Michael and I have known each other for a long time. While he and I have a passion for technology, Michael’s skills are selling it, and mine are designing and building it. Along the way, I’ve purchased over a million dollars in hardware/software and hired dozens of people. Michael had a great post on cold calling as a sales rep, but I want to discuss cold calling from the buyer’s perspective.

It is simple really. I will not take cold calls. Don’t even try. Whether it be to sell a product or a recruiter trying to push a “hot new developer,” I won’t take the call. If you do happen to get through to me, I will politely stop the pitch before it gets too far. My time is too valuable. If there is something I need, I will do some research on possible solutions. The research usually means talking to my colleagues and even trusted sales reps to find options. More often than not the result is that my network helps me find the right person, and that person will contact me to start the sales process. I have three or four sales reps, and even a recruiter or two, that I will be a customer of for life. The reason? They helped me connect with the right solution to a problem — even if they didn’t provide it.

The bottom line for me is that I want to be referred to both an appropriate product and a sales rep that will help to provide a solution to my problem.

Forget the cold calls….