Cold Calling Is Dead. Now What?
Business Development Using Warm Calling Strategies Instead of the “Ick.”
Today’s most successful business development professionals aren’t relying on cold calls and generic sales pitches. They’re building authentic relationships, creating trust before the first meeting, and using warm calling strategies that open doors naturally. If your team is still relying on outdated prospecting techniques, it’s time for a new approach.
In times of tight margins, high leverage, and a lack of liquidity, and while the financial services industry waits out the repricing of lower-interest rate loans to more profitable ones in the next several years, the only way to improve margins is a skilled, external business development, sales team—and industry data reveals that most sales teams fall far short of their revenue goals:
• Only 43% of salespeople hit their quotas or goals.
• 55% report needing more basic skills to perform their jobs effectively.
• 82% of decision-makers (prospective clients) feel that the salespeople they deal with need to prepare for the sales calls.
That last statistic is the real wake-up call. Prospective clients can quickly recognize when a salesperson is unprepared, inexperienced, or simply relying on outdated techniques.
The reality is that many business development professionals understand they need to generate more loans, deposits, and new relationships, but they’re still relying on methods that no longer produce consistent results. Cold calling, collecting business cards at networking events without meaningful follow-up, and transactional conversations rarely build the trust today’s clients expect.
This course replaces outdated tactics with a modern, relationship-focused business development strategy. Participants will learn how to build genuine connections, leverage LinkedIn and Centers of Influence (COIs), identify the right prospects, and create a predictable pipeline of referrals and opportunities through intentional, trust-based outreach.
By developing stronger networking, communication, and business development skills, your team will be better equipped to grow relationships, increase revenue, and consistently achieve business development goals.
Self-Paced Online Course: Participants will receive a link to access the learning platform to watch the video series and download the fillable workbook and LinkedIn Tip Sheet.
Estimated time to complete: 1-2 hours (4 weeks access time)
Audience: Retail Managers, Regionals, Lenders, and Financial Advisors
Certificate Applicable to the Business Development to Build Long Term Profitable Client Relationships:
Business Development Specialist Certificate
Related Topics
Instructor
Connie Whitman, MBA

CEO, Whitman and Associates, DBA Changing the Sales Game Known for her high-energy, passionate, and enthusiastic approach to teaching and coaching, Connie Whitman helps ambitious business executiv... read more.
