2 Key Elements Of Successful Cold Calling

Is Cold Calling Still Relevant?

There are few sales activities that for the vast majority of sales people are harder than cold calling. In the last 3 or 4 years there has been a plethora of authors and sales experts who have told us that the cold call is dead. Just Google “cold calling” and you’ll see what I mean. Now whilst using the  internet to drive sales interest has helped generate a softer lead generation approach, one shouldn’t throw the baby out with the bath water. As a sales leader having to drive a team to hit your sales number you cannot afford to simply disregard cold calling as no longer relevant. By the way its hasn’t helped the cause that technology screening and voice mail have made cold calling tougher than ever before.

With markets being as challenging as they are in their current state of “tight purse strings”, as a sales leader  you have to consider cold calling as a real new business generation option. The problem is that over the past 10 years or so, excluding last year, we as sales people have become lazy as far as cold calling is concerned. Many of the sales people on your team have probably never had to cold call and don’t know how….and those sales people that can still remember the “bad old days” of cold calling are rusty, and in many cases are using obsolete sales technique.

The 2 key Areas We Need To Manage to Achieve Cold Calling Results

In my experience there are 2 key areas we as sales leaders need to get right when driving pour sales people to cold call.

The first is  being able to help your people to overcome call reluctance. I wrote a paper on this issue and how to manage it  last year. If you would like a copy email me at: ians@bulletproofyoursalesteam.com and I’ll send you a copy.

Then secondly there is the actual process of making the cold call itself . There are a number of factors that will dramatically improve your chances of success. One of them is having an easy and effective prospect friendly script. the other factors include :

• targeting the people who would most likely be in the market to buy
• researching the target to understand their potential problems or goals
• choosing the most appropriate time
• mental attitude required to get into the cold calling zone
• getting past gate keepers and leaving effective voice mail
• the “what to send” – Disturb them from their status quo
• follow up

For right now lets deal with the “what do I say” piece. What is the magic wand, the silver bullet phrase that will simply cast away all resistance allow  for a meeting? Unfortunately there is no such fairy dust that I am aware of.

However I have come across a few very user friendly Cold Call Scripts that I know will help. How do I know they work? Cause I have a number of clients who are using them successfully.

5 Cold Call Scripts

The best script will probably be an hybrid of all 3.  I will explain how you can run a sales training session with your sales people and get them to create their own at the end of this post.

CC Script # 1 – By Mike Kroll

Hello [prospect's first name], this is [your name] from [your company], have I caught you in the middle of something?”

“I know I’m calling you out of the blue, Joe, but sometimes, if I don’t know anyone at the company I’m calling, this is the only way to develop a relationship. All I want to do right now is quickly introduce myself, my firm and my offering to you. As I mentioned, I’m with [your company] and we help companies [what your your company does] and I was wondering how I would best position myself to determine if our product may be a fit for you?”

CC Script # 2 – By Ron Silver

Rick, this is Josh Snider from Ace Delivery.  May I take 45 seconds to tell you why I am calling and then you can tell me if we should continue speaking? I work with owners of small manufacturing companies that from time to time are frustrated because their customers do not get their shipments on time as promised, even though you completed the job on time. They are concerned about retaining their customers in the face of more competition and they are looking for ways to increase the reliability and consistency of product delivery. Rick, are any of the things I mentioned issues for you or is everything running 100% smoothly?”

CC Script # 3- By Keith Rosen

Hi________ (state their name)?

(Prospect: Yes.)

(Your name)___________ here from _____________(Company name). Do you have a quick minute?

Great! ________, I’m sure you are a busy and want to respect your time, so I’ll be brief. The reason for my call is this. We specialize in (working with small business owners, salespeople, managers, etc.) so that you/they can:

State Your Compelling Reason – (The End Result Of The Benefit You Offer)

Well, Mr./Mrs… Smith, depending on what you are currently doing, I don’t know whether you have a need or an interest in our services. But with your permission, I was hoping to ask you a few questions and see if there is anything we are doing that you could benefit from. Would you be comfortable spending just a few minutes with me if I stick to my timetable?

CC Script # 4- A Hybrid #1

Hello [prospect's first name], this is [your name] from [your company], have I caught you in the middle of something?”

“I know I’m calling you out of the blue, Joe, but sometimes, if I don’t know anyone at the company I’m calling, this is the only way to develop a relationship. I am hoping maybe you can help me out for a moment?

I’m just giving you a call to see if from time to time you get frustrated because your customers don’t get their shipments on time as promised, even though you completed the job on time? (Who is your market and what problem does your company solve?)

I don’t know whether you have a need or an interest in our services, but I was wondering how I might best position myself to see whether or not our service may be a fit for you?”

CC Script # 5- A Hybrid#2

Hello [prospect's first name], this is [your name] from [your company], have I caught you in the middle of something?”

“I know I’m calling you out of the blue, Joe, but sometimes, if I don’t know anyone at the company I’m calling, this is the only way to develop a relationship. I am hoping maybe you can help me out for a moment?

I’m just giving you a call to see if you I just called to briefly introduce myself, you see… I work with owners of small manufacturing companies that from time to time are frustrated because their customers do not get their shipments on time as promised, even though you completed the job on time (Who is your market and what problem does your company solve?) I don’t know whether you have a need or an interest in our services, but I was wondering how I might best position myself to see whether or not our service may be a fit for you?”

Getting Your Sales People to Develop Their Own Script

STEP 1 – Set up a mini training session with your sales-team ( In person or via conference call)

STEP 2 – Have them Google cold call scripts or supply them with the 5 examples above

STEP 3 – Have them create their own HYBRID script

STEP4 – Have them present their script in a role play situation – All to vote on the best one – Give a small prize

STEP 5 – Have each of your sales people revise their script and practice at least 4 other times on other team members

STEP 6 – Set up a sales experiment – The goal of the experiment is to go out and trial and perfect their script on at least 20 prospects

STEP 7 – Meet agin in one week and review results modifying them to best suit the feedback – Run the experiment again (See Step 6 )

At the very least this exercise will break the hoodoo and get your people back out there prospecting. You will also very quickly discover who amongst them are suffering from Call Reluctance. to find out more and help your people to overcome call reluctance write back to me at: ians@bulletproofyoursalesteam.com and I’ll send you a copy of my “Is Call Reluctance Killing Your Sales?” special report.

Till next time

To your sales success
Ian

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