The reality is that most people who pay real money for software and computer services don't think this way. They hate cold calls from salespeople, sure, but a human call from someone who actually wants to hear what they think is so rare that you'll stand out in the opposite way you're suggesting.
I'd like to gingerly suggest that you carefully reconsider any advice you get on a message board about the propriety of directly contacting customers and prospects. Message board nerds like us are terrible at evaluating these situations, and it really holds us back.
This is really true in my case. Last year I called up 100 of our highest GMV customers at Shopify – these were busy merchants who almost certainly had better things to do than talk to me about how they felt about Shopify.
Out of those 100 customers, 81 picked up the phone, and of the 81 that did, exactly 3 didn't want to talk to me. The rest graciously provided amazing, actionable feedback.
Do not make the mistake of listening to a bunch of really smart, technically-inclined HN'ers when it comes to business advice -- unless these are the guys you're selling to. Everybody, no matter how savvy, is really bad at predicting how a market will react. You just have to do these things and see for yourself.
and it really holds us back. Which means that the fear of being called a salesman/spammer/sleaze ball costs you hundreds of thousands of dollars each year in sales. Thats the truth about this attitude. But, on the other hand, I love that people act like this. It makes making money sooooooooooo much easier for me.
Yep, the last time I called someone, they were overjoyed that they didn't have to communicate with me via typing. We really do need to keep the norm in mind.
I'd like to gingerly suggest that you carefully reconsider any advice you get on a message board about the propriety of directly contacting customers and prospects. Message board nerds like us are terrible at evaluating these situations, and it really holds us back.