There is apparently a new law that is taking effect for consumers that receive droves of robo calls from telemarketers. Instituted from a case involving Mims v. Arrow Financial Services, the new consumer protection prohibits, “using an automatic dialing machine to call a person’s cell phone without prior consent; using a prerecorded voice message to call a residential phone line without prior consent; sending an unsolicited advertisement to a fax machine; and using an automatic dialing machine to engage two or more of a business’s telephone lines simultaneously”. (source = Source for the TCP Act)
Apparently many firms including telemarketing are up in arms because it curtails their way of doing business. Hey telemarketers you really were not getting much business this way. The problem with many in sales today is that they believe selling is a transactional process. This could not be further from the truth. Consumers today have power and that is found with the use of Internet searches and referrals from friends. Cold calling and other banal attempts at “pitching” products are not only unethical they don’t work.
True selling professionals:
- Understand the importance of building customer centered relationships based on the consumers wants and needs.
- Know how to ask provocative questions to engage discuss that exchanges money for value.
- Develop the opportunity to create an emotional connection with the product and service and consumers desires.
- Do not spend countless hours telephoning dispassionate and annoyed people.
- Only swim in a pool of economic buyers not in an ocean of gatekeepers.
- Gain sales through referrals and third parties not solicit individuals during dinner and breakfast hour.
- Are all about quality and quantity and understand the consumer, the industry and the competition seeking healthy relationships not blind discussions.
With the advent of called ID, I have not responded to these annoying calls in years. In fact those that make it to my voice mail become great examples of “what not to do” when selling products. Yet there exists a microcosm of believers but like fads they will perish in the cinders of the fires they create.
© 2012. Drew Stevens PhD, all rights reserved.
