Quote Of The Day
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Monday, November 23, 2009 |
 Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime. Teach a man to create an artificial shortage of fish and he will eat steak. |
posted by Natasha Atanasovska @ 1:45 PM  |
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Joke Of The Week
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 As an administrative assistant at a chiropractic office, I called an insurance company to verify benefits for a patient. Although the call was important, I couldn't reach a human being, only a recording.
"Thank you for calling," said the message. "Our office will be closed until two o'clock as we enjoy our Customer Appreciation Week Celebration." |
| posted by Natasha Atanasovska @ 1:42 PM |
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Cold Calling - Just Swallow the Frog Already!
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 Isn't it amazing that in every job we do, there are always a few dreaded activities that we seem to want to avoid doing at all costs. And some of those very activities dictate whether we experience huge success or massive failure at our jobs. Never has this been truer or more applicable in sales and the world of cold calling.....
What do you dread doing the most?
If you are like most salespeople in the world, it is the dreaded "cold calling". Picking up the phone for that first call or knocking on that first door can be a terrifying and stomach churning start to your day. It can be such a deterrent at times that you may find yourself doing just about anything to avoid doing it. And if you are in the world of professional selling, unless you overcome the fear of "getting started", you are already aware that your career will be short circuit and self sabotaged quickly unless you get over it. Let's take a look at the main reasons salespeople don't like to cold call prospects.
1. Reason #1.
Fear of rejection! If you knew that you had a prospect list full of people that would absolutely say "YES!" to your proposal, you would absolutely have no issue cold calling everyday. There is something exciting and encouraging about people agreeing to do business with you, as well as agreeing with you that your solution is the best one for them. We long for validation and acceptance as individuals and in the world of sales, but unfortunately, we often find it in short supply.
The truth is we experience nothing like that in the real world. We often are the ones looking for a needle in the haystack, taking 100 rejections to every 1 yes as we visit door after door, or make call after call. The overwhelming negative odds can loom in darkness over you to the point of them becoming suffocating and paralyzing. The "paralysis by analysis" kicks in as we try to come up with tricks or shortcuts to increase our odds in the field. Anything to even double the odds would be encouraging, or would it? It's not an easy chore, this world of selling, and those outside of sales have no earthly idea why anyone would want to put up with daily, day-long rejection in hopes of that gold nugget. Most would rather live in squalor than deal with the mental anguish of daylong rejection month after month, and year after year. Doesn't that sound exciting? If you dread cold calling, you fear rejection! But there is hope.....
2. Reason # 2
We don't like to interrupt people. If you had an upbringing in a respectful environment as a child, the idea of sales and cold calling may rebel in concept against your very nature and the very fiber of your being. "You want me to go in there and interrupt them?" Yes, that is your job. Interrupt people all day long, when they haven't requested to see you or to hear from you, and find a way to make them happy about it, and hopefully in the process become a customer. That sounds wonderful.
You know, for social butterflies, that might be so-getting to talk to new people all day long and winning them over with your friendly smile, but for most salespeople I know, they don't like to interrupt people. If you disagree with that concept, then consider the opposite. If you DO like to interrupt people, then I must wonder about YOU. The very path our society is taking has less and less to do with people interaction. We don't like to be interrupted or bothered unless it is on our terms.
You scan your groceries yourself instead of waiting for a checker in line.
You scan your card to get gas without talking to a soul.
You shop online to avoid going to malls.
You tell people to just send you an email on the topic, even when they are right in front of you.
We check in for our flights online.
We want email confirmation of our order. Don't call me.
Text messaging is booming.
And so many more ....
You see, we all know this is the way it really is whether we have thought about it in those terms or not. So when we go and do exactly what we would prefer not to be done to us, there is some little part of us that will take any route possible to short circuit our cold calling efforts. We don't like to bother people or to be bothered.
Do you like taking telemarketing calls at night during dinner? Do you enjoy spam? How about junk mail? How about a sales guy coming in to your office when you have a deadline and persistently wanting to show you what's in the box?
Here is a bone chilling reality. If I want what you have to sell, I know just where to find it. And I can and will call you when I'm ready. And I will have done my research online to know the answers to my questions before I even ask you. That way, I know if you are telling me the truth, and I'll know if you know what you are talking about. Wow. How times have changed.
3. Reason #3
Salespeople are sometimes lazy! I know it's hard to believe, but it is true. Sometimes the most social people in the world, the ones with the great personalities that can get people to smile and open up that seem to gravitate toward sales, just don't like to do mundane and repetitive things over and over and over.(See their paperwork) They like change. They like new and challenging adventures. As much as non sales people can't imagine ever wanting to take the rejection of sales, they can't imagine being chained to their desk like non sales people for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, for the rest of their lives.
The problem is, once the salesperson leaves the office, there are SOOOO many fun and exciting things to do that are better than cold calling. Like all of them. Yeah it's true; it's not hard to find something more exciting to do than cold calling. Cold calling is mentally and emotionally draining. You have to get "up" and be ready to "perform" all day long. You have to smile and be happy. We've all had sales people approach us that were less than enthusiastic, and we have no desire to speak with them. Shoot, if they are not excited about their job or their product, than how can I be? Sales takes a huge mental and physical reserve to be successful day in and day out, and not all sales people are able to maintain a consistent regimen that keeps them refreshed day in and day out for the rigors of cold calling.
Cold calling is in fact a big, ugly green frog to us. It is one that you are holding in your hand right now. And one that your boss just said you need to swallow. Isn't that exciting? Part II covers just how you can swallow that ugly green frog, and learn to enjoy every minute of it.Labels: Cold call facts, cold call techniques, Cold calling coaching, cold calling confidence |
| posted by Natasha Atanasovska @ 8:28 AM |
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Cold Calling Intel
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 The statistic quoted loudly by those who do not know how to cold call is this, "An industry rule of thumb holds that only about 2% of cold calls produce solid prospects." That has been the industry stat since the early 1950's and means any idiot can pick up the phone, call prospects, and expect to find that 2% of the people on the cold calling list to turn into solid prospects.
Successful sales pros know cold calling is a great way to build and add to a client base out of thin air.
The tremendous advantage of cold calling is this: No other marketing method allows sales professionals to reach as many prospects in as short a period of time.
Before your colleagues tries to lull you into believing, the 2% figure only proves that cold calling is a tactic with a low return on time spent, stop and do some focused thinking about the importance and value of cold calling metrics.
Fact is a 2% return is the very place where every expert cold callers start. 2% is the test number sellers know they can hit if they get up in the morning and make calls. These experts want great results; and make all sorts of adjustments that allow them to beat 2% in geometric proportions. How do they do this? By ruthless examination of additional metrics that have meaning to outrageously successful cold callers. Such as:
1. Percentage of appointments scheduled out of every 10 calls made.
2. Percentage of callbacks from voice mail messages
3. Percentage of appointment scheduled with callbacks from voice mail
4. Average number of calls made to each prospect to schedule an appointment
5. Differences in numbers of appointments scheduled with changes made in words spoken
The good news is your industry colleagues watch just one of these five important cold calling business metrics.
The bad news is you very well may be like most sellers who cold call and:
1. Settle for only one of five important cold calling metrics
2. Fail to leverage even that one metric into a higher response rate
3. Fail to capitalize on cold calling as a significant part of their sales strategy
You have got to ask yourself, are you going to be among the masses who settle for what's been the norm for half-a-century? Or are you going to join the ranks of the elite sellers who examine their Cold Calling Intel to leverage the power and profit awaiting the serious student of cold calling? The answer to these important questions can dramatically change the results of your cold calls.Labels: cold call sales, cold call techniques, Cold calling coaching, cold calling discussion |
| posted by Natasha Atanasovska @ 8:26 AM |
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Cold Calling is Great!
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 Belonging to this crowd gives you particular limitations. Most probably, the very first thing you would worry about is how to generate your list of customers or how you would market your product to potential buyers. Hence, if you still do not know your way around, you might as well submit yourself into the usual activity of every sales person—cold calling.
The only drawback is that most people are not very comfortable with this type of sales-generating process. Whether it is used to chase some sales leads, follow ups, or just to give their clients a ring, cold calling can be pretty uncomfortable to deal with.
On the other hand, cold calling can be great. It can even be fun if you just know how to do it.
The problem with most sales people is that they do not know how to do cold calls properly and effectively that is why they regard it as something that is so hard to utilize. Moreover, when you are working hard, fun is never present in your midst.
Moreover, most sales people are not comfortable with cold calling that is why they cannot deliver their lines well, they tend to blabber endlessly, thus annoying their customers, and they just do not know the benefits they can derive from cold calling.
Consequently, one of the greatest problems with people who do cold calls is that they sound like a real telemarketer. Of course, you can use script as long as you avoid reading it verbatim because if you do, you will sound like the typical telemarketer, hence, people hang up on you.
Like any kind of conversation, cold calling must be as natural as if you are just talking with your friend. It does not have to sound too professional so that your customer will not suspect you of pushing him or her to buy your products no matter what.
Therefore, for people who wish to use cold calling as their marketing strategy but are afraid to do so, here are some tips that you can use and make cold calling really great way to earn more money for your business.
1. Make an enticing, friendly greetings or opening statement.
As they say, first impressions last. Therefore, it is important to put so much weight and attention to your greetings or opening statement. It is how you get your customers on the hook that will make your cold call a success.
If from the start everything is already messed up, chances are, you can never even get to the second part of your cold calling process.
2. Have a great motivation on yourself
It is simple. How will the other person on the line believe to whatever it is that you are saying if you sound like you are so distant with your words? This means that you can never entice people to believe in you if you do not believe on what you are saying in the first place.
Motivate yourself and believe that the best product in the world is yours and that people should know about it.
3. Know the importance of cold calling
If ever you get to make cold calls just for the sake of doing it because somebody told you that it is a part of the marketing strategy, stop talking and hang up the phone. This will not do you any good.
To make cold calling a great way to achieve your success in the business, it is best that you know the importance of cold calling. You should be aware and totally convinced that by cold calling you can definitely reap more positive results than what you can have with other marketing strategies.
4. Do not EVER blabber, rattle on, and talk nineteen to the dozen like what most telemarketers usually do.
If you this, then you will never see cold calling as a great way to boost productivity on your business. The problem with this type of speech delivery is that people will never understand you. They can never decipher the ideas that you are trying to tell them and you can never make them see that what you are saying can do them good.
In cold calling, the only power you have is your words. Therefore, it would be better to deliver them in the most desirable way. You can do this by employing the right tone of voice, the proper pitch, and the perfect pace.
All of these things are boiled down to the fact that cold calling is really great. The only reason why most sales people regard it negatively is the fact that they are doing it the wrong way.
Hence, discover the greatness in cold calling. Start the process the right way and earn yourself more profits.Labels: cold calling advice, Cold calling coaching, cold calling confidence, cold calling discussion |
| posted by Natasha Atanasovska @ 8:25 AM |
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Cold Calling Makes You A Better Salesperson!
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Wednesday, November 18, 2009 |
 Cold calling is tough. One reason why it’s so difficult is because the sales prospects that you are contacting are not expecting your telephone call. Your cold call is often perceived by your prospect as a distraction and they will do everything in their power to avoid you! Many critics of cold calling argue that cold calling is an ineffective way to generate new business and they also believe that there are more productive ways to attain new business. The purpose of this article is not to prove that these statements are right or wrong; but rather to argue that cold calling makes you a better salesperson. Below are five reasons why cold calling makes you a better salesperson:
Cold Calling Is Proactive
It’s not easy to pick up the telephone and call someone that you do not know. To take this thought a step further, it’s even harder to call someone that is not expecting your telephone call and who doesn’t even know you! The entire process of cold calling is about being proactive. A good salesperson is someone who can “Make things happen” and cold calling gives you that proactive edge to instantly create opportunities rather than being reactive.
Cold Calling Allows You To Become A Risk-Taker
The fact that you are contacting prospects “Out of the blue” means that you are more inclined to take risks. As a salesperson, it’s important to be a risk-taker because it pushes you to a greater understanding of what works and what may not work. Every successful person throughout history has taken risks that others were too afraid to take. Cold calling helps us to break down our comfort levels and take a risk!
Cold Calling Increases Your Creativity
Since your prospects are not expecting your telephone call they will do whatever they can to avoid you! Such constant avoidance means that you need to figure out ways to inspire their curiosity so that they will take your telephone call. One of the best ways to inspire interest is through creativity. Your creativity could be in the sales openers that you use, your voicemails, the industry article that you sent your prospect—it could be anything you say, write or send your prospect during the sales process! Cold calling pushes you to become more creative and creativity is your springboard to creating interest in your product and/or service. The more interest that you create means the more doors you will open and the more sales you will close!
Cold Calling Makes You More Persistent
Cold calling is a numbers game. The more telephone dials that you make means that you will contact more prospects and as a result, you will increase your opportunities for more sales. If you make cold calls and understand these sales ratios then you also understand the importance of being persistent. Being persistent is something that you learn and cold calling gives you that opportunity to become even more persistent---persistence is a successful trait of any good salesperson.
Cold Calling Creates An Entrepreneur Mindset
As a result of making cold calls you will quickly embrace the mindset of an entrepreneur. When entrepreneurs want to create opportunities they simply create a "Can do" attitude that allows them to just keep going til they get someone to listen to them. Successful salespeople also embrace this same entrepreneur mindset. Cold calling and it's very process helps you to create that “Entrepreneur spirit” that in return allows you become more proactive, more of a risk-taker, a creative thinker, persistent and finally, helps you to create a "Can do" attitude.Labels: cold call sales, cold calling, cold calling discussion, Cold Calling pressure |
| posted by Natasha Atanasovska @ 10:23 AM |
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Cold Calling Pressure Reduction
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 Who likes cold calling?
Most salespeople don't like cold calling, and do as little of it as possible. There are a number of reasons why most of us don't like it. One reason is the way we view cold calling. People who don't like cold calling view each call as do or die. They think of cold calling as a war in which they have to win most of the battles in order to win the war. A sales rep good at cold calling is considered a sales god. A sales rep who is poor at cold calling is a sniveling wimp.
The reality about cold calling is much different. You don't have to win all nor even most of the battles to win the war. Cold calling is the reconnaissance before any battle begins. Cold calling is not where the sale happens. Cold calling is simply advertising done by sales reps.
Yes, I said that you are doing advertising when you are cold calling.
Cold calling is a means of identifying potential prospects for your sales efforts. And the purpose of advertising is to identify or attract potential prospects - in other words to generate leads.
Think of cold calling this way. Every time you make a cold call, it is as if you grabbed your prospect by the shirt, shoved a billboard ad for your product in their face, and said "Do you want to buy this?"
Obviously, real cold calling is more involved than pressing their nose up to your ad. Specifically, cold calling should be mostly about asking questions rather than a sales pitch monologue.
Just like a newspaper ad or a billboard, all you are trying to do when cold calling is to get someone's attention. And if they don't want or need what you are offering right now, that's OK.
With your new view of cold calling as advertising in mind, you should focus your cold calling goals a little differently. One of the surest ways to get frustrated in sales (and an ulcer) is to take responsibility for things that are beyond your control as a sales rep. You really cannot control whether the person you are cold calling needs or wants your product.
What you can control is how many cold calls you make, and the quality of your techniques while cold calling.
Set your cold calling targets and define your success criteria around the number of calls or dials that you will make. Judge the quality of your calls by how well you stick to a cold calling formula that you have defined in advance.
If your cold calling goal is set as "To Make $300,000 in Sales Next Month", you are just setting yourself up. This kind of cold calling goal might be useful if you are a tele*sales* person responsible for actually closing business by phone. But in professional business-to-business selling, cold calling is too far removed from the actual close to directly influence such a goal.
Instead, you can backwards plan how many cold calling "advertisements" you need to run in order to make $300,000 in sales next month. Use your own or other sales reps activity numbers to figure out how many sales will result *on average* if you make 1000 dials when cold calling. Then you can determine the time period needed to make 1000 dials worth of cold calling advertisements in order to make your sales goals.
Look at cold calling as one-to-one advertising and focus on the number of dials you have to make and you'll find cold calling a lot easier to do.Labels: cold calling, cold calling fear, Cold Calling pressure, t, tips of cold calling |
| posted by Natasha Atanasovska @ 10:12 AM |
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Cold Calling Reluctance
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 Most salespeople I know consider cold calling a dreadful, but essential activity in our profession. Even those who are good at it rarely like it. Nevertheless, those who are successful in sales do it regularly because without prospects, one does not sell anything.
If you hate cold calling to the point where you won't do it, you've got a serious problem. Let this go on long enough, and you'll watch your commissions drop from low to zero as you lose your job.
If you truly hate cold calling to the point where it is really hurting your sales, I may know one of the reasons why.
Where's The Pressure?
Too many salespeople take the bulk of the pressure on themselves in the sale. We've been conditioned into it by a society that teaches us that buyers shop, and sellers are there to "serve". You've heard this before... "serve the customer".
In "serving the customer", we feel that we have to do whatever they ask to get the sale. Some prospects act like bratty children that just have to have their way. This can be quite annoying to deal with.
In letting this belief "serving the customer" dominate our attitude towards buying and selling, we give up a lot of power. It's kind of crazy if you really think about it. The prospect is the one who does or does not have a problem to solve. Its not your problem - you are just offering a potential solution.
If your prospect does have a problem to solve, then it is his responsibility to solve it - not yours. What you can do is help him figure out how to solve it, and offer your products or services if they solve the problem.
When cold calling, you are looking for problems that you can actually solve. How effective you are at cold calling is really a matter of how effective you are at uncovering problems that you can solve. It is *not* a game of how good of a "pitch" you can deliver over the phone.
If you plan your cold calling by trying to craft the most interesting, exciting, and sparkling pitch to wow your prospects into meeting with you, then you are putting way too much pressure on yourself. This may just be stressful for you, or it can even be disabling to the point where you can't or won't do any cold calling.
I have a simple formula to take the pressure off of yourself and put it where it belongs - on your prospect.
Cold Calling Formula
1. Introduce Yourself, Your Company, and Your Results.
2. Get Permission To Ask Questions.
3. Ask Questions To Uncover and Amplify Problems and Opportunities.
Simple, huh? So simple, it may seem too easy.
The secret to the cold calling formula is how you do each step. Here's an example:
"Hello, this is Shamus Brown calling."
"I am with Jupiter Financial Partners, and using private equity, I help people get high investment returns without the risk and volatility associated with the stock market.
"Do you have a few minutes to let me ask you a few questions about your investments?
"What percentage did your investment's increase this past year?
"Oh, they didn't increase... they declined by how much?... hmm, sounds bad to me, but I am not you - is that kind of performance OK with you?"
This follows the simple format outlined above. Introduce yourself and your company, and wrap that introduction with a statement of the results that you provide for your customers. This is one of the keys to making cold calling easier.
The only thing your prospect will likely hear at the beginning of the call is your results. When you are cold calling someone, you are interrupting them in some way. Their attention is elsewhere. When they hear the results that you offer, you will get their attention IF they are interested in those types of results.
Next, if they are interested in those results, they will more than likely answer yes to your request to ask a few questions and talk further.
Finally, you immediately get into probing for problems, and amplifying the consequences. Once you are there, you will stir up their motivation and desire to talk further about your product or service.
Stop using lengthy introductions in your cold calling. If you get that slightly uncomfortable or nauseating feeling in your stomach while delivering your phone "pitch", it is because your pitch is too long. The longer your pitch is, the more you are "at risk" because you do not know how the message is being received.
Shorten your cold calling opener to just the essential results that you provide, and then get right into probing for problems. You'll sell more this way.Labels: cold calling discussion, cold calling fear, cold calling improvments., Cold CValling |
| posted by Natasha Atanasovska @ 9:58 AM |
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Long Live Cold Calling
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Monday, November 16, 2009 |
 You must do something if you want something to happen. All the positive thinking in the world won't get you your dream prospective clients and major contracts. You need to let them know that they should use you and your services, where you are and what is special and unique about you.Getting on the phone and 'cold calling', making calls to someone you don't know and haven't spoken to before, can be daunting. I have been in sales for many years and I still find it a bit scary at times. I have managed to control my fear and do it regardless. So can you with little planning and foresight. 1. Know what you are selling - what's special about you? Know who you want to buy your products and services. What sort of company or person do you want to work with? Know where to go to find these customers. Where will you find them? I have never heard of anyone successfully boring someone into buying from them, so be interesting, confident and professional; smile as you dial! Really! Try it; we all know that you can hear by the tone of some ones voice if they are upbeat and confident. 2. Have an aide memoir close to hand for easy reference if you are a bit nervous and worried you'll dry up. It's not a good idea to use a script as it can sound a bit stunted and un-natural. It's a good idea to have a good opening statement that describes what you do, why you are special and what that means to the prospective client. It needs to include open questions that help find out what they are already doing and how they decide whom to use for the services or products you are offering. Refer to case studies and references as applicable and plan good responses to common objections to your service or products. 3. Use a nice friendly opening line before you deliver your opening statement. I have found the following really effective 'I'm not disturbing a meeting am I?' If the prospect says no then proceed with your opening statement. If they say yes, ask when would be a more convenient time to call back and do so on the dot! Or you could try 'I am calling to introduce myself, I don't know if what I offer is of need to you/your company (then opening statement). 4. Ask outstanding questions! Investigate, explore, probe and gather as much information as you can. Keep it conversational and learn all about this person/company. Be curios. Knowledge is a very powerful thing to have; it will help you identify a need they may have. Identifying latent pain (known but not admitted) can make a real impact and help build strong rapport. 5. Know what's special about your service or product. Ask yourself what is your speciality. What is it that no one else does quite like you do? 6. Create stories to tell, gather testimonials, case studies and feedback from clients who have used your service or products. It's powerful stuff to casually drop into the conversation. 7. Make a strong opening statement. When some people start their calls, they ask if that person has time to talk and while this is polite, it gives them a reason to get you off the phone. So make your strong opening statement and listen out for annoyance. If you get a feeling that they are too busy, ask 'Is this a bad time? When can I call you back?' You might be offering to replace what they already have, that is to change something, which can be a bit scary. You need to communicate that you are trying to solve a problem they may or may not be aware they have. 8. Match their need with your solution (your product or service). Why should they carry on talking to you? 9. Take action! Just start cold calling. Doing a little and often will add to your confidence. Don't forget to follow up with the people you've called or sent literature to. 10. Be polite and friendly to EVERYONE! You do not know who has answered the phone, don't assume it's a receptionist, it could be the decision maker! Labels: Cold call facts, cold call techniques, cold call tips, cold calling |
| posted by Natasha Atanasovska @ 8:48 AM |
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How to Genuinely Enjoy Cold Calling
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 Most of us dread our days of making cold calls. We take a deep breath, pump ourselves up, and prepare to talk with a perfect stranger. Is there any wonder a gray cloud sometimes hangs over our desk? It really doesn't have to be this way. Cold calling can be an interesting, intriguing, fulfilling adventure. Five perspectives that will (honestly!) create enjoyment in your cold calling that will give you an entirely new outlook on cold calling. When you apply these new perspectives, cold calling can actually be enjoyable. It can become personally fulfilling as well as financially rewarding.
1. Focus on Helping the Other Person
It's against our nature as human beings to create an uncomfortable situation with another person. That's the core reason many of us get that knot in our stomach when we start dialing a cold call. When we're only focused on making the sale, this is not a natural meeting place for both people. We want the sale, but the other person usually wants us to go away. Being intrusive is not the finest of character traits, and on some level we know it. So how can we feel good about cold calling? We change our mindset from getting the sale into being helpful. We look at cold calling as an opportunity to assist. How can we possibly feel uncomfortable doing that? Helping people is one of the best character traits we possess. When cold calling is aligned with our very best way of being, it becomes an adventure. We truly want to help people. We feel very good about this, and it shows in our voice. People hear it. And their response will surprise you.
2. Be Honest and Truthful
You're in a very good place when you choose to be truthful in your cold calling. If you're not trying to fool anyone, you naturally feel better about making the call. You know that you're trustworthy. And people respond to you in a positive way. When you approach a potential client with integrity and common sense, you're more personable and less tense. Being fully honest is one of your better attributes. And it gives you an opportunity to enjoy the interaction rather than being artificial or manipulative. People do seem to have a sixth sense about integrity. When they feel you can be trusted, you can truly shine as a person as well as a potential supplier.
3. Be Yourself
Engage people in natural conversation. The more natural you are, the more comfortable you will feel. This makes the other person feel more comfortable as well. Avoid playing a role, especially reading from a script. Most people can tell when you're using a script. There's nothing personal about it, and they pick up on that. Being artificial puts you in the "typical salesperson" category, which is exactly the role most of us detest. It doesn't feel authentic. And unless you're a born actor, it makes you feel skittish about cold calling. Give yourself permission to follow the rhythm of natural interaction. Allow the conversation to "breathe." Let it be the kind of conversation you would have with a friend. Practice this and it can turn your cold calls into pleasant conversations. And you may actually look forward to meeting that new person the next time you pick up the phone.
4. Get into the Other Person's World
Shift your mindset away from what you have to offer and focus instead on what their problem is. So many of us have been trained think about our services and products, that we don't think about the client's point of view. We aren't really interested in their issues and how we can help solve them. Be interested in their world and their challenges. You'll find this intriguing. Most of us have a natural flair for problem solving. We enjoy "fixing things." So find out what's going on with the person you're talking to. Make sure the solution you have really does "fix it." Get rid of any hidden agendas and truly listen. Let them know you're interested in them and their world. Move outside your own sales agenda to focus on the needs of others. This makes you a better human being and helps you leap past the fear of cold calling.
5. Let Go of Expectations
Never assume anything beforehand. Allow the conversation to be one of exploration and discovery. Stay focused on the dialogue instead of any private agenda. Determine whether it makes sense to continue the conversation by truly listening. Never presume your prospect should buy what you have to offer, even when it seems they're a perfect fit. You are not calling to create a situation that is focused on your personal gain, but on helping the other person. Simply have a conversation to explore whether you can help them in some way.
This takes pressure off both of you. You'll be more relaxed and they'll be more honest about where they stand. Believe me, once you start applying these perspectives it will transform your day-to-day worklife. Instead of dreading cold calling, you'll anticipate the adventure of creating a situation where everybody wins.Labels: cold calling, cold calling discussion, Cold calling secrets |
| posted by Natasha Atanasovska @ 8:38 AM |
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Cold Calling Scripts - Do Cold Calling Scripts Really Help?
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Friday, November 13, 2009 |
 Effectiveness of Cold Calling Scripts
Cold calling scripts have become the norm these days for sales people who use remote channels like telephone. Even seasoned sales people depend on cold calling scriptsfor an easy starting point for lead generation.
Even the smartest of conservationists can get jitters when all you get is your 15 seconds on the phone. You don't know if you have called the prospective customer at the right time or not. And you need to make the positive impression about your product or service, and possibly create an interest. Trying to be original every time and coming up with impromptu introductory sentences can prove disastrous. A well thought and creatively written cold calling script can give you the confidence and ease through your first few moments.
Having good and tested calling scripts aren't enough. You should be able to 'speak' it and not 'read it out'. It is imperative to sound natural and while being fluent. Be reactive to the customer and have the presence of mind to go beyond the script, if needed.
Why don't Cold Calling Scripts work all the time?
Unlike the earlier times, the customers are less receptive of sales calls. The number of leads generated is declining and there is a need to be more innovative in remote selling. Most of the times, cold scripts are easily identifiable and can put off the listener with its formal tone. If the calls are made without an initial screening to identify the prospective customers, that valuable 'yes' can become very elusive.
People can be really rude with sales calls. Even with an impressive cold calling script, it depends on the sales person to actually get an appointment. It will take dozens of futile conversations to get one or two real leads.
Conclusion
Cold calling scripts are effective in getting the conversation started. With some good imagination, these scripts can help a smart sales person. But more often than not these scripts turn out to be impersonal and unnatural. This can immediately spring the 'sales person' stereotype to the listeners mind and dampen his interest. Scripts have definitely helped the tele callers for years. But with the advent of internet, many marketers are finding internet lead generation to be more effective with less impact on the budget.Labels: cold calling advice, Cold calling coaching, cold calling confidence |
| posted by Natasha Atanasovska @ 11:06 AM |
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5 Annoying Cold Call Mistakes Salespeople Make and What to Do Instead
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 If you've read "The Four Most Annoying Cold Call Mistakes of all Time" you can revisit this new version of the first four mistakes (including new how-to tips) and learn all about mistake number five (it's a doozy...).
The 1st mistake: Not Researching Before Making the Call
If you call a prospect without knowing what they do, then you're wasting everybody's time. After 300 interviews with corporate decision-makers, I can assure you they find uninformed cold callers highly annoying.
On the flipside, many decision-makers will give airtime to somebody who has done their homework. So it's a good idea to ask a question during a cold call that incorporates your research. For example: "I read about your company's merger with ABC last month and wondered if...?"
A decision-maker interviewed for "Buyer-Approved Selling" stated "I do not do business with somebody who's not taken the time to learn about my business."
Sales... it's all about earning the right to proceed to the next step.
The 2nd Mistake: Opening the Call with "How Are You?"
Asking "How are you?" when making a cold call is like sending a 30 second advance warning for a nuclear strike. You might think you're being considerate, but all you're doing is alerting the poor prospect to their impending "death by cold call".
How can you sincerely ask a business person "how are you?" when you've never met before? The decision-makers I've interviewed agree: this is an amateur and annoying approach.
Speaking of amateur approaches, it doesn't matter if you've been selling for 20 years. Experience doesn't mean you're doing things right. In fact, many sales people I've met with 20 years experience can be said to have one years experience 20 times over. Practice doesn't make perfect... perfect practice makes perfect.
Our research with corporate decision-makers suggest you do what most sales trainers tell you not to: ask your prospect if they have a quick minute. Believe it or not, common courtesy works. Most prospects will respond in one of three ways:
"Sure, go ahead."
"I am just running out the door and only answered because I thought it was my colleague... can you call me back?"
"What's it about?"
The 3rd Mistake: Technical Jargon and Acronyms
It's easy for salespeople to flaunt industry jargon and buzzwords, but it often alienates and confuses prospects. The decision-makers I've interviewed list the use of acronyms and technical jargon as a common complaint about salespeople.
Einstein said "The essence of brilliance is simplicity." With that in mind, speak in terms of the language of the person you're calling. So unless you're calling an IT director, keep technical terms to a minimum.
The 4th Mistake: The One-Way Conversation
There are three kinds of communicators: the bore: they talk about themselves, the gossip: they talk about others and the brilliant conversationalist... they talk about you.
A common complaint from decision-makers I've interviewed is that 95% of cold callers talk on and on without inviting dialogue... it's a one-sided conversation. Notworking.com!
Prepare a cold call approach that sprinkles questions throughout your conversation. (Note the word conversation... once you have that down you're on the way to making a cold call that could turn into a warm call.)
The 5th Mistake: The Premature Meeting Invitation
Calling a stranger and asking for a face-to-face meeting in the first 30 seconds is like asking somebody on a date right after being introduced. So why do so many cold callers have an opening line like this: "I'm calling from XYZ Company; we specialize in saving companies money on their operating systems while doubling productivity. I'm going to be in your area next Tuesday and wanted to stop by to discuss how we may be of service." Aagghh!!
A better way is to create qualification steps throughout the call. Your final qualification question could go like this: "I know I caught you right out of the blue, but based on what I've told you so far, do you see any potential for us to be of value to you... either now or at some point down the road?"
If somebody is not a good candidate for your product or service... move on!
Bottom Line
Effective cold calling requires an engaging opening statement, a conversational style, good questions and permission to deliver key statements. (Think of it as a permission-based approach).
In order to sound conversational, it's vital you rehearse your calls as frequently as possible. And always look for ways to tweak your approach.
If you can eliminate these five annoying mistakes, then you are on your way to success.
One of the decisions interviewed for my book "Winning Sales Advice" nailed it when she said "If you're annoying, it doesn't matter what you're selling!"Labels: cold calling advice, cold calling discussion, cold calling tips |
| posted by Natasha Atanasovska @ 10:55 AM |
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Cold Calling Tips - How to Research a Prospect
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 Research is vital before making a sales call. Take some time to look up the company you're about to phone. If you can talk with confidence to your potential client about the future plans of their business then not only will it show that you are prepared but it will also make you stand out from your competition.
* Visit the company's website, learn what they do. Is there information on there about senior staff / management. Even better, is there anything there relating to your contact? Email addresses, direct lines, head office numbers - all of these strengthen your case for calling. Look for the 'News' section that most websites have - are they celebrating? Any announcements?
* Search Online - Look for independent articles about the company, press releases or newspaper / magazine pieces where they may have appeared. Local development agency websites are a good source of financial information, as well as Companys House. Is the company solid? Are they expanding or retracting? All this information helps to build a profile of your prospect; the size of the company, their core activity and their development. If you're selling telecoms and you discover they're expanding and opening new branches you can tailor your call to fulfill that potential need.
But a word of warning. Whilst making research a standard practice in pre-call preparation is a good idea, it should not be used as a call aversion!
Don't forget that this prospect may have received a 101 calls today from telemarketers looking to sell them something. There are ways to stand out from the crowd and research is just one of them but also one of the most important ones. The confidence in your voice from knowing that you can help with this prospects pain will certainly open doors for you.
Good luck.Labels: Cold call facts, Cold calling coaching, cold calling discussion |
| posted by Natasha Atanasovska @ 10:53 AM |
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Cold Calling Made Easy
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 In my ten plus years of sales and marketing work with small businesses, many of them would ask me “Does cold calling really work?” They would profess to be leery of doing it for fear of rejection or simply through fear of making the call. They had questions such as: “I hate feeling like I'm being sold, so I want to learn how to come across less like a salesman.” “What's the MAIN purpose of cold calling anyway?” “Is it to get the decision maker's name or to make an appointment?” “Do you recommend phone calls, or personal visits, or mailing literature first?” “How often should I try to contact a person?”
First of all I want to mention that you need to make sure any list of names or prospects or whoever you are calling is not on the Do Not Call List or you could get in big trouble. Go to donotcall.gov to find out more about it or to sign up as a consumer or a telemarketer.
I did a little research online before I sat down to write this and I found just a ton of information on cold calling and sales (like I had suspected). I thought I would find a simple 10 step process that I could shoot back at you that would sum it all up, but no such luck. I found a lot of sites who claim to have the best cold calling secrets out there, some sites who claim cold calling just doesn’t work anymore, some sites with numerous articles written on the subject and then some sites selling all kinds of books and CD’s on how to improve your skills. You know I will always recommend reading books or listening to CD’s about certain topics to make you better at what you do and in this case, it may not necessarily be books about cold calling but rather about SALES. Knowing good sales strategies and closing techniques can really help when cold calling because you learn to react quicker and respond better to objections or negative responses.
Is there anyone out there who really uses cold calling as their main lead generating avenue however? In this day of relationship selling, I can’t even imagine cold calling in my business. In fact, all the telemarketing calls I get at home are either mortgage companies (#1 by far) trying to give me a free loan comparison analysis, phone companies trying to get me to switch or credit card companies trying to get me to sign up or transfer balances to their card.
There are of course certain ways this could be good, for example IF the mortgage company knew I had a high interest loan, say over 8% (glad I don’t, but you get the point), getting my name from a list from their title company, they could possibly tempt me with a 4.5 or even 6% rate over the phone enough to warrant the free analysis.
However, every one of them that calls me can never beat the rate that I currently have which tells me they haven’t done their homework to narrow down their target list. In turn they are wasting hours of their time calling on people like me. Why wouldn’t they just get a list of prospects that REALLY have high rates, ones who would be easier prospects? I would.
Then, using the mortgage company as an example. People these days don’t have a lot of time and I would venture a guess that most don’t like receiving telemarketing calls, especially those that don’t get to the point of the call. You know the ones…they say hello Mrs. Saallla (can’t pronounce my name of course and stumble over it a few times); I say “hello, it’s Sawa”. Then they ask “How are you this evening?” and I say “Does it really matter, what do you want?” (Yes, I know, sometimes I am harsh). Then they say, well Mrs. Saallla (again), let me tell you why I am calling…. (By that time it’s too late, I’m done with them). You know what I mean?
 Develop a good script to grab their attention and get to the point in the first sentence or question. Practice your script on friends and colleagues, role play. When you do start to use it, try it out on the coldest leads you have not the hot ones, save them for when you have more practice or you may blow some big opportunities.
The question I ask you is who is your target market? Are they going to be receptive to cold calls? If not, you might want to find another way to reach them – more than likely there are numerous other ways to market to your target market. Just know that if you are calling the consumer you will need a whole different script than if you are calling a business prospect – many factors come into play such as the “Gatekeeper” (receptionist) or kids, answering machines, etc. Do you leave a message or don’t you? I say you do – you’ve already spent the time it took to make the call and wait for the machine you might as well leave a clear, short and well constructed message. Then when you call back a few days later, it’s a WARM call.
So, as far as when to cold call in your sales process, do you call first, mail a letter first or send an email? This will depend on your industry and your target market and what they would be most receptive to or how long your sales process is (the higher cost of your product or service may warrant a longer sales process). I normally suggest mailing a letter or emailing if you have their email first and then when you call, it’s not a cold call but a follow up call to the letter or email; hence eliminating the ‘cold call’. Of course it isn’t that simple, you might need to send 2 letters, a brochure, email 4 times with attachments or links to your website and you probably will have to call at least 6 times, leaving 3 or 4 messages before even considering to give up (in an aggressive industry where there is a lot of competition you will want to be persistent). Many people value persistence as a good quality to have, you don’t want to be annoying or a pest, but a confident salesperson being persistent with their prospect can be respected and it also makes you look more dependable and reliable.
The following websites are ones I found (I am not familiar with them all) that you might find helpful, some have email newsletters that you can subscribe to. Anytime you can get constant reminders about a subject you are weaker in, suggestions, tips, etc. it can only make you stronger in that subject.
1. coldcalling.com – newsletter and book suggestions
2. briantracy.com – sales guru
3. nevercoldcall.com – another option?
4. gitomer.com – sales guru
5. eyesonsales.com – many articles on the subject
6. wendyweiss.com – a couple good free reports
7. leadsintogold.com – articles about why not to cold call
To be honest, I think I would find other ways to promote your business and generate leads rather than wasting your time on the phone. If you are a good salesperson and a real expert in your field, you might come off a little desperate if you cold call. I don’t mean to offend anyone out there who IS cold calling. I’ve done it; I’ve even done door-to-door sales before! I find that I am more effective in front of people, in person and most of the time they need to see me quite a few times (building relationships) before they’ll even consider talking to me about their marketing needs. You can’t build that type of relationship over the phone, not with one call or 20 calls. Good luck and let me know what you think of what I said here; I’d be interested to know what works for you and what you’ve tried.Labels: cold call techniques, Cold calling coaching, cold calling confidence |
| posted by Natasha Atanasovska @ 10:43 AM |
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Does Cold Calling Really Work?: Three Ways to Know the Truth
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 This belief has long been the contention of many people, especially those who believe that man, being a rational being, is always accountable for his action. They know that they will be rewarded for every good action that they make, and they will be punished for every bad action they did otherwise.
This belief has also been applied to many activities like cold calling.
Basically, people do cold calls if they want to market their product even without knowing who they will call, And as applied, cold calling works on some people, and to some, they just sucks.
In many instances, cold calling really works. However, it is not simply based on trying something because they know they will benefit something from it; and they would continue on believing that it will really do them good even if they did not even tried hard enough.
In some areas, some people would contend that the effectiveness of cold calling really depends on the situation and on the skills of the person doing the job.
Maybe, some people are just lucky. Maybe, some people are born cold callers or sales person. Maybe, it was their day, when they were able to close a sale through the phone. Maybe, just maybe, everything is dependent on your knowledge about what you are doing and on what strategies to use, don’t you think?
This goes to show that the reason why cold calling does not work with other people is because they do not just know how to make cold calls, the true concept of cold calling, and the things that need to be considered before make a cold call.
Therefore, for people who are not yet convinced that cold calling really works and it is just based on some circumstances that cold calling does not work for some people; here is a list of some conditions that will tell you that cold calling really does work:
1. It works when the person who does cold calling knows who your customer or company is.
This does not necessarily mean that you personally know your customer or the company. What is truly being pointed out here is that you should know the pertinent details of your customer or the company. You should know the customer’s background, the company profile, and the nature of the company or the customer so that you will have an insight how great is the probability that they will listen to your sales pitch.
For example, a person who works for a certain direct selling company but does cold calls on the wrong market. What sense does it make talking to people whom you know will not work on you?
Simply put, people will not listen to your sales pitch if you they are not interested on your product. In addition, the reason why they are not interested is that they know that they have nothing to benefit from it.
See the point? It is really important to know your target market before making cold calls.
2. It is important to know that cold calling will be very effective if the person will target on the right person in the company. The higher the position of the person is, the greater the possibilities that you will get where you are heading at.
This means that aside from knowing the target market, people who do cold calling should also know that they have to aim higher. This goes to show that you should not just call people whom you think are connected with your idea or product. It is best if you will talk to the person who is in the authority to decide if ever he will be interested on what you are selling.
For example, a person who is a sales person in a staffing company. According to his analysis, his target market will be interested on his services because he knows that the nature of the company can be associated to what he is selling.
Then, he thought of targeting a certain department in the company, whom he thought would entail the “decision makers.” The problem is, he called on the department who is responsible for the recruitment of their company. This means that if he will provide them feasible means of getting employees or staff, which would make the department sound inefficient on their work. In turn, it will only make matters worst.
The important thing is to call the highest position in the company like the CEO’s. IN this way, you can get hold of the real decision maker. The point is, when cold calling, you should start from the highest position and not on the lower rank.
3. Cold calling really works if your product will reveal unseen opportunities.
This means that people, who does cold calling, should make it a point that their services and products will reveal some hidden chances or opportunities and would make the company realize that they need it.
It is relatively based on timing. As most sales expert say, the reason why people say no to you is that it is that you are in the wrong time. What matter most is that you have to call again and expect that you will close the sale on that day.
It is the persistence and the knowledge about cold calling that would really attest that it really does work. As most people say, cold calling reflects your passion for the business.
Indeed, there is no other way that would best describe the selling characteristic of a person that what cold calling can do.Labels: cold calling, Cold calling coaching, cold calling confidence, cold calling discussion, cold calling fear |
| posted by Natasha Atanasovska @ 10:07 AM |
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Cold Calling is Great!
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 Belonging to this crowd gives you particular limitations. Most probably, the very first thing you would worry about is how to generate your list of customers or how you would market your product to potential buyers. Hence, if you still do not know your way around, you might as well submit yourself into the usual activity of every sales person—cold calling. The only drawback is that most people are not very comfortable with this type of sales-generating process. Whether it is used to chase some sales leads, follow ups, or just to give their clients a ring, cold calling can be pretty uncomfortable to deal with. On the other hand, cold calling can be great. It can even be fun if you just know how to do it. The problem with most sales people is that they do not know how to do cold calls properly and effectively that is why they regard it as something that is so hard to utilize. Moreover, when you are working hard, fun is never present in your midst. Moreover, most sales people are not comfortable with cold calling that is why they cannot deliver their lines well, they tend to blabber endlessly, thus annoying their customers, and they just do not know the benefits they can derive from cold calling. Consequently, one of the greatest problems with people who do cold calls is that they sound like a real telemarketer. Of course, you can use script as long as you avoid reading it verbatim because if you do, you will sound like the typical telemarketer, hence, people hang up on you. Like any kind of conversation, cold calling must be as natural as if you are just talking with your friend. It does not have to sound too professional so that your customer will not suspect you of pushing him or her to buy your products no matter what. Therefore, for people who wish to use cold calling as their marketing strategy but are afraid to do so, here are some tips that you can use and make cold calling really great way to earn more money for your business. 1. Make an enticing, friendly greetings or opening statement. As they say, first impressions last. Therefore, it is important to put so much weight and attention to your greetings or opening statement. It is how you get your customers on the hook that will make your cold call a success. If from the start everything is already messed up, chances are, you can never even get to the second part of your cold calling process. 2. Have a great motivation on yourself It is simple. How will the other person on the line believe to whatever it is that you are saying if you sound like you are so distant with your words? This means that you can never entice people to believe in you if you do not believe on what you are saying in the first place. Motivate yourself and believe that the best product in the world is yours and that people should know about it. 3. Know the importance of cold calling If ever you get to make cold calls just for the sake of doing it because somebody told you that it is a part of the marketing strategy, stop talking and hang up the phone. This will not do you any good. To make cold calling a great way to achieve your success in the business, it is best that you know the importance of cold calling. You should be aware and totally convinced that by cold calling you can definitely reap more positive results than what you can have with other marketing strategies. 4. Do not EVER blabber, rattle on, and talk nineteen to the dozen like what most telemarketers usually do. If you this, then you will never see cold calling as a great way to boost productivity on your business. The problem with this type of speech delivery is that people will never understand you. They can never decipher the ideas that you are trying to tell them and you can never make them see that what you are saying can do them good. In cold calling, the only power you have is your words. Therefore, it would be better to deliver them in the most desirable way. You can do this by employing the right tone of voice, the proper pitch, and the perfect pace.  All of these things are boiled down to the fact that cold calling is really great. The only reason why most sales people regard it negatively is the fact that they are doing it the wrong way. Hence, discover the greatness in cold calling. Start the process the right way and earn yourself more profits. Labels: cold call techniques, cold calling, Cold calling coaching, cold calling confidence, cold calling discussion |
| posted by Natasha Atanasovska @ 10:03 AM |
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Cold Calling: How To Cold Call Your Way to A New Job When A Hiring Manager Answers The Phone
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 Next to public speaking, cold calling might be the scariest thing people try to avoid doing at all costs.
A cold call is when you call someone on the phone who is not expecting your call for the purpose of getting that person to do something for you.
Sales people use cold calling to introduce themselves to potential sales prospects in the hopes that this person will buy something from them.
Recruiters use cold calling to find companies who will let them work on jobs that they are trying to fill. We also use cold calling to find job candidates for the jobs that we’re working on.
You can use cold calling to speak with potential hiring managers to enquire about jobs with their company.
Cold calling 50 people on the phone is obviously more effective than visiting 50 companies in person but cold calling is one of the hardest – and most maligned – tactics that people use to get what they want. Mostly, it’s because cold calling has so many negative stereotypes associated with it:
It’s scary to do
It uses scripted, forced conversations that sound like a sales pitch
The fear of being rejected or not knowing what to say
Cold calling is not easy but it doesn’t have to be difficult either. Plus, because the vast majority of people who are looking for the same jobs you are will not cold call employers, you can use it to separate yourself from them.
The best way to approach cold calling is to have a plan of attack before you pick up the phone. I’d suggest against totally scripting your calls because you don’t want to sound like you are reading from a script nor can you actually predict exactly what the person you will speak with will actually say.
But if you have little or no experience with cold calling, what you might want to do is write out a marketing message that you will use for your cold calling to refer to when you the hiring manager answers the phone. (In my other article called “Cold Calling: How to Cold Call Your Way to a New Job Using Voice Mail” I refer to how to handle a cold call if you reach the hiring manager’s voice mailbox.)
A suitable goal of a cold call for a job searcher is to get a relevant hiring manager on the phone and to get them to agree to meet with you in their office.
In other words, you want to get an interview.
To get an interview you will need to illustrate to the hiring manager that you are someone who solves a problem that they have and that you are in fact the ideal person to solve that problem.
Although each call will roll out differently, here are the main points you want to cover during the call:
1. Opening introduction: briefly introduce yourself with enthusiasm ie. “Hi, this is John Smith.” Don’t bother asking an open-ended question like “How are you” or “Is this a good time to talk” because it just gives the person a chance to get you off the phone. 2. Give a brief explanation of your work background and your level of experience. ie. “I’m a Database Administrator with 5 years of hands-on experience and I'm contacting you to enquire about your requirements for someone with my skillset.” Then follow up with something exceptional and specific that makes you stand out from other candidates ie. “I am certified on Database Platform A and B and in my most recent position, reduced database downtime by 23%.” I think it's good to pop in a quick reference to the fact that you're a job searcher, without specifically asking for a job. At this point all you are trying to do is get in front of them for an interview. That's the goal of the call. You don't want to put the person off by coming right out and asking for a job but at the end of the day, that's your ultimate goal! No sense beating around the bush and making it seem like you're calling them to have a chat. You made the call for a purpose and that purpose is to let them know why they need to interview you. 3. Ask for an interview. ie. “When can I meet with you in person?”
Again, these three points may only form part of the cold call because it will really depend on what the person on the other end of the phone says in response. These three points are the main ones you want to get across during the call. Now that you’ve got your script ready, you need hiring managers to speak with.  The best thing to do is to make a list of companies who are advertising for people with your skills or short of that to make a list of companies who you know need people with your skills from time to time. Perhaps you have friends who work for companies who might need your skills and they could put the good word in for you with the hiring manager before you call. Before you start making your calls, ensure that you keep track of all companies and the contact details for hiring managers you speak with so you can effectively manage your list. You don’t want to speak with someone twice and forget that you’ve already spoken with them. Putting an Excel spreadsheet together will help keep track of your progress. If the hiring manager won’t meet with you – and many will try to avoid this especially if they don’t have a job opening currently – they might try to get you off the phone by asking for your resume instead. If you can’t get an interview and have exhausted your options for arranging one, you might agree to email your resume to them for future consideration.
Finally, don’t be disappointed with rejection. You might get rejected more often that not but effectively cold calling hiring managers has better odds than simply firing off an equal number of emails and waiting for the calls to come in. Persistence is the key. Labels: cold call techniques, Cold calling coaching, cold calling confidence, cold calling discussion, cold calling disold calling fear |
| posted by Natasha Atanasovska @ 9:57 AM |
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Cold Calling Is Contagious!
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Monday, November 02, 2009 |
 When you catch the common cold you are considered to be contagious. This means that those individuals that you come into close contact may catch your cold. What are the probabilities that you will give your cold to someone else? Since I don’t have specific percentages for you, I would conclude that the closer the proximity that you have with someone then the stronger the probability that you will give your cold to this person. This makes sense, huh? So what does cold calling have to do with the common cold? And how is cold calling contagious?
Since cold calling is not the common cold we can therefore conclude it is not contagious. However, I am proposing that cold calling is contagious and has the ability to affect your sales prospects, but how is this possible? There are certain personality traits that we can bring to the telephone conversation that can have a powerful affect on both your prospect’s attitude and behavior. Some of these personality traits include your...
* Positive Attitude
* Enthusiasm
* Charisma
* Optimism
* Creativity
* Confidence
* Sense of humor
* Inspiration
* Perseverance
* Friendliness
How do these personality traits affect your prospect’s attitude and ultimately their behavior? These traits are powerful tools that you can use to instantly inspire not only your prospect’s curiosity, but a tool that you can use to reduce their resistance as well. Below are a few example questions that you can answer which will help to illustrate my point here:
* Can you think of the last time in which you felt a bit down and someone approached you with a nice big smile? What happened next?
* Can you remember the last time when you were a bit hesitant about doing something and a friend of yours made a joke to help ease your tensions? How did this make you feel?
* Can you remember the last time that you were a bit unsure about buying something and the person you were speaking with came across so confident that you decided to take a chance and buy it?
* Have you ever met someone and you felt this type of “energy” illuminating from them that was so positive and so warm that it made you want to immediately speak with them?
* Have you ever come across an inspiring story and it motivated you to do something that you thought that you would never do?
Are you seeing the big picture here? Do you understand what these examples mean? These examples illustrate that if your prospect is not expecting your call traits such as your positive attitude and your enthusiasm will inspire their curiosity. These examples illustrate that if your prospect is busy your perseverance will inspire their curiosity. These examples illustrate that if your prospect is having a bad day your sense of humor might turn their day around. All of these traits have the ability to alter not only your prospect’s attitude, but their behavior as well.
In other words, these personality traits are catalysts that can alter your prospect’s thinking and motivate them to take action. William James, the great American psychologist and philosopher stated, "The greatest discovery of my generation is that man can alter his life simply by altering his attitude of mind." If you agree with this quote, then we also have the power to affect the attitudes and behaviors of our prospects. Based on this information, is cold calling contagious?Labels: cold calling, Cold calling coaching, cold calling confidence, cold calling discussion, cold calling disold calling fear, cold calling phone techniques, Cold calling secrets |
| posted by ThirstyFish @ 11:46 AM |
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The 5 Essentials of Insurance Cold Calling
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 Being an insurance agent, you have to make sure your diary is filled with appointments. There are occasions you may run out of insurance prospects. When you have no more referrals or existing customers to see, cold calling is the best way to get new customers.
Although cold calling has very low success rate, by adjusting your cold calling approach and techniques, you can increase your chance of securing an appointment. The following are the 5 essentials of cold calling:
(a) Voice quality
Everything about your voice tells your prospects something about you. The way you talk, the speed, the tone in your voice etc tell your prospects what kind of person you are. They will decide based on your voice quality if they want to continue talking to you.
You can improve voice quality and inject confidence in your voice by speaking a little bit faster, a little bit louder and a little bit firmer. Though it is not visible to your prospect, your smile helps you stay composed. A good posture also helps to enhance voice quality.
(b) Script
A script is important to ensure you organize your thoughts before you call. It helps you avoid common mistakes in cold calling. You don't want to give your prospects a chance to terminate your call.
Your script should include a greeting and an introduction. Identify yourself and your company. Give the reason for your call i.e. to get an appointment. Give an opportunity for the prospect to respond. Set the appointment.
Be prepared for common objections. People may say "no" to you or give a response. You must be able to manage them promptly. You may find the script on handling objection handy when facing challenging situations.
Gatekeepers may be your allies. Have a different script when dealing with the gatekeeper. Develop strategies to get the gatekeeper on your side. Ask for help and you may get the information you need.
Once a script is ready, hear how it sounds. Call your own phone number and leave a message on your own voicemail. You may discover how you talk is different from how you write. Make changes and try again.
Once your new script is ready, don't call your best prospects first. There may be glitches to overcome. You may ruin your sales opportunity with your best prospects. Practice with your associates or other prospects.
(c) Target
Focus on the goal when cold calling. Beginners probably think that cold calling is to make a sale. The main reason for calling is to get an appointment. Don't spend more than 2 or 3 minutes on a call.
You need to target your cold calling efforts to the right audience. Use market research to focus on your target market. Research your markets and prospects. Establish the parameter of the prospects you want to call.
Find out as much as possible about the company or individual you're going to cold call in advance. You have the advantage to prepare yourselves to talk to them about their business or unique needs when you call them.
(d) Demeanor
Your prospects will know from your voice if you are sincere about what you are saying. They can tell whether you are genuinely interested in doing a business with them. They can feel if you enjoy what you are doing.
The biggest secret to cold calling is your attitude. All of the cold calling techniques you learn can only work if you have the right attitude. A positive attitude is the key to a successful business. Your demeanor determines whether you win or lose a business deal.
(e) Confidence
Confidence is your currency for success. Be confident in yourself. Believe in your product or service. Be convinced that your service is of value to your customers. Your confidence gives you the strengths you need to keep you going.
Your prospects may not be able to see confidence in you, but they can feel your confidence over the handset. When they know they are talking to a confident salesperson, they will be more receptive and they want to talk to you and meet you.
View every cold call a learning opportunity. Don't let yourself be defeated by a few rejections. There is no failure but only feedback. The more you practice cold calling, the more skillful you become and the better results you will get.Labels: cold calling, Cold calling coaching, cold calling confidence, cold calling discussion, cold calling phone techniques |
| posted by ThirstyFish @ 11:44 AM |
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Cold Calling Tips For Making Sales Appointments to Grow Your Small Business Sales
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 Cold calling tips can help small business sales people to make effective sales appointment calls, and grow their business. Anyone can build basic cold calling scripts in just a few minutes and start making sales appointments today. Many sales people fear or hate making cold calls, but with these basic appointment setting tips you'll gain confidence and soon become skilled at making sales appointments
Think of your cold calls in three stages: The introduction where you present you, and your small business. Sales questions to qualify the prospect as someone you could sell to, and the third stage is where you ask for their agreement to meet with you. Now look at these cold calling tips for each stage of the call and add them to your cold calling scripts for making sales appointments.
Cold calling tips for the Introduction stage of the calls
When you introduce yourself and your product or your small business, keep it brief. Only use the necessary information to communicate who you are and what your small business sells. They don't need your life story or the full history of your company. If your small business sales have something unique to offer then make sure you include it. Phrase it as a benefit to the prospect. Write down your own cold calling scripts for each stage of the call and stick to only the information you need to include. Practice how you will present you and your business to the prospect. Then, when your introduction sounds right, add it to your cold calling script.
The most important of all the cold calling tips is to include a really good reason for your cold call. Take your time developing this line for your sales appointments calls. It is the line that will motivate the prospect to listen to you. If you get this wrong you can lose the chance of making any sales appointments. Put yourself in the customer's shoes and ask yourself what would you want to hear? What potential benefits can your small business offer a buyer that will make them want to meet with you?
Cold calling tips on how to ask qualifying sales questions
Don't make the mistake of writing a list of sales questions to ask the prospect. When you ask questions from a list you lose the relationship with the buyer. People soon tire of having to think of a new answer between each question they are asked. Instead of a list of questions, use this cold calling tip. Write a list of the information you require from the customer. This is the information you need to decide if you can sell to this customer and that you want to make a sales appointment with them.
Then use your list of information as a checklist while using normal conversation skills to gather the information that you need. Start by asking wide open questions such as, 'Tell me about... or, Explain to me...' Then use more specific questions to pin point the detail. This sales questioning technique works really well in cold calling scripts because it keeps the prospect talking and uses the questions to direct the conversation.
Asking for commitment to the sales appointment
Getting the customer's attention during the introduction stage of a cold call is important and sales people invest in learning sales skills for that stage of the call. But many people fail to build an effective cold calling script for the agreement gaining stage of the sales appointment call. When setting appointments by telephone you have to have an agreement gaining strategy that will work. Try these cold calling tips on asking for the appointment.
Don't ask if they will agree to a sales appointment with you. Instead ask when they are available to meet with you, or if they are available on a specific day or at a certain time. When making sales appointments give the buyer a great reason why they should meet with you. Explain about the possible benefits to them that your small business could offer. But do not get further into the sale than you want to. If your product or service is better sold face to face then hold back on the selling until you meet with them. I've always found it a bad idea to get into conversations about price on the sales appointment call. Use the price as a reason to meet with the buyer. Tell them you need to meet to discuss price and think of a good reason why.
What you are saying to the prospect is, so that I can show you the full benefits, we should meet and I can give you all the information you need to make a decision on whether to take it further. As with all good sales appointment training you should put that last sentence into your own words and write it into your cold calling script. You are not asking for a buying decision on your appointment cold call. You are only looking to secure the appointment. When you have given a good reason for meeting with you, ask them if they are available at a specific time. You are not asking if they will meet with you, you are presuming that because there is a potential benefit for them, the sales appointment is the next logical step.Labels: cold calling, Cold calling coaching, cold calling confidence, cold calling discussion, Cold calling secrets |
| posted by ThirstyFish @ 11:41 AM |
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Cold Calling - Do You Want More Confidence in Your Ability to Sell?
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 One of the single biggest areas that delegates on my sales training want to cover when we look at cold calling and appointment setting is CONFIDENCE.
When we set goals at the beginning of the day almost everyone wants to walk out of the door more confident in their ability to make cold calls.
The challenge very often though is that when I ask some of the following questions I get blank looks:
* Do you truly believe in the value of your product or service?
* How well do you know businesses of your target clients?
* How well do you know how much value you add to your existing clients?
* How much time have you spent thinking through answers to common questions?
* What books have you read on any sales topic in the last 6 months?
If you are lacking in confidence in your ability to cold call or engage people in conversation about your product or services then take some time to answer the questions above.
Don't spend too much time looking for the magical 'silver bullet' that might come in the form of a killer closing question or '101 ways to overcome objections'. Put your efforts into developing a platform of strength that comes from the unshakable confidence in knowing you add value. The more value you add and the more you understand that, the more your confidence will soar.
Get this platform right and funny things start to happen. People are more receptive, people want to talk to you and meet you. You are a professional business person and your preparation here will lead you to sales success.Labels: cold calling, Cold calling coaching, cold calling confidence, cold calling discussion, cold calling phone techniques |
| posted by ThirstyFish @ 11:40 AM |
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Successful Cold Calling Happens When You Know How to Play the GAME!
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 I picked up the telephone today and realized how easy it was for me to just pick up the telephone and drum up new business opportunities. I'm so comfortable on the telephone and speaking with people that I've never met in my life. The yellow pages, membership directories, business cards posted on bulletin boards, senior-level executives profiled in magazines, it really doesn't matter what list I'm calling from--it's really no big deal to make these calls. Then, one day, I caught myself in a daze, a complete daze and realized that it wasn't like this all the time.
Looking back, I've come a long way, a very long way and remember a time when I was scared of picking up the telephone. I was scared of what my prospect might say. I was scared of being hung up. I was scared of what to say when my prospect picked up the telephone and said, "How can I help?" or didn't say anything at all. Maybe I was scared because I didn't know how to play the game? What game you ask? I'm talking about the cold call game.
For a very short time, cold calling and I didn't match very well. It didn't seem like my thing. In fact, there was a time when I joined the ranks of others who felt that cold calling was not a viable lead generation sales tool. Deep down, I knew that I could not consume these negative cold calling thoughts and be "part" of their crowd. I knew cold calling was a legitimate and respectable way to generate uncovered sales opportunities.
I began to push the envelope and learn from each call that I made. After each telephone call, I said to myself, "What can I learn from this call? What can I learn from what just happened? What can I learn my prospect? What can I learn from my prospect about their industry? What could I have done differently the next time around? How could I have been more creative? How did I sound over the telephone? If the roles were reversed, would I buy from someone who sounded like me?"
I continued to learn from each call and every call made began to build on future calls. My confidence began to multiply after each sale that could be sourced to a cold call. In time, I began to perceive cold calling as an eye of opportunity, as cost-effective, as strategic, as innovative, and finally, I began to perceive cold calling as a platform that I could use on-demand at anytime to connect with potential buyers. What does this all mean? This means that through testing and through call analysis, I began understand what techniques work well over the phone and which ones do not.
Cold calling was a learned process and I was beginning to understand what I needed to do to successfully win the game of cold calling. To win the game, I also discovered many other successful strategies such as attitude , telephone voice, product knowledge and scripting. Another strategy to win the game of cold calling is the fact that prospect's don't buy instantly. Rather, they buy over a period of time.
And as a result of this discovery, if I'm calling a prospect and there's no interest, that's ok. And it's ok because I'm not expecting them to buy right here and right now. At this stage of the sales process, what I really want to do is to create interest. I want to create enough interest in my company so that they will remember me the next time I follow up with them. So as you can see, there are many ways to win the cold call game. I have found a few of them and as I make more cold calls, I'm guessing that I'll be able to add to my on-going list. Have you started your list? If you haven't, maybe it's time to throw out your first pitch?Labels: Cold calling coaching, cold calling confidence, cold calling discussion, cold calling disold calling fear, cold calling phone techniques, cold calling seminar |
| posted by ThirstyFish @ 11:38 AM |
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Confident at Cold Calling? A Reality Check on Positive Thinking
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 Before you make a cold call, do you "gear up" first? Do you get excited about your product or service, and try to anticipate making the sale?
Well, if you're following the old traditional cold calling mindset, that's probably what you've been trained to do. But what you don't know is that enthusiasm and confidence usually backfire on you.
Why? Because you're talking with someone who doesn't know you. Think about how you'd feel if someone you don't know approaches you with a lot of zest and enthusiasm. You'll probably take a step back. You're a little suspicious and somewhat on the defensive in the face of all that enthusiasm.
It's the same when you make cold calls. People don't like the feeling of being pressured, and that's usually what gets triggered when you approach someone with too much confidence. It's called "positive thinking" in the old sales training strategies, but really, it's overconfidence.
Here are two things for you to consider the next time you start to dial the phone:
1. Artificial sales enthusiasm is - artificial
When I'm coaching someone, many times I like to ask them to role-play with me. And often, just as soon as they move into their cold call presentation, everything changes. Their natural voice tone shifts, and they sound like a totally different person from the one who called and talked so naturally with me about their sales issues.
You see, sometimes just the idea of making a cold call causes you to talk more loudly, and with a lot of "forward energy momentum."
But most cold calls break down the moment the other person feels all that enthusiasm. Why? Because with high enthusiasm, prospects feel sort of boxed in. They feel the pressure of your expectations. They feel pushed by someone they don't know, and who knows nothing about them.
So it's much better to talk in a natural, conversational way, just as if you were talking with a friend. When you're being a relaxed and natural, the difference is amazing.
2. Assumptions feel like presumptions
The old cold calling approach encourages you to be confident that the person you're calling should seriously consider buying what you have to offer. It's a taken-for-granted assumption that if they fit your profile, your product or service should be a "fit" for them.
But really, how much sense does it make to have assumptions about someone you've never spoken with, much less had a conversation with? How much can you possibly know about their problems, issues, needs, time frame, budget, decision making process, or other key information?
Can you imagine how it feels to the person on the other end of the phone when you presume to know what's "best" for them? They don't know you, and they don't trust you. So people naturally move into a defensive place.
So it's best to move away from making any assumptions when you make your cold calls. Approach your prospects from a modest, humble position. Avoid coming to the conversation already convinced in your own mind that they should be a fit. This way, you'll eliminate sales pressure, which triggers that defensive reaction.
Completely eliminating assumptions and high enthusiasm in your cold calling will help people relate to you as a real person instead of a negative-type "pushy" salesperson. And you'll find that they'll usually respond much more warmly and naturally.Labels: cold calling, cold calling fear, cold calling phone techniques, cold calling success |
| posted by ThirstyFish @ 11:31 AM |
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Sunscreen lotions, a must this summer
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 Sunscreen lotions are a must this summer. A good sunscreen serves two purposes namely, helping the skin maintain its natural oils and moisture, which can be lost through exposure to the sun’s radiation. Secondly, sunscreen also protects the skin against UVA and UVB rays, whose destructive effects have increased remarkably with the reduction in the atmosphere’s ozone layer. Global warming has its devastating effects for the environment as well as our skin. Rising temperatures and humidity leaves a bad impact on the skin, which might result in sunburns.
Sunlight causes skin pigment cells, called melanocytes, to synthesize increased amounts of melanin, giving the skin a protective pigment or tan. But, while increased melanin can perform as a natural filter to keep harmful UV radiation from penetrating further into the skin, using sunscreen with a high SPF is more important, especially if you are fair-skinned or have a family history of cancer.
There are four basic skin types, each with a different level of tolerance to sun exposure. People with light skin comprise Type I, and their natural protection time (amount of time skin can be exposed to the sun without burning) is 5-10 minutes. The natural protection time of people with skin Type II, who have a somewhat darker complexion, is up to 20 minutes. Those with skin Types III and IV, who are much darker can stay in the sun for 30-40 minutes. That means fairer types are more prone to skin diseases due to the sun.
And if you are a white complexioned person, don’t worry GourmetGlam has compiled About.com’s list of the Best Nine Sunscreens out there.
Shiseido is a well-known skincare and cosmetics line, and the sun protection cream can be added as the sun protection and moisturizing step combined.
For an all-around sunscreen that you should just carry with you wherever you go, take Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch. It can be used on the face and body without feeling or looking greasy. The beauty of the Neutrogena sun care products is that they now contain Heloiplex, which protects against UVA rays.
Tinted moisturizer is a three-in one product. It is lighter than regular foundation with an SPF in it. It serves as moisturizer, foundation, and sunscreen. According to About.com, Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 20 is “hands down the best...on the market.”
Olay with UV protection is a facial moisturizer that has sunscreen, which fights the aging process in skin.
L’Occitane Shea Butter Ultra Moisturizing Care is a facial moisturizer good for all skin types, but it does have shea butter, which can be greasy.
Eucerin is a drugstore brand particularly or dry skin.
Bull Frog is the best for the rest of the body because it’s lightweight and long lasting.
Iehl’s Ultra Protection Water-Based Sunscreen Lotion SPF 15 is something that can be regularly used for daily beauty routine -very similar to facial toner and moisturizer.
One must use common sense, and always avoid any overexposure to the sun. |
| posted by ThirstyFish @ 11:04 AM |
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Cold Calling - Secrets To Success Revealed
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 The simplest, most cost-effective and most time-efficient way to win new customers is to pick up the phone and call the prospects. But the concept of “cold calling” sends shivers down the spine of most sales people. It seems totally unnatural to many of us.
As with most irrational fears, such as public speaking, heights and spiders, it is the fear of the unknown rather than anything else that puts sales people off. This is only enhanced by the fear of rejection, a phrase that surely also needs its own phobia name!
While technique is critical, this comes with experience and confidence. The first defining characteristic of a successful cold callers is their persistence. Recent research showed the enormous mismatch between what most sales people thought was a sensible amount of persistence and how many rebuffs prospect really give. 43% of the sample said they would give up calling after the very first rejection from the prospective customer. Another 23% said they would not call again if the customer said no a second time, 15% the third time and 11% the fourth time. This left only 8% of the sample of sales people chipping away at the prospect’s resistance. However, the research showed that when questioned 73% of prospects said they would give 5 or more “objections” before buying!
So the major lesson is not to take now for an answer. The second lesson is to make sure you are speaking to the right person.
All too often, salespeople start selling to the first person that picks up the phone. This can be a waster of the caller and the prospect’s time if the person at the end of the phone is not the MAN. This is not me being sexist, the MAN is an acronym for Money, Authority and Need. Someone who is happy to listen to your pitch but can’t sign the sales order is merely a recommender.
So how do you make sure you get to speak to the MAN, not the recommender? My favourite question is to ask: “apart from you, who else is involved in [this buying decision]”. The boost their ego by admitting they have a part in the decision and then you get them to say who else you should really be talking to.
Howeve r, when calling a business, the first hurdle to get past is the person we call the “gatekeeper”. Often this is the PA, the secretary or the junior colleague who’s explicit job it is to get rid of sales people. However, the target prospect does actually want to still hear from people that can do him good deals, save him money, provide a better product or inform him or her of market developments. But the gatekeeper thinks it is their job to stop ANYONE getting through.
The first tactic to get past gatekeepers is to make friends with them first. Then it is much easier to negotiate a contact with your target. The temptation is to show our frustration with the PA who keeps promising to pass on messages. But they will be pleasantly surprised when you show respect!
You are very likely going to have to speak to the gatekeeper several times before accessing your quarry so make notes about their likes, dislikes, family interests, holiday, anything that gives you something to ask about when you next call. It may sound contrived, but most gatekeepers will begin to crumble when you begin to emerge as a kind, empathetic person.
Don’t be too proud to use the pity card: as an MD, I still find a winning hand with “my boss has told me not to speak to him until I get through to your boss, you could not help me out this one time could you?”.
The reverse of this one is to simply state the first name of the person you wish to speak to with an upward inflection: don’t ask to speak to the person, don’t say please, just firmly say the first name. Many times it will be assumed you are a known contact and you’ll be put through.
A classic is to get put through to accounts. Then tell the accounts people you have obviously been wrongly connected by the operator but “is there any chance you can connect me direct to Mr X to save me going around the houses”. You will then be an internal call and may even find out their extensions!
And if you don’t get to speak to the person you want, despite being put through DO leave a message on the answerphone. It may be a million to one chance, but it is still a chance they will call back. But keep it brief and don’t leave them enough information to decide they can not bother calling you back. Use just your first name, abbreviate your company name - leave out anything that says what your company does – and leave your number, stating it twice.
A little confidence goes a long way. The first times you try these techniques you won’t have believe in them and they won’t work. But keep bashing away and you will be soon setting your self and your colleagues appointments as if you were born to it!Labels: Cold calling coaching, cold calling confidence, cold calling disold calling fear, cold calling phone techniques, cold calling scripts, cold calling succescussion, cs |
| posted by ThirstyFish @ 10:57 AM |
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Cold Calling: How to Warm Yourself Up Before You Start
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 Cold calling … even the name is enough to strike fear into the heart of many a small business owner! What image comes into your mind? Sitting in a lonely damp office, surrounded by paper, 2 day old coffee cups and a stack of outstanding work. In other words, something not very nice!
Why do we hate cold calling so much? Why does the very thought of it send shivers down some people’s spine? Firstly, what were we taught at school and by our parents? Don’t talk to strangers! No wonder picking up the phone and speaking to someone you have never met causes such mental problems.
What about every small business owner’s fear – the fear of rejection. That’s enough to find any reason not to pick up the phone. Here’s another one – lack of self confidence and the nagging doubt that you won’t live up to the expectations you put in your prospect’s mind.
I think that’s enough! Perhaps all very good reasons why you may find it hard to pick up the phone but, at the end of the day, to be really successful in business, it’s a necessary evil. Yes, you can convince yourself that you are too busy servicing your existing customers and looking after their every need, but unless you get out and bring in new business, one day you may find yourself with a tired and sold-out customer base.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. You can do it. All it needs is careful planning and a structured approach. If you can see the error of your ways and understand the impact this lack of action is having on your business, I’ll show you how you can become a successful cold caller. You have got it made if you follow this structure:
Identify, Preparation, Just Do It! and Review.
Let’s consider each of these steps in turn.
Identify
The first step is to identify who you are going to cold call. How do you go about building up a list? Here are some ideas:
• Ask your customers who they think you should be talking to; who could benefit from your product? Referrals from happy clients can be very powerful when speaking to your prospective customers. It tells them that if their colleague was happy to pass on their name then that’s a good recommendation
• Go through your old database and identify companies that no longer deal with you. Unless you really messed up first time round, they may appreciate a call
• Read all your local newspapers and magazines. Is there a story which would be a great excuse to call them up? “I read about your award in the newspaper and …”
• Use networking events and any other social gatherings to make new contacts
• E-mail everyone in your mailing list and tell them that you are on the look out for new leads!
• Train your brain to spot new opportunities
It doesn’t matter how outlandish your first draft list seems, stick the name down and get thinking about where the others are going to come from.
Pr eparation
Having got your initial list, the first task in the preparation stage is to tidy it up. Take another look at it and pick the top 5 which are likely to end in success. Why do this? Because to be motivated to carry on with something, there is nothing like success. Failure will not spur you on, but success will. So go for the ones which are likely to yield positive results. With practice, you will be able to tackle the more challenging ones later on!
Next, set yourself an objective. What do you want to achieve out of your phone call? An appointment, an agreement to send a sample, a sale? Being realistic, the best you can hope for is an appointment. Be clear on what your aim is. This will help you focus on the outcome during the rest of your preparation.
The most crucial part of the preparation stage is your research. Find out whatever you can about both the company and person you are going to call. What exactly do they sell? Who are they buying from at the moment? How many employees do they have? Do you know of any problems which you could resolve? What is the perception in the market place? What can you learn from their web site?
All of this information will help you in the next part of your preparation – your opening statement and subsequent words. Actors don’t go out on the stage without thoroughly learning and rehearsal and neither should you. Write out your opening statement, which says who you are, which company you are with and what you do. Keep it short, focused and punchy. Remember that many businesses receive cold calls all the time, so what is the benefit in the person spending some time with you? Think of a clear benefit statement to include in your remarks.
As in any selling situation (which a cold call is after all), you are very likely to be met with objections – can’t see you, too busy with a rush order, its Audit time, too many staff on holiday etc. Try and think of every objection and write down what your response will be. Being this prepared will keep you ahead of the game.
Bearing in mind your end objective, how are you going to go in for the kill? What are you going to say to get that appointment?
Going through all this preparation will give you a much needed confidence boost, ready for the next step.
Just Do It!
If you have identified a number of names, set aside a whole morning or afternoon to make your calls. It’s easy to say to yourself that you will do one call today and another tomorrow. Athletes know that you perform better when you are warmed up, so doing a number of calls in a row means you will get better each time – remember what I said earlier about success breeding success. Put the time in your diary and stick to it!
When should you call? Some people will say it’s better to avoid Mondays and Fridays. On Mondays, people are recovering from the weekend, they are too busy planning their week, or clearing up the mess from the weekend! On Friday’s people are winding down and are recovering from a hectic week.
But think about it – if people are planning their week, wouldn’t Monday’s be a great time to call? If people are winding down on Friday’s, they may be in a good mood with the weekend approaching, so more willing to talk and agree an appointment. The bottom line is that there probably is not an ideal time – just do it!
Now you are ready to go. Before picking up the phone, relax your body and muscles, take some deep breaths and ‘see’ yourself achieving your objective. What does it feel like to have achieved your goal? What are you doing to celebrate all those appointments you have got? See yourself as a success!
Now you are ready to go. Pick up the phone, ask for the person you want to speak to and in a confident, crisp and clear voice, start off with your opening statement. Be warm and friendly. Don’t switch off into your own ‘self-talk’, really listen to what the other person is saying; listen out for those inevitable objections. When they come, answer straight back with your prepared answers. The standard objection is that they are too busy to talk now. If so, agree a time when you can call again as this will avoid telephone tag, where you keep missing each other. In the end you will become a nuisance and you want to avoid this at all costs.
At the end of the call, summarise what was agreed so you are all clear on what will happen next. You don’t want any potential costly misunderstandings.Labels: Cold calling coaching, cold calling confidence, cold calling fear, cold calling phone techniques, cold calling success |
| posted by ThirstyFish @ 10:53 AM |
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Cold Calling Really Sucks
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 There are many oh so many different ways to market a product or a service. Among these varied techniques, there are many good ways to generate sales and customers. But as many are the good methods, marketing also has its fair share of turkeys. Cold calling is one of the techniques in marketing that is subject to scrutiny in many ways. Marketers and other organizations are beginning to doubt the efficacy of cold calling.
Cold calling is also called blind calling. The marketer in this case calls up or contacts a ‘random’ person who might, if the marketer is lucky, want the product or service want to buy into what the marketer is offering. Cold calling is pretty much like blind guessing who your next customer will be. The caller then does his pitch talk to this person even if he or she has not been referred to by anyone.
This method of marketing has also been used by honest marketers and has also resulted in good customer relationships. However, cold calling has fallen out of fashion due to the fact that it has been well abused by many an unscrupulous marketer.
Advantages? It allows you to tap into a potentially unsaturated market. It allows you to create a new network of referrals, especially if yours is running dry. But do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
1. Irritates the investor
Cold calling has gained the ire of many a customer. This is because many of the cold callers usually conduct their business at nighttime. This is very inconvenient to potential clients because they generally want this time to be private. And dragging a person out of bed in their pajamas to talk about business is as irritating as it gets.
Many marketing firms employ boiler rooms to conduct cold calling. Boiler rooms are a team of cold callers whose specialty is spewing out very persuasive scripts on why you should buy into their product. Unfortunately, these callers tend to be abusive, and pugnacious. Many of the clients they get only took up their offer because they were coerced into doing so. Their motto is: as long as the person is on the line, there is still a chance to badger him or her. This is not the kind of marketing that gains mutual trust and respect.
2. Unfocused Marketing
Cold calling marketing is unfocused marketing. If you cannot focus your energies on better prospects, you might find yourself using up resources on people who are not really interested in your product. It would be better to use mailing lists or profiling to know which customers would most likely avail of your offers.
Cold calling sometimes relies on pure luck or stubbornness to get their clients. Unscientific. Unreliable.
3. The law
Believe it or not the law has made steps to safeguard clients from the wrath of cold callers. Law dictates that cold callers only call during working hours. They are no longer allowed to call from 8:00 P.M. onwards. Clients can now submit complaints to the authorities if your cold callers become abusive or disrespectful. For a business to be successful, you would like to avoid tangles with the law such as this.
Unfortunately there have been many reported scams in regards to cold calling marketers. As said in the first reason. These callers are usually annoying and abusive. The people you call may take offense at this and report your company to the authorities.
4. Loss of Trust
Since cold calling already has a bad reputation, affiliating with this kind of service could have a negative effect on the image of your business. If you want your business to be reputable, you will have to use reputable methods to gain the confidence of your customers. Remember that you are not merely wishing to siphon money off of them, you are also trying to establish a mutually beneficial relationship with them.
The Verdict
Cold calling can still be a good way to broaden your client network. However, the intrinsic dangers that it displays may not be very appealing to many companies. Before even considering cold calling as an option, take a look at the other marketing strategies that are in existence.Labels: cold calling |
| posted by ThirstyFish @ 10:50 AM |
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Do You Want More Confidence in Your Ability to Sell?
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Wednesday, October 28, 2009 |
 One of the single biggest areas that delegates on my sales training want to cover when we look at cold calling and appointment setting is CONFIDENCE.
When we set goals at the beginning of the day almost everyone wants to walk out of the door more confident in their ability to make cold calls.
The challenge very often though is that when I ask some of the following questions I get blank looks:
* Do you truly believe in the value of your product or service?
* How well do you know businesses of your target clients?
* How well do you know how much value you add to your existing clients?
* How much time have you spent thinking through answers to common questions?
* What books have you read on any sales topic in the last 6 months?
If you are lacking in confidence in your ability to cold call or engage people in conversation about your product or services then take some time to answer the questions above.
Don't spend too much time looking for the magical 'silver bullet' that might come in the form of a killer closing question or '101 ways to overcome objections'. Put your efforts into developing a platform of strength that comes from the unshakable confidence in knowing you add value. The more value you add and the more you understand that, the more your confidence will soar.
Get this platform right and funny things start to happen. People are more receptive, people want to talk to you and meet you. You are a professional business person and your preparation here will lead you to sales success.Labels: cold calling, cold calling confidence, cold calling discussion, Cold calling secrets |
| posted by ThirstyFish @ 9:04 AM |
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Cold Calling Confidence
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 If you've been known to put off making cold calls, you're not alone. It's always easier to do the following activities to build your business before you actually make a brand-new, totally cold call.
* Call on existing accounts to upgrade or add on to their current product line.
* Get referrals by calling satisfied customers and asking, "If you were in my shoes, which three people would you call who could benefit from our product the way you did?"
* Have relationships with noncompetitive companies that call on the same industry and business. This can be a great way to access new accounts for you and for them.
There are plenty of other effective ways to avoid cold calling, but eventually you're going to have to break into a new account, and you might not know someone who can make the introduction. Here are some strategies that could help:
1. Have A Plan
It is so much easier to get started when you have a detailed list of accounts to call on. When entering a new industry, try and get in touch with someone who works in that industry with noncompetitive products and ask for a list of companies or accounts, or a recommendation for where you can get them. Once you have a list, gather background information on the companies.
2. Call With Confidence
When you're not in the mood to cold-call, call one or two of your best customers and ask how they're doing. Sometimes hearing good things about your product or service lifts you up and reminds you why you're doing what you're doing in the first place.
3. Don't Give Up
Don't forget that nothing teaches you how to cold-call like making cold calls! Just when it seems as though everyone is giving you the cold shoulder, someone take your call and you have a qualified appointment. That little triumph enhances your enthusiasm for the next call. Don't stop after a successful call, because it breeds success for the next call.
4. Learn To Be Comfortable Being Uncomfortable
It's never easy when you first start making cold calls, but the fear is diminished by action. What people fear the most if the unknown. When you start learning by doing and see that success comes from not giving up, it gives you energy and confidence to keep going. There are not many people who love cold calling. But there is a way to feel comfortable doing it, and that is by doing it every day, even when you don't want to. Successful people do the things unsuccessful people don't like to do.
5. Get To Know Your Target
Find out something about the person you're calling before or even during the call - what are his or her challenges, goals or hobbies? Later, follow up with relevant information, such as an article from a magazine that addresses those issues. Include a note that says, "Thought you'd enjoy the enclosed" - it will help open the door a little wider for the next call.
6. Be Polite
Common courtesy goes a long way with everyone you speak with to get to the decision-maker. For instance, if you hear the phone ringing in the background, ask, "Do you need to get that? I can hold."
7. Push Face-to-Face Meetings
When people ask you to send them something in the mail, try and arrange to meet up with them instead by saying, "I'd prefer to get together instead. How's this Thursday morning, or would the afternnon work better for you?"
8. Follow Up
Sending handwritten thankyou notes right after the call to the receptionist, secretary, CEO or whoever helped you on the phone makes a lasting impression.Labels: cold calling, Cold calling coaching, cold calling discussion, cold calling fear, cold calling phone techniques, Cold calling secrets |
| posted by ThirstyFish @ 8:57 AM |
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Cold Calling Semianr
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 Seminar Outline:
Every sales executive who uses a telephone to maintain and grow a sales territory is familiar with the importance of cold calling. Having a set routine to prospect for new business is a crucial component of any telesales strategy and must be followed to provide a fruitful and profitable sales pipeline. Yet, many telesales and telemarketing sales executives feel apprehensive about the cold calling process. Countless sales professionals, even seasoned telesales reps, suffer from anxiety and call reluctance. Our half-day Telephone Cold Calling Skills program is designed to teach key skills that enable telesales and telemarketing sales reps to overcome fears associated with cold calling and establish a cold calling routine to increase leads and drive more sales.
Taught during a convenient four-hour workshop, the Telephone Cold Calling Skills program provides easy to use cold calling skills that new or experienced sales reps can work into their daily job routine. Special activities centered on the ability to overcome call reluctance and the other factors that inhibit successful cold calls are discussed in this course. Exercises designed to help sales reps increase call volume, uncover potential opportunities, get past gatekeepers, set appointments and overcome objections are all taught in this valuable workshop. Interactive sessions and call simulations enable telesales and telemarketing skills to be practiced and refined so as to increase knowledge transfer and retention. Instructor-led feedback sessions and roundtable discussions enable participants to discuss successful telesales strategies and skills in an open and cooperative environment. Participants also benefit from various planning exercises designed to create strategic cold calling routines to build pipelines.
Seminar Objectives:
Participants in the Telephone Cold Calling Skills seminar will experience/learn to:
* Establish a daily cold calling routine
* Overcome call reluctance
* Increase call volume to improve telesales numbers
* Build a pipeline of future business leads
* Understand how to deal with different telesales situations
* Recognize the factors that affect buyer behavior
* Work with the needs of different buyer types within a company
* Apply questioning skills to determine buyer attitudes, situations and priorities
* Identify problem areas and potential solutions
* Assess personal telesales performance after the call
* Get past gatekeepers and automated telephone systems
* Navigate through complex organization structures to reach decision makers
* Schedule appointments with all qualified prospects
* Establish rapport and build chemistry
* Handle customer objections
* Overcome disinterested parties
* Defuse conflict and unreasonable prospects
* Close the sale
On-Site Telemarketing Training: can be tailored to the needs of client organization and delivered on-site at time and location of client choice.
For more information and pricing, please complete this form and we will email you a confidential Annotated Outline that will provide you with an hour by hour description of this telemarketing training seminar.Labels: cold calling, cold calling scripts, cold calling seminar, cold calling success |
| posted by ThirstyFish @ 8:52 AM |
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Simple Ways to Improve Your Cold Calling Skills
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 In today's business world, cold calling is often times a necessity with which to build up your customer base whether already operating a successful business or just starting one. Many sales people and business proprietors, at some time in their careers, experience challenges and problems with the part of their business which deals with telemarketing. Apply these tips for cold calling properly and effectively and you will become a successful telemarketer in no time.
Know what your purpose is when cold calling.
If you know what your purpose is when cold calling in advance, you will develop into a successful telemarketer in no time. This is because you will have a purpose for your calls. For example, are you trying to send someone information? Figure out who makes the decisions in this company? Are you trying to pitch services and products? Are you trying to conduct a survey? So you see, knowing in advance what you need to communicate is important. It will also make you more confident about cold calling and as we all know, confidence will win mindshare which is exactly what sales is about in the first place.
Just like the Boy Scouts, you need to be prepared.
Amazingly, knowing what your script is seems to be one of telemarketing's best-kept secrets. Since cold calling is all about numbers, you can skew them in your favor when fully prepared for cold calling. Being both controlling with your message and confident in your intent will make the prospect feel like you are very professional and then would be more than willing to take a closer look at your service or product. Knowing what your message is cold, instead of reading directly from a script like a robot, will save you from constantly hearing dial tones as prospect after prospect hangs up on you.
When telemarketing, be as efficient as possible.
Cold calls are called this for a good reason. Before answering your call, the prospect was already engaged in something else. You need to make them understand that you are respectful of your time and theirs. Project some confidence and get right to your point. Really, if it makes you feel better, walk around whilst smiling. Your overall tone and enthusiasm will improve and will be transferred to the prospect to make them excited about your services or products.
Be both interesting and interested when cold calling.
Prospects are becoming immune to sales pitches. Whilst calling one, capture their attention by using power words that spark their interest and then get the prospect to talk more about themselves. Begin to make notations about what they are saying and try to weave that information into the reason you called them. Prospects will care more about what your services or products are when they can envision how it will work in their life.
The prospects should want to call you back.
Getting a voicemail shouldn't be a dead end. Many opportunities are lost when telemarketers don't leave voice mail messages for the prospects they call. Leave your number and name so they can call you back. Then, ask them to write it down on paper. This is because people will write down numbers if dictated to and anticipate that your number may be useful to them. You then need to give them a very compelling answer about why you called them and then another compelling reason for the prospect to get back in touch with you. Be confident but do not be slick or try to oversell yourself. Again, leave your number and name in case they missed it the first time.
Cold calling is a tough row to hoe, indeed. You will field many more no responses than yes responses. This is O.K. though because remember that every no will bring you even closer to another yes and that focusing on transmitting the enthusiasm you have for your services or products into each call you make you will already be a successful telemarketer even before saying, "Hello!"Labels: cold calling, cold calling discussion, cold calling phone techniques, cold calling techniques |
| posted by ThirstyFish @ 8:42 AM |
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Tips for Successful Cold Calling
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Wednesday, October 21, 2009 |
 Tips for successful cold calling
By Bec, Roving Reporter
TelephoneThere is an old saying that success in the job-hunting world depends not on what you know but who you know. Although the statement reeks of favouritism and nepotism, it is, unfortunately, more often than not true.
So what about those of us not lucky enough to be born the son of a media mogul or the daughter of a CEO? Do we throw our hands up in despairing surrender at the futility of it all?
Recruitment specialists IPA Personnel estimate that jobs which are openly advertised (in newspapers, on the internet etc.) constitute around 15% of the overall job market. So where are the other 85% of jobs lurking, if not in the Saturday Age or at seek.com? The answer is the 'hidden job market' ? a job market that is only accessible by networking and cold calling.
Even if you're not a million-dollar heiress, chances are that there is still someone in your social circle who knows of possible job openings in their workplace. They might be parents, relatives, friends or acquaintances. A lot of jobs are only advertised internally, so it pays to know someone on the inside. If you still find yourself in the sorry position of having limited industry contacts, you can always create some for yourself. Let me introduce you to the art of the 'cold call'.
What is cold calling?
Cold calling is the process of directly approaching employers and marketing yourself to them. The best way to do this is to think about the skills that you have and how they are relevant to the companies that you approach.
Sounds hard? Well, hear me out. Job advertisements in newspapers and on the internet can sometimes receive hundreds of applications. A cold call at the right time can tap into the hidden job market before a vacancy is even advertised, reducing the number of applicants for that vacancy and increasing your chances of getting an interview exponentially.
I'm not going to lie. Cold calling isn't easy, and it doesn't necessarily get any easier after you've done it a few times, but the results can be amazing. It was a cold call that landed this reporter a gig writing for a local newspaper.
Cold calling tips
Here are a few of the main things to think about when cold calling, based on my own experiences:
* make a list of the organisations you want to work with and research the kind of work they do
* tailor your resume to suit each organisation
* write a practice phone script
* be polite to the receptionist - they can be a goldmine of information about the company
* if you speak to the hiring manager, ask for their full name, position title and a time to follow up the call
* follow up the call when you said you would
Scripting the call
A practice phone script is a useful tool when making a cold call. A possible script for your call might go something like this:
Good morning. My name is _________. May I please speak to the person responsible for hiring new staff? (Remember to re-introduce yourself to the hiring manager if you get through to them) I am interested in working in this industry and I am currently researching job opportunities. I have just completed a degree in ________. I have extensive experience in _________ and also worked in _______. Do you know of any opportunities at the moment where I would be a beneficial addition to your organisation?
Overall, the gist of your script should be "why I am a perfect employee for your company." Highlight your skills and experience and why you stand out from the crowd in your field. Your script should vary from call to call to suit each potential employer.
Keep on calling
Although I might sound like an expert, not all of my cold call experiences have been successful. On numerous occasions I have been tongue-tied and intimidated by receptionists. During one call I was halfway through my script when I was informed that I was speaking to the wrong person. But as they say, what doesn't kill you will only make you stronger and I was glad to discover that it will take more than an embarrassing phone call to lead to my untimely demise.
Cringeworthy phone calls are actually great practice. Prioritising the companies you'd like to work for, from least desirable to most, and contacting them in that order, will make sure that you have had a chance to practise your script by the time you get to the companies that you really want to impress.
Cold calling won't necessarily guarantee you a job, but it is a vital strategy to add to your repertoire of job-searching methods in order to crack into the lucrative hidden job market.
So what are you waiting for? Make the call!Labels: Cold calling coaching, cold calling discussion, cold calling phone techniques, cold calling scripts, cold calling tips, techniques, telephone canvassing, tips of cold calling, useful information |
| posted by ThirstyFish @ 12:18 PM |
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Cold Calling for Cowards-Overcome the Fear
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 People who are new to sales or have been in sales for quite a while are probably familiar with the fact that cold calling can be a part of everyday life. Cold calling for cowards is a harsh term because at some point for everybody who has ever had to make a cold call there has been a fear or apprehension about picking up the phone.
If you feel like you need help with cold calling for cowards, the best way to get over the fear and not feel like a coward is to find leads without cold calling. Regardless of what anybody says cold calling is not the only way to find new leads, and I'll show you a couple ways that you can this can be accomplished without cold calling.
If you currently have a customer base than one way to get new leads is to obtain referrals from your current customers. If you have a satisfied customer than getting a referral from them should not be a problem but sometimes people are reluctant to give information away. Offer your customer an incentive to give you a referral such as for every new customer that they refer to you that becomes a customer we will give you free month of service or whatever a good giveaway is for you product or service.
Help them out with the referrals by coming up with a form that will help jog their memory and it will make it easier for them to come up with people or companies that you can help. Just sitting down someone and asking them if they have any referrals is not an effective way to get referrals. Have a plan in place and work the plan and you'll see your referrals skyrocket.
Some companies have a system in place and have an inside sales team that will help generate and new leads for the outside reps. If you are not in fortunate enough to have an inside sales team than you can outsource the lead generation yourself.
There are a ton of companies that you can use to make cold calls and appointments and you are in complete control of the script they use and most of them will sit down and help you out with a script. For some people this will be cost-effective for others it will not be cost-effective. You should do a cost analysis of how much of your time is worth and how much you make on each sale and figure out if outsourcing cold calling and lead generation will pay for itself.
There is no such thing as cold calling for cowards because having anxiety and fear of cold calling is normal. Since most people are not very fond of cold calling the best way is to eliminate it altogether. Come up with a plan that will end cold calling for you so that you can continually have good prospects and leads coming in without the fear of picking up the phone and cold calling.
Did you know that even the most successful cold callers only have a 2% success rate while cold calling? You know that cold calling prospecting is one of the least effective ways to find new prospects?Labels: cold calling, Cold calling coaching, cold calling discussion, cold calling fear, cold calling phone techniques, Cold calling secrets, cold calling tips, successful, useful information |
| posted by ThirstyFish @ 12:14 PM |
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The Secret to Overcoming Objections-Don't
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 The Secret to Overcoming Objections-Don't
Article Theme: preventing and defusing objections that stall the sale. An article by Keith Rosen about preventing and defusing objections that stall the sale.
Excerpt from "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Cold Calling" by Keith Rosen. Reprinted with permission by Alpha Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. 2004.
Here's a little known secret that the top salespeople are aware of. They never have to "close" again. You will never have to worry about sounding like you are "selling" (as in pushing) a prospect again. The alternative action that I'm suggesting results in more profitable sales with less effort.
Many salespeople believe that their product or service should speak for itself. Once they encounter any resistance, they are quick to ask for a time best suited for a follow-up call. Unfortunately, this "dead time" is when many selling opportunities are lost.
The word "closing" has certainly gotten a bad rap because of the negative connotation associated with it. After all, look at the root of the word, "close" which is synonymous with shutting, locking, finishing, final, and end.
Instead of closing, create a new opening without having to close. You can accomplish this in a simple conversation that does not threaten your integrity by sounding too "pushy."
The word "closing" is really the wrong title for this phase in the selling process. This phase should be considered the "agreement phase" or "opening phase." As opposed to closing the opportunity for a sale to occur, you are opening up the possibility to work with that particular prospect by agreeing to move the sales process further along and explore other solutions. It is at this time when you are suggesting an alternative option in the form of a question for your prospect to consider that might better suit his or her needs.
Here are the most generic and common obstacles to selling: "I need to think about it, the price is too high, I want to shop around, I need more information, the monthly installment is too much, I'm already working with another vender, I'm not the only decision maker, we have no budget, I'm not interested, this is a bad time, and so on." How can you create a new opening that can overcome these concerns?
Here's a friendly reminder of the definition of an objection. It's a sign of interest; a request for more information or a prospect's concern or fear that needs to be satisfied in order to continue guiding the prospect through your sales process and to its natural conclusion. Therefore, what the prospect is not saying in the prior examples is "No, I don't want to and never will use your product or service." What they are really saying is, "I'm saying 'No' or a form of 'No' because you haven't given me enough of a compelling reason to explore what you have in more detail."
In other words, instead of fearing objections, embrace them. Every objection provides you with a new opportunity to share the right information with a prospect that can move them into the next step in your sales process.
Defusing an Initial Objection
If you refer back to the list of common objections I shared with you earlier, here are several examples of how you can respond to the objection, "We don't have a budget for this. (We can't afford this.)"
The intention behind the following responses is to first ensure that you are, in fact dealing with an actual objection rather than a smokescreen. Therefore, isolate the objection down to its core to see if the initial objection they shared with you is really the truth or if it's something else.
The "something else" could be that they don't believe you, don't trust you yet, don't believe you or your product can help them, they may not be the decision maker, they have been burned before, they are having a bad day and you are their new target, they are not the best prospect for you, and so on.
Rather than react to an objection with a statement that creates an adversarial posture between you and the prospect (Example: defending your position, service, or product) respond to the objections you hear with a question. Here's how.
Prospect: "We don't have a budget for this."
You: "Mr. Prospect, I certainly understand that. It seems as if everyone today is more sensitive about operating within their limited budget, only making investments into proven (products, services, strategies, processes) that they know are going to work."
What follows are some responsive questions you can ask in this situation:
1. "May I ask, is it that you have no budget now, or no budget ever?"
2. "May I ask, is it that you don't have a budget at all or is it more about the hesitation to try something new and different that has not yet been proven to work for you?"
3. "How much do you think my product would cost that would cause you to feel that there's no budget available for this?"
4. "Has the budget been cut altogether or has it been dramatically reduced?"
5. "Is it a budgetary concern or are you more concerned about the value you will receive?"
6. "May I ask what factors you consider when choosing where to invest your (printing, travel, marketing, training) budget?" ("How do you make that decision?)"
7. "So, if you don't have the money right now, who in your company does?"
After using these types of questions, you should be able to confirm whether the objection they shared is the core objection or if the real objection is actually something else. These questions will enable you to expose what their primary concern actually is.
Get Permission
Now that you've smoked out the real objection, it's time to offer a solution. However, the key for this conversation to work without you sounding like a high pressure or "cheesy" salesperson is to first get permission. You can create a new opening to overcome a prospect's concern by asking for permission to do so.
Before offering a response, a solution or a new possibility that would defuse their objection, now is the time for you to get permission to discuss a solution to their concern. This way, you will quickly learn whether or not this person is truly a qualified prospect who is looking for a better solution, someone who you are better off without or if the objection they stated is, in fact, the only true obstacle to the sale. Here are some examples.
1. "Mr. Prospect, at this poin t, I'm not sure if we can provide you with the ROI that my other customers have experienced. However, if it was possible for me to demonstrate a rapid ROI so that you can start profiting from (realizing the advantages of) our service within one month, is that something you would be interested in talking about?"
2. "Mr. Prospect, if budget was no longer an issue for you, would you be open to exploring this in more detail?" I love using "if" questions. All I did here was reverse or take away the objection to determine if "not having a budget" is the only thing that's truly getting in the way.
Now that I've hypothetically removed this objection, their response should be a "yes." If not, then there's still something else going on or another obstacle that they haven't shared with you yet. So, keep digging!
3. "Mr. Prospect, if I can demonstrate to you in just three minutes how the value you receive will far outweigh the manageable investment amount that I would propose, would you be open to hearing more about how you can achieve this?"
Notice how I include a timeline of 3 minutes to let the prospect know that this will not take up all of their precious time. Just make sure that you can accomplish what you are proposing in the timeline you stipulate.
If they say "Yes," to any of these examples, you now have a prospect who is interested in hearing more about the solutions you can offer. So, go for the appointment (sale, demo, or whatever is the next step in your sales process)! Since you have gained permission to explore other options, the prospect is now willing to listen to your suggestions. If you fail to ask permission, and instead dump alternative solutions or more information on them even before you have a true understanding of what their primary objection is, you are running the risk of sounding too pushy, which causes a prospect to put up their defensive wall that prevents you from making a sale.
The next time you run into an objection, defuse it by getting permission to continue with the conversation. The result will be more sales with less resistance.
Remember, like all selling strategies, there are no absolutes. When some prospects say "No" they actually mean it! However, if you can convert even 35 percent of the "No's" you hear into selling opportunities, then this process would be considered wildly successful.
The key point here is this; salespeople don't overcome objections, prospects do. The only person who can truly overcome an objection is the prospect. Salespeople create the opportunity for this to occur through their effective use of questions. Selling is therefore the art of asking questions, listening openly and intentionally, and gaining information; not giving it.Labels: cold calling, Cold calling coaching, cold calling discussion, cold calling phone techniques, cold calling scripts, Cold calling secrets, cold calling success, cold calling tips |
| posted by ThirstyFish @ 12:08 PM |
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Is Selling Painful For You?
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 Is Selling Painful For You?
It's not your fault -- and there is a better way
Old "tried and true" cold calling and sales techniques that were once successful have completely lost their effectiveness over the years. That's why I developed a new sales mindset and cold calling approach that will quickly and automatically put you ahead of the game and instantly in a league above your competition.
OLD SALES GURU MYTH # 1 -
"Cold calling is a numbers game." But, sales is only a numbers game when all you know is traditional selling. Yes, you can call people over and over, chase them until they listen to you so that you just go away. However there is a better - easier method of building trust and getting your product or service message across - all on one call. Simply by changing your sales approach you'll make FEWER CALLS and MORE SALES.
OLD SALES GURU MYTH # 2 -
"Use a sales script to cold call." People can tell when you're reading from a script, even if you think you're pretty good at it and getting away with it. There's nothing personal about it and people can pick that up. Being artificial just puts you into the typical "Salesperson" category. If you can learn to get your message across in a different way, you'll eliminate the negative triggers that can lose your sale within seconds.
OLD SALES GURU MYTH # 3 -
"Focus on closing the sale." Are you "going in for the kill" with your closing sale technique? - If you are, you could end up killing your deal instead. Old sales techniques do nothing more than pressure the client or prospect, and as a result they naturally want to retreat away from that pressure - and that pressure is you. By learning to avoid the "push and pull" dynamic between you and your prospect, you'll be able to move the sales process forward to get the result you want.Labels: cold calling, Cold calling coaching, cold calling discussion, Cold calling secrets |
| posted by ThirstyFish @ 12:06 PM |
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3 Cold Calling Mistakes that Trigger Rejection
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 Cold Calling Mistakes that Trigger Rejection
by Ari Galper, Founder of Unlock The Game®
In the old traditional cold calling mindset, you expect a lot of rejection, and unfortunately you usually get it. You probably make hundreds of calls, and out of those you make a few sales. You’ve come to accept that rejection as a normal part of cold calling.
But surprisingly, constant rejection is avoidable. The real problem is that you may be using and old sales approach that triggers rejection from your prospects.
Here are 3 common cold calling techniques that you should probably avoid:
Mistake #1: Center the conversation around yourself and what you have to offer
In the old approach, you introduce yourself, explain what you do, and suggest a benefit or feature of your product. And then you close your eyes and pray that the other person will be interested
Unfortunately, the moment you stop talking you usually hear, “Sorry, I’m busy,” or “Sorry, I'm not interested.”
You see, you’ve started your cold call by talking about your world and what you have to offer. But realistically, most people aren’t all that interested in you. When you talk about your company and your product, it’s just another advertisement to them. You haven’t engaged them, so they often just “turn the page.”
Prospects are much more interested in themselves and what’s important to them. So if you start the conversation by focusing on their world, they’re more likely to interact with you.
So instead, talk about an issue or problem they may need solving. Focus on them rather than on what you have to offer. And see where it takes you.
Mistake #2: Be confident they should buy your product or service
In the old cold calling mindset, you’re taught to focus on the sale and be completely confident that what you’re offering is something the other person should buy.
The problem with this approach is that you haven’t asked them to determine this along with you. So think about it – in the old mindset, you’re really deciding for someone else what’s good for them. I know this isn’t intended, but that’s exactly what comes across to your prospects.
So rather than being full of confidence and enthusiasm, stop for a minute and think about the other individual. Relax into a real conversation instead of moving into a persuasive strategy or sales pitch. Put yourself in their shoes and invite them to explore along with you whether what you have to offer is a match for them.
Others really can distinguish the difference. You’re inviting them to see if you might be able to help them solve a problem. This makes for a much better connection right at the beginning, and you’ll get that immediate rejection reaction much less.
Mistake #3: When someone brings up an objection, try to overcome it
You know, one of the reasons cold calling is so difficult is that sometimes you may not be very familiar with the other person and their business. When you make that first call, you don’t know very much about their issues, problems, budget, and time constraints. Chances are, not everyone is going to benefit by your product or service.
So realistically, your company or product isn’t going to be a match for everyone. And yet, when someone brings up an objection (“we don’t have the budget for that,” etc.), the old cold calling mindset trains you to “overcome,” “bypass,” or “override.”
But when you do that, you put the other person on the defensive. Something they’ve said is being dismissed. And here’s where rejection can happen very suddenly.
So it’s much better to listen to their concerns and continue to explore whether what you’re offering makes sense for them. There are some wonderful phrases you can use that validate their viewpoint without closing the conversation.
So now you’ve discovered the 3 major cold calling mistakes people often make. See if you can shift away from those old self-sabotaging mindsets. When you do, you’ll notice that people will engage you much more, and the immediate rejection you’ve grown so accustomed to will happen much less.Labels: cold calling, Cold calling coaching, cold calling discussion, cold calling phone techniques, Cold calling secrets |
| posted by ThirstyFish @ 12:03 PM |
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How to Cold Call without A Pitch
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 In the old way of making cold calls, we offer a sales pitch to a perfect stranger, cross our fingers, and hope for the best… isn’t that right?
This really doesn’t work very well in building a business relationship (or any other relationship, for that matter). This is done best by stepping into the world of the other person and finding a problem we can solve for him or her.
That’s how we begin a conversation with another person – talking about them rather than talking about ourselves. It’s just a very common dynamic that occurs in any human interaction. When you’re dating somebody, for instance, if you just talk about yourself, they’re not going to like you very much, right?
It’s the same in cold calling. Don’t talk about your solution for a while. Talk instead about their problems for a bit. It’s a movement of dialogue. This dialogue is around talking about their world and not about your product. That’s the shift. All you have to do is identify three or four major problems that your product solves, and use those problems as phrases to begin the dialogue of your cold call.
You see, this new cold calling approach has to be tied to a specific, real problem that the person experiences in their world. This is needed in order for them to feel comfortable having a conversation with you. When you’re relevant to them and their world, they trust you. They sense that you’re there to help them solve a problem – not sell a product.
So remove yourself for a moment from what you have to sell, and think about what problem your solution solves for somebody. For example, if you’re in the coaching industry, think about what problem you’re solving for your clients. You might say, “I’m just calling to see if your company’s open to the idea of using coaches to improve management performance.”
When you use the word “open,” people respond positively. Who would say “no” to being open? You’re not challenging them. You’re not forcing a solution. You’re not even saying what you’re offering to sell. You’re simply asking a question around whether they have a particular problem.
This also invites a question back to you. Potential clients will often ask at this point who you are and what you do. They might say that they already have a service, but they may need some more help. So it opens up even more conversation.
Here’s an example of how salespeople focus their cold calling around something that appears to be a need, but they haven’t tied it to a specific problem.
Let’s look at financial services. In this case, people who sell financial services start cold calls with a focus on the future of the person’s situation. They might say, “I’m just calling to see if you’d be open to some new ideas to help you increase your income.” The better approach here would be to problem solve. For example, “I’m just calling to see if you’d be open to identifying any gaps in your portfolio that might be holding you back in some way.” It’s about problem solving and closing gaps, as opposed to promoting a beautiful future. “Hire me and I’ll make you a lot of money!” Everyone does that. That’s the problem. It gets old and very stale
You see, there’s no push here. There’s no sales pitch. There’s no presentation. The conversation is focused on really seeing if the person has a problem, and if they want to solve it. After the first few phrases, you have a natural conversation back and forth. They may say, “What’s your service?” “How much does it cost?” And that’s the time to begin to really tell about your service — but not before that.
If you don’t talk about your solution for a while and instead talk about their problems, you’ll find yourself having better and deeper dialogue, with more trust.
So be careful not to immediately go into a presentation and spend the conversation talking about your service. In this new way of cold calling, you’re asking in a very conversational tone whether the other person has a problem that you can solve.
You won’t believe how this simple technique can make such a difference in the way potential clients receive your cold calls. Tension and resistance are vastly reduced, and results are greatly improved.Labels: cold calling, Cold calling coaching, cold calling discussion, cold calling phone techniques, Cold calling secrets, cold calling success |
| posted by ThirstyFish @ 12:00 PM |
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Cold Call Tactics
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 Cold Calling Tactic #1: The Assumed Appointment
First cold call on the telephone - Message: "Hello, this is Eileen Kent. I am committed to understanding how to do business with your agency and I hope we can talk either today or tomorrow. If I don't hear from you by 2 p.m. tomorrow afternoon, I'll call you again."
Second cold call at 2 p.m. the following day (since they never call you back) - Message: "Hello, this is Eileen Kent. I was hoping you could point me in the right direction. You see, my company has asked me to investigate how we can assist your agency and I understand you are the expert. I hope to hear from you by 2 p.m. tomorrow. If I don't, I'll call you once again."
Third cold call (now that you've established that you are a person who follows up and follows through) - Message: "Hi, this is Eileen Kent. I plan to be in the area this afternoon and, hopefully, we'll have a chance to meet for a couple of minutes. If this afternoon is not convenient, please call me at xxx-xxxx and we can set up a more convenient day and time."
The target customer will either call you right away or they'll expect you in the afternoon. When you stop into the building, ask for the individual and you'll be amazed how they will come out of the building to visit with you. They have been staring at the same co-workers for decades and they love the opportunity to get out of the office -- even if it is with a persistant sales person. When I cold called the FBI after leaving numerous calls with the Chief of Procurement, his assistant met with me out front because she was "dying for a cigarette" and gave me many leads as she satisfied her craving. Your face-to-face meeting is the time to be yourself. Be sincere and very appreciative that they've taken the time to see you. I suggest mentioning something such as "I realize that you are probably very busy and I will keep this visit brief. I was wondering if you could point me in the right direction. How does this agency make decisions about [choose one] moving, changing computers, training, buying cleaning supplies, ordering office supplies..."
Cold Calling Tactic #2: The Team Approach
Tag Team with someone who already is working in the building as a vendor. Get this person to escort you around the building. I call my tag team friend a "fox" and he or she can be extremely helpful. I had a wonderful "fox" who handled signage at the Pentagon. He asked me to make a list of all the people I wanted to visit and meet face-to-face. I did two weeks of advance work and contacted my list of contacts to tell them I would be in the building and that I might be stopping in to see them. They all followed up with me to let me know their office numbers and basically told me, "Good luck catching me in the office." I not only met with about 15 people on the appointed date, I even met the designer of the wedge which was hit in the September 11th attacks and when she re-created that wedge, she designed a small, intimate and beautiful chapel exactly where the plane hit. That was an amazing cold calling day. Every person was warm and welcoming. Once you're on the inside, you truly are "in ."
Cold Calling Tactic #3: The Insider Approach
If you have any family or friends in the military, retired from the military or married to the military, take them out with you on the road. Depending on the security level of the base, a military ID can usually get you on base. Make sure you have proper identification, insurance for your car and a social security number. You also must be a naturalized citizen or you will not be allowed on any base. Once on base, it is like cold calling upon a city. Prior to making cold calls on a military base, I investigate which departments might need my services. Upon gaining admission onto the base, I go directly to the MP's office (the military's police department). Explain your reason for being on base and ask the MP's for directions. Typically, the MP's will open a map for me and start circling every office of the people I am hoping to see. I also stop in the hospital because they sometimes have a separate contracting office.
One place to visit is the contracting office and the SADBU officer. Introduce yourself and ask if any of them can point you in the right direction. If they have a minute and you're friendly enough (read, not acting like a salesperson), they will gladly help you.
Cold Calling Tactic #4: Ask Your Current Client To Introduce You Around
While you are in an appointment with a end user, ask them if there is anyone else in the building or at any of the agencies nearby that they think you should meet. Tell them it is tough to get in without an appointment and they might even escort you right over to the other office and introduce you. That has happened to me over and over again while I have been conducting business in DC. If end users like you and trust you, they'll recommend you. Don't underestimate the power of your positive impact on them.
Cold calling is just like diving into a pool head first. While the impact of the water can seem ice cold, it always warms up.
You can do it! Labels: cold calling, Cold calling coaching, cold calling discussion, cold calling phone techniques, cold calling scripts, Cold calling secrets, cold calling success |
| posted by ThirstyFish @ 11:58 AM |
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How to Cold Call a Prospect - Top Tips on How to Be Successful
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 Cold-calling a client is often regarded as the equivalent of clutching at straws in terms of generating business - and research has shown that out of all prospecting methods, cold-calling is the least effective. The perceived wisdom against cold-calling states that it's effectiveness disappeared when society moved into the Information Age and many sales gurus will state that cold-calling has not only become obsolete, inefficient, and ineffective it is actually counter-productive. Generating high levels of sales resistance as it often offends qualified prospects who may have otherwise bought had they been approached in a more professional manner.
For sure cold-calling is not for every sales team or every product or service, but for certain services, cold-calling is very effective in finding prospects willing and able to purchase and is an extremely effective prospecting tool. Because cold-calling, making an unsolicited business approach, either door stepping or by phoning, just like spamming, is surprisingly successful if done well and above all is targeted and qualified.
The general principles of selling apply equally to cold-calling and as in a normal sales call it is about building a business relationship around a mutually defined need. A financial salesman once told me that when he called ten clients and closed a deal on the last one for one thousand dollars each one of those calls was actually worth to him a Texas penny. That's the way he looked at it. Rather than nine rejections each call was regarded as a success and precursor to the successful last one where the deal was made. However even against this positive outlook such an approach that rationalises the process as a numbers game and reduces the sales engagement to the equivalent of junk mail in the end will lead no-where.
The following are my top tips for being successful in your prospecting
Homework:
* Firstly identify your market for your product or services then target buyers in that market - first base is getting to know to whom you will be talking to. Narrow the search and get an up to date list of potential clients along with contacts phone numbers etc. Be aware that your current clients competitors are a good starting point for new engagements.
* Invest time in research about your potential clients The sales team need to be encouraged to research companies they are going to 'cold-call,' so they know something about the company's business, issues and as a result their potential needs.
Doing the Call:
* The objectives of the call is to get the 30 minute appointment or a 'call to action' - a follow-up.
* Warm up the cold call by sending out a message that you will be calling (but do not say when). A cold call is better used for when you want to make a sale or make an appointment today - 'I am in your area today so' .
* Craft a good script and more or less stick to it - set down your exit dialogue and leave the door open preferably with a 'call-to-action'. However customise the delivery and be contingent - the prospect may cut in and go directly to 'so what can you do for me...'
* When starting the call get to the point and be efficient never ask how they are today - it sets of invisible alarm bells and gives them time to think of a response to fob you off.
* Smile and be pleasant throughout and you will feel better (and have higher self-esteem) and your client will feel that you are smiling through the inflection in your voice.
* Be nice to the gatekeepers and develop standard scripts to the objections they will throw at you. If you meet a new one (objection that is) that you have not heard before write it down and develop a scripted response for the next time it comes up.
* When you get to the Principal acknowledge a time limit and stick to it - 'I know you have only 30 seconds so ...' Ask for the appointment and ask her to write it down.
* Do not say you will call a day before to confirm - just turn up at the appointed time. If something really came up in the meantime and you turn up, and the appointment is canceled, the balance of power shifts in your direction and you should get the return match. Don't forget to ask for the new appointment.
* Get lot's of practice and develop a thick skin - I am quite serious - practice cold calling on your colleagues and get them to give you a hard time (they will need little encouragement). They will be over the top but never-the-less this will be invaluable training.
Prospecting is the foundation of any company's sales approach and enables you to hit targets and fill the pipeline - it is the lifeblood of your sales process. Sales prospecting using cold-calling just like fishing requires that you find the fun in the game. What prevents sales people cold calling is often the fear of rejection that an abruptly ended sales call engenders. We need to turn this around - just as when fishing we rue the ten that got away all that is forgotten when we land the big one. Besides what has happened is the client has not rejected you she has lost the chance of a great deal for the short term ego boost that chewing out a sales rep has given her.
Potentially cold-calling is a means of identifying potential prospects for your sales efforts. and is the reconnaissance before any battle begins and is an excellent method of qualifying potential leads. Cold-calling is not where the sale happens its where the terrain is identified and the process begins. It must be said that cold-calling is hard work and not particularly effective compared to other techniques such as networking however although the most universally despised aspect of the sales job if done well will pay very rich dividends.Labels: cold calling, Cold calling coaching, cold calling discussion, cold calling fear, cold calling phone techniques, cold calling scripts, cold calling success |
| posted by ThirstyFish @ 11:53 AM |
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Cold Call Script
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 Originally appeared in The Complete Idiot's Guide to Cold Calling by Keith Rosen. Reprinted with permission by Alpha Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. 2004. Handholding for Cold Callers
Even seasoned salespeople are put off by cold calling. Profit Builders' Keith Rosen suggests the following template as a starting point.
Opening Statement
Hi________ (state their name)?
(Prospect: Yes.)
(Your name)___________ here from _____________(Company name). Do you have a quick minute?
Great! ________, I’m sure you are a busy and want to respect your time, so I’ll be brief. The reason for my call is this. We specialize in (working with small business owners, salespeople, managers, etc.) so that you/they can:
State Your Compelling Reason - (The End Result Of The Benefit You Offer)
Well, Mr./Mrs... Smith, depending on what you are currently doing, I don’t know whether you have a need or an interest in our services. But with your permission, I was hoping to ask you a few questions and see if there is anything we are doing that you could benefit from. Would you be comfortable spending just a few minutes with me if I stick to my timetable?
Needs Analysis:
(Remember, if there's no 'pain' or problem or a clear opportunity to improve their current situation, there's no reason for the prospect to meet with you/take the next step in your sales process.)
1.
2.
3.
4. If you could create the ideal solution for (XXX), what about your current product/service would you like to improve or change?
5. If you could magically eliminate three of your biggest problems, headaches or stresses what would they be?
6. How do these challenges affect you/your business (bottom line)?
Summarize and Confirm:
1. "For my own understanding, what you are truly saying is...
(Recap what the prospect shared with you; their problems, challenges, and objectives.)
Is that accurate/correct?
2. Would it be safe to say that if there was a way for you to:
· Restate biggest obstacle. (Example: Overcome the challenge/obstacle/problem of..)
· Restate their most important goal or objective they shared with you.
It would be worth exploring/discussing in more detail?
3. Schedule Next Step:
"Then lets get together for (state timeline. Ex: twenty minutes) to see if there’s a fit. I will answer your questions, share with you several options as well as demonstrate how our product/service will specifically address your challenges/objectives. Mr./Mrs.________, do you have your calendar handy? What day would be good for you, towards the beginning or the end of the week?
"Do mornings or afternoons work better for you?"
Once you determine the meeting time, continue with:
Fantastic. I’m looking forward to meeting with you on ____at ____.
(Confirm all decision makers.)
Thanks. Have a great day!Labels: col, cold calling, Cold calling coaching, cold calling discussion, cold calling phone techniques, cold calling scripts, Cold calling secrets, cold calling success |
| posted by ThirstyFish @ 11:48 AM |
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