Most salespeople I know consider cold calling a dreadful, but essential activity in our profession. Even those who are good at it rarely like it. Nevertheless, those who are successful in sales do it regularly because without prospects, one does not sell anything.
If you hate cold calling to the point where you won't do it, you've got a serious problem. Let this go on long enough, and you'll watch your commissions drop from low to zero as you lose your job.
If you truly hate cold calling to the point where it is really hurting your sales, I may know one of the reasons why.
Too many salespeople take the bulk of the pressure on themselves in the sale. We've been conditioned into it by a society that teaches us that buyers shop, and sellers are there to "serve". You've heard this before... "serve the customer".
In "serving the customer", we feel that we have to do whatever they ask to get the sale. Some prospects act like bratty children that just have to have their way. This can be quite annoying to deal with.
In letting this belief "serving the customer" dominate our attitude towards buying and selling, we give up a lot of power. It's kind of crazy if you really think about it. The prospect is the one who does or does not have a problem to solve. Its not your problem - you are just offering a potential solution.
If your prospect does have a problem to solve, then it is his responsibility to solve it - not yours. What you can do is help him figure out how to solve it, and offer your products or services if they solve the problem.
When cold calling, you are looking for problems that you can actually solve. How effective you are at cold calling is really a matter of how effective you are at uncovering problems that you can solve. It is *not* a game of how good of a "pitch" you can deliver over the phone.
If you plan your cold calling by trying to craft the most interesting, exciting, and sparkling pitch to wow your prospects into meeting with you, then you are putting way too much pressure on yourself. This may just be stressful for you, or it can even be disabling to the point where you can't or won't do any cold calling.
I have a simple formula to take the pressure off of yourself and put it where it belongs - on your prospect.
Simple, huh? So simple, it may seem too easy.
The secret to the cold calling formula is how you do each step. Here's an example:
"Hello, this is Shamus Brown calling."
"I am with Jupiter Financial Partners, and using private equity, I help people get high investment returns without the risk and volatility associated with the stock market.
"Do you have a few minutes to let me ask you a few questions about your investments?
"What percentage did your investment's increase this past year?
"Oh, they didn't increase... they declined by how much?... hmm, sounds bad to me, but I am not you - is that kind of performance OK with you?"
This follows the simple format outlined above. Introduce yourself and your company, and wrap that introduction with a statement of the results that you provide for your customers. This is one of the keys to making cold calling easier.
The only thing your prospect will likely hear at the beginning of the call is your results. When you are cold calling someone, you are interrupting them in some way. Their attention is elsewhere. When they hear the results that you offer, you will get their attention IF they are interested in those types of results.
Next, if they are interested in those results, they will more than likely answer yes to your request to ask a few questions and talk further.
Finally, you immediately get into probing for problems, and amplifying the consequences. Once you are there, you will stir up their motivation and desire to talk further about your product or service.
Stop using lengthy introductions in your cold calling. If you get that slightly uncomfortable or nauseating feeling in your stomach while delivering your phone "pitch", it is because your pitch is too long. The longer your pitch is, the more you are "at risk" because you do not know how the message is being received.
Shorten your cold calling opener to just the essential results that you provide, and then get right into probing for problems. You'll sell more this way.
© 1999-2004 Shamus Brown, All Rights Reserved.
Shamus Brown is a Professional Sales Coach and former high-tech sales pro who began his career selling for IBM. Shamus has written more than 50 articles on selling and is the creator of the popular Persuasive Selling Skills CD Audio Program. You can read more of Shamus Brown's sales tips at http://Sales-Tips.industrialEGO.com/ and you can learn more about his persuasive sales skills training at http://www.Persuasive-Sales-Skills.com/
"I was at your site for all of two minutes... Read More
Successful salespeople have the ability to turn the customers they... Read More
Occasionally EGOPOWER readers send me questions or topic suggestions that... Read More
Along with having an innovative supply chain, there's another reason... Read More
TELEPHONE TECHNIQUESSelling face to face is different from selling on... Read More
I've recently been hearing sales companies talk about how they... Read More
You arrived on time and completed your calculations. You worked... Read More
The Technical Revolution has done a lot for us --... Read More
In the last decade, the Internet has become a major... Read More
I would like to share a disturbing little secret with... Read More
When I write sales letters for my clients, one rule... Read More
Will you do just about anything, including sending out hundreds... Read More
Business owners should be more like doctors.Forget selling and start... Read More
The fastest way to get a decision made is to... Read More
So it's finally come time to sell the business. After... Read More
Do you know your conversion rates? Conversion rate is the... Read More
This evaluation is not for the "weak-kneed". Real questions to... Read More
Ever have a prospect start out your sales call by... Read More
Neil Rackham turned the world of high-ticket salesmanship on its... Read More
How many times have you heard that you gotta get... Read More
Recently I wanted a new lawn mower as we have... Read More
So now the time has come to invest in Lead... Read More
A closing question asks for a final decision. A trial-closing... Read More
All customers have a choice to make. Sometimes that choice... Read More
You are the productWe're all in the selling business whether... Read More
In my professional experience as a sales and marketing coach/consultant,... Read More
Make sure you target women. It's true for almost anything... Read More
Who likes cold calling? Most salespeople don't like cold calling,... Read More
People ask me, "What should I charge?"I say, "Ask your... Read More
The difference between antique or vintage store fixtures and used... Read More
The above quote, "Eighty percent of success is showing up."... Read More
How much extra money could you make by closing just... Read More
The formula for defining a "profession" is similar throughout many... Read More
Some of the best sales people I have ever met,... Read More
The headline that appears over the salutation in a fundraising... Read More
What do people buy? They don't buy your wonderful presentation.... Read More
"Hello, is (pause) puh-TREE-shuh home?"So started my weekend lesson in... Read More
Your proposal is selling for you when you're not there,... Read More
When was the last time you thanked your customers?This often... Read More
Selling is as much an art as it is a... Read More
When Dr. Frankenstein exclaimed "it's alive... it's alive," he thought... Read More
We all have people whom we find difficult. We don't... Read More
Benefits are what motivate people to purchase from you, right?... Read More
THE 7 KEYS TO GETTING MORE CLIENTS THAN YOU CAN... Read More
What comes to mind when you think of networking --... Read More
Everyone wants the best possible value in every transaction, but... Read More
Any time a clothing store opens or expands, they must... Read More
Sales letters, sent via e-mail or snail mail, are an... Read More
Make no mistake that emotions are the driving force behind... Read More
Several weeks ago, I conducted a "Mastering the Cold Call"... Read More
Britney Spears has recently caused controversy with suggestions that the... Read More
In the course of my career, I've had to deal... Read More
Hypnosis has been a taboo word for far too long.... Read More
After completing a workshop on personal productivity or time management,... Read More
Your prospect is in the market for a widget, just... Read More
I was sitting at my desk last week when my... Read More
I learned something very interesting this week. Thankfully, what I... Read More
When you think about ways to gain repeat business from... Read More
Value is in the Eye of the BeholderSales today is... Read More
You are the productWe're all in the selling business whether... Read More
If you were selling a mansion, and you were selling... Read More
When you are in the business of sales, among the... Read More
Most business people will tell you that selling is not... Read More
It may sound funny, but honestly, if you're opening up... Read More
A mobile auto detailer and their profits are tied to... Read More
If you plan to do sell your product or service... Read More
Sales |