101 Cold Calls
Inevitably, making unsolicited sales calls is awkward and uncomfortable. It comes with the territory, and there’s no avoiding it. But that doesn’t mean you can’t excel at it.
The following advice will help you take the chill out of cold calls.
No excuses; play like a champion. A cold call will always be a cold call, but your frame of mind when approaching it can change the outcome.
“Much cold-calling success is dependent on attitude,” says Pat Cavanaugh at Inc.com. “You have to view it as a challenge and you have to have a competitive spirit.”
Mailing it in. When it comes to cold calling, sometimes too much information can defeat the purpose.
“The objective of the cold call is to get the appointment. Nothing else,” says Cavanaugh. “I’m a little wary about sending out brochures in advance. If they already have the information on your company’s products and services, why do they need to meet with you? You are a much, much more effective salesperson in person than any small brochure is.”
Timing is everything. Not only is it important to focus on what you say during a cold call, it’s also important to know when to make them.
“Make cold calls when you feel the freshest and most energized,” says the team at allbusiness.com. “Think of the call as a friendly conversation, not an adversarial one. Remind yourself that you have a great product that genuinely serves a need.”
Cue cards. To get a better handle on the act of calling cold, know what you’re going to say before you have to say it.
“Write an opening statement in advance…to organize your thoughts,” advises the allbusiness.com team. “Since you have about 20 seconds to get a person’s attention, you can’t afford to ramble or trip up once the prospect is on the line.”
Stay the course. Studies show that only those who continue to call end up with anything to show for it.
“Eighty percent of new sales are made after the fifth contact, yet the majority of salespeople give up after the second call,” says allbusiness.com.
“Follow up and keep calling. Persistence pays off."
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