big picture behind simple habit (cold calling)

We all do cold calling to get into prospects. But most of us are not doing it in proper way. There for we won't able to get the best out of it.

You should have a define time period for your cold calling. You can allocate one hour in morning session for this. Best time for cold calling is the morning session. 9.00.am to 10.00.am would be the ideal time. You need to spent at least one hour for this.

If you can call 15 new prospects in a day, you will able to reach 75 prospects a week. If you able to fix up a meeting with one prospect out of this 15, you will able to meet 5 new prospects in next week. I hope you can see the big picture behind this. With this cold calling rule your going to meet 20 new customer in one month (4 weeks).

See the following numbers and make this habit of calling 15 new prospects in one hour a day.

Spend one hour and make 15 calls in this hour.

You can get through to 75 new prospects in a week.

If you able to get one appointment out of this 15, you will meet 5 prospects a week and 20 per month.

If you able to close one deal out of this 20.....what will be the results ? ? ?

Do your calculations and increase the productivity.

Getting 5 meeting means its 7% of productivity.

Try to understand the big picture. . .

hope fully next week . . .

Came back to office after four days. Monday was the Poya holiday. I was meeting a prospect in out of Colombo on Tuesday. Lots of things to do at office.

We are waiting for replies for the proposals we submitted to around 4 prospects. All wanted the proposal in hurry but they never come back to us in that hurry. We can't just sit and wait. There's nothing much we can do as well. I was calling them and asking weather we can help them on evaluation process. It sounds like that they are so clear about everything but still they are not taking any decision.

Hope fully next week . . .

X-ONT day outing 2006

full of fun

Last week was with full of happenings. We (myself & my wife) join with my colleagues for office day outing in the morning. We went to hotel called Ceysands in Bentota. It was cool. We had to go by boat to get into hotel.

Had some fun there. But we didn't able to be with them whole day since we wanted to go Matara before 6pm. I had to be there for my OBA annual get-together. there for we left the hotel after lunch and went Matara.

It was bit tired since we had to travel a lot in short time period. But it was a good break for me since I was running with heavy tension with work for last couple of weeks.

OBA night was really good and had lots of fun. Only thing is my wife didn't able to join with me. It was like back in the school with all the fun.

Im waiting for the photos of R99 event to post here.

cold calling

Cold calling is the easiest way to reach to yur prospects. But this won't give you expected results if you do this in right way. You cold calling should not be something like shooting in the dark. It should be a well planed process. You need to follow the rules and need to have a discipline to this and get some good results.

If you do your pre-planing and home work properly, cold calling will do wonders for you. How you can do this in proper manner.

You need to plan your cold calling very carefully. As the first step you should create a prospect database. You can do this on Microsoft Excel. You need to sit and do your database. First you need to put all the prospects comes to your mind then do your segmentation carefully. Initially you can just put the names of prospects. Then go through this list and do your segmentation. After segment your prospect list you need to re-arrange the list according to priority. Then you need to find other things like contact numbers, contact person etc.

After finalize your prospects database you need to do your calling script. Collect all the information about your product and company. Its better to have competitor information with u. Try and find all the necessary information. Practise your calling script and get use to it.

After doing all these things now your ready to contact your prospects. You always need to have a pre-planed calling time. Don't do it here and there. You should have a minimum number oer day and you should call all the planed prospects for day within a hour or two. Don't do any other thing during this time.

need to relax

Im thinking of doing something like meditation. I was doing some meditation some time back but didn't able to practice it for some time. I should start meditation as well as some other activities which will help me to relax my body and mind. I need to so something badly.

Meditation is the best option to start. Same time Im thinking of doing some exercises daily. I need to re-work on my daily plan and allocate some time for these things. These things will help me to relax after hard working day and will help me start my next day with fresh mind.

end of hard working week

Its end of a deadly busy week. This week start with less things but things start happen so quickly by mid of the week. I was doing three proposals in one day. It was really hard and lots of tension since all the proposals are mission critical and prospects are so important.

I was thinking of writing some thing use full this week. But didn't able to do so since I was busy. I should try to complete this in next week. I really want to update my blog daily but time never permits me to do so.

went for movie

Went out with my wife during the week end after some time. Most of the times both of us don't want to go out during the weekends simply because we need to rest after hard working week. But staying at home and resting also not very interesting after do so for some time.

Any way this week end we went out and watched a movie. It was cool. DON a hindi movie. Normally I don't like hindi movies much but these new hindi movies are ok. Some are really good. This movie also good one. This is a re-production of a old movie. They did it nicely by putting things form some Hollywood stuff too.

We get caught to rain when we are coming back after movie. Any way we manage to come home without much problem.

customer request

I was meeting with a prospect who tried to work with us some time back. But things didn’t work for two parties and they went with some other vendor for same solution. But that vendor didn’t able to deliver the solution and my prospect never got a solution. They were waiting without doing anything.

After I joined with my new employer, one of my mail tasks is to work with Prospect Company worked but failed to finalize the deal. Then I start working with this company also under that task.

Today I met same prospect with my CEO to re-start the work. Even after get failed with a vendor who can’t deliver a solution they are demanding (but in nice way). One of the main requests from this prospect is to give him unlimited license for our software.

I can’t understand what made them to ask this kind of thing. How we can do such a thing. Giving unlimited user license.

Any way we said no directly. I think they will understand the reality behind this software industry and go ahead with us and finalize this deal.

home business

I was reading some atricles about Home Business. I think its an interesting thing. But I never want to have my own business. But I'd like to setup a home business for some one. Problebly I'll able to start this with my wife. She is really interest about having her own business. I think thats a cool idea for a lady.

efficiently & effectively

We are talking about extended working hours, working around the clock etc etc. I used to work for long hours from my very first job. Most of the people are doing this. People use to work extended working hours. This sounds like they are working hard. Is this true all the tiems?

Does it mean some thing liek that? Can't we work hard and achieve our targets within usual 8-9 hours working pattern? I was thinking about this and I came up with a occlusion with my own experience.

Extended working hours does not mean your working hard. You need to monitor your work and see how efficient you are. Working hard does not mean stay in the office. You need work effectively and efficiently with your working hours. Then you'll able to minimize most of these extra working hours which cost both you and your employer.

Some employers are doing a mistake by thinking working hard means working extended working hours. Some employers are happy to see all their employees are working till late night. But they don't see the hidden cost as well as damage to employees working efficiency.

You need to work extra hours but only its necessary. But if you got some work to complete in limited time period you should work around the clock and do the work. Its important to make things happen and achieve your goals. Same time you need be efficient and effective. Then you'll able to finish your work with in normal working hours and spend your time for some thing else which drive you to your goals.

most important P - PROCESS

We are talking about seven Ps when it comes to service marketing. I think this applicable for
all the business not only companies who are providing services.

Seven Ps as defines as follow by marketing guru's.

Product
Price
Place
Promotion
People
Physical evidence
Process

All the companies having combination of these Ps. But I think Process is the most important thing.
And this is the one which most of the companies not consider much.

All the companies should have a proper defined Process for it's operation. There should be a proper
flow of business process and this should be evaluate and fine tuned periodically.

All the employees should able to do their job according to the Process and deliver the maximum
service to customers without any delay. If company failed to implement a proper process employees
will fail to deliver customer expectation.

Well tuned process can be the best competitive edge for a company.

windows live

I was trying this new thing introduced by Microsoft, Windows Live. Its really a cool thing and so attractive. Some one cal tell that nothing much. Yes I agree but still it looks really cool. Microsoft stuff is always looks more professional.

But still Im finding it difficult to go ahead with windows live. There are so many issues it seems. I manage to create a new Windows live ID but fail to get windows mail beta which I feel like a great web mail feature. I was trying with my existing msn IDs also but noting worked out yet. Finlay I logged a complaint to Microsoft. Now Im waiting for a reply.

If they fix the problem soon and if I able to use this without much problem I mite shift my mail, blogs etc etc to Windows Live from Google. But I don't sure about it. I love to use Google too. Google always coming up with innovative things but Microsoft follow those in more professional and fine tuned way.

We'll see.

24

My favourite TV serious is back with its brand new series. Its 24. It started two weeks back. Its great to watch it again.

things are working

Its agian a end of week. Time is running swiftly. I was busy for entire week. But I love the work I did for last year. I didn't miss anything or didn't posponed any thing. It seems to be the new systems which Im implementing on me are working now. I need to fine tune these things more and get the maximum use of time and make things happen.

my mother's 63rd b'day

I went Matara with my wife in last weekend. Today is my mother's 63rd b'day. Unfortunatly she is not with us to celebrate it since she died in 26th Decmber 2004.

My father and sisters were arrenging a Bodhi Puja at Matara Bodhiya on last Saturday.

There are so many things in my mind about my mother but I don't know how to write those. WHat I can simplt tell is I miss a lot

u need to be smart

Its Friday. End of an other week. I was really busy for entire week. Lots of things to start and do soon since this only my 3rd week here. Any way things are tough as usual. Copetition is high. You need to plan well and need to be smart on things your doing.

save the time which wast on TV

I was reading a article on Time Management. It was really interesting and there were so many things to learn. After reading that I was trying to find out the things Im wasting my time. I found TV as a major time killer for me. That does not mean Im addicted to TV but up to a extend Im spending lots of my free time on TV.

Then I wanted to save this time. I decided to give up watching TV. Still I don't want to miss few programs which I love. Specially 24, Allias and chat show on Sirasa TV. I was fighting with my self about this. I want to save my time which I feel as Im wasting on TV, same time I don't want to miss my favourite programs. What to do now???

Finally I decided to minimize watching TV rather giving it up fully. There for I decided to watch only selected programs. Only few programs. I won't watch day to tele-drama on TV (i didn't like those but I was just sitting and watching these with my wife..). I'll watch 24, Allias (if my wife permits lol :) ). And I'll news and watch Saturday movie (if its a good one).

investing on outdated technology ? ? ?

Yesterday I was meeting a IT Manager of prospective company. It's a company which doing well in their industry. I was talking about ERP, CRM solutions which our company doing and etc etc. Suddenly I notice my prospects having some thng in my mind or something liek that. Then I let him to talk.

This IT Manager join six months back and he's in a process of implementing proper ICT infrastructure for the company. Then he told that they got an ERP. I told that we don't have any problem and I can provide the CRM which he was looking for. Still this person got something in his mind. Finally he share it with me.

THe ERP which they implemented two years back is a blunder. This person also don't have an idea why company invest on this. Because it's EPR on FoxPro which is a outdated technology.

This new IT Manager is helpless with this problem handover to him by the x- IT Manager. Aay way he has to take this atleast for few years.

This is a kind of common problem with some companies. Most of the people are not analysing the big picture behind these solutions. They are investing for out dated or solution which is not suitable to address their needs. Then they suffer from very first day. But they can't leave it since they invest lot on these solutions.

These kind of things occurs mainly due to lack of knowledge with decision makers and out dated knowledge of IT staff. Some IT guys trying to get a solutions on what they study ten years back. They think that is the best. But the real story is totally different.

Organizations need to avoid this kind of poor decisions. There for they need to work with a vendor who got experience and skills in latest technology. And the technology should be a proven technology.

my wonderfull wife

It was 4th September, my 1st day for new job. My wife was busy from eairly in the morning. She was cooking 'KIRIBATH' (milk rice) to wish me sucess with new job.

I am really happy to and lucky to have a such a great wife. She's wonderfull ....

new job

I joined with X-ONT Sostware (Pvt) Ltd as Business Development Manager from 4th September. I really like my new assignment and planning to come with positive performance soon. Since I got some experience I should able to do things faster.

make it happen

Most critical part of sales cycle is closing a deal. As we know every sale sgoes through a sales cycle. Time and steps of this cycle can varied according to many reasons such as product, market segment etc. Hhen it comes to industrial market, genary the sales cycle is a long one. But you can go through initial steps very quickly. But its not very easy to qulify a deal and close it.

Its very important to do your qualifying in proper way. If you do a mistake in qualifying your in a great trouble. Its important to look at each and every prospect very closely and need to analyse very carefully. Then need to qulify the prospect correctly.

After complthe qulifying then we are coming to the most critical and challenging part of the sales cycle. Closing the deal. Its important to keeop in touch with the client as much as you can. Don't take so long to reply to his/her mails, calls etc. Try to close the deal as soon as possible bcos time can change their mind as well as requirments, specilly the priority.

There for it is important to talkto your client and show how important is your product to his/her business and close the deal as soon as possible.

return

I didn't able to post here for two weeks time. I was so busy with thigs and away from my desk. At last get back to usual working pattern.

Good things in an Old passion company

Yesterday I had a meeting with a client. I knew this place and I went there some time back also. All the buildings are very old and this is located bit far away from Colombo city too. I was went with a thinking that this is a old passion company. They were using somputers but building is not air-conditioned, furnitures aslo old fashion etc.

I got the appoinment with a director there. When Im going in she was at a meeting. Then she introduce her IT manager and asked to talk to him. That guy also in the same meeting with the director and he wanted me to wait for a while. He took me to his room and asked wether I'd like to have a cup of tea. I never expected this kind of thing from a this old passion company. Any way I said no thanks and asked for a glass fo water. He asked somebody to give me a glass of water and he went for the meeting. Another surpprise for me, a well dressed waitress came and server me a bottle of minaral water. This is some thign you can't expect from a company with this kind of enviornment. After while the director (lady who gave the appoinement) came to me and say sorry for keeping me and told that she have to go out for urgent thing and asked me to breaf her manager. With this I realise that this company had change lot in last few months time.

Some times no body will see any intersting thing here. But if u know the real Sri Lankan situation (specily a company owned by government some time back) you will see why Im putting this here. Most of the companies not treating there visitors in this good way.

After New Year

Im at work after holidays. I was away from office for on week due to New Year holidays. April is the New Year time here in Sri Lanka. This is the main festival for Sri Lankans. It was a great time to celebrate. We (myseld & my wife) were with my father for new year. This is the first New Year which Im celebrating after i got married and the second New Year after my mother's death. It was so hard to get ready for the tings with out my mother. But my wife did a great jon and she manage to all the tings as mother did.

I was thinkng to do lots of work at that time. But didn't able to do any. Any way, we managed to visit lots of relatives. Things were ok and retuen here only on Monday. There are so many things to think after the holidays. I think I need post those as a differnt thing.

1st Post

Puting this as my 1st post here