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How I perfected my cold calling and how it might help you too
Hi all! Hope you’re crushing it in July; I know it’s a tough time of year. I created a post on how I cold call, and I’d love to hear your tips and tricks too. I understand some may disagree with my methodology, and that’s okay. Let’s keep it civilized.
Make sure you at least read conclusion and TL;DR if you’re busy.
Cold calling is a unique weapon in the salesperson’s arsenal. I send emails, texts, Linked In messages, and heck, even hand-written letters, but nothing compares to picking up the phone and making the call. It’s like bringing a bazooka to a knife fight. Here’s my take on a perfect B2B cold calling script which you might find helpful too.
Alternative types of communication are all one-way. Through mediums such as emails, texts, social messages and letters, it doesn’t require the other person to “buy-in” to the communication. Consider that for a moment.
Those contact efforts are easy for the prospect to put-off, save for later, ignore and forget. They definitely serve a purpose, and I believe a great salesperson uses all forms of communication available, but nothing will replace a phone call.
Phone calls are a personal, two-way, real-time interaction. I’ve achieved more in a single call than weeks of touches via other channels. Honestly, while prospects seem “annoyed” at cold callers, they also can appreciate the effort of a human wanting to get in contact with them, especially after multiple attempts.
But there is a right way and a wrong way to execute a cold call, and it can be confronting for both the salesman and the prospect. Immediately, people raise their defences when they receive an unsolicited call, so we need to disarm them and instil trust.
I’ll explain the theories behind each section of my call so you can tailor it to your industry and company.
I’ve conducted a lot of research on how to perfect cold calling, because it’s arguably the most important call in your relationship with a prospect. It’s the “first date” of the business world, so you’d best impress!
**The Cold Calling Open/Introduction**
*Hi John, this is Michael from XYZ, have I caught you at a bad time?*
Let’s break this down.
* Introduce yourself in a happy tone. Keep it short, succinct and polite. Speak confidently – like you would talk to a friend.
* Address the prospect by their first name, to infer you’re of equal status. While saying “Mr.” or “Mrs.” can be a sign of respect, it also communicates that the prospect is more important than you. You’re calling with a solution to help them and your time is also of great importance; don’t put the prospect on a pedestal.
* I stopped saying “My name is Michael…” and started announcing “This is Michael…” I found this yields more positive responses, perhaps because it conveys a sense of authority. It also cuts the total number of words down.
* I also experienced better results using my first name and the company, but not my last name. I want to remove any unnecessary words, and simplify my message as much as possible for the prospect. Not to mention, when talking to a friend, you’re on a first name basis.
* I hate it when sales people ask me: “How are you?” I know they don’t care, and it’s honestly a waste of time asking. They’re interrupting my day, they’re a stranger to me AND they’re asking me a shallow question? Save that for people you’re acquainted with. Instead, I’d prefer to be asked “Have I caught you at a bad time?” for four reasons, so I tend to do the same:
1. It’s courteous and shows I respect the prospect’s time.
2. A question encourages the prospect to “buy-in” to the conversation; it takes two to tango.
3. When someone receives an unsolicited phone call, their immediate reaction in their mind is negative and hence no, no, no. By asking if I’ve caught them at a bad time, the answer “no” is actually the positive answer. This isn’t a Jedi mind trick, but it often buys you a bit more time to get your point across.
4. Even if I have caught them at a really bad time, the prospect often says “Yes, but can you call back in an hour?”
**The Reason**
*The reason I’m calling is because we’re helping the big law firms in Adelaide with their property valuation needs, and I thought you might be interested too.* **Then stop talking and wait.**
* The aim of stating the intention of my call cuts to the chase and “sets a hook” in the prospect. I want to create enough interest so they want to learn more. But you don’t have to hit the prospect with facts and figures; you just have to arouse curiosity. Remember, people buy from people. Be real and authentic.
* The way you deliver this is crucial. You must be articulate, but excited; clear but upbeat.
* I realise this pitch on paper doesn’t sound exactly exciting, but the reason it works for me is because (most) lawyers are open to learning about how we can benefit them and their clients.
* I tried different variations such as: “The reason I’m calling is because we help save lawyers time and money with property valuations…” but the response I got was that it was “too salesy,” and they became more hostile over the phone.
* “…we’re helping the big law firms in Adelaide…” is social proof that we’re helping companies LIKE them, and we’re local. This cements a trust in the prospect that we can actually provide some value to them.
* “…and I thought you might be interested too.” Who could be angry at that? I disarm the prospect but letting them know I’m not selling anything at this stage; all I’ve done is explain we’ve helped others like them and now I’m thinking we MIGHT be able to help them too. This provides a great avenue for more questions regardless if their response is “yes” or “no.”
* Then stop talking and wait for a response. In many instances, the prospect has already started talking, but if not, use the silence to create an atmosphere where the prospect HAS to say something. Often the prospect is interested and wants to hear how we can help, but on the odd occasion some they say they’re not interested.
**Qualify**
The aim here is to “investigate” by asking questions. While my hypothesis is that we can help them, I want to make sure they’re a good fit for us. There’s nothing worse than a bad customer, or wasting time with someone that the product/service isn’t going to suit.
Using a date as a scenario, imagine if you just talked the whole time about how good you are. Personally, that would be an awkward situation. The typical salesperson (myself included) is a type-A, extroverted personality who enjoys conversing, talking and having a laugh. Our job is to ask questions, and then shut up, listen, and absorb what they tell us.
**If they say they’re interested**
*Great. If I could ask you real-quick, how many family law clients do you have at the moment?*
*On average, what percentage of those would need their property valued?*
*Who do you typically use for property valuations?*
*What’s your experience been like with those firms?*
*Sounds like we might be a good fit for you. Lawyers find us useful because we service a bigger area across the state, and we also value all types of property. So we’re able to save you time because we’re more of a one-stop-shop.*
**If they say they’re not interested**
*Oh, that’s okay, I understand. If I could ask you real-quick, is it a timing issue or something else?*
If it’s a timing issue, organise a time then and there of when they’ll be able to give their full attention, and lock them into a meeting via email calendar. If it’s something else, you should have your objection/complaint responses ready. Then, depending on how that goes, you can re-direct to the questions from the “interested” category.
**Closing on a Meeting**
*I’d love to meet with you and learn more about what you do, are you free sometime next week? Preferably Monday morning or Tuesday afternoon if that suits you?*
* Emotional words like “love” create impact and show how interested you are, just to learn more about them. The sales process is all about the prospect and getting them to the “promise land” with your solution.
* Narrow down their options to make it psychologically easier for them, but also leave it open to working around them if need be. That’s polite.
**A better way to make sales scripts**
While scripts can boost your sales, conversations aren’t linear. It can be difficult to work off of scripts on paper, because when you ask the prospect questions, the responses can vary. This is why I created SalesWolf.io, so no matter what direction the conversation takes, I can maintain control and work toward the goal.
**Conclusion**
To be a cold calling master, you need to be enthusiastic and deliberate in the words you speak, while engaging the prospect in a two-way communication. Being short, sharp and shiny is effective; don’t beat around the bush. Keep the goal of the call in mind and never forget: people do business with people!
**TL;DR – simplicity, deliberate, short, sharp, shiny, script, questions, listen, close meeting and be an empathetic person**
**If you want to make your ‘5 hour work week dream’ a reality then check out my friend’s reddit** [**post**](https://www.reddit.com/user/samvirtualservices/comments/o703ru/the_single_most_badass_executive_assistantonline/)**.**
Let me know if you have any questions!
How I perfected my cold calling and how it might help you too