As a marketer, one of your primary responsibilities is to generate sales leads and increase your company’s revenue. Cold calling is an effective way to do this, but most people hate it.
In fact, many marketers avoid the practice altogether because they’re afraid that it will make them seem like sleazy salespeople or put their prospects off from ever doing business with them again (which isn’t an unreasonable fear).
But for those who are willing to put in the effort and develop some solid skills, there are plenty of ways you can cold call prospects without being annoying or unprofessional.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Tailor your approach to each prospect’s needs and pain points. |
| 2. Research your prospects thoroughly to establish a personal connection. |
| 3. Develop a clear and concise value proposition for your call. |
| 4. Practice active listening to understand the prospect’s requirements. |
| 5. Use storytelling to engage prospects and make your message memorable. |
| 6. Leverage social media insights to understand your prospect better. |
| 7. Provide valuable insights and solutions relevant to the prospect. |
| 8. Utilize referral introductions to build trust and credibility. |
| 9. Focus on building a relationship rather than just making a sale. |
| 10. Follow up consistently to nurture relationships and opportunities. |
1. Create A List Of Your Target Prospects, And Determine The Types Of Companies You Want To Reach Out To
A lot of this comes down to knowing your audience. You need to know the person you’re calling and the company they work for (or own), as well as what type of company they are. Then, when it comes time to make a pitch or ask for something, you can tailor your materials accordingly.
The most important thing is that the prospect knows exactly who you are, so if possible include your name and contact information on every piece of correspondence even if it’s just an email subject line.
Here are some other things to consider:
What industry does this person work in? Are there any commonalities between their industry and yours that would help sell yourself?
How much authority do they have within their company? Can they make decisions without needing approval from someone else first? Is this person even allowed to talk about what we want them to (for example, if we’re trying to reach someone at a healthcare facility)?
Cold calling can be a daunting task, but with the right strategies, you can achieve remarkable results. Learn the ropes with our guide on Cold Calling 101: How I Got Over 100 Interviews with This Strategy and discover the secrets to successful cold calling.
2. Set A Goal That You Can Measure, Whether It Be Sales Leads Or Website Visits
The first step is to set a goal that you can measure, whether it be sales leads or website visits. Remember that when setting goals, you want them to be realistic.
In other words, if your business isn’t in the market for new customers yet and your only goal is to get more traffic on your website without any specific objective in mind, then this may not be the right approach for you just yet.
Another good thing about having a measurable goal is that it will help keep things in perspective.
It’s easy to get caught up in worrying about how many people are going through with their purchases after hearing one of your pitches over the phone (or even worse: not buying anything at all).
But if they were interested enough in what they heard from you during their call with one of our operators so much so that they went ahead and visited our website afterward…then all is still well!
A good metric would be “website visit within 24 hours of receiving an email,” which we could track by attaching JavaScript code directly onto our landing page HTML files so anyone visiting this page would trigger an event every time he/she came back again later on down his browser history trail.*
3. Prioritize Who You Need To Reach Out To Based On The Information In Your Prospect Database Or CRM System
To prioritize your list of prospects, you need to look at who is most likely to buy from you. In other words, find out how much they spend on your product or service and how much they are likely to continue spending.
How much do they spend on something similar to what I offer? If a prospect spends $1 million a year on my product/service but only spends $500k per year on another similar offering, then she is way more valuable than someone who spends only $150k per year.
What’s the potential for future growth in sales? If a prospect has been growing her spending over time by 20% annually and shows no signs of slowing down (e.g., she just won an award for being one of the top 10 companies buying from me), then this customer should be my ROI priority!
If possible, try having multiple people prioritize the list that way there won’t be any disagreement about which companies are most profitable (or have the most potential).
Mastering the cold calling marketing strategy is essential for business growth. Discover actionable insights and techniques in our comprehensive resource: How to Master Cold Calling Marketing Strategy and Boost Your Business Growth.
4. Create An Initial Script That Appeals To Their Interests And Needs Without Having To Be A Sleazy Salesperson (Handbooks Like This One Might Be Useful Preparation Material As Well)
The key to getting through the first call is making it as easy as possible for the prospect. If you can give them a reason to pick up the phone and talk with you, your chances of success will increase drastically.
A script is an excellent way to make sure that your message comes across clearly, in a way that’s likely to be understood by anyone on the other end of the line.
It also helps ensure that what comes out of your mouth sounds natural, not scripted or robotic, and won’t put off any potential customers who might be nervous about talking with salespeople (or maybe just downright scared).
The best cold calling scripts are short and directly address whatever issue has brought them into contact with yours; they keep things simple by focusing on one problem at a time;
They take into account where people are coming from by making sure that their language is accessible rather than technical; and they acknowledge concerns before going on any further (for example: “I know this might sound strange but…”).
5. Practice Role-Playing With Someone Else So That You Can Build Confidence And Figure Out How To Respond To Various Scenarios
Practice with a friend, colleague, or family member. This can be one of the most useful parts of cold calling because it will give you immediate feedback on how you’re doing and what sounds like it’s working.
You can also use this time to practice a script or even an outline of points that you want to cover in your pitch.
Use a timer so that you don’t go over your time limit during the call. It’s easy to think that some people have all the time in the world when they are on vacation, but this is not always true (especially if they are at work).
If someone says no and hangs up on me, I simply move on to the next prospect and keep going until I find someone who agrees to hear me out for five minutes!
Tired of ineffective cold calling strategies? Explore a fresh perspective with the article on The Cold Calling Marketing Strategy That’s Actually Useful, and find innovative ways to connect with prospects and drive conversions.
6. Before Cold-Calling Your Prospects, Confirm The Contact Details, Phone Numbers, And The Best Time You Can Call Them
Confirm contact information and time.
Before calling your prospects, confirm the contact details are correct and that you have all relevant phone numbers. Confirm the time of day you should call them, too for instance if they tend to get busy at lunchtime, then it might not be a good idea to cold call during that hour.
Likewise, be sure not to schedule calls for an inconvenient time for either of you (e.g., early morning or late evening). Don’t try calling on weekends or during dinner hours unless asked specifically by your prospect!
7. Know The Pain Points Of Your Prospects Before Even Talking To Them So You Don’t Lose Their Attention Or Sound Ill-Informed About Their Needs
One of the most important things to do when cold calling is to know what pain points your prospects are facing. In other words, what issues and problems would make them want to call you? What problems can you solve for them that they couldn’t solve on their own?
Imagine this scenario: A woman named Sally wants to sell her old car, but she doesn’t know how much it’s worth (or even if it is worth anything).
You work at an auto appraiser website and have access to pricing information on millions of cars some studies say that as many as 70% of online shoppers search online before purchasing cars from brick-and-mortar dealerships.
If she calls you up and asks how much she should sell her car for, it will be easy for you because you already know all about cars and can answer her question quickly.
8. Have A Plan For If They’re Not Interested In Your Message So That You Can Get This Person Off The Phone Quickly And Politely
If someone isn’t interested in what you’re saying, have a plan for how to get them off the phone quickly and politely. This will make it easier for you to stay focused on the people who are interested in what you have to offer.
Here’s an example of how I would end the call: “Thanks so much for your time today! I appreciate it.” Then I’ll ask if they have any other questions or concerns before ending with another thank-you.
If they don’t seem like they’re going to buy anything, ask if there’s anything else that I can help them with (for example: “Is there anything else right now?”).
If they still don’t seem like they want to buy anything from me after that, just say goodbye and let them go on with their day without feeling rude about it!
Cold calling doesn’t have to be a painful process. Uncover 10 creative and effective approaches in our guide: 10 Non-Sucky Ways to Cold Call Prospects as a Marketer, and transform your outreach efforts into engaging conversations.
9. Make Sure To Follow Up on Every Cold Call Within 24 Hours With An Email Or Other Form Of Contact (E-Book, Blog Post, Etc.)
Remember to follow up every cold call within 24 hours with an email or other form of contact (e-book, blog post, etc.). This will help you stand out from the crowd and show your prospect that you’re committed.
Ask a question or comment to make the conversation more personal. You can also send them something relevant to what they said during the conversation: an article on their industry, perhaps? It shows that you were listening.
10. Know When It Is Time To Stop Calling A Lead Who Isn’t Responding And Remove Them From Your Prospecting List
The final, but equally important aspect of cold calling is knowing when and how to say no. While being prepared with a great deal of knowledge about your industry and the value you can provide is crucial in making an impactful first impression/
There will still be times when prospects won’t see their own need for your product or service (even if they do have one).
As a marketer, this is not a defeat or failure on your end it just means that you’re working with someone who isn’t ready for what you have to offer yet.
It could be because they aren’t willing to change their current course of action or simply don’t believe in what they’re doing right now (or both).
Either way, rather than waste time trying to convince them otherwise or try pushing harder than usual, it’s better off move on to another leader who will benefit from working with your team today instead of later.
New to cold calling? No worries! Get started with confidence by checking out our tips in the article: Cold Calling Tips for Beginners. You’ll be equipped with actionable advice to navigate the challenges and make meaningful connections.
Conclusion
Hopefully, these tips will help you to become a more effective marketer and reach out to more prospects in your industry. If you have any other suggestions that we didn’t cover here, please leave them in the comments below!
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources to help you enhance your cold calling strategies and techniques:
Cold Calling Tips and Techniques: Discover advanced insights and methods for improving your cold calling effectiveness.
Crafting Effective Cold Calling Opening Lines: Learn how to create impactful opening lines that capture the attention of prospects.
Reducing Stress in Cold Calling: 9 Tips: Explore practical advice to make cold calling a more manageable and less stressful endeavor.
FAQs
How can I improve my cold calling success rate?
Enhancing your cold calling success involves refining your approach, tailoring your pitch, and understanding your target audience’s pain points.
What are some effective cold calling opening lines?
Crafting compelling opening lines that pique interest while providing value is crucial. Explore different strategies to create memorable introductions.
How can I make cold calling less stressful?
Managing cold calling stress can be achieved through proper preparation, adopting a positive mindset, and focusing on building genuine connections.
Are there alternative strategies to cold calling?
Yes, there are alternative strategies like inbound marketing, social selling, and networking that can also generate leads and conversions.
How do I handle objections during cold calls?
Handling objections requires active listening, empathy, and providing relevant solutions that address the prospect’s concerns. Practice and preparation are key.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.