Cold calling is one of the most challenging, yet rewarding tasks that a salesperson can do. It requires persistence and stamina to stay on the phone until you find an interested party. If you are new to cold calling, it may be difficult to get yourself motivated at first, but there are some simple things that you can do in order to get on top of your game when dialing for dollars! Read through this blog post today for tips on how you can pick up the phone and start dialing more than ever before!
Do you have a hard time staying motivated when cold-calling?
I know from experience that it can be discouraging to pick up the phone and start dialing if you don’t feel like talking with anyone. However, there are some simple strategies that will help keep your energy levels flying high throughout the day.
The first strategy is to set an alarm on your phone for 15 minutes after every hour. This will allow you to take a short break and do something else for 15 minutes before getting back into calling mode again!
Another tip is to pick up the phone right away at 8am, even if you just woke up or had lunch. Giving yourself this little push of motivation in the morning can really give you that extra pick-up you need to pick up the phone and get dialing!
Finally, I would recommend downloading a cold calling routine app on your phone such as Cold Call by You Can Book Me. This will help keep all of your numbers organized so that you don’t have to go scrambling for folders deep in filing cabinets when picking up the phone.
Cold calling is a technique in which a salesperson contacts individuals who have not previously expressed interest in the offered products or services.
Cold calling typically refers to solicitation by phone or telemarketing, but can also involve in-person visits, such as with door-to-door salespeople.
Cold calling elicits a variety of consumer responses, including acceptance, call terminations or hang-ups, and even verbal assaults.
Even for a skilled professional, marketing analysts estimate that cold calling has a success rate of only 2%.
According to this estimate, only 5 out of 250 calls will be successful. A warm call salesperson, on the other hand, has a higher success rate of around 30%. The
The cold calling process also requires a longer lead time in order to build the relationship and rapport that is necessary for a successful sale.
These difficulties have led some companies, such as Dell Computers, to conduct research into other methods of marketing their products. In 2005 it was reported that Sprint Corporation used cold calling techniques when making sales calls on potential customers.
Through years of calling, trial and error, I have over time created several strategies to help stay motivated while cold calling, to help keep the energy levels flying high as much as possible throughout the working day.
Below I have outlined a few crucial tips for you to stay motivated, increase the number of calls you make, and at the same time get the most out of every call.
The first strategy is to set an alarm on your phone for 15 minutes after every hour. This will allow you to take a short break and do something else for 15 minutes before getting back into calling mode again! Another tip is to pick up the phone right away at
Another strategy I have found helpful, especially when cold calling for clients, is to pick up the phone first thing in the morning. Picking up your first call within minutes of waking can really give you that extra pick-up you need to pick up the phone and get dialing!
Cold calling has become less desirable as technology has advanced. Newer, more effective prospecting methods are now available, such as email, text, and social media marketing via platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.
These new methods are frequently more efficient and effective at generating new leads than cold calling.
The latest innovation in cold calling is robo-dialing (robocalling), in which algorithms dial and produce pre-recorded messages.
Government regulations, such as the National Do Not Call Registry, have hampered cold callers' efforts to reach out to a large number of potential clients.
The cold calling process also requires a longer lead time in order to build the relationship and rapport that is necessary for a successful sale. These difficulties have led some companies, to conduct research into other methods of marketing their products.
In 2005 it was reported that Sprint Corporation used cold calling techniques when making sales calls on potential customers.
Today's cold callers understand that pitching a product is a fool's errand. It all comes down to building relationships.
Some advisors employ the strategy of asking specific questions and providing free advice in response to the responses. Perhaps the company's owner is concerned about the high fees associated with his employees' retirement plan.
The advisor may make recommendations for companies to investigate and offer to conduct research and get back to them. This soft-sell approach has worked well for some advisors, particularly those who are just starting out.
Overcoming the challenges of cold calling can be difficult at first, but with some practice and these helpful strategies you will pick up the phone and start dialing more often.
Embrace rejection, don’t run from it- pick up the phone and start dialing!
Rejection is a normal part of the cold calling process and is bound to happen at some point.
One way that I have found very helpful in preparing for the call, as well as during it, is by taking my time on each phone call (especially if there is no such thing as an ‘instant pick up’) and not rushing it.
When cold calling for clients, pick up the phone first thing in the morning! Picking up your first call within minutes of waking can really give you that pick-up you need to pick up the phone and get dialing!
What is pick up the phone without hesitation?
A pick up tactic in cold calling where you pick up on your call with no or few rings at all. This gives off a great impression to potential clients instantly, letting them know that you are eager for their business.
Learning about what your prospects are looking for is key to closing sales, pick-up the phone and start dialing!
One of the best ways I have found while cold calling to be effective in learning more about my potential client's needs so that I can better assist them is by asking questions.
One of the best pick up techniques I have found when cold calling is to not use a script. Scripts are great for practice but they can come off as insincere in real calls.
Technology such as robo-dialers can help minimize tedious tasks, pick-up the phone and start dialing!
These devices allow you to pre-program a script so that cold calls are more manageable. Robo-calling is often more effective than live calling due to its ability to reach many potential clients.
There is nothing more frustrating than cold calling for someone who appears to be wasting your time.
Finding a calling schedule that works for you is key. For example, pick up calls in 15 minute intervals to stay on track with your day.
So today I'm going to share a surprisingly simple B2B cold calling technique that will help you ramp up faster or simply get to the meat of the sales conversation faster.
By concentrating on the essential components of a good prospecting conversation — so you can stay focused and the prospect does not become irritated or impatient.
Ready? Let's get started.
Who Are Currently in Need of Your Service
If you understand the value your service holds for prospects.
If they are not currently experiencing a challenge that makes them want to hire someone like you — then there is no reason to pick up the phone at all! You should stop cold calling immediately.
If you pick up the phone and start dialing, but are not 100% sure why you want to call — then pick up the phone and stop calling immediately!
You should only pick up the phone if there is a specific prospect or client that you know needs your service and you know why.
If you CAN answer the "why" from the template in Step 1, you still need to convince the prospect that they WANT to solve the problem. The best salespeople regard this as a disqualifying factor:
How quickly can I move this person through this stage of my pipeline? They're either not a senior-level prospect or the right person in general, in which case they're out, or they are and I advance them.
Rapport-building is fine (and can be very important) when cold calling, but make sure you determine whether or not you should continue working with this prospect as soon as possible.
If you pick up the phone and start dialing, then your opener should be something that is interesting or makes them want to keep listening.
This will make it easier to move through this stage of your pipeline as quickly as possible!
For example: "I'm sure my boss would say I'm wasting time right now calling people like you, but I'm very picky about who I work with and find you interesting."
The goal here is to get the prospect on your side from the beginning. This will make it much easier for them to listen when you begin sharing your value proposition.
Consider the Situation When You Have the Highest Level of Social Energy
It's when one of our clients is at the Crossfit gym with his friends. Before your next cold call, channel that energy. This technique is known as Imagery Training, and it works extremely well with practise.
Every prospect you meet (including your assistants) could be the key to your next big deal. Make an appearance. Keep an open mind. Make an excellent first impression.
It's not about how you feel when you pick up the phone. It's all about your prospect on the other end of that line. Your job is to make them comfortable with talking to someone new, and excited about what might happen next!
Play Your Favorite Music
This is my go-to recipe. It's 80s rock and 90s hip-hop for me. Morgan Ingram also put together a Keep Dialing playlist that you can listen to. To get your mind in the right frame of mind, make a playlist of your favourite pump-up jams.
According to research, tonality is driven by physicality. Simply put, your physical state influences your mental state. Simply sitting with good posture can improve your mood and give you a more positive mental image. On the other end of the phone, prospects will hear the same thing.
This is my favourite place to cold call from. I have good lighting, it's quiet, there are no interruptions or distractions around me. It also helps that Morgan makes sure she has clean water on hand at all times!
Take your pick. Make sure you pick a place where there are no distractions or interruptions, and it's not too quiet but also not crowded enough to be distracting.
With these tactics under your belt, you should be well on your way to pick up the phone and starting cold calling like a pro!
A good cold calling script is one of the most effective ways to eliminate the guesswork of what to say when you get your prospects on the phone. You're not wasting time making small talk, filler, or attempting to figure out what works and what doesn't.
Play out your sales pitch with your manager or other sales reps, pretending you're cold calling them and going over your script. Record your sales pitch calls so that you and your sales team can review factors such as tone, pace, word choice, and call strategy, which can then be shared with other sales reps.
You'll never get better at B2B cold calling unless you understand what you need to work on, which requires active practise.
It's a good idea to write down call details right after you hang up the phone, while they're still fresh in your mind. Don't leave anything out, even if you think it's unimportant.
When you go back over the call later, those details will stand out and may serve as talking points for future conversations.
Regardless of how the call went, send the prospect a quick follow-up email right after they hang up to thank them for their time and outline any next steps.
This additional touchpoint allows them to easily contact you and leaves them with a favourable impression of you and your company.
