Imagine receiving a call from an unknown caller. Immediately after receiving the call, the caller starts to question your knowledge about a product. Quickly the conversation turns into an interview. Eventually, the caller tries to sell a product to you. What would be going on in your mind during that sales conversation? Now flip the tables and imagine that you are the one making the cold call. What would you do differently to close a deal?

Cold Calling; definition

What is cold calling? Cold Calling is an e-commerce terminology used to define a telemarketing strategy for pitching a sale through a Phone call to a random Potential customer. This can prove to be a rather frustrating business especially after receiving several no’ feedbacks. However, there is a way of turning those no answers to opportunities for closing in the next attempt. It all depends on the caller’s mentality, strategy, preparedness and ability to listen.

1. Callers mentality and attitude

Potential clients are regular, people going about their day to day business just like everyone else. The mentality should be that of a normal person experiencing life, with needs just like any other person. It all comes down to how the sales caller understands the market. The sales person ought to understand the market as a business platform with people who need to be talked to about products.

The attitude of a salesperson on the phone should be that of if I get rejected, it’s not me but the product’. With a never-quit attitude, a phone call rejected leaves you with information about what the market is like to equip you for the next call attempt. Move on to the next call with positivity that you might mention a product that will click with someone’s needs.

2. Call strategy

In order to make a successful sales pitch, a strategy is crucial. Before making the call, research thoroughly about the potential client, or company or organization. Know their needs very well. Learn what trade the client is involved in, their latest purchases and who sold to them. Understand all the features of the product you want to sale and seek a better way of explaining an improved version of yours. Have in mind a better deal to close in a sale.

Know the best time to call since the client doesn’t know you at all. The best time to call varies from company/individual to another, depending on the nature of the business. Some people are ready for phone conversations in the morning hours, others during the day, while others late afternoon. Do not call during lunch hour breaks and definitely not at night (bedtime). Also, some early morning hours that is when management meeting is being held, so might not be a better time to call. However, that fits well for cold calling to individuals.

3. Preparedness

On the part of the salesperson, prior preparation is required before initiating a call.

            A) Research

Be sure to research your potential client or target to know more about them for a good and meaningful interaction. Some go to research sources are for example social media platforms (Facebook pages, LinkedIn, Twitter feeds, etc.), and company websites. On these pages, you will be looking for targets professional background, nature of the industry that target is involved in, competitors, commonalities, and interests, etc.

            B) Proposition your call

As part of a preparation for the cold call, draft an opening statement to reposition yourself for the call. Basically, this is an indication to the caller that you have a subject to talk about and not just a waste of his/her time. Make the statement sound very friendly and not too official.

             C) Pre-contact your target

While researching, look for the company email, or messenger handles and drops a brief statement introducing yourself, company and product. Then place the call.

4. Listening skills

Remember that listening is a skill that is learned over time. If your initial calls got hanged up due to poor listening skills, don’t give up. Continue to learn from the proceeding calls. As a salesperson on the phone, remember people are emotional callers. As you are in a phone conversation with a potential client, listen through their emotions what the client is saying.

Ensure that the call flow is as natural as possible and not making it sound like an interview. Have a notebook and a pen to take down notes while listening. They might mention a number of things that are important for your sales pitch. Note those things down and ask yourself how you can meet those needs with your product. Again, speak naturally as if with a friend, but convincingly as with a potential client.

5. Be optimistic

Strategize to make as many calls as possible during the day. Out of 35 calls a day, 20 might be answered. Eventually, you might make about 8 – 10 close ins. If out of 30 calls only 10 get answered, be optimistic that the next day you might do better than that. Too many connections mean more opportunities for making a sale.

Conclusion

The fact about cold calling is that no prior contact has been made with the potential client. Therefore, a rejected call should not be any offense at all. Keep trying, the next one might be answered and a sale made.

Bio:

Rilind Elezaj is an experienced a SEO Specialist at Day Translations with a demonstrated history of working in the marketing and advertising industry. Rilind possesses a strong entrepreneurial mindset and has devoted his career to enhancing the sphere of digital marketing. In his methodological approach, Rilind integrates web development and other digital marketing solutions to create hybrid strategies that bring the best results.

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