Make a “luke-warm” call

There is nothing good about a cold call. We hate receiving them and we especially hate making them.

It’s nerve wracking and usually a bit depressing, when the inevitable messages of rejection are delivered – and trust me, even the best sales people get rejected when making cold calls.

But you need to wake up to the fact cold calls are a necessary part of life as a start-up entrepreneur. It would be great if customers fell from trees, but they don’t, so you need to be prepared to pick up that phone.

But if you are really finding it hard to step up to the cold call, why not try what I like to call the “luke-warm” call.

Instead of picking a name out of the phone book, ask your networks for a referral to a company or person who might be interested in your product or service, and have the person in your network send a short introductory email or note before you make your big phone call.

Now, you’re still going to be talking to a stranger, but at least the call isn’t completely “cold”.

Get it done – today!

(And no, you still can’t put off cold calling forever. So toughen up!)