Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Honk Honk

Jerry Seinfeld told the story of a male motorist attempting to obtain the attention and affection of an attractive woman walking in stride with his slow-moving car.

He simply laid on his horn! Beep Beep.

That guy, in Jerry's words, "is out of ideas"

It's 2010, and THE VAST MAJORITY of companies who hire new business development salespeople tell them they MUST make between 50-150 cold call telemarketing calls a day. These companies, like that poor SOB honking on his horn, ARE OUT OF IDEAS.

I got a cold call from the bank I do my business banking with yesterday. I won't reveal the name of the bank though it rhymes with Blitizens Tank. Anyway, the gentleman had a clear speaking voice and enunciated well. In a mere couple of seconds, he came off as pleasant and intelligent. He then began, without stopping to breathe or anything else, reading from a ultra-cheesy, salesy script. I politely tried to stop him...twice...to no avail. I'm a career sales and marketing person but I still had to hang up on the guy. He wouldn't stop reading that damn script.

Blitizens Tank Senior Sales Management....THEY ARE OUT OF IDEAS.

I get on this subject once in a while because I'm utterly astonished that companies still do this. The number of ways to economically reach new potential customers and markets has exponentially increased. Of course, most companies take these NEW remarkable communication vehicles and apply OLD mass media marketing techniques and methodologies. (Look at us!!! Listen to us!!...We're the best!!..We're incredible!!..Buy our stuff NOW!!!)

These companies, via the technological wizardry created by brilliant minds, were handed the coveted "new ideas" in the form of Web 2.0 as well as the many talented people behind its creation and delivery.

It didn't take long- even after being handed the Keys to the Kingdom- to "run out of ideas" on how to reach their desired markets.

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