Cold calling is a difficult task for many, but it can be made easier by following these simple steps. In this blog post we will discuss the best time to call and how you can make a successful sales call!!
Most people don't like cold calls. They're intrusive, annoying and just plain irritating.
Even if you're lucky enough to find someone who is willing to talk with you, the best they'll do is put you on hold or send your call straight to voicemail.
If that doesn't feel great, imagine how it feels when the prospect hangs up before you even get a word in edgewise!
Does cold calling work? Luckily there are ways for sales professionals to increase their chances of making successful cold calls by timing them correctly.
In this article we'll talk about what time of day might be the best time to cold call as well as which days of the week offer more opportunities than others. We'll also discuss why these details matter and what expert opinions say about best times to cold call.
We'll start with the best time of day for making cold calls, then talk about when you might want to avoid calling prospects and finish off by discussing why all this is important. Ready? Let's go!
You may be wondering what studies have revealed as far as best times for making sales calls goes. You'll definitely be interested to hear what the best time of day is for cold calling.
Well, according to a study by the Harvard Business Review , it's best to make sales calls early in the morning or late afternoon because that's when people are more likely to answer their phones and actually talk with you.
In fact, out of the three best time periods for making cold calls, the morning is best. The idea behind this is because people are just starting their day and they're in a positive mindset after having had some downtime to themselves first thing in the morning.
Late afternoon also offers increased opportunities simply because that's when people have returned home from work or school where it was hard for them to take calls. They are also likely to be relaxed and have time for you because they've unwound after a busy day.
Another study by the same source found that best times of the week to make cold calls vary depending on your industry . For example, in sales it's best to call early in the morning or late afternoon because the best times for other industries might be different.
For example, if you're in a service-related industry like technical support or business consulting , it's best to make cold calls early morning and late afternoon because people are more likely to be at home during these hours.
You may need to call outside of these timeframes depending on your location and time zone.
If you're in a business-to-business industry , best times for cold calling will differ from those of a B to C business because people are likely not at home during the day as they would be if their company was an office one. In this case it's best to call late morning or early evening when people are more likely to be at home.
If you're looking for best time of the day, week and best days of the week to make cold calls, it's best in most cases to call early morning or late afternoon on either a Monday or Friday since these are generally considered "slower" business days when people have fewer appointments scheduled.
It's best to avoid calling at the end of a work day or during lunchtime.
It should be clear by now that every industry and business is different, so remember that best times for cold calls can vary depending on your specific situation.
While this article has focused on best time of the day, week and best days of the week to make cold calls, best times to avoid calling prospects is also important.
According to a study by Universum , best time of day for sales reps to avoid making cold calls is during lunchtime .
This makes sense because people are out with co-workers or eating in restaurants and likely not at home where they'll pick up the phone. It's best to avoid calling prospects in this timeframe.
Another best time of day for reps to avoid cold calling is after work because people might be busy with other tasks they need to complete before leaving their offices, or are done working and want some downtime before heading home.
They may not even have the time during these days for a sales call.
It's best to avoid calling prospects at the end of a workday or after hours because people may be too busy winding down and getting ready for their evenings.
They might have plans that they don't want to break with a sales call, so it's best not to risk annoying them by making cold calls then.
In addition, best days of the week to avoid calling prospects vary based on your industry . For example, best day of the week for people in service-related industries to avoid making cold calls is Friday because they may already be tired from working all week and just want some downtime.
On top of everything else that influences best times and best days for sales reps to cold call, best times to avoid making calls is also important. Keep in mind that best time for sales reps to stop cold calling varies depending on your industry as well as the best time of day and days of week to make such calls.
It's best not to risk upsetting prospects by interrupting them when they're trying to enjoy their evenings or focus on work.
As you can see best times for cold calling vary depending on your industry and your location, so it's best to do some research before making such calls.
It may be best to avoid short-term thinking when deciding how best to make sales calls because people who perform best in this business know that the long term is best.
In fact, best times for cold calling can vary from month to month as well as the best days of the week and best time of day for reps to make calls because seasons change , which means people's schedules might also be changing.
As a result, you should avoid making assumptions about how often or when it's best to make sales calls.
Outbound call- best time to avoid making sales calls. For example best time of day, best days of the week to avoid making calls.
Inbound call- best time to make sales calls. One way for reps can improve their cold calling success is by improving how they handle inbound phone queries.
Since most people consider inbound sales calls best time to make a phone call, just be aware that there's no best times for cold calling and best days of the week to avoid making such calls.
"If you'd like assistance with any parts of your BtoB campaign or want more information on how best to approach certain aspects please get in touch."
Sales Call- best day of the week not to make cold calls .
Warm Call - best days and best time for reps to stop calling prospects. When you reach out to a potential customer or client via a warm call, best time to make such calls is best during the week and best day of the week for cold calling.
Cold Call - best days of the year not to make cold sales calls. When you contact someone who doesn't know your business, it's best if they're in-between buying cycles so that when you call, best days of the week to avoid calling is best during the middle or end of a month.
Appointment call- best day of the week not to make an appointment. For best results, best days of the week for reps to avoid making calls is best during a weekday because people are more likely to be home on weekends and might have other things that they need or want to do besides talk with you about your company's services.
An appointment call best times for reps to avoid making calls is best during a weekday because people are more likely to be home on weekends and might have other things that they need or want to do besides talk with you about your company's services.
Lead call - best time to make calls to best times for reps to avoid making. Since best days of the week not to call prospects vary, best time of day for salespeople is best during the morning because it's when people are more likely to be in their offices and focused on work that they need or want done rather than conversations with you about your company's services.
Follow-up call- best time to make best times for reps to avoid making. If you'd like assistance with any parts of your BtoB campaign or want more information on how best to approach certain aspects please get in touch."
When you have nothing else going on in your business that will affect best time for reps to stop cold calling prospects, then it's best to make outbound calls when people are most likely not busy with other tasks. For example best times for reps to avoid calling prospects best time is best during the middle of a weekday.
An appointment call best times for reps to avoid making calls is best during a weekday because people are more likely to be home on weekends and might have other things that they need or want to do besides talk with you about your company's services.
Research- best time best days of the week not to cold call. The best way for reps can improve their cold calling success is by doing research on best time and best day of the week to avoid making such calls.
By tracking down key information about them, you can deliver calls with value and keep their attention. Without research, you appear selfish by showing zero investment in the person on the other end of the phone. Your prospects will appreciate the extra effort made with personalization and will open up to better conversation.
Write an outline for what you want to say- Spend time writing out an outline for what you plan on saying while calling prospects up, Write up a quick (30 seconds or less) cold call script that you can reference on the phone.
The idea isn’t to read from this verbatim but to use it as a guide to help you communicate your message clearly and confidently.
Take some time to go through your call list-
Plan out your best times for reps to avoid making calls by planning a schedule that includes when you’ll start calling, how long you'll spend on each call, and best day of the week for reps to stop calling prospects. Then stick with this plan as much as possible so sales reps can best time for reps to avoid calling prospects and best times for reps to stop cold calling.
An appointment call best times for reps to avoid making calls is best during a weekday because people are more likely to be home on weekends and might have other things that they need or want to do besides talk with you about your company's services.
Prepare a Strong Opening Sentence
You have ten seconds to prove that you’re worth talking to, so differentiate yourself from other callers. After introducing yourself, turn the focus to your prospect by weaving in your research and personalizing the call.