Surely you have heard about cold calling, it is a concept that has been circulating in the marketing and lead generation for years, but do you really know what it is? In this article we share our experience and step by step explain the processes you will need for your cold calls to be successful.
It was widely expected that cold calls would disappear in the future, but is this true? According to our experience and that of many other companies that dedicate to lead generation, this strategy continues to be very effective.
The statistic does not lie
Experts have been predicting cold callings inconsistency for years. But despite it is true that cold calls as we know them are not as effective as they used to be, they are far from dead. Today’s cold outreach simply requires a different approach.
Did you know that currently 92% of the interactions with a client are made over the phone? 92%!!! And do you know how many are glad you called? 75% (C-suite data). This is heavy. You simply cannot stay out of this market share.
9 tips to do it right
Well, we saw the numbers, I’m sure with this we captivate your interest, but as they say, let’s get to the point… How to make a cold call successful? What do you have to tell people? What tone to use? Where do I start? I’m ready?
Don’t worry, let’s count to 9 together, and with this guide you too will become an expert like us.
- Set your goals. Obviously, isn’t it? “We don’t know where we are going if we don’t know where we are”, whether you’re new to this or you’ve been making calls for years, it’s important to determine the objectives of the campaign and the steps you will take to reach them. Not everything goes as planned, but surely having a guide will help you not to get lost on the road and above all… you can continually evaluate your work. Feedback is essential to improve and conquer cold calls.
- Be realistic. What do I mean? Unless you’re a marketing guru (and even in that case it’s still difficult), nobody sells on the first try… So focus on correcting your expectations, not on sales. You, your brand and your product or service are much more than that, what you are looking for is to win the trust of your customers, build a relationship with each one, offer them something they need. And it doesn’t have to be an exact good or service, current marketing focuses on sensations, a lifestyle, a benefit. What do you have that the competors cannot offer? In short, when you call think about the next call.
- Make every minute count: You don’t know how much do you have available for each call, so prepare everything carefully. What is your target? What are your buyer persons? What do you look for or inspire with? Focus on your database being full of qualified prospects. With this you will not waste time. And another tip is to ask yourself: Why is my call important? When you have the answer to this question, everything will become easier.
- “The mysterious stranger speaks to you”, surely those you are calling will have no idea who you are, that is why a good practice is to contact them previously through other channels, emails, social networks. In particular, LinkedIn is a professional network full of your potential prospects. Thus you will no longer be a stranger to your interlocutor, at least you will have a notion of who you are and what you do.
- Who are you talking to? Can you be 100% sure that it is this person who makes the decisions or there are others involved in the process? And what if you are talking to the wrong department? Confirm if the person on the line is the appropriate contact and if it is not, ask them to connect you with the person in charge.
- Once upon a time … stop telling stories. Don’t talk just to talk, we said it before, every minute counts so don’t waste time. There are those who say that having a script turns the conversation into something mechanical but it all depends on how you use it: if you read each word mechanically the moment you’re being asked about something in depth you will not know be able to answer, but if you are only guiding yourself by it, it will be the best ally that you can have. Think of yourself as of an actor that has a script to know, but the key is improvisation… What does it mean? During the call there will be different moments that will allow you to make your conversation more fluid and natural. As an advice… Ask a copywriter you know for help.
- Directly to the point. I repeat again, every second counts, according to some studies, you have only 30 seconds to capture the attention of your interlocutor, and according to others the attention span has reduced to 8 seconds by 2019. Have you seen Shark Tank? Well, something like that, think that you have an investor ready to dedicate his valuable time in front of you, so it can be a good practice to start the conversation with a phrase like this: “I’m aware I am interrupting you but could I ask for 25 seconds to tell you why I called and then you can decide whether to hang up or learn more?” You will see that you will make a very good impression.
- Proactive non-reactive. You are talking to a human who does not know you and does not know what you do… He will definitely have many doubts and questions, try wearing his shoes. What would you like to know about your brand? What benefits can it bring? How?… So when the question is brought to the scene there will not be the famous awkward silence. Each note taken in advance will make your speech more fluid and help you improve on the following calls.
- The grand finale. Remember that every detail is important when making cold calls so it is a good practice to send an email with a summary of everything that has been said at the end of the call. You can also schedule new calls or meetings or give more information about the product or service you offer. This additional point of contact will give a positive impression of you and your company.
Long live the cold call
A cold call is as easy as counting to 9, if you know how to do it, of course… Remember that this type of contact should not be a stress, but rather an opportunity to create links with potential clients. Remember to always be aware of what you offer and follow the strategy so you can achieve success.
Tell us what you think about these tips and how did they work for you if you’ve already tried to use them while cold calling.
