A Process as Old as Time
Cold Calling @ demandDrive
As far as “buzzwords” go in sales development, there is not hotter topic than that of Cold Calling. Countless claims that cold calling is dead intermingle with the articles that state the exact opposite. Whatever side you agree with you have to admit that the amount of content out there can be overwhelming.
demandDrive is a fan of cold calling, and we talk about it often. Starting in 2011 we rode the wave of “smart calling” and other practices to modernize outdated Cold Calling strategies. These blogs are buried pretty deep on our website, but it’s something that we still have strong feelings about 6 years later.
Check out a few of our older, but still relevant, blogs on Cold Calling, and how to effectively implement the strategies in your prospecting efforts:
Cold Calling 2.0–3 Ways to Keep Cold Calling Current
We all know that Cold Calling is an inevitable part of the SDR role, but we don’t have to make it the same, boring inevitable part. Modernizing your Cold Calling activity will help you break free from some of the pre-conceived notions that surround the practice already, and will yield better results and a more positive outlook. We (and pretty much everyone else) call it “Smart Calling.”
Why Cold Calling Gets a Bad Rap
We have these pre-conceived notions about Cold Calling because we’ve been on the bad end of them before. If you know what doesn’t work, than you also inherently know what does work — the opposite. Take those bad interactions and do the opposite to improve your next Cold Call.
3 Ways to Successfully Validate Your Cold Call
Sticking with the theme that Cold Calling is inevitable, you might as well warm the call up before you reach out. Not every call you make has to come out of the blue — SDRs see a lot of success with their Cold Calls when they have relevant information to back up why they’re reaching out.
Impress Your Prospects With Pre-Call Planning
More than just some relevant info, pre-call planning is a great way to impress your prospect and warm up your Cold Calls. As soon as you bring relevant and valuable information to the call with you, it stops being “cold” and becomes much easier to navigate.
Map Your Next Dial: Target Account Mapping
Where do you go to get the information you need to warm up a call? When it comes to collecting the right information on an account prior to giving them a call, there are a ton of resources out there. We suggest a few to get you started, and give you the tools you need to further perfect the process.
The 6 Types of Cold-Calling Prospects
You run into a lot of different personalities while Cold Calling, and each one requires a specific approach. Know that every situation is circumstantial, but there are a few that crop up more often than others and can be handled in a similar fashion. Know what to expect within the first few seconds of a call and lay down the best strategy you can.
Better Call Saul? No, Saul Better Cold Call
He might be a spineless, scummy lawyer-type, but Saul Goodman would be a fantastic SDR. He embodies a lot of the traits that managers should look for in a good rep, and those (and not his other tendencies) should be studied and followed.
Three Cold Calling tips for your Business Development team
Cold calling is a useful tool to help you grow your prospect pool, reach appointment setting goals, and increase sales. Like anything, this practice is only successful when done right. Read through our tips on how your SDRs should be approaching the concept and execution of Cold Calling.
Resolve To Be Resilient: A True Cold Calling Resolution
It’s easy to understand that more activity = more opportunities when it comes to Cold Calling. The more you dial, the more chances you have at finding a qualified opportunity. The reality of the situation is that roadblocks come up, and you can’t always increase your volume. Learn how to strategically plan your days and create a realistic goal for your Cold Calling activities.
Why Sales Reps Shouldn’t Cold Call
Lead Generation is a unique process that takes a particular set of skills, which is why you shouldn’t just push the job off on to anyone — let alone your highly paid sales rep. Leave the heavy-duty tasks like account mapping and appointment setting to your experts (the SDRs) and let your Sales Reps do what they do best — close deals.
