Cold Calling Tips to Boost Sales
Cold calling is an essential and powerful tool for increasing leads and driving business growth. However, sales reps always feel apprehensive about it due to the fear of rejection and awkward conversations during calls.
Research suggests that 48% of sales reps fear making a cold call. This reveals that cold calling can be challenging even for the most enthusiastic salesperson.
However, by following simple tips and tricks, sales reps can transform cold calling from a dreaded chore into a conversation filled with opportunities. Although cold calling has a low success rate of 2%, 61% of B2B and 52% of B2C companies use it to increase sales.
This guide will discuss the fundamentals of cold calling and provide simple tips and tricks for making cold calls.
Also read: Cold Email: A Guide Becoming Cold Emailing Expert
The Fundamental of Cold Calling
The fundamental aspects of cold calling comprise understanding your target audience, building a strong call script, and effective time management.
Understanding your Target Audience
By comprehensively understanding your target audience, you can resonate with their needs and preferences for cold calling, which increases the chance of a successful interaction.
When you acquire complete knowledge of the target audience, you can engage prospects effectively and build rapport by addressing the audience's particular plan points and providing solutions that meet their needs.
Building a Strong Call Script
A strong call script is essential for a better conversation experience. It helps agents cover vital points and maintain consistency in messaging.
Also, a clear call script helps sales representatives communicate better. It simplifies their task of managing objections well and presenting the value proposition productively.
Effective Time Management
Time management plays a vital role in cold calling. Knowing time management skills helps agents reach more prospects and improve the overall success rate of their cold-calling actions.
Some strategies for effectively managing time in cold calling include setting specific times to make cold calls, prioritizing high-quality leads, preparing scripts beforehand, and allocating a fixed time for each call.
Also read: How to Write a Cold Email Call-to-Action (With Examples)
Simple Successful Tips and Tricks on How to Make Cold Calling
It’s challenging for most of the sales reps to turn potential customers into loyal customers. Sales reps have to speak with customers for hours, pitching their products or services with no guaranteed success rate. This can be so frustrating, and you might also lose your incentive.
Contrarily, it’s a cup of tea for those sales reps who strictly follow tips and tricks on cold calling. By following these tips, they excel in the cold calling process and make their cold calling more effective.
These are the simple yet successful tips and tricks you must follow before cold calling.
Write a Cold-calling Script
Writing a cold script not only improves your communication but also increases the success rate of cold calls. These scripts allow you to organize your key points and always keep you on track. Further, it helps you to prepare for a possible rejection or objection that might come from customers.
Here’s an example of a cold-calling script:
Hello [customer name], this is [your name] calling from [company name]. I’m reaching out to discuss [explain the reason for your call]. I want to ask you some questions [ask an open-ended question to engage the prospect]. We provide [briefly explain a benefit you offer about products or services]. Would you be open to a quick conversation about how we might be able to assist you?"
Carry Out Pre-call Research
Sales reps are required to understand customers' needs and preferences in depth before making any cold call so they can make a perfect pitch. They have to carry out research to learn more about what customers want and their pain points.
Once you gather all this information, you can personalize your conversations, tailor your pitch, and improve your confidence overall. Further, this will allow you to close the deal faster.
Find a Good Time to Call
Timing is an important factor that determines whether or not your call succeeds. Therefore, it is crucial to call at the right time when prospects are available.
Research suggests that Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings are typically considered the best times for cold calling. During these times, leads will most likely be available to answer your calls. However, you should avoid calling them late at night and early in the morning.
Learn How to Deal with Objections and Rejections
Sales reps might encounter several objections and rejections during cold calls that leave them feeling discouraged. However, taking these objections as an opportunity and clearing out all the customers' doubts might be what seals a deal.
You must learn how to answer the most common sales objections, such as:
- It’s too pricey
- I don’t want this product right now
- I’m already using something similar
- I am already happy with my current provider
To deal effectively, it might be a good idea to include guidance about how to deal with certain objections in your sales script. Suggest why prospects should consider your brand and what unique you offer.
The other issue is rejection. If customers are not interested, take their “NO” positively, thank them for their time, and end the call.
Don’t Start Cold Calls with a Sales Pitch
Many sales reps make a mistake by pitching their products and services in the initial phase of calls. This might make customers feel an unwanted call and can cause them to disconnect instantly. You should start by introducing yourself and your company. After that, proceed to the next process: what products and services your company offers.
Additionally, during cold calls, you should actively listen to what customers have to say and try to understand their needs and preferences to gain their insight. This valuable information will help you tailor your pitch later after addressing their problem.
If you want customers to stay on the line, ask questions that prompt discussion and encourage the prospect to share their thoughts and challenges.
Calls are a Dialogue, not a Monologue
Some sales reps talk endlessly without giving customers a chance to speak. They think that giving too much information and taking a longer time will convince the customers. But in reality, it’s quite the opposite.
If sales reps don’t give customers a chance to talk about their needs and questions, customers might be furious or think of you as another pushy seller. Then, prospects might end the call immediately. So, give customers time to speak about their concerns and answer these questions quickly.
Don’t Give Up…too Fast.
There’s a strong chance of rejection when calling a customer for the first time. It’s no wonder that most reps simply give up after being unsuccessful the first time. But, you have to give customers more chances.
One research suggests that 75% of online buyers want to receive two to four phone calls before reps give up on them. However, the surprising factor is that 95% of the leads are converted after the sixth call attempt.
Therefore, don’t give up too fast, as customers can change their decision later.
Automate your Sales
Several years ago, sales reps had to update the database manually, wasting too much time and energy. But now, companies can choose modern call center solutions that will automate mundane tasks such as scheduling follow-up calls, dialing numbers, updating databases, and more.
This automation allows sales reps to save their valuable time and focus on more value-adding tasks. Furthermore, built-in analytics tools can give you insight into customers' behavior. Eventually, it helps to increase productivity and work performance.
Also read: Cold Prospecting 101 - for Startups & Small Businesses
Leveraging Technology for cold calling
When a business starts employing CRM systems for data organization and insights and implements automation tools to improve the effectiveness of cold calling, it enhances personalization, efficiency, and overall success rates.
To understand how leveraging technology for cold calling can benefit the business, read the following section.
- Utilizing CRM Systems:
Utilizing Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems is essential in cold calling. CRM systems organize prospects' data, track interactions, and provide valuable insights for more personalized interactions.
CRM systems support the sales team in managing leads. They prioritize high-potential prospects and simplify the cold-calling process for better outcomes.
- Automation Tools:
Automation tools automate redundant tasks, such as dialing numbers or sending follow-up emails. It supports sales representatives in focusing on fostering strong relationships with prospects.
Automation tools assist in time efficiency. It enhances performance, improves customer experience, and processes precise data.
Best Practices for cold-calling success
Sales teams that follow the best practices for cold-calling success interact better with potential customers and achieve a higher conversion rate.
Here are some of the best practices for cold-calling success:
- Consistent follow-up: Businesses can build strong relationships with prospects by establishing a consistent follow-up routine. Some examples of follow-up are sending follow-up emails or leaving voice mails after initial calls.
However, follow-up calls must be made within the agreed times, and reasoned content or offers should be sent to keep the conversation engaged.
- Continuous training and improvement: Businesses must train and coach sales representatives (SRs) to improve performance. SRs should receive continuous training in object handling and product knowledge. Moreover, continuous training and improvement keep them up to date and help them communicate effectively.
Conclusion
Cold calling is not just a call; it is a way to increase your leads, sales, and revenue. But, you might face several challenges during cold calling. You might need to speak to customers for hours with no guarantee of closing deals.
Therefore, you must follow simple tips and tricks to close the deals faster. First, you must write a cold-calling script to organize your key points, improve your communication, and keep you on track. Second, thoroughly research the customers, which helps you tailor your sales pitch.
Besides that, you must find a good time to make your call that doesn’t bother them. Sales reps must also handle customer objections positively. With all of these processes, sales reps can make their cold calling more effective.
