The Art Of The Cold Call

One technique of the sales world that has been around for ages is the cold call. It is also one of the most widely ridiculed! This is the case for a number of reasons, but one of the primary reasons is because a lot of people just plain do not like getting cold calls. In fact, plenty of people don't really enjoy having anything "sold" to them at all! You have probably experienced this yourself, at the wrong end of a bad cold call. And because you have experienced this firsthand, you ought to realize what the biggest key to successful cold calling is: Do it differently from the way everyone else does it! If someone automatically thinks, "Oh, gosh, here's another cold call," you have already lost the first battle. Instead, you need to know how to cold call differently.

First off, you have to put in your time researching. A little research can go a long way, and can save you a lot of time. Instead of calling people blindly - as if putting a scarf over your eyes at the firing range - research can help you call in a more focused manner. You can find such information through numerous avenues, including questionnaires and studies of your own.

When the time comes to make the call, have confidence. One of the best ways to achieve the necessary level of confidence - and in fact, one of the best ways to cold call in general - is to have a script. Once you have a script, stick to it! You do not need a word-for-word script - just a general outline of what you will say, and the order in which you will say it. Over time, you can refine this script. When you find that something in particular works, add it onto the script. When you find that something does not work, take it out.

Down the road, as you have more experience under your belt, you can begin to customize your script depending on who you are talking to. Soften things up a bit if you are speaking with a small business owner. Maybe stiffen up a bit - becoming more formal - when speaking with a high-ranking executive. The more you cold call, the better you will be able to adapt.

Some companies have stated that cold calls no longer work, and they have cut them out of their strategy. But if you know how to use them, cold calls can be a huge help for your business!