About a decade ago, I took on the role of telemarketing manager for a large roofing manufacturer. Before starting the job, I worked as a telemarketer for a short time.

What I discovered was truly shocking.

I could make about 20 calls an hour.

The market was so specific (they had to have a particular type of roof) that on average I got to speak with somebody every 1-1 ½ hours.

And even worse, they had 20 other telemarketers trying to do the same thing.

Crazy stuff!

And that brings me to the purpose of this letter: how to replace prospecting.

The bottom line is nobody enjoys cold calling.

The second bottom line is nobody enjoys receiving a cold call.

Don't get me wrong - cold calling works and if you're just getting started and have no other tools at your disposal, keep pounding the phone.

BUT do so with the awareness that you're working at just a smidgeon of your true profit potential.

Let me explain what I mean by referencing the example above. Let's call the example above the OLD SCHOOL and the alternative direct marketing example the NEW SCHOOL.

In the OLD SCHOOL a salesperson makes one contact per hour.

In the OLD SCHOOL the contact the person makes doesn't really want to speak with him / her.

In the OLD SCHOOL the conversion is lower even once you have locked in an appointment.

Let's compare this to the new school.

In the NEW SCHOOL a salesperson can make 5 times as many contacts per hour because their client does not screen their calls and actually wants to speak to them.

In the NEW SCHOOL the conversion is higher once you have locked in an appointment.

Therefore in the NEW SCHOOL one person can do the job of five people and get better results.

Truth is, cold calling is essentially archaic. Your prospects don't like it. You don't like it. Nobody really likes it. Sure... it gets you sales eventually, but a horse and cart will get you from Sydney to Darwin in several months as well. An aeroplane will get you there in an afternoon.

So how do you set up your prospecting in the NEW SCHOOL?

Step #1: You need an ad or sales letter to generate a lead for free information or an offer of some kind.

Step #2: You need to deliver on your offer.

Step #3: Follow up. Follow up. Follow up. Once you generate the lead, you need to set up automatic follow up systems to those who have put their hand up as being interested in your offer.

Think about it. With this system in place, I could have decreased the size of their call center from 20 people to 4 people... invested the remainder of the money in advertising and marketing: and improved their results while slashing their costs.

Food for thought!

Anyway, I guess I better finish off my coffee... go back to the office... and get some work done!