Cold calling has probably discouraged more people from pursuing a career in sales than any other activity. After all, what could possibly be less fun than calling strangers, disrupting the flow of their busy day and trying to convince them they need to speak with you? Yet, cold calling can be an effective prospecting strategy when it is done in the manner described in this two-part article.

By listening to Sam's interview you will learn: Web search secrets that you never thought possible for finding leads, creating lists, uncovering opportunities and understanding decision makers; Tips and tricks for using social networks and "hidden" websites as sales and competitive "intelligence agents"; How to use information to make a big-time impression with any prospect and build a deeper relationship with any client.

Cold calling has probably discouraged more people from pursuing a career in sales than any other activity. After all, what could possibly be less fun than calling strangers, disrupting the flow of their busy day and trying to convince them they need to speak with you? Yet, cold calling can be an effective prospecting strategy when it is done in the manner described in this two-part article.

Wendy Weiss, The Queen of Cold Calling, teaches you how to communicate most effectively by phone and make cold calling the most proactive, productive and profitable way to grow your business in 2012!

Earlier this year Wendy Weiss, the Queen of Cold Calling™, was interviewed by a publication in South Africa. This article is a compilation of recommendations that she shared during this interview.

It's difficult enough generating interest on calls, yet many salespeople make it worse by saying things that are sure to create resistance. Anything that could potentially create resistance blows your tires out before you leave the garage. Even if you spark some interest, the resistance might overwhelm it.

By listening to this interview recording you will learn: Why what you've been taught about referrals is dead wrong; How to discover who your clients know; How to make your clients comfortable introducing you to great prospects; How to motivate your clients to make direct introductions; How to nail down one-on-one meetings with prospects.

On the one hand, salespeople agree that referral selling is hands-down their best sales strategy. It's a completely different animal to implement a referral strategy. It's simple, but it's not easy.

By listening to Barry's interview you will learn: The difference between trade and consumer shows; How to choose the right show; Tips to ensure that the people you want to see will drop by your booth; The most effective techniques for giveaway items and brochures; How to measure your results.

By listening to Cynthia's interview you will learn how to: Plan your networking time efficiently; Present yourself in the best light to both new and old acquaintances; Handle business cards appropriately; Make a positive and memorable impression with everyone you meet; Understand the networking cycle of relationship building and why the steps are important.

Trade shows are often misunderstood and their benefits sometimes seem obscure. Before you take the plunge, here are ten basic questions that you need answered.

Here is a script I recently received. It's all about the caller, what he wants and what he expects from the prospect. Unfortunately that doesn't work. These days it's all about the prospect. Forget that at your peril!

Don't sell people the way you want to sell. Sell the way they want to buy! This article provides a compelling example of the dangers of the former and four suggestions for people you can talk to in order to learn how to do the latter.

Because of personnel cuts over the past 24 months, more work is required of those who are still employed. What this means to you is you must be equipped with the right response(s) to handle the "I'm too busy" objection. This article provides 5 scripts that will help you stand out from your competition!

Prospecting. In the broad sense, prospecting refers to exploration. And, specifically, it means to explore or search for valuable minerals, such as gold. As one of the first steps in the sales process, is a critical piece of any sales and marketing effort. Without it, pipelines simply run dry. Yet, even with its importance, it is an area that most companies don't get right.

On some level most of your buyers despise voice mail and either ignore or delete most of their messages. It is wishful or, more likely, delusional thinking to expect your voice mail messages to actually be returned. However, with a few simple adjustments that make your messages easier for your prospects to deal with, you may succeed in getting many more messages returned and at the same time earn the respect of the people you call.