How to Introduce Yourself to a Cold Prospect

Let say you don't have a strong network of relationships to work for referrals, which is by far the best way to get the attention of your ideal prospect. So now what? You must go in cold!

That's right my friend - either purchasing a list, find names in the newspaper, or search out membership organizations for those who need your services. But what's the best way to reach out to a cold prospect when they know nothing about you?

First, the wrong way is to call out of the blue and ask for an appointment.

The right way, rather, is to send a letter introducing your services and call to follow up on the letter. In other words, you want to follow up on information you've sent and ask for an appointment. This will make you the invited guest, not the annoying pest.

Here's what your letter must contain:

1. Sales Letter - Benefits, Call to Action, Special Offer
2. Testimonials/Success Stories
3. How It Works
4. FREE Report

Pick a beautiful letter and handwrite the address. Use blue pen so they know it's your handwriting. Use a stamp. Make the letter as personal and authentic as possible - it must look nothing like direct mail.

Mail your letter and schedule a phone call follow up every single week until you get a yes or no for an appointment. When you call, here's what to say:

"Hello Mr. Smith, last week (or a few weeks ago) I sent you a letter about my services and how I can help you (benefit). How did you enjoy my letter?" 

If they didn't read it, tell them you'll call follow up again in a few days - or ask to set an appointment.

Remember, the entire goal of the letter and follow up calls is to get the prospect on the phone so you can qualify them and set up a time for a formal sales presentation about your services. Keep your sales presentation under 20 minutes.

So let's recap:

Prospect > Letter > Phone Calls > Appointment > Follow Up > Sale

Here is your action plan:

Marketing is a process, not an event. Get a list of 100 prospects and send out 3 personalized letters every morning before you check your email. This should take you 5 minutes. Schedule the respective follow up calls in Google Calendar as re-occurring events or just make a note of it on the list of names you'll have printed. If you want to get real fancy, send a sequence of letters which I wrote about in my Dan Kennedy 3 Step Letter System for maximum results.