GETTING OVER THE FEAR TO COLD CALL CUSTOMERS

Cold Calling. The mysterious sales method, that should lead to happy customers via telephone. Sorry, that we have to break this to you right at the start: But there is not the one right way, nor a unique solution for cold calling. However, in the following, we share our insights on cold-calling, that might also help you with day-to-day business calls. So stay tuned…

1. Smile, Dial, Repeat —

Feeling slight fear before your first few calls is completely natural. Take a deep breath and try to conquer the cold call with a positive attitude. Smile before and throughout the phone call: People will notice your mood even through the phone. As a call is an interruption of other people’s workflow, an enthusiastic and cheerful voice on the other end could make a big difference.

If your cold calls are not sucessful first, have in mind: This is a pure numbers game. Be realistic. There will always be unpleasant calls with a negative outcome but the more calls you make the more you will learn and succeed. More Calls ultimately lead to a better success rate.

2. Turn “maybe” into a “yes”, but respect a “no” —

You need to understand what the other person truely wants and how your products could adress this need. Always ask WHY. Collect as much information about their needs problems, difficulties, often mistakes, your competitors and so on. Let them talk! Aim for a 80:20 rule of thumb, where your propotion of speech is relatively small. And most importantly, respect a no. You should only turn a maybe into a clear yes, highlighting why your product is the right one. It is a waste of your own time, trying to convince people signaling a clear NO.

3. Be prepared —

Taking the time to learn more about your potential customer, could grant you a higher chance of a positive outcome. If possible, also research on the person you want to call. You are selling something to a person, not to a cold, faceless company!

Prepare an elevator pitch in advance. It is an ultimate safety net. Always have a clear message that explains who you are, who are you working for and what your product is. Define the USP and a hook that catches the attention of the other person. Especially think what the prospect could gain.

Rehearse your speach before you start your cold calling sessions and know it by heart! Nevertheless, do not make it sound like that. Avoid meaningless phrases and bullshit bingo.

As you might want to research and adapt your wording accordingly it could be useful to group calls in certain criteria e.g. geographical areas, markets, company size.

4. Do not trick your customer, trick yourself —

Find a quite comfortable place. Keep water, notebook, and pen in reach. Standing up might make your voice sound more confident. Start with the toughest call. No matter what the outcome is, the following calls will be easier than the first one. However, most people are not monsters. So nothing to worry about.

Use gamification for your advantage. Treat the calls just as levels in a game. Reward yourself after a certain number of calls and have a clear objective in mind.

5. Closing —

Before you end the conversation ALWAYS try to get either email-address, direct line, the mobile number. Have a defined call of action, what steps to take next and schedule a follow-up meeting. Prepare additional material at hand that you can send immediately after the call ended.

Keep them in a loop and get back into contact with them, if you have not heard anything after a certain while; signaling them that you actual care about them as a customer. Send an email from time to time, and inform them about recent news and announcements.

We are also still improving and learning. So if you consider yourself a cold calling expert, let us know about your best tipps and tricks! So long, stay calm and get on your phone. NOW!

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