There are situations where it is imperative to reach a particular prospect at a particular time. Perhaps you are trying to reach that prospect to introduce yourself, your company, and your products or services. Perhaps you are trying to reach a prospect to continue a conversation or to follow up on a next step in your sales cycle. You have tried everything. You have called repeatedly at different times throughout the day, you have left messages, you have sent emails... All with no response.

I offer here a last resort letter. When all else fails, try the Abducted by Aliens? letter. It goes like this:

Februrary 2, 2005

Ms. Jane Jones
ABC Company
123 Main Street
Anywhere, USA

Dear Ms. Jones:

You may not know this, but I have been attempting to reach you, almost on a daily basis, for some time now, with no success. You are never available when I call, and clearly, you have been unable to return my phone calls. I am worried about you.

Have you been abducted by aliens?

If you have, and can somehow use the enclosed, pre-addressed, stamped envelope to notify me, I will notify the Coast Guard and alert the media and do everything in my power to obtain your release.

If, however, the problem is limited to a demanding schedule, I am writing to encourage you to call me when you have a free moment. Hopefully, the information I am enclosing will justify that call.

(Information about your company, product or service goes here.)

Don't you agree that if we can show you (Customer Benefit goes here), your time will have been well spent?

It would be nice to hear from you.

Sincerely,

Wendy Weiss
The Queen of Cold Calling & Selling Success

**With your letter, enclose a response card, something like this:

Ms. Wendy Weiss
The Queen of Cold Calling & Selling Success
412 West 25th St.
Suite 1F
New York, NY 10001

Dear Wendy:

You are right!
PLEASE CHECK APROPRIATE BOX

[ ] Help! I have been abducted by aliens! Please do whatever you can to rescue me!

[ ] I have not been abducted by aliens. The next time you call, I will be available. I am looking forward to speaking with you!

[ ] The best time to reach me is ____________ at _______. (day) (time)

Please call me then. I am looking forward to speaking with you!

Sincerely,

Jane Jones

Wendy Weiss

Wendy Weiss, The Queen of Cold Calling & Selling Success, is a sales trainer, sales coach and author. She helps entrepreneurs, business owners and sales professionals gain confidence, reach more prospects, close more sales and make more money. Her clients include Avon Products, ADP, Sprint and thousands of entrepreneurs throughout the country.

Wendy has been featured in BusinessWeek, Entrepreneur Magazine, Selling Power, Sales & Marketing Management and various other business and sales publications. Wendy’s e-mail newsletter, Opening Doors & Closing Sales has an international readership and her columns are syndicated to 168 different print and Internet publications.

Wendy is the author of the recently released, self-study program, Cold Calling College, and the book, Cold Calling for Women.

She is also a former ballet dancer who believes that everything she knows in life she learned in ballet class.