Cold Calling Part 3

A cold calling technique I love is to send out your salespeople in teams of two. Two are more effective then one for a variety of reasons. They can encourage and challenge one another, they can hold each other accountable to getting the job done and they can assist one another in overcoming objections.

During WWII the German Army was in the habit of placing two men in a foxhole while US Army
doctrine called for only one. In studies after the war it was consistently found that a higher percentage of German soldiers participated in combat and fired their weapons than American soldiers did. The presence of another individual helped keep each soldier accountable and prevented them from doing what comes natural in a combat situation...hunkering down low in the foxhole and staying safe.

From the bible,
"Two are better than one,
Because they have a good reward for their labor.
For if they fall, one will lift up his companion,
but woe to him who is alone when he falls,
For he has no one to help him up.
Again, if two lie down together they will keep warm;
But how can one be warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered by another,
two can withstand him." - Eccl 4:9 - 12

The experienced salesperson in not as dependent on another as is someone new, just as the experienced soldier can be relied upon more than the raw recruit. But in a new market or with a new product sending out more than one salesperson on calls is a more effective method to get out there fast.