Let’s face it, cold calling is an activity that most sales people do not look forward to doing. While some may find it a tedious and ineffective chore, others are making sure it is part of their day to day routine and can see there are huge benefits to jumping on the phone. Cold calling, with a twist, is still a very effective method for obtaining good quality sales leads.
Here are a few tips to help make the most of every cold call you make:
1. Before you make the call, take some time and research your contact.Use the tools at your disposal. Take a look at the company’s website, find out exactly what they do, have a look at some of their customers and research a bit about the history of the company. Likewise, spend a few moments on your contacts’ LinkedIn profile, find out what interests them, what kind of groups they belong to and you never know, your contact could be involved in an online discussion forum and could even mention his/her requirements. Additionally, take a quick look at the job postings for the company, you may be surprised at how it can help you get an understanding on the company’s environment.
2. Remember, people consider cold calling as an interruptive approach to Marketing.
No matter how polite you are or how well the conversation is going, be mindful that you have in fact interrupted your prospects’ day. Do not spend a lot of time talking about the weather, or the most recent football match, or if the prospect had a nice weekend. Get to the point quickly – introduce yourself and your company, advise exactly why you are calling and be honest. Most importantly, keep in mind that your introduction should be no longer than 20 seconds or you may lose the prospects’ interest.
3. Know how to manage the call, when to ask questions and when to be quiet…
The worst thing anyone can do while cold calling is sound “too salesy”. Don’t sit on the phone and just quote your sales presentation word for word. You need to remember that when initially speaking to a prospect, you do not know what they need or what issues they may be faced with. You need to gather this information by asking open ended questions and inviting your prospect to tell you what problem areas they have. Let them speak, and listen to what they have to say. It is then up to you to let the prospect know how you can help them. If you successfully arrange a follow up meeting, you can then offer the sales presentation to your prospect. It is at this stage when they are already interested in your offerings that you can become more sales like.
4. Make the most of your time on the call.
When you do get through to your prospect and have grasped their attention through your introduction (again, remember their time is gold dust) the chances are they will give you some more time to discuss further. Ensure to give your prospect enough time to ask some questions, in addition to getting answers to questions you need to ask. Always take into consideration any concerns they may have divulged to progress the conversation.
Remember, the ultimate goal during this call is to introduce your company and determine whether or not there is a potential fit between you and your prospect – Don’t waste time on irrelevant questioning at this stage.
5. Ask if you can stay in touch
Should it be a case that your prospect is not ready to engage further just yet, ask them if it is ok to stay in touch. Connect with them on LinkedIn, send a follow up email thanking them for their time and nurture the prospect over time. They may not be ready now but they could be a great fit for you in future. By nurturing your potential opportunities, you and your brand will remain positioned within the prospects’ mind and they will come to you when the time is right.
Cold calling isn’t for everyone and it is true that some people are just better interacting face to face. Once you take the time to prepare yourself before you make the calls and consider the above tips, you may find it is worth picking up the phone to get good quality leads into your books.
Maven TM is specialised in B2B Telemarketing and Sales Lead Generation services for technology companies. With specifically developed processes and a team becoming subject matter experts, Maven TM consistently helps companies achieve their sales strategy. For more information, please contact Maven TM at info@maventm.com.
