Cold Calling Secrets: How to Successfully Meet and Win New Clients

private investigator marketing and cold calling successIt’s Monday morning, a legal secretary or assistant is at her desk working for several attorneys who are scurrying about demanding help with deadlines to prepare court filings, send out urgent correspondence and handle various other paperwork projects that seem to be wildly screaming out of the printer, copier and fax machines.  All of a sudden the secretary’s phone rings and it’s the receptionist.  There’s an individual in the lobby who wants “just a moment of your time.”  It’s someone who wants to sell the idea of his company, a private investigation company, and seems to know his stuff.  It might be that she has been looking for a sharp investigator who is willing to take on those responsibilities a good investigator can provide.  She thinks, if he has taken his time and the initiative to see her, maybe he is hard working, determined and, most importantly, qualified?  She doesn’t want not to see him, but this is a really bad time.  With a hundred things going on in her head already, what to do?

What are some of the things cold-callers should know that would prevent them from interrupting her time but that would allow for the possibility of a productive and successful working relationship?

Without an appointment, an investigator not only risks having his head bitten off, it’s possible that to a potential client, due to circumstances beyond anyone’s control, you are yet another interruption in her already harried day and are, therefore, unwelcome.  Your potential client has closed the door on you without even getting to know you or of your stellar reputation as an investigator who is qualified, experienced and available to take on the stresses associated with coordinating surveillance work, serving documents and locating individuals.

You are the answer to her needs!  If only you could break through that time-crunch barrier and engage her in conversation long enough to convince her of such.

What are some of the things you could do to get that face-to-face time needed in order to present yourself and market your private investigation company in a meaningful way?

An interesting and familiar scenario from both professionals’ point of view.  With years of experience myself and from the benefit of other investigators’ years of experience, I have put some thoughts together that might resolve a client’s time constraints with an investigator’s need for a little of that time.  Collectively, here’s what some of us have learned:

With companies downsizing in today’s business climate, the burden is on fewer staff to handle an increased workload.  Being conscious of this, it might be wise to avoid contact on Mondays altogether and perhaps even avoid the early morning hours of the office day, giving the already rushed employee a chance to organize her time for the all-important tasks that lie ahead.  I’ve found that a simple phone call in the mid to late morning hours or early afternoon, just to briefly introduce myself, makes my name and purpose known so that when I do appear in person I am already a somewhat familiar name and personality.

Because I’ve already done my preliminary research into the company’s possible needs, I can more efficiently explain the nature of my call and advise of my intent to drop off some promotional materials for her review that will be of interest as they show the many resolutions I can offer to the challenges her busy desk faces.  I ask if there is a day or time convenient for such a quick meeting and mention that I am sensitive to the already burdened schedule she has.  I keep it friendly, professional and to the point.

On the day of my meeting with the prospective client, I am organized and properly dressed in casual business attire.  I am not chewing gum and I do not smell like the fast food meal I just downed.  I do not act like I’m from the “hood,” and I’m not overly casual.  As a professional, you already know these things and I am only bringing them up here in order to reinforce that as much as the business world has changed, these are some of the things that have not!

A friendly and courteous manner is appreciated by your subject.  There is no need to act stiff or self-conscious.  Act with confidence, after all you have a valuable service that will benefit her and her company.  Stressing that you are capable of producing the desired results to any given project quickly and efficiently will catch her ear and will more likely produce a positive outcome for you than if you left it unsaid and up to her to wonder or guess at.  I always have a couple of brief, well-rehearsed stories to tell a client about challenging assignments I previously handled and how I was able to achieve success for clients with similar business needs.

Some other points to consider are:

  • Having good eye-to-eye contact;
  • Being sincere, genuine and likeable;
  • Speaking of your reliability and availability;
  • Being confident you can get the job done – for her!  You are her (business) friend;
  • Mentioning that while your services are excellent, your pricing structure is competitive;
  • Keeping it professional, keeping it brief and keeping it friendly;
  • Leaving with a sincere handshake and an honest smile.

Call again in a week or so to ensure she’s reviewed your materials and ask if there are any questions or concerns.  Take this opportunity to respond accordingly, and ask outright if there is a project you can get started on for her.  If the answer is yes, no matter how small or uninteresting that first job may be, put forth the effort as if your reputation and all future paychecks depend on it.  Who knows, but that might be true!  If the answer is no, call again in another week or so.  Persistence pays off.

Successfully obtaining new business is dependent on breaking through the time-crunch barrier and getting in to meet and win over today’s busy professional.  Be prepared, be professional and put forethought into it.  First impressions count.  Cross-referrals and word-of-mouth advertising counts.  Each account, no matter how large or small the office, counts.

Diane Goodrich is the Investigations Division Administrator of CompassPoint Investigations. Prior to joining our agency, she had over 20 years of Legal Assistant experience with notable law firms in Southern California; in that capacity she also selected and evaluated the independent private investigation agencies who provided services to the firms where she worked.