When cold calling on small business, and I mean in person, here is a tip I have found to be most effective.

ALWAYS BE LEAVING.

What do I mean by this? Well it goes something like this. Say for example you walk into a small workshop or unit where you can expect the owner to be doing some work. You look like another rep who is looking to talk to *him/her for an hour and tell him how much money you're going to save him, and how much your better is better than the last man's better. He doesn't want it, whatever it is, so he is not listening. He's just looking for the way to make you go away. If only he would give you ten minutes to show him what you've got - you could do so much for this person if only they would let you.

So this is what we do.

Primary objective - make an appointment, when he will see you and listen.

Secondary objective - permission to call again to try and acheive Primary objective.

I have often sold on the spot using these objectives, but only because the client has asked me for more information, and not felt hemmed in.

So how does it work. Your opening phrase and your body language are crucial at this point. When you enter the work area you have your business card or flier held up in front of you. When you approach your target you are facing side on, holding your card in front of you, arm extended, (you are definately not looking to offer a handshake), and you say " I know you're a busy man - can I just leave you a card / flier." When the client takes the card unlike all the other sales people he has had in, you take a step backwards, as if you want to leave, having accomplished your mission (which of course you haven't yet). This prospect is now wondering what you've got - not how do I get rid of him. The prospect feels empowered, not threatened and he likes it. He may well ask you what's it about.

Tell him, "I'll need about 5 Minutes of your time - maybe 10 if you've a load of questions, as most people do - when you're not so busy." If he hasn't already asked you what's it about. he will now. What happens next will of course vary greatly depending on how busy the client is, how relevant your product is, and all the other variables that go into a sale. The prospect may well give you some of his time now. What happens next is up to you, if it normaly takes a couple of hours to sell your product use your 5 mins to engender interest and to arrange and consolidate an appointment.

Nothing is foolproof but this method has worked well for me. If the hostility is high, I have just left my card, and said I'll pop in next time I'm seeing one of my clients here, and hopefully you won't be so busy. Leave, but not in a dejected manner. You may have to do this on a number of occassions, but the client will see you eventually. Oddly enough these usually turn out to be the people who buy. Then never tell you, but they do admire your persistance, as long as you use the above method, and thus are not percieved as a nuisance. I know this from having worked a defined territory, with a limited number of prospects available.

Try to think of sales as a game of chess, so you have an armoury of opening gambits, depending on the situation. If you can start to enjoy it, you will start to win more.

Good Luck and Good Hunting - Paul Blake McGouran.

* I have only used the male gender for ease of writing