Maximize Your Cold Calling Efforts
We have all had the experience of looking at the telephone, holding a list of numbers to call, taking a deep breath and dialing numbers. For many, the experience of cold calling is a painful one. We hear objection after object and no after no. The truth is, cold calling can still be maximized for great results. How can you have success at cold calling? How can you maximize your efforts with cold calling to achieve maximum results?
Strategy
The only element of your cold calling technique and strategy that should be ‘cold’ is the actual dialing of the number. Practice. Practice. Practice. Take the time to practice your script in front of the mirror, or better yet, in front of your friends and family. Friends and family will be your toughest critics and that is exactly what you need in order to fine-tune your cold calling strategy. A great technique is to make sure that the script you are using for your calls doesn’t sound scripted. Don’t use words or phrases that are unnatural. Keep it simple, keep it short and keep it to the point.
Overcoming Objections
Before you pick up the phone for the first time to dial a potential customers number, make sure you have familiarized yourself with the most common objections that you will encounter. The key is to not sound scripted. Take a few minutes each day to go over the most common objections and speak out loud your rebuttal. Simply put, a cold call should be treated in the same fashion that you would treat an in-person sales call. The only difference is that the conversation is via the telephone. And never forget to smile! The old saying that your smile can be heard in your voice still remains true.
Numbers
In the end, cold calling is a matter of numbers. A great way to avoid becoming discouraged is to remind yourself that every ‘no’ you hear simply means that you are one-step closer to hearing a ‘yes’. The moment you start to get discouraged, you need to step away from the phone. When you are in a negative mindset or a frustrated mindset, this will reflect in your voice. Your voice will sound anxious and even desperate. Try to stay as calm and as positive as you can and the minute you feel your energy start to drop off, simply call it a day. Cold calling should be part of your strategy for marketing your business, but it is not your only resource. When the time comes to put the phone down, simply take 10 minutes to refresh and start on your next task on your agenda.
Happy Marketing!
Sean
(Image Creative Commons)
Sean McPheat
Sean McPheat left the corporate world when he was 30 and risked it all to “See if he could cut it as an entrepreneur”. He’s been a serial entrepreneur ever since! Sean now owns several online and offline businesses in addition to one of the most successful management and sales development organisations within the UK. Sean is a bestselling author and founder and MD of international training firm MTD Training. Sean has been referred to in the media as a thought leader within the sales, maketing and busines improvement industry, and has been featured on CNN International, the BBC, ITV, The Guardian and in big name magazines such as Arena Magazine, Marketing Weekly and Business Zone.
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