Making cold calls is probably one of the toughest and most nerve-wracking activities you could do, especially in 2020-21. People are already concerned with the pandemic and have plenty on their minds to be super prompt. So, getting them to hear you out can be a bit more challenging, no matter the importance of what you are trying to convey.
In the end, you could be selling COVID-19 remedies, and they would still probably make little to no time to hear you out. That is why, as a sales agent, you must understand the importance of warming up cold calls and go beyond what is written in your cold calls script.
Making phone calls is not even closely similar to having a real, face to face conversation. That’s why you need to use strategies to excel within the process, especially if you’re a beginner and not used to it at all.
I’ve had to call many people I did not know before, and I can tell you one thing – the secret always lies in the first 7 seconds of your conversation. The rest is important but not merely as important as the first moments are.
Anyways, enough with the “warm” introduction, let’s get down to business and see how you could make your cold calling warmer and make as much of a good impression as you can:
Turn cold calls into warm calls: 7-point checklist
Focus on your client more than yourself
The first and most important thing when making a cold call is remembering the reason for your call. I am telling you from personal experience that the primary reason should always help the client and not help yourself earn more.
Ensure that you know your client’s needs and ask for their perspective on what they are being presented with. Don’t try to push facts and stats down their throat but have a real understanding of what they want to find out about your products and features.
As a sales agent at Assignment Help UK, my first contact with my clients is focused on asking them relevant questions. This is the only way in which I can find out what they want and need. So, explain what your company does and why you are reaching out, but never try to make the first conversation about you. Customer-centered selling will always prevail.
Sketch out a plan before making the call
The best method to have a quick and effective conversation is by sketching out a short plan before making the call and following through. The more information you give to your client, the more interested they’ll become in your service or product. However, it is important to highlight that this information must be concise, so the right questioning is important.
After asking your questions, you’ll want to offer your clients only the information they need. Try to focus on their areas of interest and get from general to specific in less than one minute.
Don’t stick to the script when unnecessary
Having a script might help, but it can also be taking the conversation away from your authenticity. When you are too concentrated on what you MUST say, you forget what you NEED to say to connect with your customer.
The worst idea would be not even listening to how your client responds and immediately following-up with an unrelated topic. This commonly seen issue can push customers away, so you might end up closing few to no deals at all.
If you want to show your prospects a benefit from the start, you must initiate the conversation with questions about them, their business, the market, their budget, etc. This is where following a script might be useful.
You could write down pre-made questions in case they are not willing to answer yours openly. For instance, asking them, “If you could magically eliminate one problem within your company, what would that be?” It shows creativity and playfulness, which are two critical characteristics of a good sales agent. If you get them to smile and relax, you can get them to do anything. This gets me to my next point!
Do not overwhelm your prospective customer
Overwhelming your prospective clients with too much information is not recommended either. You want to create a shortlist of informational points to touch on but not more than that.
Having long conversations on your first call might get your customer bored and uncomfortable and might determine them not to get back to you again. If your prospect is becoming interested in the topic he or she is presented with, you could set up a second meeting. There, you can offer them additional information that they need in the form of a professional presentation.
Focus on serving, not selling
Your first cold call should not be about selling. Rather, it should be about giving a warm introduction to your prospects, getting to know them, understanding their problems, and explaining how your product and services can help them tackle those issues.
So, don’t make selling in first call your goal. Rather focus on gathering the necessary information and ask your prospective client useful questions. Make sure you take notes and are quick to respond to their questions. If they ask something you are not completely sure about, tell them that you will get back to them on that. Focus on building a strong relationship with your customers. Don’t come across as a sales agent but rather as a genuine friend and lend them a helping hand.
Keep your prospective customers relaxed
The longer your prospects stay relaxed and open, the more likely you will make a long run sale. If you can keep them smiling and engaged in the conversation, you’ll be able to establish a real connection between the two of you. Establishing this connection is the foundation of professional selling – this is what we do.
How can you keep customers relaxed and open?
It’s not that tough. Make sure that you are honest with them on every topic. Don’t try to mislead them and be quick to respond to their complaints, if they have any. Ensure that you actually like the products or services that you are selling. Authenticity in selling is a key that makes you a natural advocate for what you sell and unlocks numerous doors.
Find out what would make them buy your product
Another important thing to accomplish during the call is finding your customer needs and presenting them with the resolutions and benefits. There is no one size fits all when it comes to selling because all human beings are different. So, it is important to assess your clients’ personal wants one step at a time. The key point to triggering desire is finding out what your customer wants the most and offering them realistic reasons on how they can get it – often, by purchasing your service or product.
There will be fears attached to your customers’ desire to make a deal with you, which is why you must explain that doubts are normal. You should also help them see how well-qualified you are and how much of a helping hand you can be.
Your product or service can be exactly what they need to worry less about, so you must make this clear as well. In every case, there must be the most common doubts that your customers will fathom, so it’s important to address them even before they pop up. In case there are more doubts that need to be discussed, make sure you address them individually and promptly, making your customers feel safe.
Conclusion
If you follow above cold calling checklist coupled with these cold calling tips, be sure that you’ll achieve greater success in your career. To be a great sales agent, you must be honest, authentic, and relaxed so that you can help your client open up and relax as well. Ensure that you don’t make your first goal selling but rather understand your customers’ pain points and explain how your product can help them get rid of those pain points. Rest assured that sales will follow.
About the author: Michael Gorman is a writer and proofreader from the UK who currently works at law essay writing service, one of the best paper writing services. Being interested in everyday development, he writes essay writing service reviews, various blog posts and discovers new aspects of human existence every day.
