Cold calling is the most feared and dreaded activity of new and old salespeople alike, however, it’s also one of the best ways to fill your pipeline.

Because there hasn’t been a relationship established, most cold calls don’t result in success. The value of cold calling is the upside of potentially landing a client just from a phone call. The risk is low because any mistakes you make only cost you a few minutes of your time. Plus- the payout will be worth it if you can even ink one great deal from 100 cold calls.

The major key is to not get discouraged, and don’t give up.

OVERCOMING THE DIFFICULTIES OF COLD CALLS

Cold calling often ends with the person on the receiving end hanging up on you. Many people even react with verbal abuse. Multiple calls with this result can be emotionally taxing, but just keep in mind that they’re reacting to the situation, not attacking you personally. Also, remember that each cold call is a fresh start. Don’t allow the negative result of previous calls affect your future calls – the next call could end with a deal. Brush off the negative emotion associated with rejection or hostility, and move on to the next number.

THE STEPS TO PERFORM THE PERFECT COLD CALL

Let’s discuss some steps to the PERFECT cold call.

Step One: There are many ways to get ahold of the decision maker to give your pitch, however for the purpose of this blog I will only share one. You’ll have to attend one of my sales seminars to learn the other ways (haha). In some situations, honesty is the best policy. It is best to keep a few things in mind prior to making the call so to increase your chances of getting through to the right person.

• Call and be Polite
• Let them know who you’re (humanize yourself)
• Address what you’re calling them
• Pay them a compliment (must be genuine)
• Let them know you’re going to ask for a favor
• Then ask to speak to the decision maker

It’s quite surprising how well this works. Just simply being polite and asking for a favor can go a long way in this process of getting you past the gatekeeper.

Step Two: According to my research, there are specific times which are best to cold call, it’s early in the morning and late in the day. I also have come up with Tuesday and Thursday being the best days. This is based on times when people will be most receptive to your call. So Follow this advice and make your call on a Tuesday or Thursday morning or late in the afternoon. This advice is simple yet effective. People are more likely to have time and patience to hear you out at these times and this will greatly increase your chance of success.

Step Three: Check out the company website and reviews beforehand. Get to know them and have this ready to use when you speak to them. Compliment them on their branding and or product/service. Make them feel good about themselves, they will be much more apt to hear you out.

Step Four: Make sure you have a plan in place of what you’re going to say before you get to speak to the decision maker. Some salespeople focus so much on just getting past the gatekeeper that they forget about what they’re supposed to say once they get in the door. You want to be fully prepared so you don’t come off like a complete newbie. The first few seconds of the conversation are the most important, so make sure you’re prepared. Have a script of your pitch but don’t sound too scripted, it’s a very delicate balance.

Step Five: Provide goals and rewards for yourself to keep your motivation high and your pipeline full. Make a plan to call at least 10 people then take a short break. The key is persistence and perseverance. Not everyone is going to take your call, not everyone is the right fit for your company. However, you’ll never know until you make the calls. In some situations, it only takes ONE great client.