In Cold Calling, Part 1, we’ve explored the various trends in cold calling, and comprehended the value it offers in this day and age of digital communication. We’ve seen how being consistent is important and accepting failure is part of the game. But all this is moot if you don’t get the right person at the end of your line.
I remember one of the first jobs I did (I don’t even think it’s on my resume!) where I had to spend hours trying to get in touch with the ‘right people’, only to be sidelined by their assistants and voice mails. In today’s world, where people are more enthusiastic about networking and freer in publishing their contact details, it may be a little easier to get in touch with them via social media. But when it comes to phone calls, smart targeting is still the number one way to reach your contacts.
Do your research: Prior to picking up the phone, spend some time analyzing the objectives of the call. What is it you want to achieve? Which are the industries you want to target? The companies you want to reach? What are the problems you can solve? Once you list these, you can begin to focus on the person you will be calling. Very often, you may assume it’s the marketing director who makes the purchase decisions, when it actuality, it’s left to the marketing manager to manage budgets and prioritize spending.
Widen your contact base within the organization: Can you leverage the help of the human resources manager to get to the decision maker? How about someone in the customer service team; can they help? Using internal contacts who can recommend you often makes a stronger case for your sales pitch.
Treat gatekeepers with respect: It may be easy to get impatient and frustrated with those blocking your path – the junior sales executive who picks up the phone, the executive assistant who refuses your call, and the receptionist who will not patch you through – but they often hold the keys to your final sale. Be courteous, polite and kind, and award them the same respect you would the decision maker. After all, they are just doing their job, and it’s your task to convince them to let you through.
Once you’ve reached the decision maker, now comes the hard part – you have got to convince him you’re the real deal.
It takes between 10 to 30 seconds to make up your mind about the person you meet; it can take half that time over the phone. When you speak to someone over the phone, you automatically create an impression in the person’s mind – be anxious and nervous, and you will fail to convey the confident image necessary to convince him he needs to speak to you.
Cold calling can be an intimidating process as you are speaking to someone you don’t know. The person at the other end will not be able to judge you by your body language; his impression will be made based on the tone of your voice. Here are a few things you can do to lessen your anxiety:
Relax: Deep breathing exercises are a cold-caller’s life saver. They help the stomach and throat muscles relax, allowing you to sound confident.
Use a mirror: A mirror allows you to observe your facial expressions – is your forehead scrunched in concentration? Are you tense or smiling? Are your shoulders hunched? Use the mirror to help you relax, which in turn will be conveyed in your voice.
Find commonality: We’ve done our research on the decision maker. Now it’s time to use this to speak in a language he understands. No one likes to pick up the phone to a sales pitch. Instead, spend the first few minutes chatting about what you think your prospect might like to here. For example, if he’s an avid golfer, you can start with a simple introduction like, “Hello, my name is Andy McGregor and I work with XYZ Company. Tom Nielsen and I golf together, and he suggested I get in touch with you. He thought you might like to hear more our XYZ product.” That leaves you an option to discuss a common friend (Tom Nielsen), a common interest (golf), and of course, the product you mentioned.
Practice your sales pitch: Never go blind into a phone call as you can stumble and lose momentum. Instead, practice each sales pitch no matter how cheesy it may seem. Use the mirror to study your posture and tone and if you can get an audience to hear you out, then even better.
Follow through: Use the speed and efficiency of an email to follow up your sales pitch. Remember to keep it short and sweet as many executives read their communication off their blackberry. Convey your thanks, reinforce your message and sign off with what you agreed to (another phone call, an offer to send material across etc).
There’s more to a two way conversation than to just deliver your practiced spiel. Engage your listener in your conversation, get him interested, have him ask questions…the more involved he is in the conversation, the greater the chances he will ask to meet with you or see your products. And above all, never forget to ask for the deal or get a commitment as to the next steps you will be taking.
