How to Find Problems to Solve and Get Early Adopters by Cold-Calling Businesses | Hacker News Reader

How to Find Problems to Solve and Get Early Adopters by Cold-Calling Businesses

indiehackers.com

50 pointsmgav23 comments

I have a question for other HN readers: if you got a call from a stranger asking you to discuss generic (or even specific) problems you face in your life, your job, or elsewhere, what would you do?

I looked through the scripts presented and I cannot imagine taking time out to talk through them with someone.

On the other hand, if I had made time to go to a meetup about "lean methods" or something, I might have a long conversation about problems I see.

But that just might be me. Do you feel more comfortable on the phone?

I for one loathe talking on the phone. I wouldn't even pick up.

https://jameshfisher.com/2017/11/08/i-hate-telephones.html

My work phone is essentially a junk call honeypot for when I need to put a phone number on something. I'm usually not there and I basically never pick it up. My personal phones I pick up but usually I have to recognize the caller ID.

I find calling disrespectful because it interrupts my flow.

But as far as I understand, this is a developer (or engineer) only problem and people in other businesses rarely have that and actually favor the phone over email.

That's exactly my experience. A lot of small business people are on the phone all the time.

The most successful people I know are on the phone all the time.

However, I don't know if they would want to talk to strangers about something unrelated to their business.

Obviously you have to make sure that what you are talking about is relevant to their business.

I'll give an example.

I know someone who really wants to make products abroad cheaply and sell them in the united states.

I think -- I haven't talked to him in years -- that he would love to receive a call that says "Can you supply me with [insert product]? Can you get it delivered at X for $Y?"

I doubt -- although I don't know -- that he would listen to "What are your biggest problems? Do you have a tough time with finances or sales?"

" doubt -- although I don't know -- that he would listen to "What are your biggest problems? Do you have a tough time with finances or sales?"

That's a self serving way to open that offers no value to the person you are calling. You may ask "how about procedure xxx? How is that going?" and then expand from there. It's a skill most programmers don't have. I know a guy who can chat up pretty much anybody and get a deep conversation with them and what's going on in their business. I don't have that skill but I know it's incredibly valuable.

I'm not particularly good at it, but it seems that the trick is to be attuned to what the other person starts talking about, and pursue that, possibly feigning deep interest until you uncover something that might be actionable.

Edit: of course it helps to be at least passably familiar with the person's business so that you don't have to use a totally generic opening.

I guess in the end you need to enjoy talking (like most people seem to do). I personally hate it :-(

It's one thing to talk through something or just catch up with a coworker. (I work mostly remotely.) It's another thing to be interrupted by a call from a telemarketer looking to sell me a product/service that almost certainly has nothing to do with my job and then have to hang up on them when they start pestering me for other names to call.

I think I crashed the IP phone system at my last job by having more than 100 voice messages on it - anytime someone was on the phone I didn't recognise I'd ask the receptionist to put them straight to my voicemail, which I never listened to.

I did cold calling with scripts for a while and I was surprised how many people were willing to talk with me. At least 10% percent of calls led to pretty good conversations. Personally I found it very exhausting but a more extroverted person should be ok.

Whom were you calling? Was it a random list?

And did you notice more willingness to talk from certain kinds of people?

Small businesses in a certain industry straight from phone book and online directories. A lot of small business people are used to hustling all day so they are used to talking to strangers. That's their way of doing business.

Its great that you have experience in the matter.

Can you share the industry?

And are you saying that they also engaged in cold calling?

This industry was small construction companies. They are on the phone all day drumming up business.

developers aren't normal (conventional) people. most (conventional) people like to talk and especially like to talk about their problems and especially appreciate a break from the monotony of their day job. now if you're cold calling software firms then yes sure this isn't good advice but otherwise it works just fine.

If you're cold calling software firms you're probably not talking to a software developer on the first call, either.

You're coming at it from the mindset of a hacker who can solve his own problems. Come at it from the perspective of a business owner/manager who has problems they're desperate to find solutions to. It's not necessarily because they don't have the skillset, but sometimes they just don't have the time... but it doesn't mean they aren't willing to invest some time in the off chance it might gain them some time back.

I've interviewed (only a few people) but if you make it clear your real intention (to find a way to solve their problems) they'll take the time to tell you everything.

I once scheduled a 30-minute call with a lady, and she was so passionate about her problems we were on the phone for over an hour. She became a valuable contact for me in the industry.

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