Before you make any cold call, you need to do some research on your target market, industry, and company. This will help you tailor your message, use relevant language, and anticipate their needs and objections. Knowing your audience will also boost your confidence, as you will be able to demonstrate your expertise and value proposition. You can use online tools, social media, and referrals to gather information and insights about your prospects.
Being prepared definitely helps alleviate the butterflies for me when calling someone for the first time. Being prepared means I did my research on their business, their market, and even competitors if I can. That way, I am going in with a clear message and am not calling "just to check in and see how things are going." I also ask if I caught them in the middle of doing something. That way I'm being respectful of their time. If I did catch them at a bad time, I offer to call back the next day.
Know your ICP (ideal Customer Profile) That is your starting point. 1. There are several tools to research your audience, one of the key factors is to tailor your approach around their ICP. 2. Sales Navigator, Seamless.ai, or just the web. 3. Under every company website there are comments from their past clients; take note of that - the reaction and responses. In the end, after the research (Not Extensible), pick up the phone... you are one call away from changing your target's life.
Having a script or a framework for your cold call can help you structure your conversation, deliver your key points, and handle objections. However, you don't want to sound robotic or rehearsed, as this can make you lose your natural voice tone and connection with your prospect. You need to practice your script until you are comfortable with it, but also flexible enough to adapt to different scenarios and responses. You can practice with a colleague, a friend, or a recording device, and get feedback on your voice tone, pace, volume, and clarity.
Or scratch the script and: -speak from the heart -meet people where they are -focus on asking more questions -make the encounter an experience for them The more you DO in real time the more you’ll learn about what people desire this type of encounter to be like The best cold callers know that sales is an art and that people are unique so each time you have someone on the phone the only thing you want to repeat are the principles of what makes the call enjoyable for the listener -speed -tonality -posture -delivery -eloquence 👆🏻these are the things you want to practice because you’re not any ordinary sales rep… You are a Rebel!
Your voice is a muscle that needs to be warmed up before you start cold calling. A warm voice can sound more friendly, confident, and engaging, while a cold voice can sound dull, nervous, or bored. You can warm up your voice by doing some vocal exercises, such as humming, yawning, or singing. You can also drink some water, avoid caffeine and dairy products, and breathe deeply to relax your throat and vocal cords.
Your voice requires warming up, don't trust me, ask Google :) If actors and singers do it, why wouldn't you? Even more important, practice your script and tonality, it will give you confidence and improve your chances of success.
Your body language and facial expression can affect your voice tone and your mood. Smiling can make you sound more positive, enthusiastic, and likable, as well as reduce your stress and anxiety levels. Standing up can also improve your voice tone, as it can help you project your voice, breathe better, and feel more energetic and confident. You can also use gestures and movements to express yourself and emphasize your points, as long as they don't distract you or your prospect.
On smiling: There is a night and day difference if you do this before dialing. We've all been on the other end of a call talking to someone who sounds like they hate their job. Smiling will make both you, and your prospect's, day better. On standing up: Put your hands on your hips, keep your chin up, and your chest out. Doing this for just two minutes will raise your testosterone and increase your confidence, while also decreasing your cortisol and improving your ability to handle stress. Control what you can control!
One of the most important skills for cold calling is listening. Listening can help you understand your prospect's situation, needs, challenges, and goals, as well as build rapport and trust. Listening can also help you adjust your voice tone to match your prospect's mood, style, and preferences. You can use active listening techniques, such as paraphrasing, asking open-ended questions, and giving verbal and non-verbal cues, to show your interest and empathy. You can also use positive words, affirmations, and compliments to reinforce your prospect's value and motivation.
Active listening is one of the MOST important aspect in sales and empathy is the foundation of consultative selling. Treat each customer/client like a human being NOT like a potential sale. People aren't stupid they can see through right away. Take a step back and understand the customer/client, learn how you can help solve THEIR problems. **Be genuinely curious, every call go in looking to learn 2-3 things about the person. This will really help with rapport-building.
Do not and I repeat, DO NOT, use listening and empathy as a play, a move or a trick. These should naturally be foundations you seek to better yourself at. -You should want to listen -You should want to care deeply Be careful of using these concepts as a “way to get ahead in the sales game” because people will see right through disingenuous traits. Be a Rebel, be real and authentic at all times.
I agree, 100%. Cold calls should be part of a mutichannel approach to connect with your audience how they want to connect. Even leaving a voice mail can increase your opportinties. Each chance you get you should take. Bring in your positive energy to craft some curiosity that leads to call back. :)
Filler words are words or sounds that you use to fill the gaps in your speech, such as um, ah, like, or you know. Vocal fry is a low, creaky sound that you make at the end of your sentences, especially when you are tired or bored. Both filler words and vocal fry can undermine your voice tone and your credibility, as they can make you sound unprepared, uncertain, or unprofessional. You can avoid filler words and vocal fry by pausing, breathing, and thinking before you speak, and by using transitions, summaries, and calls to action to keep your speech clear and concise.
Use direct mail as the first step of your cold calling cadence. Traditional sales methods are dying and things like the phone and e-mail are not going to be as effective as they once were as the world continues to evolve. Giving someone a tangible experience through the mail before you reach out creates a first impression that will define the Reason why they will pick up the phone or return that email message you send. Start thinking non-traditional about the process and consider creating experiences for people instead of just going through the motions. This is what being a Sales Rebel is all about.