Cold Calling Tips
- My # 1 Enemy is … the Status Quo
- Set an appointment if the lead/prospect is busy and be specific (date/time
- Do not wait more than a week between calls
A = P = S
Appointments = Prospects = Sales
(in my case since I am in tele-sales, this could be
Calls [+Appointments/Presentations\] = Prospects = Sales
- Know my numbers – Set up as many presentations as possible(because A > P > S)
- By knowing my numbers, I can understand my ration
- Replenish prospects – ALWAYS
PROSPECT CONSTANTLY
Figure out how many “No” = how many “Yes”
Five Ways to Double My Income
1. Double # of calls
2. Get through more often
3. Get more appointments
4. Close more sales
5. Generate more dollars/sale
Make Just One More call at the end of the day
Know my numbers and work my numbers!
What is a “Prospect?”
Someone who is progressing with me through the steps of the sales process (or someone who want to ‘play ball’)
Generating Leads
- Tell people what I do consistently and descriptively (like a ‘mini-commercial’ of self)
- Use family, friends and relatives (FFR) as a way to generate leads
- Civil organizations
- Conferences
- Newspapers (obituaries – to look up company person worked for; classfieds, display ads, weddings
- Excising business
- The usual – yp.com, etc
Cold Calling Mechanics
- Get the person’s attention
- People respond in kind
- Just call back – do not ask for permission
- Identify myself and my company
- State the reason for the call
- Make a questioning or qualifying statement
Remember to stay on point and remember reason for the call
e.g. – “Good Morning, Mr. Jones. My name is Marty. I am a business consultant with Local Edge Media. We specialize in getting businesses top placement on all the major search engines. I am sure that your, like our exciting 9,000 customers, would be interested in growing your business”
How to Get Past the Gatekeeper
- Try calling at different times.
- Do NOT make repeat calls if people are giving me a hard time
- OR…try telling GK that “It’s a long story”
Six Tips for Cold Calling
1. Use a mirror
2. Use a timer
3. Practice
4. Keep a record of calls
5. Tape my calls
6. Stand up
7. Implement
Turning Around Common Responses
1. “No Thanks! I am happy with what I have”
- (Other people told me exactly the same thing you did.)
They had the same reaction you did before they had a chance to see how what we do complements (fits, matches, supports) what they are already doing.
[in other words, reinforce what they are doing and say we could complement it to our plan. OR – Look into
our program BECAUSE OF what he/she is currently
doing!]
2. “I’m not interested” (Sales is selling to somebody who wasn’t interested
prior to my call)
- “Well, Mr. Jones, a lot of people had the same reaction you did (when I first called) before they had a chance to see how what we do will benefit them.” (give examples of current customers)
3. “I’m too busy”
- Respond by setting up an appointment for a presentation
- Do NOT try to turn around more than THREE answers/objections, just say “OK, I will call back” and DO IT
4. “Send me some literature”
- Try to schedule an appointment
Don’t forget to listen
The 1st Response is NOT worth fighting over
Responses roll into each other
The second response REALLY matters
Do NOT fight over ANY Response
THE LEDGE
· Something you can step on (to regain your footing)
· Allows you to handle an extended conversation
· Doesn’t limit conversation
· Use it to support conversation
- As uncovering (what, how, when who, why)
Use it all to say: “You know something! That is WHY, we REALLY
should talk!”
Uses the 1st questions (or negative response) as a foothold to turn an extended phone prospecting conversation around)
ALWAYS Remember the Reason for the Call
If a prospect seems interested, learn about him first, and do not launch too much in what we do (know your customer)
No matter what a prospect says, that IS the reason we should talk
e.g. “Some other people we work with now had the same
reaction at first”
If talking to the wrong person, (and be sure of it) ask:
“Who should I talk to?”
Real use of THE LEDGE = A REAL CONVERSATION
It is where 2 conversations become 1
( 2 = 1)
· Use 3rd party approach on phone calls – industry, business, city
Tell prospect what I have done for others¸ NOT what
I am going to do for him/her.
· Referral Calls
“The reason I am contacting you today specifically is
that I just spoke to __________ and he/she suggested I
give you a call.
Voicemails
Do NOT call more than ONCE A WEEK if a contact is COLD
Calling with a company name
- Name, phone #, company – e.g. “It’s regarding XYZ Company”
Calling with an individual’s name
“Would you tell him/her it’s in reference to ____ (person’s name)
If STILL no call back
No more than 4x/month; email prospect in include date of time of call
(in Subject line: “Upcoming Call – “)
The Four Steps of the Sales Process
- The Opening
- Be clear and to the point – quick intro of self
- The Information Stage
- Find out all you can about customer
(REAL key to selling is finding out what people do)
- 75% of Call
- The Presentation Stage
- Presenting my case for why the prospect is deciding to buy
- Purpose is to close the sale
- Gather information (use info from step 2)
- The Closing Stage
- “Makes sense to me. What do you think?”
Principles of Sales Success
- All steps lead to the next step
- 72 Hours – IMPLEMENT
- All objections and responses can and should be anticipated
- Follow-through (not follow up) is an integral part of sales
- You must find out what prospect does
- Prospects respond in kind
The Four P’S
Professional Development
Product Malleability (repositioning service to fit prospects’ needs)
Presentation Skills
Prospecting
10 Traits of Successful Salespeople
- Thy are not normal
- They are committed
- They are motivated
- They are self-declared
- They sacrifice
- They delegate
- They are optimistic
- The are enthusiastic
- The live off-peak
- The are consistent and persistent
The Three MOST Important Words in Sales
Obsession
Utilization
Implementation
MAKE IT A PRODUCTIVE DAY!
