Cold calling… just saying the word may make you shiver. No one really likes to make cold calls, but if you’re in any kind of sales position, it’s probably a part of your job. Facing rejection and offering your product or service confidently takes guts. Here are some great tips to help you increase your success and turn those cold calls into winning ones!
1. Set personal feelings aside.
When making cold calls, you have to understand what you’re getting into. In many ways, what you’re doing is basically an interruption to anyone – they have a job to do, and your call isn’t high up on their priority list. Rejection is imminent. Depending on the nature of your business, you may hear more “no’s” than “yes’s”. This doesn’t mean you remove all feeling. Your prospects and smart and will know immediately if you’re just trying to make a sale. But you can’t take it personally when people tell you any number of objections or even get upset with you.
2. Design a script.
Having a proper script may help you to concisely explain the benefits associated with our product and services within a short span of time. The less time the prospect has to listen to an explanation, the better. In other words, rather than ‘beating around the bush,’ you should provide a description and succinct set of reasons to buy our services.
3. Lead with an offer or a solution, not a question.
When starting out a cold call, asking a question first will end the conversation much faster than you want, especially if the answer is yes or no. Your product or service can be the solution to someone’s problem. So if you lead by offering your solution, the prospect can take more of a vested interest. Your goal is to build a business relationship that will last – if you’re providing something the prospect need or solve a pain point, they’re more likely to remain loyal to you.
4. Have a long-term vision.
When cold calls are the main source of your prospective leads, it can be easy to get bogged down in the sheer amount of time these calls take. But if you have a long-term vision, you’ll be able to get past some of the nuances of cold calling and keep your focus on successfully helping your prospects. It’s all about the long game. When you can see the big picture and the part you play in it, you can keep your mindset positive.
5. Set realistic, reachable goals.
After figuring out your long-term vision, take the time to set some reachable goals. A lot of salespeople set their sights too high, whether because of pressure or because of what they think is required, and this will ultimately lead to major burn out. Keep your goals realistic. Take a close look at your close ratio and set realistic expectations, and determine what your goals should be from there.
6. It takes a personal touch.
It may sound strange, but when you add some of your personality into your cold calling, it increases familiarity with your prospects and can lead to a better business relationship. Whether it’s the CEO or the gatekeepers (the secretaries, cashiers, managers, wait staff), take notes and make it personal – remember names or past conversations. When salespeople are too aggressive or pushy, it disinterests prospects. You don’t have to take control of the whole conversation. Listen and respond when a prospect has a problem or an issue. Making them feel important will increase sales exponentially.
7. Practice makes perfect.
Everyone knows that the only way to get better at something is with practice. Rehearsing your pitch before making your calls is in your best interest. Some experts believe in practicing in front of a mirror, or making sure your body language speaks positively (remember to smile!). Your attitude will determine which direction the call goes. If you’re positive, the prospect will be too.
Cold calling is not always a joy, but your attitude is the determining factor in how those calls will go. Warm those calls up by putting some concentrated effort into improving your cold-calling mindset.
Happy Selling,
David
