Cold calls - do's and don'ts!
Cold calling is an established
form of selling, but opinions are divided on its effectiveness. Some companies
are very successful at attracting customers and partners through cold calling,
while others find it a complete dead end. The extent to which cold calling can
be effective depends on the sector in which the company operates and on the
technique used. Here are a few tips that can make cold calling a success,
and also what to avoid.
Cold calls can be done right and
wrong, just like anything else. The basic idea is to call potential customers
or partners who don't know much about your product or service and have not
shown any interest of their own accord - that's what makes a cold call cold. It
is still possible to succeed, of course, but the likelihood of this happening
is greatly increased if you build your message deliberately.
Tips to make your cold calls
more effective:
- Be prepared - The more you know about who will be on the other end of
the line, the more personalised your offer, the more likely they are to be
interested in what you have to say. Databases of business information
providers can help you find out as much as possible about the company you
are about to contact. This way, you can find out exactly what they can
help you with, what they need, and approach them with a personalised
offer, greatly increasing your chances of success.
- Have a well-structured script about who you are and
why you are looking for them! Try to get your point across as quickly and
clearly as possible to the person on the other end of the line. No one likes
to listen to the other person's introduction and offer for long minutes.
Make sure that you don't leave out any essential information, be concise,
but be able to capture their interest!
- Be specific - Don't speak in general terms, but try to offer a solution
to a specific problem, highlighting the benefits of your product or
service. If you raise awareness of a problem and provide a solution, you
always have a better chance of attracting interest.
What you shouldn’t do
- Don't talk long and rambunctious! You don't need to go
into details about your company, keep it to the point! If it's too long,
you're likely to miss the point, be cut off after the first minute or,
even if they listen, not really listen.
- Don't wait too long for the next call! It is a common mistake
to wait for a candidate to contact you after you have made contact,
instead of contacting them again after a few days. Your first call may be
forgotten and the interest may be lost. Keep the line warm, don't wait too
long!
- Don't give the same speech to everyone! Sure, there will be
identical elements, but always personalise your message a bit, adapt it to
the problems and profile of the company. This will make them feel that the
offer is really for them and increase the likelihood of a positive
response.
If you follow the advices above,
your cold calls can produce much better results than before. It's not usually
the method, it's the implementation; learn how to do it as well as possible!