How do I get good at cold calling?
I am a student at San Jose State. I just recently started on the advertising staff of our newspaper the Spartan Daily. My job is to cold call local businesses and have them place ads in the paper. I am comfortable talking on the phone so that is not a problem. However, I would love to learn some methods on how to close some deals and make some sales. I have come close to closing some deals and other businesses show no interest at all. I think I need to re-evaluate my approach. I would love to improve and become better at cold calling. Any advice is appreciated! Thanks! #business #marketing #advertising #marketing-and-advertising #sales #cold-calling
34 answers
Lindsey’s Answer
Hi,
The best advice I can offer is to do a little research on the company you are soliciting. Who are their customers? Who are their competition? Then, most importantly start with the ROI (return on investment) they would get by advertising with you. For example:
A small company is releasing a new tech gadget for outdoor hiking. Their main demographic is young, single professionals. Based on your knowledge of your newspaper's customers, you know that approximately 1.5M impressions come from this demographic daily. So, when calling that customer, say "I've seen your new product advertised on television. However, young professionals are not home these days, they are out and about, travelling, commuting, etc. My newspaper gets 1.5M impressions/day in this demographic alone. That is 1.5M potential customers if you advertise with me."
Business are all about money. Their time is money, they want to make money and if they are on the phone they are losing money! If you start with the topic of money (ROI) you will have their attention for at least 30 seconds which is a HUGE amount of time to make your pitch. Also, I would make sure you have a good 30 second elevator speech prior to calling.
Good Luck!
Hi Lindsey. Thanks for your answer! It is super helpful. I wish my school's newspaper got 1.5M impressions/day that would make my job a lot more easier haha. But yes I will try to use your advice when contacting business. Thank you again!
Ben
JoAnne’s Answer
"Cold calling" sounds scary, but remember that you are simply talking to people. If you are totally prepared, which has certain parts to it, you won't be scared at all, since you are simply communicating what you already know to someone on the phone, with each call like its own little adventure. I used to think of it that way. I was only nervous if I didn't know what I was going to say, but once I knew the certain parts of a cold call that I needed to know, I was fine and actually enjoyed talking to these people.
First, you need to know what your goal is on the phone, whether it's to sign them up for something, set an appointment or send them something, close a sale, qualify a lead, or whatever your goal may be. Regardless, you have to be clear about what you want from the person you're talking to before you hang up the phone. Usually it's to qualify this person and then either send them info and then close the sale on the next call or qualify them (make sure they are your decision maker and ask one or two additional questions that assure you that this is a good lead) and then sell them whatever it is that you're selling. In order to sell them anything, you need to know WHY a person in their shoes would want to or need to buy what you're selling. These are your "selling points," which usually involve reasons why your product or service that you're selling is better than others. You should talk to your sales manager to ask this overall question and the pay close attention to their answer--take notes on these "selling points," since they are the reason your decision maker will give you a "yes" or a "no" to your phone pitch, which is the content of your cold call. Ask your sales manager to tell you how to close the call. This is important. This is why you're making the cold call in the first place: to reach that goal you have.
It really sounds more complex than it is. Think of a cold call this way: you see a man walking into a restaurant that you're just leaving, having had a great meal there. You aren't asked by him how your meal was, but you're so happy about your experience in that restaurant that you start talking to him, telling him that the food is great here, and the ambiance is so nice, they play wonderful music inside, and the service is so friendly and fast!! You tell this man that you totally recommend this restaurant, and that the Lasagna is really good, by the way, and then you say "Enjoy!" That's a sales pitch, and that is very much the way a cold call can be after you've introduced yourself with a first and last name (never just a first name) and then give the name of your company (I'm with ABC Company). Don't say "How are you today?" EVER! If you do, you are simply announcing the fact that you're a salesperson and that you are presumptuous to ask, since you've never met this person. You see? I wish I knew what you're selling so that I could be more specific to your particular needs, but after you know that you are talking to your decision maker by simply asking him or her "I understand that you handle XYZ. Am I correct?", just enjoy telling your now established decision maker what you have to offer and why it might very well improve his or her current situation. After all, doesn't everyone want to optimize their current situation in business?! WHen you understand that you are simply on the phone to offer decision makers the opportunity to perhaps improve their current situation, you will be a happy cold caller!! Know your selling points, be yourself and enjoy each conversation. Don't pressure yourself in any way. When you learn something from a call, write it down in a notebook that will have other learned ideas in it, too. This combination will bring you success and happy work days cold calling!! Best of luck to you--JoAnne
Hello JoAnne Leff. WOW! Thank you so much for this incredible answer. This was everything I wanted to learn plus more! To answer your statement "I wish I knew what you're selling so that I could be more specific to your particular needs." I am selling advertising space in my college's newspaper to local businesses ( I'm targeting restaurants, coffee shops, misc local businesses.) in the Downtown San Jose, CA area.
Ben
Also, I eventually want to target credit unions after I get better at pitching, because some have advertised with us in the past before I came. I would love to manage those accounts since they pay a lot (huge commission for me! :D) However, I want to get good at the little things before I do big things. If you have any specific advice for that, I would appreciate your knowledge. Again thank you for your advice it was SUPER helpful!
Ben
Katie’s Answer
Zach Rickenbach
Zach’s Answer
Hi,
Cold calling is never easy, but the biggest hurdle you will face is picking up the phone and dialing it. There's two things I recommend that will help.
Understand why you are calling someone, have your opening line be "The reason why I'm calling xyz." This way the person know's why your calling, and can quickly tell you if he's right to contact, is not interested, or want's to speak, but busy right now. The goal of your cold call, get another meeting with that person when you can have a long call to sell your product, but build a relationship with the person.
Call at peak times, 8-9am and 3-5pm. This will give you a better chance to work on your opening line, because you're going to connect with more people. In long run, this will make you a better sales person. Tip: (Build a list, get rid of all distraction and make as many calls as you can in a hour. If you speak with someone, take quick notes and update your CRM system/info after peak times)
Hope that helps, more than happy to provide further context as well.
Jessica Ramiro
Jessica’s Answer
One thing that I learned how to do was just talk to people. Not just over the phone but talk to people around you, at the grocery store, in lines at places. Getting yourself familiar with talking to strangers makes it that much easier to pick up the phone and have conversations. People buy from people they like and be confident with your pitch! I would also consistently practice your pitch and get familiar with objections you'll receive.
Brad’s Answer
Bryan Bogardus
Bryan’s Answer
One thing you can do is research any internal information you might have on what motivated existing customers to purchase. Look for any common traits/characteristics that you might be able to identify.....and conversely, identify circumstances that aren't successful. Prior to making calls, spend some time researching the companies you are calling, make notes of topics you can discuss that are specific to the company, and think of what a successful conversation might look like. I've found that thinking through and writing down your plan of attack is beneficial - and think of objection you might have to overcome and have a plan for navigating those as well.
Finally, take time after each call to think through what went well, what didn't go well, and what you'll do differently next time......and keep pushing through!
Marco A.’s Answer
I have read other answers and I agree and disagree with them. Here's my take. Cold calling is picking up the phone and calling. If you are dealing with one type of industry then you will get better the more you do it because the people you are calling will start to have similar objections and questions.
The more call the better you get and more comfortable you get. You can also practice writing down an intro pitch.
You do not need to sell when you cold call. When you cold call it's about having them talk to you instead of having them wanting to hang up on you.
Study the company/person you are calling. Quickly lookup the company and person. Use a google search, use LinkedIn, their own website and other websites out there. Learn to see if there are any press releases, any news, did their stock do well, etc. Study the person, what city are they from, where did they do to school, does their pictures give you any indication of things they like.
Finally call and just have a conversation. Example. Hi Blank, I'm Ben, how are you? WFA (Wait for their answer) When they say they are good or they are busy, connect on that...If they say they are good....you can say that's great I'm putting up with some crazy weather here in Chicago....if they say they are busy....you can say I know how that it is so I won't take up all of your time. I am looking to connect with...
If you get connect to the person again just have a conversation...Hey Steve, just giving you a call to introduce myself, (Give reason) and say I know you are busy but wanted to carve out some time later this week are you available for an introduction call...I'd like to learn me about your business, I manage the State for...
My whole point in this is to say that you should take you time and have a simple conversation to connect with the person. It's been working for me, I like saying that I am calling to introduce myself....by the end of every conversation I make sure I have their correct email.
Marco A. recommends the following next steps:
Isidro’s Answer
Each call is different so thinking you are going in with a prepared speech doesn't always relate to the person you are speaking with. Try to match enthusiasm with the person on the other line and always be professional.
The best advice is to just make the call, you will fail or get hung up on a majority of the time but don't get discouraged or take it personal and keep calling. Being consistent and just dialing will help you feel more comfortable. There will be gatekeepers always trying to keep you from reaching the right person, focus on not trying to sell over the phone. Don't be pushy but try and get as much information as possible.
A good practice is just asking for a few minutes to do a quick business review and see if we could partner together to help with productivity or efficiency. Time is money for businesses and we want to help solve for that and show some return on investment.
Always remember to document each piece of information so the next time you call, you don't sound repetitive and lose credibility.
Aleca’s Answer
Brian’s Answer
I found that when you cold call a business, spend a few minutes preparing. Research the company's website, find any reviews, and if allowed, name drop some similar businesses that have benefited from the product your selling. Also, make sure and email them before (if possible) a basic, to the point email stating your local and you would like to setup a time for a quick call. I found that the majority of my deals have come from simple emails that don't have a lot of fluff or advertising on it, or too much words that loose the prospect. Also if they say they are interested, try and email the deal over and keep them on the phone so they can review the order and guide them where to sign. To not sound too pushy, tell them you will send over the contract and you want to have them on the phone to verify the received it and to answer any questions they have. They usually will open up the contract and sign it almost every time. Lastly, best advise I can give you, is try and get that prospect to laugh or talk about themselves. Get on a human level. Ask them about their business. People love to talk about themselves. Best of luck!
Rebecca’s Answer
I've done a lot of cold calling in my day. One piece of advice that I have is not to spend too much time researching the company/person before making the call. When I first got started, I would spend a lot of time looking up information before picking up the phone, and then the person wouldn't even answer and I felt like the time was wasted. Once I increased the volume of calls that I was making, I started making more sales simply because I was giving myself a greater opportunity to reach people.
Another tip is to make sure you have a good reason for calling or "elevator pitch" so that you feel super confident in what you're going to say when you reach someone.
Best wishes!
Glenda’s Answer
Preparation, practice & thick skin. :)
When I started out I would research the company and the person I was calling. Have a quick intro and 30 second elevator pitch and listen, listen, listen.
Dave’s Answer
Cold calling is a game of numbers , it might take 100, 200 or even more calls to get a yes. Don't stop, embrace rejection, be resilient. Remember, not everyone needs your solution. The more no's you get, the closer you are to getting a yes.
Focus on industries your organization has the most success with, share the results that those companies have had using your services. Ask if those results are something they would like to achieve, if not, move on. If yes, ask for more time to qualify their specifics pain points and try to figure out why they haven't been able to achieve those results. Then, align your solution to those pain points and how you specifically can help, share how you've helped others, then ask for a small commitment and grow the relationship from there.
Don't give up, crush the phones and you will be rewarded accordingly.
Mark’s Answer
Tina’s Answer
Emily K.’s Answer
Yvonne’s Answer
73% of sellers do not know the prospect's business before they make contact and are unprepared for the conversation where you add value during the discussion when the time comes. Know your objective for the call but also engage Social media like Twitter.
Alexis’s Answer
Lennard Fischer
Lennard’s Answer
Practice. You have 15-20 seconds to get their attention. Don't waste time and get to the reason you called. You also need to let them talk so ask open ended questions. More they talk, the more you learn. It is about conversations. More conversations you have, the more rhythm you get, the better you will be. Be comfortable about what you are offering but please do t be to scripted. go with the flow. Good luck.
Jacqueline’s Answer
Role playing what your saying to someone else is extremely helpful. If you have a co-worker try a practice call you can see what you need to focus on and what works and doesn't work with you and your colleague. Be knowledgeable, respectful, and always follow up with the customer when you tell them to expect a return call.
Listen to what the customer is saying and relate your product/service to their conversation. They cannot argue when you say "based on what you just told me" and repeat a statement they used I know that this will be a good fit/product for you. Remember it takes an average of eight cold call attempts to reach a prospect be patient and persistent.
Britt’s Answer
Courtney’s Answer
This is a great question and I think there are likely 100's of different approaches. I will say that I used to DREAD cold calling and today I could do it anywhere, at any time and in front of anyone. A few things that have helped me along the way:
- Practice with someone you feel comfortable with. I think it is important to laugh through the discomfort and get yourself to a place that you don't feel awkward.
- Record yourself. I hated this exercise at first but it was so largely helpful for me to be able to pick apart what I could do better the next time.
- Do research on the company and employees. I used LinkedIn a lot, it helped me see a bit on the companies org chart, titles, competitors etc. If I knew who I was trying to get ahold of I would also do a lot of research on their page, past employers and try to find things that we may have in common.
- Know that you are talking to people... the step before this was helpful in helping me humanize the voice on the other end of the phone.
Once you are ready to call...
- Call the wrong person intentionally. I know this sounds strange but when I am really trying to navigate my way into a company I will start calling into their main line and ask for random names or departments. Once I get someone on the phone... Be kind, Play a bit ignorant, ASK FOR HELP!
- If you can get someone talking, DON'T stop asking questions. You can ask how long have you been in this role, ask about something you recently read in current events about the company, how their department interacts with another department. Literally anything. Then ask to be connected to the correct person.
- Don't be stale, have personality... Make a joke "I am sorry, I know you probably get so many random calls a day but this one is totally worth your time"
Courtney recommends the following next steps:
David’s Answer
When cold calling people, it is important to understand that the people you are speaking with are not always “accepting” because of their disposition at the time of the call. For instance, a person may be in a bad mood which will make conversing with them a mut point. Conversely, a person can be having a good day, and you may have an opportunity to pitch just about anything and get positive results.
Messaging is also important to establish trust and rapport. When cold calling, one typically has an objective. The objective needs to be explained succinctly, positively, and in a way that sparks interest for the listener. The objective should be explained in terms of how it benefits the person you are calling. It is all about what you are providing to them. Once you have rapport established, you can have a meaningful conversation to see if there is a match between what you are offering and what they are willing to return for the benefit. Be honest.
Epoch’s Answer
Thanks for your question.
Here are some of my tips to improve your cold calling:
-Role play with other salespeople at your job or if there are not any other salespeople willing to role play, join a community of other salespeople in a similar field as you. You can find these groups on Facebook, LinkedIn, Reddit, or other forums online.
-Watch Youtube videos on the topic of improving cold calling skills. I would suggest searching for videos on how to best open the call, voice inflection and taking control of the call
-Manage your emotions. Cold calling can be very frustrating and demoralizing. You may encounter rude people, you may get cussed out, and rejected many times before you get interest or a sale. Do not take it personally and remember cold calling is a numbers game and also a skill game. If you improve your skills and keep making calls without quitting, you will get more sales. Focus on the things you can control like your effort, positive attitude and improving your sales skills.
On another note cold calling is not the end all be all. There are many other ways you can build your sales pipeline and get more sales:
-LinkedIN Sales Navigator. This is a paid tool in which you can narrow down a search to your local area, industry, job title, and you can message them from LinkedIn
-Cold Canvassing. This is walking door to door to different businesses in your local area. I did this when I used to sell health insurance to small businesses. People generally are a lot nicer when you go face to face and ask for the sale. This is not to say that you will not get an occasional person that may respond rudely and not want to be bothered, but I find people to be ruder over the phone. Also my conversion rate was a lot higher when I was face to face with someone.
-Social/Digital selling. Using social media to reach out to local businesses on Instagram and Facebook.
-Use your employer's existing lead database if they have one. These could be prospects that may have been interested in the past.
Best wishes on your sales journey!
JoAnne’s Answer
Hi Ben,
So happy to be of help to you! As to your interest in getting the higher commissions from credit union business, a cold call to a small restaurant is basically the SAME as a cold call to a Fortune !00 CEO or, more to your interest, to your decision maker at a credit union. What I would do, and have done when I wanted a particular type of business that promised a much higher payout, is to approach those people who have been successful at bringing in such accounts. I figured out early on that one cold call might as well pay off as much as possible, so I always looked for the possibilities that did pay more--just as you are doing!
It's important that you've indicated that "some (credit unions) have advertised with your company in the past," so I strongly suggest approaching the salespeople who made these sales and ask them what they said on their cold calls, and what was a key point(s) that, when they pointed out this idea or ideas on the phone, they pushed these decision makers over the edge to then buy the advertising. This is the key to your success with credit unions. You don't have to recreate the wheel, as they say. It has been done already! It brought the high commissions to others, so you can follow their lead and do the same! Ask me any follow up questions you wish, Ben, and I'm rooting for you! --JoAnne
Michelle M.’s Answer
I think a lot of the previous answers share the same throughline - find something human & genuine to connect about! For me, I work in tech sales and am usually calling C-Lvl executives at Financial Services Firms. I used to feel really nervous about it! Questions like "what if I'm wasting their time?" or "what if they rip me apart for offering an irrelevant solution?" used to stop me from making calls all the time.
A coach taught me a little exercise called "3x3" where I take three minutes to find three interesting things about the person I'm going to call. It's simple but so effective because it a) gives me a reason to be excited about meeting them and b) stops me from overthinking my outreach. For example, I reached out to an executive on LinkedIn after seeing their post about hiking and even included a few photos from my recent trip to Yosemite. They replied immediately and we shared an amazing convo about not only their love of photography and travel, but also about some projects she's working on that she'd like to start considering our team for.
TL;DR - have a personal reason to get excited about your calls!
That, and don't give up. :)
– M.
Heather’s Answer
I will give you my experience and advice.
Now that we have a shift in how we can conduct business I find it more comfortable for people who receive calls to hop on a video call and see my face with the logo of the company I work for behind me. This makes them more comfortable in seeing who they are dealing with.
I try and ask open ended questions to discover their needs, not questions that allows for a “yes” or “no” answer.
I can see in your industry you can ask something like “How does your company like to review news in this new era?”
They will have to answer that question in more detail and that brings walls down and shows that you are interested in getting to know more about the company.
Another thing that I’m doing differently is asking how COVID has impacted their business. You’d be surprise how you can steer a conversation to connect with the prospect and get closer to closing a deal.
Remember, it may not be imperative that you close a deal on a first call. Read “Objections” by Jeb Blount, or listen via Audible. He gives valuable information on how to over come objections and that what we view as rejection can actually me an objection and translate into “I need more information”, and other concerns/questions.
I hope that helps!
Keep plowing through the cold calls. It can be a tedious numbers game but you’ll get some sales.
Olivia’s Answer
Cold calling is a skill that takes time to develop. The best thing to do is to feel comfortable knowing you are new and admit to not knowing everything. People respond best when it is a human to human interaction.
James Constantine Frangos
James Constantine’s Answer
Mastering the Art of Cold Calling
Cold calling can be an intimidating yet highly rewarding sales method when executed properly. Here's a step-by-step guide to hone your cold calling abilities and boost your success rate:
1. Understand Your Prospects: Before dialing, invest time in studying the companies you'll be reaching out to. Familiarize yourself with their sector, target audience, and any recent developments that might affect their advertising requirements. This enables you to customize your pitch to their unique needs, showcasing your thorough preparation.
2. Craft a Powerful Introduction: The initial moments of a cold call are vital for grabbing the prospect's interest. Begin with a compelling introduction that succinctly communicates who you are, the reason for your call, and the advantages they can gain from your proposal. Keep it brief and intriguing to spark their curiosity right away.
3. Prioritize Relationship Building: Establishing a rapport with your prospects is a key aspect of cold calling. Maintain a friendly, self-assured, and professional demeanor. Pay close attention to their needs and issues, expressing genuine enthusiasm in assisting them to overcome their advertising obstacles. Creating a bond with the prospect can make them more open to your pitch.
4. Emphasize Advantages, Not Just Features: When discussing your advertising options, concentrate on the benefits they'll derive rather than merely enumerating the features of your ad spots. Illustrate how advertising in the Spartan Daily can enable them to connect with their target market, boost brand visibility, stimulate sales, etc. Adapt your pitch to address their specific issues and demonstrate the worth of collaborating with your newspaper.
5. Tackle Objections: Prospects often voice objections during a cold call. Rather than being disheartened by these, treat them as a chance to alleviate concerns and offer solutions. Predict common objections like budgetary limitations or scheduling conflicts, and devise convincing rebuttals to surpass these obstacles.
6. Exercise Active Listening: Effective communication is crucial in cold calling. Practice active listening by heeding the prospect's replies, posing clarifying queries, and expressing empathy for their needs. By better comprehending their viewpoint, you can modify your pitch accordingly and present your proposal as a remedy to their problems.
7. Persist in Following Up: Not every deal will be sealed on the first call, so persistently following up with prospects who've expressed interest but haven't made a commitment is crucial. Dispatch follow-up emails or make further calls to sustain the dialogue and dispel any remaining uncertainties they might harbor.
8. Solicit Feedback and Learn from Rejections: Don't let rejections dishearten you; instead, treat them as learning opportunities. Post-call, contemplate on what went well and what could be enhanced in your tactic. Obtain feedback from peers or mentors to glean insights on refining your cold calling strategy for superior outcomes.
By adopting these tactics and continually fine-tuning your approach through practice and feedback, you can elevate your cold calling abilities and enhance your success rate in securing advertising contracts for the Spartan Daily.
Top 3 Credible References Used:
Harvard Business Review: The Harvard Business Review offers invaluable advice on sales techniques, including research-backed cold calling strategies and industry know-how.
Salesforce Blog: As a premier CRM platform, Salesforce provides guidelines on sales best practices, including pointers for effective cold calling and deal closures.
Entrepreneur: Entrepreneur magazine discusses various facets of business growth, marketing strategies, and sales tactics that can be leveraged to augment cold calling skills in advertising sales contexts.
May God Bless You,
James C.
Robert’s Answer
Epoch’s Answer
Great question. Cold calling is both Art and Science. There are multiple steps involved in completing a successful cold call.
1. Always put yourself in their shoes, what would you do when someone calls you out of blue when you weren't expecting a call or another sales pitch you don't want to hear about?
2. Like in any online advertisements/commercials you have only few secs/mins of their attention span, so how would you really make sure you are starting with the story that resonates and you get their attention.
3. What is the tonality and the confidence yet humble you need to exhibit when you are on the call.
Let's break this down.
1. Research more about the product/solution you are selling, what is the problem it is solving and why it matters to the prospect that you are calling? Understand the prospect, research their market, go through their financials, see who they are competing with, are you able to find more details about the prospect you are calling? what is their interest? why solving this problem is critical for him or his organization.
Once you understand this, create the right story board, develop the opening if you can't interest him in the first 60 secs you aren't going to go much. They might be polite and let you complete or cut the call. It all depends on the story that is going to resonate with him.
2. Timing of the call, interestingly enough one of my inside sales executive was enjoying a greater success with her cold calls and getting higher level meeting setup. I asked her about the success, sure I was surprised. She called the execs direct line just around the evening time when the exec admin probably left for the day and was able to reach the execs directly and able to pitch the story and secure the next meeting. I'm not saying this is going to work always but the thought process she applied was commendable.
3. Practice more, once you get your story right think all the possible objections that could come. Ask one of your colleague to do the role play with you with him being acting as customer and hard to extract any information without some thought provoking questions. Practice hard to make sure you have a flow and you are adding value to the conversation be it in the form of you sharing a piece of market intelligence or validating such market movements. They should feel you are adding value to the conversations. Always avoid - " What's keeping you awake at night?" make it more profound, make it more connected and valuable.
4. Patience: Develop patience when you are going through this process. It takes time to really develop this skill, the more you understand your solution, customer problems, market conditions, vertical knowledge you will overcome this very quickly until then be patience with your calls and just don't give up if someone hangs or don't respond to your emails. They get volumes of calls/emails and have bunch of problems to solve. Your message based on your research can open the doors for you.
Good luck and keep calling and feel free to ask any further questions on this topic.
Lison H’s Answer
Anthony’s Answer
1. Just do it, everyone is afraid of cold calling - the more you do it the more comfortable you'll feel
2. Understand your ideal customer profile. This will help in understanding who to call
3. Understand common challenges your customers face. This will help you steer the conversation and get them excited quickly
4. Be concise and straight to the point
5. Always have an "up next" mentality. No matter what, don't let your last cold call affect your next one. People are rude and mean, don't take it personally.