As a sales professional, marketing expert, or business owner, you’ve probably spent plenty of time on the phone with people. And if you’re like most people, those calls were probably cold calls meaning you weren’t calling them because they’d asked for it.
In fact, you may have even had to call dozens or hundreds of people just to find one qualified prospect who was interested in buying from your company.
That’s not surprising though: according to Sales Benchmark Index (SBI), only 36% of all sales reps achieve quota even after making 100+ calls per week! So what can we do differently? Here are 14 tips that might help:
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Cold calling remains a viable marketing strategy for businesses looking to engage with potential customers directly. |
| 2. Mastering the art of cold calling requires understanding objections and objections handling techniques. |
| 3. Personalization and research are essential in creating effective cold call scripts. |
| 4. Overcoming the fear of cold calling involves practice, confidence-building, and focusing on the value you bring. |
| 5. Integrating cold calling with other marketing strategies can lead to comprehensive and successful campaigns. |
1. Be Upfront About Your Intentions
You should be upfront about your intentions. You are calling because you want to sell something.
You are not calling to make friends or ask questions about their day, unless those questions relate directly back to the product you want them to buy from you.
You also need to be honest about what it is that you’re selling and how much it costs as well as any special offers or discounts that might apply if they make a purchase today.
Your call needs an objective and a script so that when things get stilted or uncomfortable for any reason (which they will), there is still something for everyone involved in the conversation to fall back on so that nothing gets lost in translation between parties.
When it comes to mastering cold calling marketing strategy and achieving substantial business growth, understanding the nuances is crucial. Learn more about effective techniques in our guide on boosting your business growth through cold calling.
2. Do Your Research On The Company
A company’s mission statement is the perfect place to start. Your new contact’s job is to run the company and make sure it stays in business, so their well-being depends on their ability to make money.
To do that, they need customers and as you can imagine, there are a lot of companies trying to get those same customers.
The first thing you need to do when researching a potential client or customer is find out what they sell or provide (the product), then find out who uses that product (the market).
Once you understand how these two pieces fit together within the larger context of the organization’s goals and objectives, it will be easier for you to determine how your service can benefit them.
3. Know Your Stuff – The Products And Services, Market, etc
Be prepared to talk about your company, product and services. Your business needs to be fully educated on the product or service that you are selling. You need to know what features it has and how it can benefit your customers.
Make sure you understand all of this before you start cold calling so that you can answer any questions that may arise during the phone call.
Know who your target market is by knowing their age group, income range, family size and location (i.e., city or state).
You will have more success selling products/services if you know where they live because it gives you an edge when trying to sign them up as new customers for your company’s products/services.
Know who their competitors are by researching them online using Google searches such as “compare this product with its competitors” or “what are some other companies?”
Knowing who these companies are will help give insight into how successful they might be compared with yours which could potentially hurt sales figures later down the line if left unchecked early on
Cold calling might seem challenging, but knowing the brutal truth about cold calling and the keys to success can change the game. Dive into our article on succeeding at cold calling to uncover actionable insights.
4. Don’t Pitch Before You Understand The Pain Point
If you want to sell something, you need to first understand what the buyer needs and why they need it. This is especially true for cold calling where you are often pitching before you have any relationship with the person on the other end of your phone call or social media message.
In order to make sure that your pitch is relevant, here’s what else should happen in this step:
1) Understand who your buyer persona is
2) Identify their pain points
3) Identify how your product/service can address those pain points
4) Understand how these people buy in this market
5) Develop a list of questions based on all of the above information
6) Start cold calling with those questions
5. Don’t Pitch Before You Understand The Buyer Persona
Understand the buyer persona. The first step of your cold calling strategy is to understand the buyer persona. Defining a buyer persona is a way to define your target audience, and it can be helpful in crafting an effective pitch when you’re ready to make your cold calls.
A buyer persona should answer questions like: who are these people? What do they care about? How much money do they have? How can I reach them?
6. Make Sure You Have The Right Person On The Line
You don’t want to spend time talking to someone who won’t buy your product or service, so you need to make sure that you’re only talking to people who will be interested in buying it.
If someone calls and asks for a price or product information, ask if they are actually interested in purchasing from you before giving them any information. If they say yes, then provide them with the requested information but only after verifying their identity.
Calling potential clients might be intimidating, but employing the right techniques for effective communication can make all the difference. Explore our tips on cold calling people properly for guidance on making impactful connections.
7. Qualify Prospects To Determine If They’re A Good Fit
In sales, it’s important to qualify prospects. This refers to determining if they are a good fit for your company. You should also qualify them to determine if they’re a good fit for your team and product or service.
One of the key things that you’ll want to do is find out if the prospect has an immediate need for whatever it is that you’re selling. If not, there’s no point in pursuing them further because they won’t be able to buy from you anytime soon.
For example, if someone calls up looking for information on how their business can improve its cash flow by using cold calling marketing strategy and execution conversations as part of their sales process.
Then chances are that he/she doesn’t have any immediate need for such information at this time (i.e., there may be other priorities).
8. Don’t Get Defensive If They Hang Up
You might be tempted to think that the person is being rude, but that’s rarely the case. They’re just not interested in what you’re selling. Don’t take it personally and do not let it affect you.
Remember, this person wasn’t chosen at random they were chosen because of their demographic profile and other characteristics, so there’s a good chance someone else will be interested in buying from you in the future!
Also remember that your product or service is not being rejected; rather, it simply isn’t a good fit for this particular customer.
They just need another solution for whatever problem they have and if your company offers multiple solutions (for example: different types of software), then chances are very high that there will be other people out there who do want your services!
9. Remember That Your Goal Is Not To Sell On The First Call
That said, it’s OK and totally expected for you to ask for the sale at some point and try to get them to buy right away.
If they say “no” or seem hesitant (or even if they don’t), don’t take it personally; there’s nothing wrong with asking again in a few weeks or months when things have changed.
There are many reasons why people buy from one company over another, but at least half of them are due to how well their salespeople do their jobs.
If you’re doing yours well and yes, this includes asking for the sale then chances are good your prospect will eventually decide that working with you would be best for him or her as well as your company..
Cold calling doesn’t have to be ineffective or uncomfortable. Discover 10 creative strategies that can help marketers establish rapport and engage prospects in a more meaningful way.
10. Identify Their Next Steps Before You End the Call
Identify their next steps. Before you end the call, it’s important to get confirmation of what the person will do next. If you’re offering a free product trial, ask them to sign up for that. If you want to schedule a meeting, ask them when would be best for them.
Ensure they have all the information they need so that they can move forward with executing on whatever action item you’ve identified as being critical to moving forward with your sales process (and ultimately closing).
11. Use A Script To Start With But Don’t Stick To It Rigidly
When you’re just starting out, it’s tempting to use a script as a crutch. But remember: It’s supposed to be only an organizing tool not the end of your thinking.
If you find yourself running out of things to say, ask questions instead of trying to think of something new (this is what we call “selling by asking”).
There are times when I’ll get on the phone with someone who seems like they could be an ideal customer for us, and we end up having an awkward conversation where we just sort of stare at each other silently.
Because neither one knows how this whole thing works or what direction the conversation should go in next. Don’t panic!
Just keep going and try not miss any opportunities for connection with your prospect; you may be surprised at what happens once both sides relax into their comfort zone.
12. Try Out Different Opening Lines
The opening line of your cold call is vital to its success. You want to be creative, different and memorable. You want to personalize the conversation as much as possible by focusing on how you can help the prospect.
The last thing you want is for your prospect to hear the same “Hi, my name is John Smith” opener every time they receive a call from a salesperson.
It’s important that the opening line get right into what you’re offering rather than just being an icebreaker or way of saying hello. Try something like: “I wanted to reach out because we’ve been working on some new strategies that could help make your process more efficient.”
13. Use Humor Sparingly – But It Can Work Well If Used Properly (And Appropriately)
Humor can be a great way to break the ice with cold callers. It can also help you make your points and stand out from the competition. However, if used incorrectly or in poor taste, humor can backfire and do more harm than good.
If you choose to use humor during your cold calls, here are some considerations:
- Make sure that it’s appropriate for the situation at hand. Using humor when someone is clearly offended by something you said or did isn’t going to go over well!
- Use it sparingly; don’t try too hard or be overly cheesy with your jokes.
- Be sure that everyone else involved knows what’s funny before they perform their part of a joke (such as laughing).
14. Be Prepared For Objections And Have Answers Ready In Advance – Think About Them Ahead Of Time And Anticipate What They May Be
When the prospect says, “No thank you,” or when they hang up on you, what do you do? Do you just move on to your next call? Or do you know how to handle this situation? Even if the prospect is negative and says no right away, it doesn’t mean that they’re not interested at all.
They could simply be saying no because they’re unsure of what they want or they don’t want to be rude by saying no immediately.
The key here is being able to recognize when someone is actually being polite by avoiding conflict with a stranger who’s trying their best.
Make sure that if someone doesn’t want something from a sales call that they aren’t put off by your persistence!
In the realm of marketing, finding the right balance between interruption and engagement can drive business growth. Our guide on interruption marketing ideas showcases unique approaches to expand your business through innovative marketing methods.
Conclusion
We know that cold calling is a difficult skill to master. In fact, according to a recent study from Salesforce, 80% of salespeople say it’s their weakest area. But just because it’s challenging doesn’t mean it should be given up on entirely.
Instead, we recommend trying some of these strategies to make sure you don’t get overwhelmed by your anxiety or fear of rejection when cold calling.
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources to further explore the topic of cold calling and enhance your understanding:
The Ultimate Cold Calling Guide: Learn the ins and outs of successful cold calling techniques and strategies in this comprehensive guide.
Effective Cold Calling Tips and Techniques: Discover practical tips and techniques that can help you improve your cold calling success rates and outcomes.
Crafting an Effective Cold Call Script: Explore the art of creating a compelling cold call script that engages potential customers and maximizes your chances of success.
FAQs
How do I prepare for a successful cold calling session?
To prepare for a successful cold calling session, research your prospects, understand their pain points, and tailor your approach to address their specific needs.
What are some common cold calling objections and how do I handle them?
Common cold calling objections include “I’m not interested” and “I don’t have time.” To handle objections, listen actively, empathize, and offer solutions that demonstrate the value of your product or service.
How can I make my cold calling approach more personalized?
Personalize your cold calling approach by referencing specific details from your prospect’s industry or recent activities. This shows that you’ve done your homework and are genuinely interested in their business.
What’s the key to a successful cold calling script?
A successful cold calling script is concise, engaging, and focused on the prospect’s needs. It should initiate a meaningful conversation rather than sounding overly rehearsed.
How do I overcome the fear of cold calling?
Overcoming the fear of cold calling takes practice and confidence-building. Start with smaller calls, set achievable goals, and remind yourself of the value you’re offering to your prospects.
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.