Small Business Marketing Secrets: When is the Best Time to Call

If you spend time calling on people, you know why this is something you need to think about. You can save a lot of time by calling on people when they're available and in a mood to talk rather than when they're busy.

It's professional and polite to try to call on people at times that are appropriate for them. You're doing them a courtesy, even if they don't realize it. Doing so makes you stand out from the crowd of everyone else who ignores this.

For a short time there was a salesperson in our town who called on restaurants. Most days he made his calls when the restaurant owners and managers were preparing for lunch or dinner. He never seemed to figure out that restaurants, and their managers, tend to be very busy during certain hours. He didn’t last long in his sales job.

For small retail businesses, Mondays are generally not a good day to call on the owners. Fridays can be challenging too. The best days seem to be Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

If you're calling on professionals, business owners or executives, try calling before 8:00 am or after 5:00 pm. I have found this works very well because they're usually working longer hours than the people who field their calls during the regular business day.

Ask around and find out what works best in your field. Plan your calling during these hours if you want the best results.