7 Cold Calling Tactics You Aren’t Using But Should Be

Cold calling isn’t dead; neither is it on its deathbed. In fact, it’s one of the most effective ways to increase sales and drive revenue. Even the small businesses are on board that it’s one of the best ways to move their business forward.

Do you want to know how to get good results from cold calling easily? Why not consider changing the way you prepare for and close these calls? There are a few things you can do that will not only lessen the stress before you call a potential prospect but will also make you an effective closer.

1. Build a profile of your ideal prospect

Don’t forget–you have the right to choose who you call to. What do I mean by that? Well, not everyone can buy your product plus not everyone needs it. So, define your ideal prospect. Use this step to set the foundation, and it will help you eliminate the noise and rule out the prospects that aren’t a good fit for you, right away.

Going after everyone won’t help you get more meetings, but it will definitely burn your energy and time.

2. Invest 10 minutes in research before you call

To articulate a good message that is simple but meaningful you need to understand what your prospects do, make sure you invest at least ten minutes in knowing your prospects.

If you do this, you stand a better chance of holding your prospects attention and will less likely to face rejections.

I know to invest 10 minutes in research before every call means a lot of time but take the time, not the easy shortcut.

Crack cold calls by being prospect-centric rather than sale centric.

3. Put some time and effort in creating an opening statement

You never get the second chance to make a first impression which is why it’s essential to make a good one in the first time.

The most important part of a cold call is the first 5 seconds if you’ve been able to capture the attention of your prospects in those seconds you’ll be able to earn 5 minutes. Once you earn the 5 minutes, focus on holding the attention and make it 15. The longer you will be able to keep the attention the higher your chances of getting a meeting.

Most cold callers use the same opening statement every time — which is why conversion rates are so terribly low. Remember opening statement is as important for your cold calls as subject lines for emails.

4. Tell more, ask less

You must have heard it many times that if you want to close more sales, you should talk less and listen more. But have you ever followed this rule while making a cold call? If, yes – how did it work out for you. I bet it didn’t work out the way you thought it would.

Why?

Well, there is one simple reason – the aim of a cold call is to get a meeting from someone who didn’t know you and your business -to get them to agree to a meeting you’ve to inform them what you do and how you do it – basically the aim should be to educate them. If you don’t do the talking, you won’t be able to do that. So, don’t shy away from talking.

Want to get better results from your cold calls?  Re-think your goals. If people listen to you for few minutes, great – if you’ve been able to hold their attention for a more extended period, even better. If they agree for a meeting, you’ve won.

5. Build relationships, don’t sell

Cold calling isn’t dead but selling on a cold call surely is – never attempt to sell on your first call.

Focus on establishing a connection rather than pitching your product or services. Unless you are selling products and services that are very low in price and requires little thought.  Try to know your buyer – understand their mission and communicate it back to them, so they start to identify your business with their needs.

Closing a sale on the first cold call is as difficult as nailing jelly to a tree – don’t get enamored with things that aren’t achievable.

6. Focus more on how you say that what you say

When it comes to sales calls the tone of your voice play more role in getting good results than your words do.

Have covered this point in one of my earlier posts – here’s an excerpt from it:

When it comes to getting good results from cold calling, tonality plays a very crucial role.

You must have heard “The 7% rule” – that communication is only 7 percent verbal and 93 percent non-verbal. Since on a call a prospect can’t see you that means 93% of the success of your cold call will depend on the tone of your voice.

Now that you know that tone of voice can make or break your cold calling success, it’s time to use it correctly. Here’re a few suggestions to help you do that:

• Use the right volume; your voice shouldn’t be too high or too low.
• Don’t slouch; sit straight – your body language will reflect on your tone.
• Don’t do anything else when you’re on the call.

The tone of your voice can make or break your cold calling success – pay heed to it.

7. Use a script but make it sound real

Keeping a script ready can save you from embarrassing yourself on cold calls, it can be your best friend, but it can become your worst enemy too.

How?

If you have a script, it can help you in navigating the conversation. But if you become too dependent on it, it will make you sound like a robot, and your prospect will disconnect the call without even telling you a no.

Create a script to make your cold call go smoother but be prepared to take the charge of the conversation – show the person on the other side that you are a real person too, just like him.