Cold Calling: A Better Way To Get Clients

No, cold calling isn’t dead. In fact, it’s alive and well. At least it is if you’re doing it right! There’s no denying that many salespeople and businesses have lost faith in cold calling; but the truth is that it’s still one of the most effective ways to get new clients for your business or even yourself. 

So how can you make sure your cold calls are working? Here are some tips from experts on how to get more out of every call:

Key Takeaways
1. Cold calling remains a powerful method for client acquisition.
2. Personalization and research are crucial for effective calls.
3. Building rapport and addressing objections can lead to success.
4. Integrating email follow-ups can enhance cold calling outcomes.
5. Balancing persistence with respect for the prospect is vital.

Think Through Your Objective

Before you ever pick up the phone, think through your objective.

What are you hoping to get out of this call? What action do you want from the person on the other end of the line? Do you want them to come into your office for a consultation? 

Do you want them to sign up for some kind of trial offer or a free test drive? If so, how much time and money are they willing to spend on that trial offer or free test drive? How much money would it take for them to buy from you now (and if possible, when)?

Building strong connections with potential clients is essential for business growth. Learn valuable insights from our guide on 10 Tips for Sending Cold Emails to enhance your outreach strategy.

Do Your Research

Before you make that first phone call, there are a few things you should do to ensure success.

Do your research. Know the company and its products. If possible, know the person you are calling and their position in the company. 

Knowing their contact information will make it easier for them to find out who you are and why they should take your call instead of hanging up on it or sending security to escort you from their building.

Know their name as well as their title (if applicable). Pay attention to when they use their title versus just “Ms.” or “Mr.” You might say something like: “Hello Ms. Smith! This is Kevin from Company X with great news for us both!”

Find out where they work so that if need be, someone else can reach them if needed. If she has two phones at her desk one personal and one business.

Make sure this is crystal clear before continuing with any other questions or comments about her job duties/responsibilities which may come up during your conversation later on down the road when talking about how we can help each other out!

Keep Your Pitch Short And Sweet

Keep Your Pitch Short and Sweet.

You must be prepared with answers to the most common questions asked by prospective clients, including:

• What is your process? (You should be able to describe how you work in a succinct way.)
• How much does it cost? (Be sure to mention any additional fees or costs.)
• Do you have experience with my project? (If not, why do you feel qualified for it?)
• Are you available right now?
• Can I see samples of your work before we decide anything?

Crafting an effective cold email campaign requires a mix of strategy and creativity. To make your next cold email campaign stand out, consider incorporating the 14 actionable tips outlined in our comprehensive guide: 14 Tips for Your Next Cold Email Campaign.

Don’t Get Thrown Off The Scent

One of the most important things to remember when you are contacting new prospects is that NO response is a response, and more importantly, no rejection is final. 

There’s an old saying that goes something like this: “A curmudgeon is someone who doesn’t know how to take a compliment.” 

And in sales, it’s easy for us to become curmudgeons. It happens all the time a prospect says no thank you and then hangs up on you or sends off an angry email telling you how rudely your team member spoke with them. 

This can be incredibly discouraging, especially if it happens several times in one day! But here’s some good news: 

All of those negative responses don’t mean anything at all unless they make you angry or discouraged enough not to go back into your office and keep calling more prospects until someone agrees to talk with you.*

Remember That It’s A Numbers Game

The key to a successful campaign is to remember that it’s a numbers game. You need to make enough calls and get enough positive responses so that your overall conversion rate is high enough. 

In other words, you have to make more calls than you lose, and there’s no way around this. While some salespeople might find this discouraging.

It can be encouraging because it means that even if you do all the right things but lose some clients, keeping up with the workload will get easier over time as your averages improve!

Set A Comfortable Schedule For Yourself

You should set yourself a comfortable schedule for making calls. If you’re going to do this, you’ll want to stick with it and make sure that the time and effort are worth your investment. 

Once you’ve decided on what times work best for your business, set up a schedule so that callers know when they can expect to hear from you or have their questions answered.

When setting up a schedule, consider the following:

• How long does it usually take for potential clients to respond?
• Are there any times in which I am most likely (or least likely) to get through?
• What other responsibilities are competing for my attention during those times?

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Make Sure You’re Talking To The Right Person

Ask for the name of the person you are talking to. This is an obvious one, but it’s important to make sure that you’re talking to the right person. 

You don’t want to come off as a pushy salesperson who can’t take no for an answer and waste your time or theirs if they cannot help you right away.

Ask if they are the right person to speak with. If someone says that they aren’t able to help you, don’t try and convince them otherwise that’s only going to make things more awkward! 

Instead, thank them for their time and ask if there is someone else at their organization who might be able to assist; this way everyone wins: The client gets an easy win (no pressure) while also moving towards finding a solution quickly.

Ask if they can help or refer you somewhere else instead of saying “no” outright because this shows respect both ways you’re doing your research beforehand so that when someone does say “yes” later on down the line it will seem like fate rather than luck!

Prioritize A List Of Companies That You’d Like To Work For

In order for cold calling to be effective, you need to prioritize a list of clients that are willing and able to pay you. This is going to be your top priority!

Make sure that the companies on your list:

• Are known in their field, have an established reputation and are growing quickly (or at least not shrinking).
• Have a good website or blog that showcases what they can do for their customers (and potential clients). It should be easy to navigate and contain lots of useful information. 

If you’re not sure whether it’s good enough, check out other people’s websites in the same industry as yours – how would they compare? Do they look similar? Better or worse than yours? 

How could yours improve? Make sure every page has clear navigation links so visitors can easily get around without getting lost in long pages full of text which makes it difficult for them discover what products/services exist within each category or section.”

Continue Making Calls After Getting Turned Down

You should continue making calls after getting turned down. Don’t give up, even if you get turned down right away. Being afraid of rejection is normal, but remember that you can’t be successful without taking risks and going after what you want in life.

Don’t call the same person twice unless they ask for help again, since this will make them think that they’re being bugged by someone who won’t take no for an answer. 

If they don’t respond to your second call, leave a voicemail telling them that it would be great if they could take some time out of their busy schedule to chat sometime soon (e.g., “I’m calling again because I know how busy/hectic your week has been lately”).

If possible, ask them if there’s anything else that could help them understand why you’re calling so often; otherwise just keep asking how things are going until they say something positive before ending the conversation with a “Thank You.” 

This way it’ll seem like less like an awkward phone call and more like two friends hanging out together!

Engaging your audience through email marketing is a powerful tool for business success. Explore our insights on Email Marketing: How to Get Your Emails Opened and Engage Your Audience to create compelling content that resonates with your recipients.

Always Follow Up With A Thank-You Note And Another Call

After a client meeting, always send a thank-you note. A complimentary hand-written note will go a long way towards establishing you as an individual who is professional, appreciative and interested in making the relationship work.

This will also help you follow up with the client after your initial conversation. Remember, following up is critical to getting clients on board. It’s the best way to get them to respond favorably to your work so that they’ll want to hire again later (and refer their friends).

Avoid Time Wasters And Stick To Your Schedule

Once you’ve started your sales call, don’t waste time on people who aren’t interested. If a prospect tells you upfront that they are not interested in your product or service, thank them for their time and move on. 

Don’t push them to take a demo or try to persuade them otherwise.

If someone doesn’t qualify during the first call (which is quite likely), then don’t give up. Send an email follow up explaining why they weren’t a good fit and requesting if there was anything else they needed help with? 

Do it again in another week if necessary until either a) you’ve gained enough intel about their needs/competitors/industry that it makes sense for both parties or b) they are satisfied with what little information was shared during first conversation.

I like this quote from Stephen Covey: “”Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be,”” said Confucius “than about what makes grass green.”

Ask For Referrals In Every Call

Ask for referrals in every call. You might think that this is so obvious that it doesn’t need to be stated, but I’m going to say it anyway: “Ask for referrals in every call you make.”

You should ask for referrals from every client. You should also ask them who else they would recommend you contact. Don’t forget vendors and colleagues anyone who may have contacts or connections that could benefit your business (and help grow yours).

In addition to asking people directly who they know that might want your services, consider the possibility of indirect recommendations on social media platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn as well. 

For example, if a former customer posts on Facebook that they had a great experience with another company’s product or service, ask them if they’d like to provide reviews on their own websites as well or give some kind words about yours!

Want to maximize the impact of your cold email strategies? Dive into our article highlighting 7 Cold Email Strategies That Will Put Money in Your Pocket to uncover proven methods for achieving better results in your outreach efforts.

Conclusion

So there you go! Some of the most important things to keep in mind as you begin cold calling. It may seem like a daunting task when you first start, but if you stick with it, I promise that before long cold calling will become second nature. 

And let me tell ya when that happens, it’s a beautiful thing. Happy hunting!

Further Reading

Here are some additional resources to explore for more insights on cold calling strategies:

7 Cold Calling Tips That Will Yield Greater Returns

Enhance your cold calling approach with these practical tips for improved results.

Cold Calling Tips and Techniques: The Ultimate Guide

Discover a comprehensive guide filled with techniques to excel in the art of cold calling.

Cold Calling Tips: How to Improve Your Success Rate

Learn how to boost your success rate through effective cold calling strategies.

FAQs

Have questions about cold calling strategies? Here are answers to some common queries:

Q: What are some essential cold calling techniques for success?

A: Effective cold calling involves researching your prospects, preparing a compelling script, focusing on benefits, and maintaining a positive tone.

Q: How can I handle objections during cold calls?

A: Address objections by acknowledging the concern, empathizing, and offering solutions that highlight the value your product or service provides.

Q: Is it better to make cold calls at specific times?

A: Yes, certain times, like mid-morning or early afternoon, tend to be more suitable for cold calling as people are more likely to be available and receptive.

Q: How can I create a personalized approach in my cold calls?

A: Personalize your cold calls by referencing the prospect’s industry, challenges, or recent achievements, demonstrating your genuine interest in their needs.

Q: What’s the role of follow-up in cold calling?

A: Follow-up is crucial for nurturing leads. Sending follow-up emails, making additional calls, and providing valuable information can help maintain engagement and build relationships.