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Warm Up To Cold CallsEveryone hates cold calls – until they're good at them. Follow these 7 steps to overcome fear and achieve your goals. By Kim T. Gordon Can you name one of the most prevalent fears among entrepreneurs? If you guessed the fear of cold calling, you're right. Some business owners feel shy about initiating contacts. For others, the possibility of coming across as a salesperson makes them uncomfortable. Yet making telephone contact with prospects is essential, whether to initiate relationships or follow up leads. If you can't ask for the business you need, you might as well step aside and watch your competitors steal the show. The truth is, cold calling is easy to learn and lots of fun once you master it. Just follow these 7 important steps. 1. Practice Consultative Selling There's nothing adversarial or pushy about an effective cold call. Simply uncover and fill needs in a friendly, noncombatant and supportive way by imagining the prospects you call as if they were neighbors coming to you for advice. Use the same relaxed tone and easy-going manner. 2. Know Your "Purpose" What do your prospects need most, and how can you help them get it? One of the best ways to overcome fear of cold calling is to let the passion for what you do shine through. Begin by writing down a statement of purpose that says specifically what you will help your prospects achieve. ("My purpose is to help the prospects I call...") Once you focus on how using your services or products will benefit your prospects, you'll be excited to tell them about it. 3. Set a Goal Before you ever pick up the telephone to call a prospect, set a concrete goal for the outcome. What result do you want to produce? Are you hoping for an appointment, the opportunity to provide a price quote, or perhaps close a sale? Decide what you want to make happen and structure your call accordingly. 4. Create a Three-part Opener A cold call is an unscheduled interruption. Within the first few seconds of your call, you must establish a reason for your prospects to speak with you. For best results, create a three-part opener that includes your name, company name, and an opening benefit. For example, a special events contractor contacting a local retailer might say, "This is Jane Doe, president of Doe Special Events. My reason for calling today is to tell you about traffic-building events we've developed for stores like yours that draw qualified new customers." 5. Ask Great Questions In everyday conversation, we use two types of questions. Start your conversation with a closed-end question, which reveals a fact or can be answered with "yes" or "no." And use open-end questions to draw your prospect out. "Who is your present supplier?" is a closed-end question. "What do you like best about your present supplier?" is an open-end question. Get the idea? 6. Position Against Competitors Finding out that your prospect is using a competitor is great news because it means she needs what you sell and is interested in buying it. Never directly criticize a competitor. Instead, use case histories (tell stories) that demonstrate how customers or clients have realized benefits that only your company can provide. 7. Ask For the Business Once you've initiated a cold call and guided it through – learning a lot about your prospect in the process – it's time to close for your goal by asking for what you want. If you can't achieve your primary goal, promise some form of action and be sure to follow through. It takes multiple contacts with prospects before most sales are closed, so the positive impression you've created in your initial "knock at the door" will be reinforced as you successfully move your prospect through the sales cycle. Get In-depth Coaching on this Topic>>
Kim T. Gordon's columns and articles are read by more than 3 million small-business owners each month. She is a small-business expert and the author of four books, including Maximum Marketing, Minimum Dollars: The Top 50 Ways to Grow Your Small Business. Copyrighted material. May not be reproduced in whole or part without expressed permission from the author. |
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