Conducting the Perfect Sales Call
Cold calling is a sales & lead generation technique that has not always been shown in the brightest light. However, there are some relatively new lead generation technologies, such as marketing automation, that have proven to help inside sales reps with their cold calling efforts. To read more about marketing automation, click here.
If you don’t think you’re ready for marketing automation, but you still want to conduct the perfect sales call, here are some useful tips to help you improve your cold calling success rate:
1 - Know your target audience - Performing effective market research should come before you begin making cold calls. When you have clearly defined your target audience, you can research the individuals or companies you plan on calling. However, don’t waste too much time conducting research. After all, cold calling is a numbers game; the more dials you make, the better your odds of finding a qualified prospect. By aligning your product or service with a prospect’s needs, your call will be relevant and no one’s time will be wasted by your efforts.
2 – Have clearly defined goals – It’s important to understand that a cold call doesn’t always have to result in a sale. In many cases, it’s important to use the initial call to pave a path that will lead to a sale. If this is the case, strike up a conversation and attempt to obtain an appointment or some other kind of positive response.
3 – Know your script - Scripts are important for connecting cold calling and sales, but the last thing you want is to sound scripted. Begin with your opening line, avoiding passive questions like “Can you talk now?” or “How are you?” Instead, greet the person and address them by their name. Follow your initial greeting with the name of your organization. Prepare the rest of your script to help answer questions or objections that are raised by the prospect you are speaking with. Consider points they might object to and prepare responses. By using your script as a guideline rather than something to read verbatim you will increase your chances and project confidence.
4 - Always be respectful - This can be difficult…especially if your prospect is rude. However, as a general rule, be considerate of your prospects time. Try to call early in the day rather than during the evening when families spend time together winding down from their busy day.
5 – Follow up – Most deals don’t close themselves. Make sure to follow up! The majority of cold calls are not successful until the fourth of fifth attempt at reaching a prospect. Soon, your practice will pay off and your cold calling will begin to generate sales.
If you need to create a cold calling script, we have a great template you can use! Visit www.demandmetric.com and check out our Cold Calling Script Template. Some other popular cold calling templates are:
