Customer Reviews

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Cold Calling

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If you are reading this, you probably have to cold call for your business, and may not have really liked or been successful at it. After over 30 years sales experience with sporadic success, I isolated my problem - I did not know how to organize the information from the many initial leads I acquired - I did not have a prospecting system. So I made the best professional decision ever - to hire Keith Rosen as my sales coach and learn his prospecting system. Then I had the privilege of reviewing the early draft of the Complete Idiot's Guide to Cold Calling. Reading Keith's text was almost like having him right there on the phone - sharing his wisdom-based-on-experience, and encouraging me to find my own version of his Routine for Results - so I could achieve my goal of scheduling three of my sales seminars per week. Here are the results I've experienced because I committed to implementing my own version of Keith's process: 1) I've gone from 1-2 qualified prospects per month to 5-10 per week. 2)I've gone from not following up on more than 10% of leads to following up on 90% 3) I've gone from scheduling 1-2 seminars per month to scheduling 1-3 seminars per week, with more in the funnel. 4)I've gone from the stress of having piles of business cards that I can't even remember where they came from to the peace of managing a data base of contacts for results 5)I've gone from hearing my publisher say "Your seminar is great - now you need to do more of them" to "You're doing great! Keep up the good work!" Keith's system works. Buy the book and try it. Experience the stress relief. And bring your ROI to the bank!

Keith has an amazing ability to partner with the reader to break down the fears he/she can have cold calling. He does this by giving the reader the tools to create a cold-calling process making the calls not-so-cold. By focusing on a quality, well-laid out process and not just the possible end result, he helps the reader reduce (and eventually eliminate) the fear in cold calling. He can help the reader come up with scripts using an individual's natural language, draw up probing questions to evaluate prospects, and establish a routine to enable the reader to continuously keep that prospecting pipeline full--the key to any salesperson's on-going success. Keith is a wonderful teacher, who currently uses the tactics he teaches--high on the credibility chart in my book. I have had success using Keith's process and I encourage anyone else who cold calls to get a copy of this book. A truly wonderful book that is easy to digest and implement--if you are committed to being successful!

Who hasn't at some point in his or her career sat staring at the phone, paralyzed at the prospect of picking up the receiver and making that dreaded call? For most of us, cold calling is the weakest link in our chain of selling effectiveness. This book puts it all together, step-by-step, and shows you how to turn this greatest of challenges into your own personal secret weapon. Plus other outstanding prospecting ideas that will help bring in even more business. There is very, very good stuff here, on every page. This book should be required reading for every business person everywhere.

Despite what some talking heads may say, cold calling works. I've read both the "anti-cold calling" books as well as Mr. Rosen's books, and I can say that the arguments clearly lean in Mr. Rosen's favor. The "never cold call again" groups really address similar stuff that Mr. Rosen does, which leads me to believe that their position is more a matter of savvy marketing, driven to sell books, rather than anything revolutionary.

With that said, cold calling doesn't work...that is, unless you have a method that provides you with measurable results. And that's precisely what Mr. Rosen's book gives you. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Cold Calling, is one of those essential books that never has a chance to rest on a shelf and collect dust.

In my experience, I was stuck. I had been cold calling for a couple of years and found myself in a telemarketing quandary. Mr. Rosen's book couldn't have come at a better time. He combines a precise, no-nonsense message with words that are easy on the eyes. His book is equal parts practical guide and motivational tool. I particularly appreciated the time he commits to the psychology of selling. The emphasis on process goals (a book he should write next) is a new look at the outcome-driven goals that many of us were taught to follow.

I read Mr. Rosen's book and committed time to completing his exercises and following his techniques. Two weeks later, I scheduled five qualified appointments. Why do I say "qualified"? Before I read his book, I focused on setting up the appointment. I'd meet with prospects, but after all the driving and time spent in an office, often, the only thing I had to show for my effort was a wrinkled shirt that required dry cleaning. Using Mr. Rosen's book as a guide, matters quickly turned around for me. I met with people that were ready to close because I qualified them over the phone. I wish I had his book three years ago. (To think of all the gas I would have saved!)

If you've doubted your skills, needed some fresh ideas, or are new to the cold calling process, buy The Complete Idiot's Guide to Cold Calling. Once you do, you'll soon have a book that has a worn down spine, pages loaded with Post-its, and a cover that refuses to stay shut--just like mine.

Great book. Breaks down Cold Calling to the simplest ideas and then takes on each one. Humanizes common problems everyone faces. Covers cold calling fears, prospecting, finding individual strengths in ones market, objections, pre-call planning, rejection, networking......many more subjects. Comprehensive and easy to follow. Many exercises and questions to help develop individual strengths and overcome weaknesses. Keith shows how a person can improve their selling and make more sales in a short amount of time.

I purchased this book in hopes of finding a good resource to help me overcome my anxiety to cold call. I was not dissapointed! This book is well organized, and it begins by telling you that the term "cold calling" is nothing more than a mindset, and can be overcome by anyone. It went on to address fears, and actually rewiring your brain so that you can overcome any preconceived attitudes you may posess. It is extremely well organized, and gives wonderful examples of real-life selling situations, and how to overcome them. This is the absolue best book I have read on the subject, and highly recommend it to anyone to overcome the stigma attached to cold calling. After reading this book, I will never cold call again!

Although only 14 pages deep into Keith Rosen's,"The Complete Idiot's Guide To Cold Calling", it is clearly evident that the content quality of this work is superb,both in logic and presentation.The intellectual level of the content is particularly striking. Overall, the work is judged ideally compatible with the needs of professionals seeking to succeed in markets where participants are relatively sophisticated,or beyond.

I am one of those rare folks who enjoys cold calling but I picked up this book as a companion to Closing the Sale. This is an excellent read that can better you best results or turn around your cold calling (lack of) success. In short, this is the real deal.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Keith Rosen's book on Cold Calling, even though I consider myself as "Cold Call reluctant". This book gives sufficient evidence that cold calling is a necessary tool in new business development what ever your industry, and the knowledge on how to cold call effectively. In addition to cold calling, Keith provides important information on several other sales and marketing strategies for business development such as networking, obtaining referrals, and managing the entire sales process. Having read dozens of books on marketing, sales, sales management and strategies I've got to say this one is on the top of my recommend list to friends and clients looking to boost sales skills for new as well as experienced sales professionals. The format makes it easy to read, understand and most importantly to deploy to your advantage.

You read, you learn and then you earn. Step by step plan for becoming a great phone sales person....very good book