Primitive man learned to start a fire by rubbing two sticks together, add some dry grass, some extra oxygen and then begin to repeat the process with grass and 02. With the right resources and by following the correct process, securing the desired result of fire was achieved.

I thought of this analogy after receiving another cold call from a site from which I had downloaded a white paper. The gentleman on the other end with the unknown caller ID number (usually suggests someone who does not want you to know who he or she is) started his very well memorized almost robotic sounding canned sales script. His goal was to start a fire inside of me so that I would want to buy.

Beyond the lack of any emotion in the voice mail he left, he spewed what I have dubbed the 3Ps Virus of price, product and proposal. Now bear in mind, I have at least one qualifying criteria as a potential customer because I downloaded the white paper and possibly even more if he had done any research about my company or even myself. Never did he make a connection with me as a person because he was all about telling. Sales Coaching Tip: If you are telling, you ain't selling.

If this individual was starting a fire, he would have failed miserably because he did not have the right tools, the right resources or the right process. He was working blind and the results speak for themselves.

So what could he have done differently?

First, he should have had the right resources. My sense is he was reading off some website form without any additional information.

Second, the tools he was using were quite ineffective. The sales script was not engaging at all and neither was his voice. A robot might have actually sounded better.

Third, the process was obviously ineffective. I know this to be true because he started no fire in me, no desire to call him back or learn more. Additionally, he promised to send me an email that he did not.

People have been starting cold fires for years by utilizing the best resources, applying the right tools and incorporating a proven process. Cold calling is no different because the desired end result is to spark a hot flame of emotional desire to take action. So if you wish to increase sales and are engaged in semi-hot, warm or even cold calling, then make sure you have everything you need to ignite the potential customer (a.k.a. prospect) to take action.