Endings are hard. Sometimes we cling to people, places, things, that we’ve outgrown, because of a nostalgia, or out of habit.

It’s like having to put a beloved pet to sleep. It was the best thing, the most humane way, but it’s just never easy.

As we grow, learn, strive, we have to let go of ways that we functioned in the past, ways of being that no longer apply to our present selves.

There are two things in sales that are not persuasive and will absolutely hinder your results. This article is about one of them.

Cold calling.

At a recent seminar an attendee asked me how criteria elicitation can be applied to cold calling. And my answer, in a nutshell was: It can’t.

Here’s why: cold calling is not selling. Cold calling is marketing. So I tell all of my students who cold call: STOP IT. Spend money and market yourself or your product or service.

If cold calling is a part of the business that you’re involved in, supplement it with real marketing.

There are a few business that have to cold call. I understand that. Realtors farm areas all the time. It works in this profession and more likely still, they don’t cold call, but they cold visit getting the face to face element to work in their favor.

And some stockers cold call prospect. Compliance hurts some businesses and cold calling is the only means to new business.

Maybe you don’t have options, and cold calling is it. Well, if that’s the case, just don’t confuse marketing with selling.

In persuasion sales, we’re looking for people who have their hands raised. As in: ‘I’m looking for a product or service similar to what you have.’ Cold calling, is the process of trying to get someone to raise their hand. After their hands are raised, then criteria elicitation becomes an issue.

My advice is: stop cold calling. Develop new clients from your current list of clients. Or invest in a marketing campaign that’s less painful and outdated than cold calling.

It’s time to let this one go. Sorry old pal, your time has come. As with ‘features and benefits’, our time together must come to an end.