I have to say that I am not a fan of the sales “cold call” for a couple of reasons:

1. In the past, when I would show up unannounced at someone’s front desk and ask if I could speak to the President, Manager or Buyer, more often than not that person was “busy” and couldn’t see me right now. Guess what? When someone shows up at my office unannounced (and uninvited), I am also “busy”. Why? To me, the answer is obvious. It’s rude to disrupt someone’s course of business (where they are engaged in making money) without making an appointment first. At least, that is what my Mother taught me (she was also in sales). Nothing like making a first impression by being rude and thinking that the sales person’s agenda is more important than the prospect’s.

2. I feel important to plan a call, not just show up and drop a card. To me, a “cold call” shows lack of planning. Yes, you might get lucky and catch the boss walking past the receptionist’s desk en route to the bathroom. And you may be able to say to your boss that you met the “decision maker” at company X, but that “decision maker” is more likely to throw your information in the trash just as soon as you leave.

If you absolutely MUST do a “cold call”, my suggestion would be to ask the receptionist to give you the name and contact information of the “decision maker” for the company. Leave and THEN make an appointment. It’s the right thing to do. Don’t waste people’s valuable time. Besides, if you make the receptionist uncomfortable with your hanging around their area in hopes to see someone, they will remember you and the boss will be busy in perpetuity.

Just sayin…