{"id":3080,"date":"2020-05-13T01:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-05-13T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.kmbrian.com\/?p=3080"},"modified":"2020-12-07T15:38:09","modified_gmt":"2020-12-07T21:38:09","slug":"cold-calling-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/kmbrian.com\/blog\/cold-calling-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"15 B2B Cold Calling Tips to Boost Your Success Rate (& Keep It Fun)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Believe it or not, cold calling success isn\u2019t about the script you use or the structure of your call.<\/p>\n

Those are important elements, of course, but they aren\u2019t what matters most.<\/p>\n

What does move the needle, you ask?<\/p>\n

Keep reading to learn 15 advanced cold calling tips that anyone can master \u2014 all but guaranteed to boost your success rate and help you hit your numbers faster.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s dive in\u2026<\/p>\n

15 Cold Calling Tips<\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. Target the Right Prospects<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. Set the Right Expectations and Goals<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Use the Right Script<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. PRACTICE, practice, practice<\/a><\/li>\n
  5. Get Through to the Right Person<\/a><\/li>\n
  6. Make Your Reason for Calling Clear Immediately <\/a><\/li>\n
  7. A Lesson from Stevie Wonder<\/a><\/li>\n
  8. Pay Attention to Your Body Language<\/a><\/li>\n
  9. Have a Plan for Handling Objections<\/a><\/li>\n
  10. Anticipate Questions<\/a><\/li>\n
  11. Don\u2019t take it personally \ud83d\ude42<\/a><\/li>\n
  12. Document the Call<\/a><\/li>\n
  13. End the Call With an Action<\/a><\/li>\n
  14. Follow Up <\/a><\/li>\n
  15. Make Your Call Matter<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Target the Right Prospects\"\"<\/h2>\n

    Narrowing down your qualified prospects<\/a> can take some time, but it\u2019s better than wasting time tearing through a list of contacts you have no chance of closing. You want your prospects to be as qualified as possible to maximize your time and resources.<\/p>\n

    In addition, ideally your first contact with a prospect won\u2019t be a cold call. Warm them up by reaching out via other channels first (think InMail, Twitter, email, or a postcard) so that when they do get a call from you, they\u2019re at least somewhat familiar with your name.<\/p>\n

    Set the Right Expectations and Goals<\/h2>\n

    When you make a cold call, what are you expecting to get from it? If you answered \u201cA sale,\u201d you\u2019re doing it wrong.<\/p>\n

    Your objective is to get leads<\/a> so you can move them through your sales funnel. For a cold call to be successful, it should result in a follow-up action, such as scheduling a meeting, setting up a demo, or sending additional information via email. Your goal isn\u2019t<\/em> to make a sale, but to establish contact and move your lead to the next step. That\u2019s all.<\/p>\n

    Whatever your goal, it needs to be clear and actionable. Without this, your call is going to be pretty pointless.<\/p>\n

    I recommend you set a small goal to get you started and celebrate every time you hit it. As your success rate climbs, you can adjust your goals too, and you will see a gradual improvement in your efficiency and success rate.<\/p>\n

    Use the Right Script<\/h2>\n

    It\u2019s hard work to get prospects on the phone, so when you finally do make contact, the last thing you want to do is botch the opportunity with a terrible sales pitch<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    So should you use a script or not<\/a>?<\/p>\n

    Many salespeople believe they\u2019ll sound robotic or phony if they use one \u2013 but this is usually only true if they don\u2019t practice or use it effectively. The advantage of using a script is that you don\u2019t have to reinvent the wheel every time you call a prospect.<\/p>\n

    Scripts take the guesswork out of what to say when you get your prospects on the line. You\u2019re not wasting valuable time making small talk, adding useless filler, or trying to figure out what works and what doesn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

    Instead, you\u2019ll be able to stick with your objectives and make it clear why you\u2019re calling. Scripts work very effectively when you think through your sales process<\/a> and know exactly what you should be saying to turn a cold prospect into a warm lead.<\/p>\n

    There\u2019s an art to writing an effective sales script<\/a>, though. Before you decide to use one in your sales organization, make sure you\u2019re working with a professional who can help you get the most out of every word.<\/p>\n

    PRACTICE, practice, practice.<\/h2>\n

    You must know your product cold.<\/p>\n

    Know what you\u2019re talking about. Do your research before you start calling potential clients. Understand the problems your product solves and how the potential client will use it – and then practice communicating this with them.<\/p>\n

    Remember: You have 10-15 seconds to get their attention, so make sure they count.<\/p>\n

    A lack of practice is where failures tend to happen \u2014 either by the sales organization or by the overconfident \u201chow hard can it be to call\u201d sales rep.<\/p>\n

    The first is a BIG company failure. (That\u2019s not on you, sales rep.) The second can be resolved very fast. (But only if you apply yourself! This one is totally on you, rep.)<\/p>\n

    Think about actors<\/a> for a moment\u2026<\/p>\n

    The best actors in the world practice like crazy before a role. They deep dive into the role and become <\/em>the character they\u2019re going to play.<\/p>\n

    In 1989, when Daniel Day-Lewis starred in the film My Left Foot<\/em>, in which he played an Irishman with cerebral palsy, Lewis did not leave his character\u2019s wheelchair. Crew members were required to spoon-feed him. He also adopted his character\u2019s slumped posture, which eventually caused two of his ribs to break.<\/p>\n

    I\u00b4m not saying you need to go to those extremes, but to become great at your work, you need to practice!<\/p>\n

    First, make a script. It will help you stay focused, especially in the beginning. Think of the script as your wingman. When you need support, it\u2019s there.<\/p>\n

    RELATED: <\/em><\/strong>How to Create Your Own Cold Calling Sales Scripts<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

    As you grow more comfortable with your script, you\u2019ll start to personalize it. Eventually, you\u2019ll have a unique script that fits within the framework but is all \u201cyou.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Now, let\u2019s look at 3 ways to practice delivering your script.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    1. Listen to others and let them listen to you.<\/h3>\n

    This is more helpful than you might realize. Some years ago, I managed an outbound call center, and every time we started a new employee, we quickly got them up to speed by giving them:<\/p>\n