Cold calls are telephone contacts made to a list of potential customers to make sure they exist, obtain their complete data, qualify them as prospects and interest them in continuing the interaction with our business, either by accepting a visit, receiving commercial information, attending an event, taking a subscription, etc.
Why don't they work?
An effectiveness of 2 or 3% (which is the real average of success) is not compensated with the enormous effort, frustration and wear and tear that means having to contact people who mostly do not want to hear from you, even if that contact is made by a third party. Why? Because you are calling when you want to sell, not when people want to buy (and to expect the person to receive your call on the very day they are considering buying a product or service such as the one you offer is to pray to the stars).
Because they use minimal segmentation, i.e., everyone is a potential customer and the more the better. It is a principle of volume, not quality of the prospect.
Because they focus on selling, not on arousing interest, liking and starting a trust building process.
Take this guide and start meeting your sales goals: "Guide to improve follow-up and increase sales".
If you want to improve your effectiveness with cold calling:
Segment first, close your range of options. Define your ideal target customer profile very well and build a highly segmented, millimeter-segmented list. Depending on your type of business, define a list of up to 100 prospects (the super-100, as my coaching clients and I call them) and focus on them.
Then adopt the principle of giving rather than asking. When you contact that person or company, don't call to offer your services. Call to offer a report, a trending e-book, invite them to a conference (virtual or in-person), offer a trial service or product, or some information of value to that person (you can find several alternatives for creating content you could offer here).
What we are doing with cold calling is inviting a next step, using the offer as a gateway to get a chance to be seen. At the end of your information include your company's contact details, a brief description of what you do and invite them to subscribe to your newsletter.
7 ideas for handling your cold calls:
- Overcome your own rejection.
Make cold calls when you feel the most refreshed and in the best mood. For most people, that time is usually at the beginning of the work day. Think of the call as a friendly conversation, not a fight with an enemy. - Research your customers.
Check newspapers, business magazines and Internet sites for information about the companies or individuals you are calling. This information gives you the elements to start the call talking about the customer's business, not about you. - Prepare a good opening sentence.
Write an opening sentence in advance. It's not to read it, it's to sort out your ideas. Since you have only twenty seconds to get your interlocutor's attention, you cannot afford to hesitate when you have the other person on the line. - Include a greeting and introduction, a reference (something about the client).
In addition, the benefits of your product or service, and a transition to a question. For example: Good morning, Mr. Mora. I am Alberto Diaz, from Paisajismo ACME. I read in the newspaper that you bought a piece of land to build a new building for your offices. We are specialists in the design of green spaces for commercial buildings, which allows our clients to lower maintenance costs and comply with environmental regulations. I would like to ask you a few questions to see if any of our programs might be useful to your needs. - Win, be liked by the goalkeepers.
Secretaries and assistants who stand between you and the person making purchasing decisions can be valuable sources of information. - Do not disperse.
Remember that the purpose of a cold call is to qualify the prospect and get a face-to-face interview. Don't dwell on boring sales pitches. Stimulate interest, learn more about the customer and ask for an interview. If the customer insists that you send him information by mail, lay the groundwork for the next step in the sales process: I want to ask him a few questions so I can send him information that is relevant to his situation. And if what I send is okay with you, could we meet next week to discuss the information in more detail? - Be Persistent
"Eighty percent of new sales are concluded after five contacts."
While most salespeople give up after the second contact. Keep calling. Persistence pays off.
What actions will you take in your business and in your life in this regard?
Upnify´s Editorial Team; formed by professionals and experts in Marketing, Sales, Communication, Design and other areas. They share their experience through articles enriching the commercial culture.