Posted by JuJuan Buford Entrepreneur & Author @JSBUFORD
If you’re reading this article, chances are you desire simply to become more proficient at cold calling, or you’re looking for the secret to overcoming both the dreaded arduousness of the endeavor altogether. So here’s the secret………..
THERE IS NOT ONE. NO SECRET STRATEGY, ELIXIR, OR PERFECT SCRIPT. ALL THE AFOREMENTIONED ARE NONEXISTENT. However, there are a couple steps you can take to improve your success ratio.
ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING
Don’t take rejection personally. A waiter approaches a table, suggests a Caesar salad as an appetizer, and inquires whether the patron desires steak as their entrée. If the patron declines the steak, the waiter does not retreat into a posture of spite or broken disappointment. It’s simply on to the next. When fishermen take to the lake they understand that their bait is for the fish that desires a particular taste. They don’t spend too much time pontificating on how, why, or obfuscate nonstop. They continue to throw out a line.
Let’s assume you have a genuine, solid value proposition. Keep throwing out the line. Cold calling is a numbers game and don’t let anyone convince you differently. Yes, the more skilled and experienced you are, the more effective you’ll become. Isn’t that the same with everything? Walking, learning how to potty, etc., etc.,. Most just aren’t willing to learn from the experience of cold calling a large quantity of prospects, because they’re too busy trying to get through the activity.
IT’S ALL IN YOUR MUSIC
Those on the receiving end of your call can hear your smile or your frown. Consider for a moment. Before, you graced that receptionist, operations person, or small business owner with your voice, they’ve already been pitched dozens and dozens of times from individuals who often times have no interest in really understanding what’s important to them. As fatiguing as it is to make the dials, think about how fatiguing it is to have to answer them all day.
Divorces happen. Negative clients happen. Lawsuits happen. Children spilling strawberry syrup all over the carpet happens. Traffic tickets happen.
You’re music needs to be positive, upbeat, energetic like an emotional defibrillator. Not over the top, but your voice needs to feel like sunshine, rather than some kind of blue. Meditate, review your mission statement or vision board, read an inspiring quote, read ten pages of a really good, positive book, or imagine a more bountiful future. In other words, get your music right.
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS THE PERFECT SCRIPT
There are scripts that you execute with frequency. And those that you don’t execute with frequency. The ingredients in the secret cold calling script, are execution and ratio. Don’t get me wrong though, there are really, really bad scripts out there. Here are a couple suggestions concerning the elements of a good script…especially in the B2B market.
- Immediately identify who you are by name, the company you're with (project confidence), pause (take a breadth), and ask for the person (the decision maker) whom you’d like to speak with. Here’s a hint. Call initially to acquire the persons first and last name, and call back asking specifically for that person by name.
- What is your value proposition? Be able to capsulate it in one sentence or ask a question that provokes one to consider what the impact would be of your service or product. In other words, take a moment to truly consider, what’s in it for them. This is not the time to talk features. This requires repeating. This is not the time to talk features.
- Don’t sprint away from sharing the approximate expense. Be honest. Perhaps approximate. However, don’t sprint away. For example, “for less than the cost of a cup of coffee a day.” Or be clear about whether your service is a la carte. However, if it is not a la carte, it’s not going to go well when you’re sitting eye ball to eye ball.
- What is the success rate, conversion rate, measureable impact, or results. OMG! I use to mess this one up, and did so recently during a lunch appointment. Even the most practiced of us, have a bad performance every now and again. If you cannot answer this question in less than one sentence, particularly if the decision maker inquires about it (meaning they’re genuinely interested), it is the kiss of death.
- Do not convince, sell, give a comprehensive features overview, tell your life's story….you get the point. SET THE APPOINTMENT. The goal is to whet the appetite, not shove a Whopper down their throats. You are not going to acquire a client (there is a difference between a customer and a client) over the phone cold. You want the appointment (permission) to inform the decision maker with enough information to make an educated decision.
This small plate just almost turned into an entrée. More to come.