How giving Promotional Gifts can take the stress out of Cold Calling

Cold calling potential clients can be stressful and is something which many companies try to avoid doing at all costs. However, cold calling can be an effective way to make new business contacts and may actually lead to the establishing of new accounts and clients. So, how do you get your foot in the door before you even lift up the phone or send that initial email? Through the use of promotional gift items, of course. These items can help introduce your company to potential customers and can be a powerful first impression, so it is important for you to choose the right items to hand out.

How to use introductory items effectively
It is important not to simply hand out the promotional gifts by themselves. On their own, they can do little to introduce you to potential customers but when they become part of a larger introductory package they can be quite effective.

One of the best things to include with the promotional gift item itself is a letter. This can introduce your company quickly and effectively and discuss what your company can do for them. It is best if you can personalize the letter as much as possible as it will look like you are interested in the company itself, and not just the business and revenue it can bring to your company.

You should always follow up the giving of promotional gifts with a call or other form of contact. Let the potential customer know when you will be calling and do not miss the time or date if at all possible. You want to show them that you respect their time and attention. When you call, you can then use the promotional gift item that you gave them as an icebreaker that can start conversation up quickly and easily.

Ideal items to use as introductory promotional gifts
You may want to be careful of the items you use as introductory promotional gifts. You want to make sure that they are affordable items that can be distributed easily and are affordable enough to give out in larger numbers. Some ideal items include coasters, mouse pads, notepads, and other small, inexpensive items that can be used even if the letter that came with them is discarded.

The items that you use should have your company’s name and contact information printed on them as clearly as possible. This means that when people look at them in use, your company’s information is clearly visible. If they are going to be used in a high traffic area, this can make these promotional gift items even more effective as a way of increasing your company’s visibility.

Knowing that you have already broken the ice before you even speak with a cold calling prospect can make the process much less stressful and may even mean that you are able to get a much higher return on the time that you spend making calls than it would if you had not sent out the items in the first place.