Prepare Before Cold-Calling –Dana

Don't sound "canned." Some salespeople sound like they've given the same pitch over and over again without a change in the script. They seem to be calling from a printout of names and phone numbers. Clearly, they've done no research. They have no clue about what you do and it shows, badly.

What's the ace up your sleeve? If you have a referral from a friend or colleague, you're golden—at least for the initial phone call.