--- title: Everything In Context | The Sales Blog description: Carefully consider the decisions you make as you play the game. Dropping the context is dangerous to your results. image: https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/shutterstock_207465979.jpg --- ### [Now booking SKO meetings for 2026/27! 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Much of what you read is written as universal advice, applicable to everyone, applicable in every circumstance, and as though it should be adopted as your general practice no matter what. But none of this is really true. Much of the advice you read, including what you read here, is context specific. Out of context, it can be horribly bad advice. Let’s look at some of my very favorite examples. #### Cold Calling Is Dead Every day I read more articles about how [cold calling is dead](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2015/05/14/killing-the-cold-email/), how the phone doesn’t work, how you create enemies instead of friends by picking up the phone, and how you should change your entire sales approach based on this particular belief. And in some cases cold calling is not the primary choice, nor should it be. I know you’re surprised to read that here as I’m an enormous proponent of cold calling. But cold calling is different for different people. As someone who does coaching, consulting, and speaking, cold calling doesn’t make a lot of sense for me personally. It isn’t the very best approach, especially for someone who publishes as frequently as I do and who has the social media profile that I’ve been fortunate enough to [build](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2015/03/11/i-am-not-social-selling/) here. But for a quota-carrying sales rep who doesn’t have the platform and brand recognition, who doesn’t have time to write, to publish, to record video, and to nurture relationships, not cold calling would be a death sentence. It would take them far too long to develop the opportunities that they need to succeed. #### Never Be Closing You also will find tons of advice suggesting you [connect instead of clos](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2015/05/11/stop-connecting-and-start-closing/)e. There are a lot of people who say that you just never try to close your customer, rather you should wait until they give you some indication that they would like to proceed. There is some context where this makes sense. In fact, when I had my brain surgery, I was approached by two doctors at UCLA. I had been taken to that hospital by the ambulance, and the two young doctors were extremely anxious to cut my head open and slice off a piece of my brain (particularly because it would allow them to video tape it so they could train future neurosurgeons). But they were so anxious, and so aggressive in asking me to let them perform this surgery, that they frightened me. I wasn’t ready to make that decision, and I needed time to speak with my family, and perhaps even get some more important things in order before I allowed myself to be cut open. In the context of closing before you’ve done the necessary work to help your buyer get to the point of decision, not closing for the final commitment makes sense. In the context of selling something with very little risk and at a relatively low price, closing makes absolute sense, and in some contexts, the sooner the better. In B2B sales, you need as many as [ten commitments](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2014/02/15/10-commitments-you-must-gain-to-win-deals/). Not closing, not gaining those commitments, will cause you all kinds of problems. #### Truth, In Context Most of us, myself included, are writing about or speaking some truth. In the context in which we are writing it it is likely true, and it makes a lot of sense for people within this context to adopt the idea. But out of context it can be horrible advice and can have a devastating impact on your results. Think deeply about the context in which the writer is writing. And carefully consider the decisions you make as you play the game. Dropping the context is dangerous to your results.   ###### Tags: [Sales](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/sales) [2015](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/2015) Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino) on May 17, 2015 Written and edited by human brains and human hands. ![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg) Anthony Iannarino is an American writer. He has published daily at [thesalesblog.com](https://www.thesalesblog.com) for more than 14 years, amassing over 5,300 articles and making this platform a destination for salespeople and sales leaders. Anthony is also the author of four best-selling books documenting modern sales methodologies and a fifth book for sales leaders seeking revenue growth. His latest book for an even wider audience is titled, The Negativity Fast: Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success. Anthony speaks to sales organizations worldwide, delivering cutting-edge sales strategies and tactics that work in this ever-evolving B2B landscape. He also provides workshops and seminars. Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn, X or Youtube. You can email Anthony at [iannarino@gmail.com](mailto:iannarino@gmail.com) [Follow me on my website](https://www.thesalesblog.com/anthony-iannarino) [Follow me on Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/thesalesblog) [Follow me on LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/iannarino/) [Follow me on Twitter ](http://www.twitter.com/iannarino) [![AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27.jpg?width=400&height=400&name=AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27.jpg)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/authority) [![ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1.jpg?width=318&height=179&name=ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1.jpg)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/free-cold-calling-video) ![salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover (1)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover%20(1).jpg?width=768&height=994&name=salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover%20(1).jpg) ### Free Sales eBook: Sales Call Planner Planning your sales call improves the likelihood of making a successful call, and it demonstrates to your dream client your professionalism. 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What we’re doing right now **is working**, even in this challenging economy. **Would you like some help?** [![Solve for Sales](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035) ### Join my Weekly Newsletter for Sales Tips Join 100,000+ sales professionals in my weekly newsletter and get my *Guide to Becoming a Sales Hustler* eBook for FREE! --- ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org/", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Anthony Iannarino" }, "dateModified" : "2022-12-01T3:35:18 PM", "datePublished" : "2015-05-17 21:48:38", "description" : "Carefully consider the decisions you make as you play the game. 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