[Bryan]

What is the best way to approach these businesses regarding a cash advance?

Or how do you get past a stubborn secretary when they ask what the call is regarding?

[Zach]

The best way is SEO.

[Zach]

JK. Cold-calling is tough, and a laborious process. What works best for me is cultivating a database over time. Eg:

"Hi Mr. merchant, this is Zach again with Alliance. How's your day going? Great, I was following back up with you to see what your financing plans are for this quarter. Do you have any equipment purchases coming up, or perhaps a short-term situation where you could use some additional money?"

If they say no (9/10 will), then you say "great, when do you anticipate your next large purchase? would you consider financing then?"

If they indicate a time to you, schedule a follow-up in your CRM. If they do not, schedule a follow-up in 3 months and repeat step 1.

Making 150-200 of these phone calls (hand-dialed) per day will lead to enough business to do about 4-10K of monthly gross margin per rep (after 2-3 months of pipeline development).

It won't make you rich quick, but it will get a few deals in your portfolio and allow you to pay cold-callers a small salary until they burn out and you have to replace them.

This process is expensive, but if you have sufficient resources to throw 75-100K at it, it can certainly be scaleable.

[Zach]

Oh, and to get past the gatekeeper:

"I'm calling Bob back about his money, haha. And you know how he is about his money..."

[margate2]

I have a better solution for u live inbound calls from tv and radio. Why cold call spin your wheels do same thing everyone else is doing let small business owners call u all
Day we can make your phone ring no
Cold calling or Dialer
Inboundcallpros.com

[margate2]

Inboundcallpros.com We will make your phone ring

[JSL23]

Inboundcallpros.com We will make your phone ring

I actually prefer CC or UCC power-dials over inbound. It's still a cold call, let's not forget. At least when I'm Cold Calling I can quickly Google them as I dial, check out their LinkedIn, Twitter feed, etc.

"Hi, my name is___________, and I help Restaurant Owners obtain Financing. I see you are entering busy season, if I could get you up to 10-12% of your yearly revenue, how would you utilize it?"

This way, they see I had the courtesy of taking a whole 30 seconds to do my homework and I start by asking an open-ended question that doesn't prompt an automatic no(you still get plenty of those, but engage many of them as well). Inbound is okay, don't get me wrong. I do use it, and we really like the one we use, but it can be boom or bust.

I love your line with the Gatekeepers by the way, I think I'm gonna steal that!!

[Bryan]

JK. Cold-calling is tough, and a laborious process. What works best for me is cultivating a database over time. Eg:

"Hi Mr. merchant, this is Zach again with Alliance. How's your day going? Great, I was following back up with you to see what your financing plans are for this quarter. Do you have any equipment purchases coming up, or perhaps a short-term situation where you could use some additional money?"

If they say no (9/10 will), then you say "great, when do you anticipate your next large purchase? would you consider financing then?"

If they indicate a time to you, schedule a follow-up in your CRM. If they do not, schedule a follow-up in 3 months and repeat step 1.

Making 150-200 of these phone calls (hand-dialed) per day will lead to enough business to do about 4-10K of monthly gross margin per rep (after 2-3 months of pipeline development).

It won't make you rich quick, but it will get a few deals in your portfolio and allow you to pay cold-callers a small salary until they burn out and you have to replace them.

This process is expensive, but if you have sufficient resources to throw 75-100K at it, it can certainly be scaleable.

Thanks Zach, I'm going to try this approach.

I don't want to lie to anyone but the "call back" approach for sectaries might be the only other option.

[Zach]

Haha, thanks guys. It works well for me! In my opinion getting through the GK is more about tone than specifically what is said. If you are friendly, warm, and engage them (asking their first name is helpful, especially if you are cultivating a database over an extended period of time), they can be very helpful. Hell, in low revenue companies, the gatekeeper may even influence the decision to fund your deal!

[Zach]

Oh.... and ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS get the email address. Just ask for it. "What's the best email to send my information to?"

[Rich]

Hi guys Brand new and my first post. Obviously I'm going to read and consider everything you say BUT here is my plan to get past the gate keeper...

DON'T HAVE ONE! I'll pitch her. If the boss wants or need money she'll know! I just plan to ask "do you have any business projects you need capital for/"

If no-thanks bye! If "maybe" she'll probably offer to take my name and number "so the boss can call back if he's interested"(yeah right) I'll give them my "personal cell number" which identifies me and invites the caller to leave a message or text. Will they call me? Hell no but since I don't know that and am taking the sec. at her word I'm entitled to ask "who shall I expect to call" I'll get a contact name and maybe call back but probably not. I'm just looking for people who KNOW they need money. I've got a resource that's given me 16000 names to call in my area. Why waste time playing gatekeeper games when I can just dial. I don't care WHO I get on the phone, I'll just ask if they've heard if the boss is looking for money, if I get a "no" cool, next call a "yes" if they're willing to say that they're probably willing to give me the contact name. If not "next" dial dial dial... Thoughts?

[JSL23]

Hi guys Brand new and my first post. Obviously I'm going to read and consider everything you say BUT here is my plan to get past the gate keeper...

DON'T HAVE ONE! I'll pitch her. If the boss wants or need money she'll know! I just plan to ask "do you have any business projects you need capital for/"

If no-thanks bye! If "maybe" she'll probably offer to take my name and number "so the boss can call back if he's interested"(yeah right) I'll give them my "personal cell number" which identifies me and invites the caller to leave a message or text. Will they call me? Hell no but since I don't know that and am taking the sec. at her word I'm entitled to ask "who shall I expect to call" I'll get a contact name and maybe call back but probably not. I'm just looking for people who KNOW they need money. I've got a resource that's given me 16000 names to call in my area. Why waste time playing gatekeeper games when I can just dial. I don't care WHO I get on the phone, I'll just ask if they've heard if the boss is looking for money, if I get a "no" cool, next call a "yes" if they're willing to say that they're probably willing to give me the contact name. If not "next" dial dial dial... Thoughts?

If you have 16,000 names why do you even need to "pitch" the GK?! Why don't you just ask for the Owner by his/her name? Or do you mean on calls you make besides the ones from your resource?

Sometimes, the GK does end up being the one you pitch I(I have clients I've never spoken to) but I'll always try to get the DM on the phone initially. If I'm calling out of the blue and just saying "Hey, what's up? Can your boss use some money?" I am guessing 95 of of 100 are hanging up. Who's going to tell someone they don't even know of that their boss needs capital?

If you do have the name why not just say you have to speak with him/her about "their application"? If they are not in and you don't know the email, more often then not they will give it to you at that point. Next time you call you can just say you need to go over the application you emailed the other day.....and it is 100% true! If they ask what application you can just say they SHOULD BE expecting your call.....