Do I *really* need to cold call? (Growing a lead gen agency)

[ali.lari2x]

So I've been doing cold outreach and lead propsceting for my lead gen agency consistenly for 11 days now (before that, when I would half-a$$ my business, I would do 5 days and then give up), and I was wondering if cold calling is really necessary to land my first few clients.

I'm getting good responses from cold emailing right now, no hard yes's yet, but I'm seeing more traction.

My natural strengths tend to lean towards writing. I can hop on a sales call and close just fine but for some reason I dread doing cold calls, probably because I don't really call my friends that much, we just text each other then meet up in-person.

I can still do cold calls and overcome the pain and discomfort no problem, as long as it'll get me that first client. But given the fact that I'm still in university, would it be a more wise use of my time to cold email 80% of the time and pick up the phone the remainder 20% of the time?

Would love to hear about this from the more experienced folk in the agency space.

 

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[perchboy]

We can’t give you an exact answer specific for your situation. The market can. Test both of them out to see which method will give you the best ROI and then dial it in.

There’s no rule that says you must cold call to be successful. Just do whatever gets you towards your goals

 

[Andy Black]

So I've been doing cold outreach and lead propsceting for my lead gen agency consistenly for 11 days now (before that, when I would half-a$$ my business, I would do 5 days and then give up), and I was wondering if cold calling is really necessary to land my first few clients.

I'm getting good responses from cold emailing right now, no hard yes's yet, but I'm seeing more traction.

My natural strengths tend to lean towards writing. I can hop on a sales call and close just fine but for some reason I dread doing cold calls, probably because I don't really call my friends that much, we just text each other then meet up in-person.

I can still do cold calls and overcome the pain and discomfort no problem, as long as it'll get me that first client. But given the fact that I'm still in university, would it be a more wise use of my time to cold email 80% of the time and pick up the phone the remainder 20% of the time?

Would love to hear about this from the more experienced folk in the agency space.

To be in business you need customers or clients. That's it, by definition.

Do you *need* to cold call? Of course not. Plenty of people get customers or clients without cold calling.

I'm a bit confused why you ask such a question. It's just logic right?

Find and do what works for you?



This might help:

HOT! - What do you need?

I need a logo! I need a mentor! I need a website! I need more money! I need to go on a course! I need a business partner! Is it possible to run a business without all the things we think we need? Maybe we're putting all these things in our own way? To prevent us from starting? (aka...

www.thefastlaneforum.com

 

[Jon822]

Do you *need* to cold call? No.
*Should* you cold call to compile data on its efficacy for you? Yes.

 

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[ali.lari2x]

To be in business you need customers or clients. That's it, by definition.

Do you *need* to cold call? Of course not. Plenty of people get customers or clients without cold calling.

I'm a bit confused why you ask such a question. It's just logic right?

Find and do what works for you?



This might help:

HOT! - What do you need?

I need a logo! I need a mentor! I need a website! I need more money! I need to go on a course! I need a business partner! Is it possible to run a business without all the things we think we need? Maybe we're putting all these things in our own way? To prevent us from starting? (aka...

www.thefastlaneforum.com

I think I've seen that thread before. I guess I just got caught up in the action itself (cold calling) instead of determining how good of a process it is for the main goal of getting clients. It's easy to forget that there is no rulebook in business, the only one of course is to create positive net value (real and/or perceived) in the world.

 

[Andy Black]

there is no rulebook in business, the only one of course is to create positive net value (real and/or perceived) in the world.

Actually, adding value is one component. If you don't get paid then it's a hobby or charity.

 

[Johnny boy]

Drug dealers give the first hit for free.

Call people and give them a qualified lead.

ps. 11 days? I think there's an expectations imbalance. How many calls did you make? If it's less than 100 a day then you are just poorly executing.

 

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[Nostalgia]

So I've been doing cold outreach and lead propsceting for my lead gen agency consistenly for 11 days now (before that, when I would half-a$$ my business, I would do 5 days and then give up), and I was wondering if cold calling is really necessary to land my first few clients.

I'm getting good responses from cold emailing right now, no hard yes's yet, but I'm seeing more traction.

My natural strengths tend to lean towards writing. I can hop on a sales call and close just fine but for some reason I dread doing cold calls, probably because I don't really call my friends that much, we just text each other then meet up in-person.

I can still do cold calls and overcome the pain and discomfort no problem, as long as it'll get me that first client. But given the fact that I'm still in university, would it be a more wise use of my time to cold email 80% of the time and pick up the phone the remainder 20% of the time?

Would love to hear about this from the more experienced folk in the agency space.

When I started doing web design and getting my first few clients, I always believed cold calling is just way more effective.

I think it just adds a more human element to it and its a more direct yes/no answer than just a plain email. You have to remember though the whole aim for the cold call is not to sell your services explicitly to them but talk about how you can help their business grow, the aim of the cold call is to get a longer discussion meeting booked in.

I'm a firm believer of just using your circle to get your first clients though, because the biggest thing your lacking right now is trust and reputation.

 

[luminis_]

As the previous replies have stated, we can't exactly tell whether or not you're going to be successful with cold calling (even someone like me who's been cold calling for months in your exact niche)

Some people generate leads through email. Some through LinkedIn. Some through content, etc.

Pick your poison and go for it!

Do 100 outreaches x 100 days and see what happens. Either way, you're going to have to iterate, experiment, test, and fail. Let the data direct your decisions.

 

[Andy Black]

Call people and give them a qualified lead.

 

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[ali.lari2x]

Drug dealers give the first hit for free.

Call people and give them a qualified lead.

ps. 11 days? I think there's an expectations imbalance. How many calls did you make? If it's less than 100 a day then you are just poorly executing.

I’m doing 30 cold emails, 5-10 cold calls to start off. I want to build up to 50 cold emails, 50 cold calls which I’m doing right now.

 

[ali.lari2x]

I'm a firm believer of just using your circle to get your first clients though, because the biggest thing you’re lacking right now is trust and reputation.

100% on that last line. It’s hard to establish that level of rapport from cold leads when you’re just starting out, but cold outreach is a consistent system that is based a lot of the time on percentages and probabilities.

I am definitely networking and improving my reputation in university, but I don’t have a specific system for that, maybe that’s my second bottleneck I need to work on.

 

[StrikingViper69]

Have you got clients, or are you trying to make your first sale?

 

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[ali.lari2x]

Have you got clients, or are you trying to make your first sale?

Trying to make my first sale

 

[Johnny boy]

I'm a firm believer of just using your circle to get your first clients

Only a good idea if your circle is made up of tens of thousands of people.

Getting your friends and family to be guilt tripped into supporting your possibly shitty business is just kicking the can down the road until one day when you’ll need to run an actual business.

It’s fake demand.

Instead, I sell to strangers IMMEDIATELY.

They either like it, or they don’t. I test FIRST.

Nobody wants it? Kill it. Take a business plan B and get rid of it early.

 

[AmazingLarry]

Try it and see what results you get. You'll never know which method is more effective otherwise.

It sucks at first but you'll get used to it and get better over time. That's part of the process.

A few years ago I was doing engineering design consulting work and spent a ton of time on cold emails. I kept putting off cold calling because I thought it would suck and I was living abroad and working with US customers. I ended up doing it in my studio apartment bathroom (wife was sleeping) in the middle of the night, but it worked much, much better than cold email.

I also developed a couple good relationships that led to opportunities outside the engineering work.

 

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[ali.lari2x]

Only a good idea if your circle is made up of tens of thousands of people.

Getting your friends and family to be guilt tripped into supporting your possibly shitty business is just kicking the can down the road until one day when you’ll need to run an actual business.

It’s fake demand.

Instead, I sell to strangers IMMEDIATELY.

They either like it, or they don’t. I test FIRST.

Nobody wants it? Kill it. Take a business plan B and get rid of it early.

How do you know when to kill the business idea? As some of the people here mentioned, there seems to be an execution issue on my part, which is very manageable. I don't think digital marketing or agencies are dying out any time soon, however. I think we just need to be smarter and more adept at understanding what people need, which is what I think of 24/7 when I'm not on my laptop.

 

[Andy Black]

These might help:

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www.thefastlaneforum.com

MARKETING - SIDE HUSTLE - [Workshop Replay] Selling Google Ads as a Service

Here's a presentation about how I started and am building a business that provides Google Ads as a service to other businesses. I did it for @Fox 's paid web design group last year and he's kindly allowed me to share it. It should also help people starting other businesses. Let me know what...

www.thefastlaneforum.com

 

[StrikingViper69]

Trying to make my first sale

Research local companies, make a plan to help them, talk to them in person and do the first five leads for free.

If you can do that and provide good leads, they'll be clients for life and you'll know who to target for your advertising

 

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