"Is cold calling, using a local telephone directory, a good method for attracting new PSAs?"
Absolutely not! Let's examine why.
Cold calling using a telephone directory has very few pros and many cons.
1. The Pros:
a. You have a source of leads.
b. They're free.
2. The Cons:
a. You have free source of UNQUALIFIED leads. Because of this you are guaranteed to annoy many strangers. Think about the last you received an unexpected phone call from a stranger requesting something from you. Was it a pleasant experience? Probably not. Do you know why? Because people act on the advice of people they know and trust! It all about relationships. No relationship, no deal!
b. Cold calling is long, tedious work that is not for the faint of heart. (I can personally attest to this as a former professional telemarketer who worked from a warm list (actual customers) in a call center.)
c. You may set yourself (and quite possibly, the company) up for legal action if you don't follow your local and national laws regarding this activity. In the United States we must subscribe to the "Do Not Call" list and check that the number that we are calling against before making residential calls.
(Get more information here: http://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/qa-telemarketers-sellers-about-dnc-provisions-tsr
http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/telemarketing )
d. Even paragraph 10 of our Affiliate Agreement includes the following :
"Under United States law, it is unlawful "to use any telephone, facsmile machine, computer, or other device to send an unsolicited advertisement.""
The consequences of the cons clearly outweighs the pros in this situation.
If you want free qualified leads, start with the people who see you on a regular basis (mailman, store clerk, college students, work colleagues, etc.). They know you and therefore trust you. You know them and can filter and qualify them; this will eliminate a lot of unnecessary headaches. Even if your contacts don't become your PSA, they can recommend someone that they believe would be a good candidate. That candidate will trust you because you know their friend. Work smarter, not harder and good luck!
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"Is cold calling, using a local telephone directory, a good method for attracting new PSAs?"
Absolutely not! Let's examine why.
Cold calling using a telephone directory has very few pros and many cons.
1. The Pros:
a. You have a source of leads.
b. They're free.
2. The Cons:
a. You have free source of UNQUALIFIED leads. Because of this you are guaranteed to annoy many strangers.
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