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Some sales people love the thrill and unpredictability of cold calling, but they’re in the minority. Most of us would rather walk on hot coals than pick up the phone and try to sell something to a stranger.
When you’re in the business of selling and marketing, though, making cold calls is usually a job requirement. If you can’t get out of it, you might as well make the most of it. These simple tips will show you how.
Decide Whom You Need to Call
Make a list of companies that might be interested in what you’re selling. For instance, if you’re in the business of showing people how to kill mosquitoes, you might consider reaching out to parks, playgrounds, outdoor theater groups, outdoor sporting venues and zoos. Think creatively. Perhaps you could sell your product to a travel group or to stores that sell outdoor equipment.
Pick an Objective
Ultimately, of course, you want to make a sale, but this rarely happens on the first phone contact. A more realistic objective might be to set up time for a brief meeting with the prospect so you can demonstrate the use of your products and answer any questions that may come up.
Write a Brief Script
Some people freeze when they get on the phone with a prospect. You can avoid this by outlining some of the key points you want to talk about. Practice your spiel until it sounds like you are speaking naturally rather than reading from notecards. Many prospects are put off by a sales pitch that sounds too rehearsed.
Check Your Mindset
Before you pick up the phone, take an inventory of the thoughts going through your mind. Are you thinking, “Oh, I hate doing this! I don’t like to bother people”? If so, it’s time to reframe the issue.
You are not “bothering” the client at all. In fact, you’re approaching him or her with the solution to a problem. A healthier thought is, “I have a service or a product that can help make this person’s business flourish, and I’m excited to tell her about it.”
Choose the Best Times to Call
Studies show you’re more likely to reach prospects between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. or between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. You’re also more likely to reach the person you are trying to contact if you call him or her on a Wednesday or Thursday.
Don’t Get Discouraged
Selling means getting used to hearing the word “No.” It may take 10, 15, even 20 calls to find a prospect who wants what you have to offer. Try not to let yourself get discouraged by the people who turn you down. Instead of thinking of it as a rejection, you might try telling yourself, “I’m that much closer to the person who will say yes.”
Cold calling may never be your favorite task, but with a little extra practice and a change of mindset, you can get to a place where you no longer dread it.
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Good points, personally am a sales person for last 15 years, your suggested points are really helpful and the examples are attractive too, I think u need to be patient in this marketing strategy, and another important point would be to maintain diary about whome to call and when to call
Cold calling a hot business here in India. There is no law related to this & people call day & night on mobile selling their insurance, traveling or other packages through cold calling.
Pritam nagrale recently posted..How to Make Money Selling Photos Online?
Twitter: teesort
There should be law for this. Either calling timing should be fixed so that everyone can off his cell at that time.
Thanks Shane for your great post. I appreciate your whole of the article but i just fall in love with one sentence that you have written “Selling means getting used to hearing the word “No. !” Because of sometimes it doesn’t limits up to 15 or 20…So you must work harder and never expect that your another call make another “no” be positive and keep working..
Ranjan recently posted..How to Develop Leadership Qualities
Twitter: Elena__Anne
All excellent suggestions. It’s true, very few people like cold-calling. That’s why I think your point about checking your mindset is so important. It will be so obvious if you sound annoyed, disinterested, or are too meek. Even though you’re calling someone out of the blue, you have to come across as confident in what you do.
Elena Anne recently posted..Causes and Health Risks of Snoring
You are bothering people. Nothing annoys me more than some idiot ringing outcofvthe blue trying to sell me stuff I don’t want. And how the hell do they get my no in the first place?
I really wish, the policemen in germany would put a shield like this in our street.Great Idea, i love it. Cold calling is really annoying.
Greetings Simon
Twitter: rancorinfotech
Hey Shane,
Useful points, It’s really important to have positive mindset before approaching to anyone for your product sales. You must be confident that your product is going to give solutions and everybody should try it. Plus proper practice is really essential so that you can answer each questions of your client fluently.
Aasma recently posted..Mobile Recharge Software
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Hi Shane,
Reading your post brought back memories.
It took quite some getting used to at first. I read some where before to put a mirror in front of me during cold calling so that I can look at my facial expression so that I can relax and to convince myself.
I didn’t really do that because it was quite embarrassing to do.
So I have to force myself to cold call.
Also, I had to cold call when I was on field. Cold calling on the phone can still get through as the person on the other side don’t see me. But cold calling face to face, that was seriously tough.
Then again, it was just have to do it (for the salary and commission) and getting used to.
Cheers…
Michael recently posted..10 How To Get Targeted Social Media Fans Tips
As someone who’s worked at a call center and knows the enigma that is the cold call in and out, I can truly empathize with people who still have to do this (or are forced to, rather!) in order to earn their bread. You really have to be someone who’s dead inside, in order to constantly listen to people say no to you every single day!
Javi recently posted..Reduce Blog Bounce Rate
I too have spent time in a call center, and I was not cut out for it. It’s a unique skill it be able to connect with people over the phone in mass like that. You do learn a lot about the basic ideas of making a sale, but it’s tough to fight through the constant no’s from the people on the other line. It’s like panning for gold almost, just sifting through dirt until eventually, after a long day of rejection, eureka! You found gold! (hopefully). Sometimes you can go a week without getting a solid response from someone, and other times you can get 5 solid sales out in a row.
Exactly, Paul! Couldn’t have put it any better myself!
Javi recently posted..Reduce Blog Bounce Rate
Hi, Shane! You said some people can’t sell stuff to strangers. I’m on the opposite side: I hate to try/manipulate to make my friends buy what I sell. It would be like taking advantage of their trust and friendship. I just can’t sell my stuff to my friends, except when they explicitly say that it’s useful to them.
Cristian Stan recently posted..Inverter Generator
so you sell crap stuff nobody wants? Because of it is good stuff you sell, why not sell (not force) it to them? Some services can be an objection though.
bert recently posted..Marketing nekt mkb
I agree, I keep business and personal life separate. I don’t mind providing what I know to friends and family so they can make an informed decision but I can’t “sell” them on anything. If something went wrong or it didn’t live up to expectations I couldn’t look them in the eye, it becomes personal.
Robert recently posted..Skin Tag Removal At Home – Natural Oils
All good points especially about mindset. Mindset is critical when it comes to cold calling. I was not aware of those specific times being more productive.
Doug recently posted..Why SEO?
Yes, I agree with you , mindset is very important thing. Run business is very important to achieve a goals
I´ve been always afraid of cold calling, if trying to sell something to someone close to me could be painful think how it woluld be selling to a stranger. I think it´s time to make a switch to my mindset in order to reach my goals.
Twitter: HappyHealthyetc
I am sure no one likes to do cold calling, but if you are good at that – you can survive at any job. This is a really good list of recommendations on how to become successful at this job and has a lot of great points. Thanks for posting it! It’s very useful!
Elena recently posted..The Most Famous and Expensive Weddings in 2012
Hi!
An interesting article! I have never done cold calling and I’m sure I would be really bad at it… but I probably just couldn’t get myself to not hate it.
Anna recently posted..Wann Handtuchheizung
Cold calling takes a tough mindset for sure. Anyone who deals with phones all day has to have a certain attitude to get through it without being discouraged.
Robert Koenig recently posted..Two Recalls for Salmonella in Separate Companies
Great post. Well I am not in the business of selling and marketing but still I enjoyed reading it.
Kevin recently posted..Hello world!
Twitter: SmallWebBiz
Cold callers are bothering me especially if they call between 8-9am while I’m on the way to work or 4-6pm when I’m just getting relaxed and about to have some dinner after a long day. If I want mosquito repellent I’ll go online and look for some rather than wait for the phone to ring with a random offer!
Mike Escott recently posted..Keyword Density is Out of Date
I hate cold calling but am sometimes asked to do that for charities I volunteer for, such as when soliciting donations for pledge drives. I’ll try some of your tips and mention them to the charities, to see if that helps the experience more tolerable.
Leo Kolache recently posted..Additional Accountant Jobs
Check mindset is very important to get success. Wrong mindset can make fail in any field.
julidarmaputra recently posted..Comment on The Way To Overcome Acne Without Drugs by read this
Cold calling can be one of the most difficult things for many to do including myself as nobody likes rejection. If you can get past giving up you’ll probably do ok, but like you said you need a script but don’t be a robot and be ready to think on your feet too.
Anderson Malone recently posted..An Incredible Value
Twitter: OddRandomThots
I actually worked in telemarketing for a while, and let me tell ya it’s quite hard. Probably 90 percent of the calls you make will turn into a sale. But when you do nail that sale, it makes all the previous discouraging calls of getting cussed out and hung up on worth while. I would also like to add that rebuttals can pay off if done properly. It was our common practice to at least initiate 3 rebuttals before finally letting the potential customer off the hook. Unless of course they hung up on you.
I think the biggest point is definitely not to get discouraged, as you’ve pointed out. You just have to let the bad fall off of you and keep striving for the good!
Robert recently posted..OMG, Now Robots are Sweating!
Twitter: OddRandomThots
Sorry, just wanted to add that I meant to say 90% of the calls you make will not turn into a sale, my mistake.
bert recently posted..Marketing nekt mkb
Twitter: OddRandomThots
LOL, yep, I noticed that after I posted and thought, “Oh man I’m gonna look like a Telemarketing Master”. So thought I should correct myself. 90% conversion would be awesome though….although it may be possible when accepting inbound calls.
Robert recently posted..Sneezing, Ahhh Feels so Good
Joyo I totally I agree with you , mindset is very important thing
concentration is major rules for any work to get the goal.
Thanks for sharing
ioana moise recently posted..DS Games
Yes, I agree with you,
Thanks for sharing such a great topic that you chosen
ioana moise recently posted..Chat room
I have an accounting background and now I have to do cold calling as well… Now I know the feeling of being rejected by our potential customers. But I always keep the spirit that one day they will be our customers. It was just about not phoning the right person at the right time…