Cold calling to potential clients is an effective and proven way to grow sales. Although the practice has been around for as long as the practice of selling has been, cold calling on customers to find new leads and new sales can send cold chills up the spine of the most seasoned professional.
Cold calling can conjure up more rejections than anyone really wants to subject themselves to. Nonetheless, cold calling is essential to grow sales. Proper planning and a positive attitude can go a long way in making cold calling successful and ease the chill.
Before You Start Cold Calling
There are a number of items to complete when planning a cold call campaign. Before you make the first call, set goals and determine the call to action you want the prospect to make. Do you want them to buy on the phone, set up an appointment for you to visit them, or are you just asking for permission to send more information? Know exactly what you want to accomplish with the call before making the call.
Cold calling is not the time to try to ‘wing it’. Always, always do cold calls working from a script. Script the opening, the response to rejection, the call to action, and the close. Then, practice your script out loud before calling.
Research all of the companies you plan on calling. The Internet can be a great help. If the prospect has a web site, print off the company’s full name, address, product and service lists, contact lists and other pertinent information.
Not only set goals for what you want to accomplish with the cold calling, set goals for how many calls per day and how many days per week or month to make.
Have a way to make and store notes about each call. Design or set up a calling history form or use client management software to record when the call was made and to who, the results of the call, and the follow-up needed.
While Making the Cold Calls
Remember the rule about first impressions. You never get a repeat on first impressions and meeting on the phone is as critical as meeting in person so keep your voice confident and upbeat.
When the prospect answers, always ask if they have a few minutes before you start your pitch - if they say they don’t have time, ask when you can call them back.
During the call, stop to summarize the conversation so that the prospect knows you have been paying attention and it tells you that the prospect has been paying attention.
Close to the end of the call, summarize the prospect’s needs and questions and then ask for the next step, or for the sale or for the appointment.
Always let the prospect know how and when you will follow-up. And, always, always, always say thank you for their time – even to the rejections.
After Making the Cold Calls
There is as much post planning as the pre- planning. Immediately after ending each call, make sure your notes are accurate and include all details pertinent to the follow-up or the completion of a sale. Follow-up and follow through as promised. Prepare for the next call. Most assuredly, it will be different than the last.
Make the Most of Cold Calling
Companies are always looking for good workable products and services that can provide the solutions to their problems. If you offer a company a much needed solution, they will be more than happy you called. Cold calling is only successful when you believe that your product or service is beneficial to the prospect and you present it as such.
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