We’re surprised that you even clicked on this post, given how most people feel about cold calling. They don’t want to make the calls, they don’t want to get the calls, and they wish the calls would just go away. And they would go away, except for one minor detail:
They work!
Yep. That’s why cold calling still exists. It’s an effective way to reach new prospects and to increase sales. Once you’ve accepted the reality, the healing can begin, and you can consider incorporating cold calling into your sales approach. And using the tips and steps below, you can make sure it isn’t a big waste of time.
Research
It’s important not to use a “volume approach” in which you call everyone on a list with no preparation and get hangups 99.9% of the time. A more effective method is to do a bit of research on the person you’re calling so that you can have some familiarity with their business.
That way, you’re not just using a canned pitch. Instead, you’re relating to prospects and you stand a much better chance of making a connection. If you show that you took the time to understand something about the world your lead lives in, you improve your odds of success. Obviously, this doesn’t mean 100% conversions, but the increase over taking shots in the dark is meaningful.
Listen
Don’t talk so dang much! The goal is not just to sell, sell, sell. Instead, you want to hear the prospect’s concerns. Your first order of business after getting someone talking is to take time and understand what his or her interests are. The only talking you should be doing in the first phase of the conversation is to ask questions. That way, you can figure out how your product might solve a person’s problems. Once you’ve done that, you can focus your pitch in a much more effective way.
Take notes
Don’t let all the details fly by. Take notes as you talk so that when you do follow-up calls, you’ll have something to jog your memory with. You will be making a lot of calls and it will become difficult to remember each person you spoke to. With a few short notes, you can always have a bit of guidance. If a prospect has to repeat him or herself, you’ve probably taken a major hit to your credibility, so you need to avoid that at all costs. Also, notes let your team members pick up the ball if you are away from the office or you need some support.
Use referrals
Referrals are great, and social networks let you “create your own” to some extent. Before you call someone, check out LinkedIn to see if you have any mutual contacts, interests, or other facts in common. This is sometimes a useful thing to mention to create a bit of familiarity or to loosen up a conversation.
With these tips, cold calling becomes less about selling to uninterested strangers and more about getting to know people, which is a lot more fun. Focus on that approach, and your cold calling efforts will be more profitable and more enjoyable.
Also make sure to check out Bizness CRM — which makes “selling to small businesses easy.”
