Many salespeople still use cold calling in prospecting campaigns. This technique is not about selling a product at first contact. Its main objective is to schedule an appointment. So, if you are considering cold calling, here are some tips that will help you.
What exactly is cold calling?
It is a direct telephone prospecting technique. Cold calling is widely used in B2B campaigns. It consists of interacting with prospects who have not demonstrated an intention to buy a service or product. That is, no prior interaction has taken place between the prospect and the brand.
Its effectiveness is questioned by some salespeople. However, cold calling has many advantages. It is more effective than other direct approach techniques. Indeed, it does not require the use of visual aids. This type of campaign is operational very soon after the call script has been drawn up. You will also be able to obtain results quickly. Finally, it allows you to build up a certain amount of trust with the prospect. This is quite difficult to achieve with email campaigns.
5 tips for successful cold calling
Cold calling promises satisfactory results. But you need to do it right when you choose your prospects. To help you, discover these tips to improve your cold calling skills.
Know your prospects well
Making a cold call is not a matter of acting quickly. It requires preparation beforehand. You need to find out about your future contact. You need to identify targets that may be interested in the solution you are going to propose.
You can use tools such as LinkedIn to find information about your prospects. This will make it easy for you to build a list of high quality contacts for your cold calling campaign. This step may take some time. But, it allows you to get excellent results. You can use lead generation tools to make the task easier. Kaspr software is one solution to get qualified leads on LinkedIn.
This lead generation tool allows you to get your prospects’ contact information from their LinkedIn profiles. Kaspr finds the contact details of your prospects in real time from the web. This makes it the best way to get qualified contact information from your prospects in seconds.
Prepare a good call script
A call script is necessary for your cold calling to be successful. It is a matrix of responses corresponding to the different reactions
of your caller. This script helps you to deal with all eventualities. It should be well developed to save time during the conversation. You can use sales automation tools to optimize your results.
Refine your greeting and responses. Insert pauses between the different stages of the dialogue. This helps to avoid putting pressure on the person you are talking to. These short silences also help to create a more natural conversation.
Secondly, the approach you use should be different from prospect to prospect. Each prospect has his or her own needs and expectations. You should therefore tailor your sales pitch to the person you are talking to. A good script is guaranteed when you adapt it according to the information you have gathered beforehand.
Break the ice with a question
Different questions will come up when the caller picks up the phone. Start with a hello and introduce yourself by saying your name or the brand you represent.
Then you should approach them with a question to allay their fears. This method gets the prospect talking. It is also a great way to prove to the person you are talking to that you have not stumbled upon their number. With this question, you start the discussion in a more friendly way.
Choose a closed question that makes it easy to start the conversation. You do not have to state the purpose of the call directly. When the caller gives you an answer, the connection is made. Then listen carefully so that the discussion can continue.
Dealing with the objection
During the conversation, the other person may object. In these situations, a good salesperson must be understanding and tactful in dealing with these reactions. You can respond with “I understand your opinion very well”. You can read this article to find out more: Objections from a hesitant customer: how to respond?. Next, it is necessary to determine the elements that give rise to doubts. In any case, keep a subtle and friendly tone when conveying your arguments.
Evaluate your performance to improve
To be successful in your cold calling campaign, you should always improve your technique as you make more calls. Make in-depth analyses of your results. This allows you to make improvements in your pitch, your lead qualification methods and your prospect targeting techniques. You can set up performance indicators. These allow you to see how you are doing in relation to your objectives.
Conclusion
At the end of your conversation, don’t forget to insert a small conclusion. When your prospect agrees to make an appointment, you have succeeded with your cold calling. It is important to understand that cold calling is not an outdated practice. You simply have to apply the right techniques to get good results.