We have talked about making cold calls a few times in class and potentially how awkward/frustrating they could be. Well here are seven tips on how you can be more prepared before you pick up the phone.
- Plan Ahead
There are important questions you should be able to answer before you get started. For example: who will you be calling? And when will you be placing these calls? These questions should be answered the day before too.
- Investigate Before You Call
This tip can easily go along with the first tip. Like planning ahead it would be smart to do some homework on the person you are calling. It can be as easy as doing a google search on the person themselves and the company they work for. Even if you do not use the information you find it make you come across more confident during your interview.
- Seek out a Personal Connection
Since you have already planned ahead and have already investigated your client you may find a connection between you and the person you are calling. Whether you share the same alma mater or have both dealt with the same company in the past. It’s possible that you could find a connection during the actual call too.
- Get Information Before You Give It
This tip can be related to the “don’t spill your candy in the lobby” principle. During the interview ask a lot of questions rather than immediately starting to sell your product or service. Learn about your prospects business needs so you can tailor your pitch to your client.
- Get Out of Your Chair and in Front of a Mirror
Get up and practice in front of a mirror! You will get to see yourself speak and probably even smile. Try standing up while you are on the phone too. This can help you feel better and energetic.
- Keep Careful Records
When making cold calls it is important to measure your progress. You can do this by keeping records of who you called, when you called them, how many of these calls turned into actual appointments. Doing so will keep you organized and give you a sense of accomplishment.
- Use Referrals In Your Voice Mail Message
You may be finding yourself reaching more voice mail than actual people when you make your calls. If this is the case you may want to look at your prospects social media such as LinkedIn. This way you can see who they are connected with. If you find out the person you are calling is connected with someone you know, you should ask that mutual connection if he/she would be willing to let you use their name as a referral. This may increase the chances of your prospect calling you back.
BoweryJE22
These are some great tips! Cold calling can be so challenging, I particularly liked #5. From my limited experiences I can attest that practice can make all the difference.