If you still think conducting cold calls is a great way to build your business, think again.

Tactics like random cold calls and black books with client contacts are signs of a broken system. These practices aren’t relevant in today’s customer-first selling cycle — they’re not only a waste of time and energy, but they’re also a punch in the gut to employee morale.

In the past, buyers had only a few avenues to receive information. Businesses controlled sales conversations and pushed information to buyers through channels like radio and television ads and, yes, through cold calls. Today, buyers are doing their research online and are only ready to engage with a sales rep in the last third of the buying process: the decision phase. Before that, they actually want to remain anonymous while they gather information on their own.

To read the rest of Jonathan’s article, visit Tweak Your Biz.