I call already have a printer they're very loyal to."

    He said that since working with the Mastery Program, he too has been making fewer calls, but more quality calls. His ratio of being asked to send quotes has improved, too: "Before, out of every 100 calls, I probably would end up actually talking seriously to 20 people, and of those 2 or 3 would ask for quotes.

   "Now, out of every 100 calls, I'm talking seriously with 60 to 70 people, and being asked for maybe 10 or 12 quotes."

    The Mindset has also helped Harold to eliminate the old numbers game problem of "burning through leads."

    For example, the vice president of a major computer manufacturer not only returned his call but also referred him to the person responsible for overseeing the corporation's print services.

    So the Mindset is helping Harold to create long-term relationships.

    By the way, both Harold and Ann have graciously offered to let me publish their phone numbers here if you'd like to talk with them more about how they let go of the old numbers game by using the Mastery Program. Harold's number is (570) 719-1175, and Ann's is (206) 329-2561.

    Numbers Game vs. the New Mindset

    Here are some of the ways that the Unlock The Game Mindset solves the problems caused by the old numbers game:

    The mystique of the old numbers game is that you're bound to "hit" once in a while. But people who sell the old way never ask themselves how many opportunities they've lost in a day because they haven't gotten to the truth with their prospects.

    If you're feeling guilty that you should be playing the old numbers game because your colleagues are making sales from it, consider this: All you’re seeing from them is how many sales they are making -- not how many sales they’re losing.

    And consider that by refocusing your attention on the quality of each call versus the quantity of calls, you can experience new sales success you may never have thought possible.

    And that’s where the opportunity lies for you.
 
    The Mastery Program helps you find these opportunities by teaching you:

    * Language that creates trust and truthful conversations

    * How to eliminate pitches and other traditional "sales tactics"

    * Ways to diffuse sales pressure and continue conversations 

    The Unlock The Game Mastery Program shows you how to debunk many other outdated sales myths that you may be unaware of -- but are losing you sales.

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About The Author

Ari Galper, founder of Unlock The Cold Calling Game makes cold calling painless and simple. Learn his cold calling secrets that even the sales gurus don't know. Listen to a free cold calling audio seminar, visit http://www.UnlockTheGame.com

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You probably know this scenario well: Your main contact at a company has expressed interest in possibly purchasing your product or service.
 
You’ve had the pleasant conversations, you’ve heard “Yes, we’re definitely interested” and “Yes, I’m the decision maker,” and you’re excited about making the sale happen.

You’ve put your heart and soul into doing what you’re best at -- explaining the benefits of your solution but working hard not to come across “salesy” or pushy.
 
As far as you’re concerned, you’ve done everything right.
 
Now you’re on the phone with your contact. You’re hoping this will be your last conversation before they fax the contract through. 

Finally you ask, “So, is the agreement ready to be signed?” There’s a silence, and then you hear the disheartening words: “Oh, I realize that I should really have Mike and Julie, look at it before I send it over.”

Talk about being set up to believe everything was going to be smooth sailing -- now a big wave has overturned the boat and it’s sinking fast! Why didn’t he tell you he wasn’t the final decision maker? Why did he lead you on?

Most important, what can you do to stop this from happening again?

Don’t despair! Here are seven ways to end the chasing game with decision makers:
 
1. Understand the psychology of working in an organization.

No one in an organization wants to make a wrong decision and then be left holding the bag and looking bad. What’s more, in many cases even CEOs of companies can’t make final decisions without the other executives on their team buying in.

So, even if your contact tells you that he or she is the only one making the decision, in most cases that’s highly unlikely, especially in larger organizations. Once you understand that, you’ll find it easier to roll with the news that others are actually involved in signing off on the decision.

2. Make sure your contact has the authority to sign the agreement without approval
    from others.

How many times have you been told: “I’m the decision maker, and I decide if we’ll purchase your solution or not”? Contacts may say this with total confidence, and we usually take them at their word, only to discover later that they didn’t want us bypassing them to get to the other decision makers. Here’s how you can avoid this situation: After they tell you they are the decision maker, you simply say in a relaxed, easy-going conversational manner, “Oh, okay. No problem. So, basically you’re the only person who signs the agreement, and no one else needs to be involved with this decision?”

It’s amazing what happens when you ask this question. First, there’s likely to be a short silence, and then all of a sudden you learn that other decision makers are involved. Once you know this, you can rethink your approach.

3. Don’t panic when you discover other decision makers are involved.

Don’t get thrown off track when you suddenly learn, deep into the sales process, that other decision makers need to be involved in the decision. When this happens, gently suggest that it might make sense to come up with a way to get them involved with the proposal so they won’t be caught off guard.
 
4. Suggest a conference call to connect with the decision makers.

Suppose you find out that two other decision makers are involved. Now you have a total of three! What can you do to avoid the delay that’s inevitable when your contact tells you, “I need to get hold of Mike and Julie, but they’re both traveling, so I’ll get back to you after I speak with them”? This situation is often the black hole of selling, because you can wait for weeks until your contact tracks down Mike and Julie and gets back to you. 

Here’s how to avoid this: You simply say, “Okay. No problem. Sounds as if Mike and Julie are an important part of the process…I’m wondering if it might make sense to pull together a brief conference call with you and them so that they can get an overview of what’s happening. That way you can avoid chasing them down, and everyone can get up to speed at the same time.  Does that make sense?” Also, the answer you get will tell you a lot about where you really stand. If your contact says, “Sure. That makes sense. Let me schedule it,” things are looking good. But if you hear, “Nah, I’ll just try and get hold of them when I can and then get back to you,” he could be saying, “We aren’t really that interested.”

5. Work with your main contact to set the agenda for the conference call.

If your contact agrees to the conference call, spend some time working together on a well-thought-out agenda. Emphasize that your main purpose is simply to inform the others about what has happened so far. It’s crucial that you assure your contact that during the call you will in no way apply any type of sales pressure on the other decision makers. 

Why is this important? Because many times contacts are reluctant to pull together a call because they’re afraid that the salesperson will put the participants on the spot, and that would make things awkward for everyone. When you begin the call, simply say, “The purpose of our call today is simply to bring you up to speed on what has happened so far so you all have the information you need to think this solution through at your own pace. Here at XYZ, we don’t believe in pressuring people to make decisions.” Your contact will love you for this.

6. Ask your contact to arrange the conference call.

When you suggest a conference call with all the decision makers, it’s important to put your contact at ease. Too often, salespeople get anxious and say, “I’d be happy to contact the other folks and schedule the call for a time that works for all of us,” but that may make your contact think you’re going to try to influence the others before the call. 

To avoid accidentally triggering any “sales alarms,” simply ask your contact if he or she would be open to coordinating the call: “It might make sense if you could e-mail them to coordinate a time for all of us to connect, since you’re closer to them than I would be.”

7. Get to the truth about where the deal stands.

So you have the conference call and you feel it went well, with lots of good discussion. Your intuition is telling you that everyone seemed positive about your solution. Now you want to find out the truth about where the deal stands, but you need to be careful not to call your contact and put subtle pressure on him or her to give you a final answer. 

You want to get that answer without asking outright, but you can’t until you’ve uncovered the truth about where everyone stands. When you call your contact back, don’t use the tired phrase, “I’m just calling to follow up.” That just kicks off sales pressure. Instead, say, “I’m just giving you a call to see what kinds of questions the others on the call might have, since those types of calls don’t always address everyone’s issues or concerns.” This will allow your contact to talk about where he or she stands, and you can then ask, “Where do you think we should go from here?”

These seven tips will help you put an end to the dreaded game of chasing decision makers.

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About The Author

Ari Galper, founder of Unlock The Cold Calling Game makes cold calling painless and simple. Learn his cold calling secrets that even the sales gurus don't know. Listen to a free cold calling audio seminar, visit http://www.UnlockTheGame.com

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Most of us design our cold calling around scripts and strategies.  Isn't that how we've been taught by the sales gurus?  Scripts are linear and systematic so you can move calls in the direction you want them to go.  Sales strategies do the exact same thing.

That's why as soon as we make a cold call, the other person knows right away that our agenda is not to have a conversation, but to make a sale.  There's something about scripts and sales strategies -- it always shows.  We're not being natural, and other people can sense within the first few seconds that we're out to make a sale.  Once that happens, potential clients are immediately put on the defensive.  They don't want to be maneuvered into a sale. As soon as they recognize that you're a salesperson with a sales agenda, most of the time they just want you to go away.

Read full article here: http://www.unlockthegame.com/New-Ways-To-Open-Your-Cold-Calls

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How can we make cold calls "work" when we're talking to someone we haven't met, about something they may not need? Well, it's really simple. First we look at how to relate to them rather than hoping they'll relate to us and our solution.

When we approach cold calling with a question about what their needs are, potential clients respond much more readily to the idea of talking with us.

To help you with this, here are a few examples of dialogues within four very different industries.

Read full article here: http://www.unlockthegame.com/MakeYourCold-CallingEffective

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You probably never tell potential clients your real goal in calling them, but you don't need to. They're already aware, because we're all sensitive when the phone rings and it turns out to be someone we don't know.

In the old traditional training, we learned the latest techniques for making a sale. We talk to "prospects" rather than with people. And we "guide" conversations along rather than letting them unfold naturally.

The way we do this sometimes might even be called a bit manipulative. After all, we're relating to another person while holding an ulterior motive of making a sale.

Read full article here: http://www.unlockthegame.com/Cold-Call-With-Integrity

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