Warming Up Cold Calls

   

Mission Impossible

We were asked to come up with an item that would get a software makers sales force meetings with top level executives in Fortune 1000 companies. The client originally was looking for a high priced giveaway around $70 each that they hoped would gain their prospecyts attention.  After talking with the client we were told that their salespeople said it was “impossible” to get into see these executives.  Knowing that it would take more than a nice item to gain their attention we knew that presentation would be the key. Playing off the sales force’s feeling of being impossible, we approached the project as “Mission Impossible”. First, coming up with the gift for the prospect, a digital voice recorder, less than half the cost of their original plan and plays nicely with the theme. We had each salesperson record a personal message to the prospect and then add that the machine would not self-destruct and was their gift to keep. Next came the packaging, something large enough to hold the recorder and sturdy for carrying or shipping.  A question pertaining to the prospects use of their software was placed on the outside of the box, which was decorated with the logo colors of the client and an answer on the inside. Also placed along with the recorder was space for a business card and a specially designed brochure we had printed that also echoed the Mission Impossible theme.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The final piece to ensure we got the prospects attention was a light activated sound chip that played the first part of the Mission Impossible theme when the box was opened. To avoid copyright violations we downloaded a ring tone that was very close to the actual music.

The client was very pleased with the piece, as we came in under their original budget and sales from meetings gained with their prospects exceeded their expectations by more than 200%. We have since used a similar design for other clients and garnered the same positive results.