Think about the last time a telemarketer interrupted you during your work- day or at home just as you sat down to have dinner with your family. Chances are you didn’t eagerly rush to pick up the telephone and engage in a quality conversation that resulted in a business transaction.
More than likely, you let the call go to voice mail or you politely—or angrily—expressed your irritation at the intrusion or your disinterest in the sales pitch and abruptly ended the exchange. In the back of your mind you might have even given thanks you weren’t the guy on the other end of the line attempting to make the cold call sale.
But what if you were?
Calling someone you don’t know can conjure up a lot of fear. After all, you know almost nothing about the names typed on the paper in front of you. You know the telephone number, perhaps the address, and the chance they may be interested in whatever it is you’re selling. The possibility of rejection is at least 50/50.
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on the other end of the line yelling or insulting you—or worse—hanging up before you’ve gotten the first sentence out of your mouth. As you sit there with the receiver in one hand and the buzz of the dial tone echoing in your ear, it occurs to you—this is something you’re going to have to do again . . . and again . . . and again.
To be successful at cold calling, and to enjoy what you do for a living, you’ve got to have a plan—and work it—or you won’t last a week in the world of sales. Not only do you have to generate new business; you must continuously develop and nurture your business contacts and partnerships in order to keep revenue flowing in the future. How you view the act of cold calling will play an important part in how successful—and satisfied—you’ll be with this aspect of your job.
Be Positive About a Negative
Yes, cold calling can have negative connotations. Hearing a stranger’s stilted cheery greeting as he unexpectedly intrudes into private time can start things off on the wrong foot. Getting things moving in a positive direction starts with how you view your job as a sales professional.
‘‘I believe in the products I sell,’’ says John, a veteran sales representa- tive. ‘‘I know how each tool works, what it’s capable of, how it’s used, cleaned, and stored. I know the history behind its development, how long it can be expected to last and, most importantly, what my customer needs and what the competition has to offer.’’
It’s obvious from John’s thorough knowledge of his product that he is confident about the calls he makes and the information he shares with his prospective customers. He’s not just motivated to make a sale; he’s genu- inely excited to share his knowledge and personal experience with others who he believes would benefit from his product.
When you pick up the telephone to make your first call, how do you feel? Ask yourself the following questions:
● Are you enthusiastic about the product or service you’re offering or are you irritated that this is just one more thing you have to do?
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● Do you feel like you’re bothering your prospective customer?
● Do you find yourself apologizing for taking up her time?
If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, put down the phone and do your homework, because if you don’t believe in what you’re selling, how can you expect that someone else will?
When you’re calling a person you don’t know, your voice will reflect your apprehension and any bit of hesitation you may have. This immediately puts you in the one-down position and can hinder your ability to make the sale.
When you cold call a prospective customer, you are at a disadvantage because you cannot see his facial expressions or read his body language. In turn, your customer relies on your voice to transmit your personality.
Here are a couple things that will help:
● Buy a cheap hand mirror and stand it in a place where you can see and look at yourself as you make phone calls.
● Have a friend record you on videotape or record your voice on a tape recorder. Speak slowly, distinctly, and in a natural tone of voice.
● Smile as you talk. It will help your neck muscles relax and your voice will sound more natural and reflect a positive quality.
● As you play back your recording, try to observe and listen as a stranger would. Watch or listen to the recording several times to pick up on the subtle nuances.
Do you sound like a person you would like to do business with? Once you identify and acknowledge your shortcomings, you’ll work very hard to correct them.
Gain Permission to Proceed
When cold calling, try asking prospects, ‘‘Am I catching you at a bad time right now?’’ This gives you several advantages on the call:
● Many prospects will say, ‘‘No, it’s okay’’—giving you, in essence, per- mission to proceed with the sales calls.
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● With those who say they are busy, you can set a phone appointment for a call-back.
● When you make that call-back, and the secretary asks, ‘‘Is she expect- ing your call?’’, you can truthfully answer, ‘‘yes.’’
● You will stand out from the crowd by demonstrating to prospects you are respectful of their time.
If the prospect says, ‘‘No, this is a good time,’’ she is giving you permis- sion to proceed. If she says, ‘‘Yes, it’s a bad time,’’ ask when a good time is and call back then. It’s that simple.