These are the people you had made previous contact with and are listed in your database or on your Rolodex. If appropriate for your industry, I recommend spending one hour a day calling your database.

To gain the greatest benefit from your warm calling efforts, you should provide an exceptional level of customer service and give unexpected bonuses to your clients throughout your sales process.

This way, your past clients will be happy to hear from you and eager to help you find new business.

Let's see how you can “heat up” your warm contacts to create hot new business leads.

Build rapport – All right, it may have been some time since you last talked with your contact, so a little refreshing of his or her memory might be necessary. Use the time to re-establish your relationship, inform him or her about your unique selling proposition and inquire about their current needs.

Ask for referrals – Here is an example of how a mortgage loan officer could ask for referrals: “Do you know anyone who may be buying or refinancing real estate in the next 3 – 6 months?” Especially useful if your “warm contact” absolutely has no need for your services at the present time.

Tell him or her about your current gift incentives for referrals – if you have a plan in place, let him know. One example: “If you refer new business to me I will pay for dinner for you and your wife at Outback Steakhouse.” Or, tickets to their favorite sporting event.

Review their current situation:

Is their any current need for your product or service?

Have their plans, needs, or goals changed?

(If this is your past client you should have notes on hand about their long and short term plans)

Be sure to keep notes on every call in your database or files. Update all of your contact information to include any changes.

If you have made arrangements to “warm call” clients on someone else's list, offer to split any of the commissions generated.

Yes, warm calling is a great way to stimulate business especially in a competitive marketplace. Once a day, pull out your “warm call” list and contact people. Add to the list those whom you previously “cold called” and see as a potential future client.