How to End the Cold Calling Game of Chasing a Sale
Resellers are on a constant quest for new sales leads by cold calling companies in order to sell their products and services. Going out on calls can be an effective way to generate quality business leads and make your company more successful. However, it’s easy to let this game go on for too long, which can lead to mounting frustrations and mini-fails of the people you are calling. According to a Diffusion Group study, over 300 million U.S. adults have been cold called at least once by a company or individual in the last three months alone. If you are a rep and are dreading these calls, you are not alone!
This article will help you become better at ending your calls with the people you call on. To get the most out of this article read it from the beginning all the way to the end through and understand what is being said, then absorb it and use it in your daily dealings with prospects.
The first step is to determine why these people picked up the phone to speak to you in the first place. If they have a relationship with another rep, then they are not really a prospect for you. If they are not interested in your industry or services, don't try to convince them. Remember that people pick up the phone because of one of three reasons:
1- New Prospect: This person does not know who to call for your services and is just looking for a solution. It’s very important to acknowledge whether this is a new prospect or not because it sets the tone for your next conversation. A new prospect will be inquisitive and will think about buying from you, but may never do it if you don’t make him or her feel special and excited about your services or products.
2- Problem: This person may have a problem that you can solve, but is not ready to buy. If a person has an issue, there’s a good chance he or she will buy from you if the problem is resolved.
3- Some other reason: There are times when the prospect might know who to call but has some other reason for picking up the phone. Maybe he or she wants to get rid of you because they are busy and don’t want to talk, they want your competitor on the line, they want to complain, etc. The bottom line is the reason and why the call took place.
Step Two: Say Hello or Good Bye
The second step is to greet your prospect or customer and begin your call by stating or stating out loud that you are a rep. This sets the tone for what’s to come, so it’s important that it's said right away. Don't say "Hi" or "Hello," just state that you are a rep, because this will turn off most prospects and make them think that they should be on hold somewhere else. If you make it mandatory for people to hold when they pick up the phone, this will also turn them off because they don't feel comfortable doing so. If you say "Hello" or "Good Morning, my name is so and so and I am a rep with such and such company," then you are making people feel like they should be on hold, which makes them think that it's a bad call. If you can't say those words without feeling a little bit weird, then the next time you are calling on someone, practice saying those words out loud over and over again in front of the mirror until it feels natural. Saying those words will make your prospect feel comfortable, confident and ready to listen to what you have to say. Just remember that saying one or two sentences is enough; stick to the script of what you want to do or ask them before they start talking.