5 Cold Calling Pitfalls
Cold Calling Is An Art
One of the many bright sides of cold calling is that almost anyone can do it. It’s 2017 and every person has access to a cell phone or internet. This means that it is possible to source and reach out to almost any company. The real challenge with cold calling isn’t whether or not you can do it, but if you’re doing it correctly.
What makes cold calling “cold”? It is because the conversation you’re having with the person on the other end of the line is your very first connection with them. With that said, it’s important to know what pitfalls to avoid when cold calling. First impressions matter!
Pitfall #1: Not Doing Your Homework
It’s important to read up and learn a little bit about your prospect before calling them. In the case that the conversation you have with them becomes especially long, the odds of company specific information coming up becomes more likely. This is especially harmful to the chances of closing a sale, if you’re selling your product as a personalized solution for the prospect’s organization. It’s always a good idea to do your homework on the organization before giving them a call.
Pitfall #2: Not Having a Clear Goal In Mind
This might go without saying, but it’s nevertheless fairly common. There should be a very specific goal for the call (Hint: It’s not to close the sale). Closing the sale would definitely be a plus, but don’t expect to close a call on the first attempt. It rarely happens.
The purpose of cold calling is to incite interest in your service and to get prospects into your sales funnel. The particular goal you have for the conversation will vary on multiple factors, but always keep a measurable goal in mind for the conversation. With goals come KPI’s (key performance indicators), which will also help you gauge your progress towards goals.
Pitfall #3: Not Listening Intently
It’s easy to get distracted during calls, especially if you’re starting to get burned out after hours of cold calling. Maintaining focus and listening intently can go a long way. Being able to listen and understand what they are trying to convey can open the door to a stronger connection between you and the prospect.
On the flip side, the prospect could easily feel annoyed if they’re constantly being asked to repeat themselves or you show any signs that you’re not listening closely. Being detail oriented in the way you listen to the client will help you understand their needs better and consequently, it will help you sell to them better.
Pitfall #4: Not Asking For What You Want
Although it seems pretty simple, many people don’t do it! Even if you had a great phone call with a prospect, it’s invaluable to ask for exactly what you want. Even if you find a way to communicate the value you’re bringing to their organization well, it’s meaningless if the prospect has no idea what to do next.
One great method to avoiding this pitfall is to let the client know what their “actionables” are at the end of the phone call. Doing this is akin to “closing”. Always be clear with what you need from the client in order to keep everything flowing.
Pitfall #5: Not Communicating Value
At the end of the day, the point of the call is to communicate the value you’re offering to the prospect. Whether you’re selling them some software or other service, keep in mind what you’re actually selling; solutions to customer pain points.
It’s easy to get caught up on trying to list out a dozen features you offer. Unfortunately, for most people, all that does is confuse them or make them think “so what?”. Instead, focus on communicate how your services will benefit them. Nobody really spends money to get features. People spend money to get benefits. Features tell, benefits sell.
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