Ten Steps in a Cold Calling Program

 Austin, TX 78729   512-219-6677

 Trucon@sbcglobal.net  www.truconbd.com

 

 

10 Steps in a Product Sales Cold Calling Perspective

1. Have the right attitude

As the saying goes, 90 percent of every­thing in life is attitude.

The same goes for sales.

Before you ever pick up the phone, you need to have the right attitude.

Before you make a call or sit down to type an email, the first thing you should do is get your head wrapped around the concept.

You have the skills to sell in any situation. It doesn’t matter if it’s 58 cents or $58 million.

Give yourself a little pep talk each time and remind yourself: “Hey, I can sell this person.”

2. Believe in your product

You’ve got to believe in what you’re selling.

You’ve got to believe your product is worth at least 10 times the money and the time your prospect will invest in it.

If you don’t believe in the product you’re selling, each time you pick up the phone, you’ll become increasingly unconvincing and robotic.

Sell yourself before trying to sell anyone else.

3. Be persistent

You’ve got to be willing to keep call­ing people back again and again until you reach them, and they are willing to speak with you.

InsideSales.com research has shown that on average, reps give up after only 1.3 con­tact attempts. That’s not enough. Stats reveal contact attempts of 8-12 times may be necessary.  You have to adopt a mentality that you won’t quit and bring that into every sales call you make. When a prospect sees your commitment and dedication, they’ll become much more receptive to your message.

 

 4. Master the pitch

You’ve got to have your pitch down. That’s why scripts are valuable and important.

Whenever you’re making a sales call, whether it’s two minutes or 14 minutes, you need to know your goal.

The best cold calls are 30-45 seconds long

What are you hoping to get out of that call? Is it to close a deal? Is it to find out who the decision makers are? Is it to get an appointment?

Know your goal and tailor your pitch accordingly, because each of these calls will require a slightly different approach.

My cold call format:

 

Ø  Ask for the decision maker by name

Ø  When and if connected: State your name and company name clearly. Ask…Do you have a moment, or have I caught you at a bad time?

Ø  When and if you get an OK to proceed. Tell them your benefits first. A maximum of three. Not your history, referral list, or your qualifications.

Ø  Next step my be an e-mail, an additional conversation, or an internal referral. Schedule it if at all possible.

5. The significant differentiating claim

We do our best to provide call scripts with a strong differentiating message.  If they don’t please let Gary Seale know as soon as possible.

Your claim has to be something a pros­pect cannot regurgitate and a competitor cannot imitate.

In other words, your prospect can’t ignore your claim and your competitors can’t match its value.

Your claim must become a hook that sinks so deep in the client that it literally creates a picture they can’t erase.

Nobody buys anything except for one reason, to solve a problem. With your big claim, make sure to clearly express how you will solve your prospect’s problem.

Remember, sometimes people won’t rec­ognize they have a problem until you point it out. Wow them with what you know and what you can deliver.

6. Gains and losses

Before making a cold call, many people complain of nervous jitters.

No one likes rejection, but that’s part of the sales process.

Every sales professional should remember that with each call, they have everything to gain and nothing to lose.

Great salespeople know this and it serves as a powerful confidence booster and motivator.

 

7. The best value

Every salesperson must believe they have the best value, regardless of price.

What that means is you have to convince yourself that even if you’re four times the price tag, you’re still the best value.

Understand what makes you better. Why should someone buy your product or service over anyone else’s, even when it’s pricier?

Make sure to convince yourself of this value as well as your prospect.

 

 8.  Respect your prospects

Treat everyone with respect.

Sales reps who are calling people all day can start treating new prospects like the last eight people they failed to sell. This is a big problem with cold calls.

You need to start fresh with every call and treat each new prospect with respect.

9.  The Database – Target Market

 

Trucon works diligently to provide a database that is composed of prospects that

meet the target demographic for each customer. No database is perfect and there will be employees who have left the company, bad numbers or companies that have gone out of business. Please note that in your call log so those numbers are not redialed.   It may be necessary to adjust the database if it is discovered that the database is not directed at a viable group of prospects. Please keep Gary Seale appraised of your experience with the database.

 

10. Have the Right tools

 

Viable CRM, Computer and screen

Strong Wifi or line connection

Keyboard skills or yellow pad

Give yourself a physical/mental breaks – Practice good personal ergonomics

Reminder Scrip in front of you

Scrip available for copy paste and resending w/Graphics

 

 

Source: Gary D. Seale  The Trucon Consulting Group  512-529-7045

www.truconbd.com