Many would say that cold calling is a waste of time in today’s society. That may be driven from a rather narrow perspective. Cold calling takes a lot of different forms.

Years ago it was the young potential entrepreneur wandering the neighborhoods trying to set up appointments for their sales staff. There was some physical danger to this as you never knew what you might encounter at 5 pm in the afternoon. Sometimes the knock on the door could result in lovers running to the door in disheveled clothing, who with a very angry look, learn they been disturbed only to talk about the benefits of double glazing. In such cases cold calling is a waste of time.

Another knock may have resulted in the innocent entrepreneur being victimized by a bunch of young ladies meeting at home after school. In such case this group would think nothing about pouring jugs of cold water over the idiot knocking on the door. For these kinds of reasons it is not hard to think that cold calling is a waste of time. However, there are many forms of cold calling.

Today, cold calling is a waste of time for many appointment setting, or lead gathering organizations, as technology has replaced the need. However, some organizations still regard it as an important part of their arsenal in selling. For instance, in the medical industry the cold call to a doctors’ office or clinic is still traditional and begins the relationship. These cold calls may start with a phone call, but often it is simply the sales guy on the street. For these organizations cold calling is not a waste of time.

For developing nations, cold calling is essential as it is the only way to get the word out. Cold calling is not a waste of time in Africa where the perspective may be to spread the word about available medicine or other broadly based needed products. Cold calling involves a priest or a doctor walking between villages and towns just as it did in more developed countries years ago.

Cold calling is a waste of time when it is not targeted properly and is purely speculative. However when it is focused, and the activity is appropriately timed, it is remarkably effective.

Cold Calling Mechanisms

The use of the mailed cold call letter is not a thing of the past. This form of cold calling is a waste of time only when it is blindly mailed out to an untargeted audience. Cold call letters are effective for realtors, attorneys and many service organizations that understand their local markets. Unfortunately, when one talks about call calling, one is today referring to telemarketers. They are using technology and the telephone to develop a completely different way of cold calling. Cold calling is a waste of time when the form of cold calling being used is becoming too invasive and many people are looking for ways to hinder the progress of it. Telemarketing is damaging how people perceive many products because of the manner and timing of the calls. In such cases, cold calling is a waste of time.