Do’s and Don’ts in Cold Calling

Ever heard of the term cold calling and wondered what it is? Let’s break it down for you.

Cold calling involves contacting customers suddenly without any prior notification. These are mostly clients that haven’t yet shown an interest in your services or know about you.

It can help you identify new clients and build a relationship with them. But you must have received such cold calls a hundred times every day. How can you stand out and make sure your client doesn’t hang up thinking you are one among the masses? Read on to find out!

The DOs of Cold Calling

• Research your prospects – Before making a cold call, research your prospects. Look for any information that can help you personalize your approach.
• Personalize your approach – Personalizing your approach is essential in cold calling. This means addressing the person by name, acknowledging their pain points and goals, and explaining how your product or service can help them. Personalizing your approach shows that you value their time and are not just looking to make a sale.
• Set clear objectives – Setting clear objectives before making a cold call will help you stay on track and achieve your goals. Objectives can be anything from scheduling a meeting to closing a sale. Clear objectives will help you stay focused and avoid wasting time.
• Build rapport – Building rapport means establishing a connection with the prospect. This can be done by asking open-ended questions, listening actively, and showing that you are interested in their needs. Building rapport will help establish trust and increase the chances of making a sale.

The DON’Ts of Cold Calling

• Don’t sound like a robot – Sounding like a robot can make you seem disengaged and uninterested. This can turn off prospects and make it difficult to build rapport. To avoid sounding robotic, use natural language, pause between sentences, and avoid using a script word-for-word.
• Don’t waste time – Time is valuable in cold calling. Wasting time on unproductive activities can hurt your chances of making a sale. To avoid wasting time, set clear objectives, prioritize your tasks, and schedule follow-ups in advance.
• Don’t make assumptions – Assuming that you know everything about the prospect can be a mistake. This can lead to unnecessary misunderstandings and make you look pushy. It will make the prospect think you are calling them only to make a sale quickly and end the call.
• Don’t ignore objections – Ignoring objections can make you seem dismissive and uninterested. You will find it hard to close the deal if you don’t offer solutions after acknowledging the objection.

Cold Calling Best Practices

Use a Script

• To stay on track
• To achieve your objectives
• Have an introduction, key points, and CTA
• Avoid sticking to the script entirely and sounding robotic
• Use the script as a guideline and adapt as you go

Practice active listening

• Pay attention while prospects speak
• Respond as per the questions and objections raised
• Ask follow up questions
• Repeat key points
• Emphasize the prospect’s concerns

Focus on Benefits, not Features

• Highlight how you can solve problems
• Show the client how they life will improve
• Don’t focus only on your product or service features
• Create an emotional connection

FAQs