Ask any ten people their opinion of cold calling and you’ll probably get a firm thumbs down from most if not all of them. Most people are not fans of making or receiving cold calls, whether by phone or in person. The call receiver invariably feels pressured and irritated by the interruption, while the caller often embarks on the conversation already assuming a rejection.
The development of the World Wide Web changed a lot of things about marketing technique and put cold calling way at the bottom of the list of preferred strategies. Actually, while there are those who believe that this marketing form is dead, it can offer a valid and productive avenue for business revenues. In fact, by turning away from cold calling altogether, many businesses have eliminated a real possibility for growth.
Think about the number of people you come into contact with on a daily basis. Some of those people could easily be in the market for the type of service or product you offer but because no contact is made, the opportunity is lost. For example, say you were in the printing business; while standing in the checkout line at the local hobby store, you hear the woman in front of you asking the cashier if she knew of any good printing companies. Right there you have the chance to make a cold call, taking the opportunity to sell your business.
Cold calling is something of an art form, is most often done by phone, though is can also be pursued via email or in person. If you want to make this approach an effective tool in your marketing arsenal, here are some suggestions for telephone cold calls to get you started:
Business owners and decision makers are usually protected by assistants. If you call during the main part of the business day, either morning or afternoon, count on your call getting turned down. To reach your prospects directly, try dialing in the morning before office hours, during the lunch hour, or shortly after business closing.
Many times, having a common link with the prospective customer is all you need for the cold call to be successful. So do your homework. Research the person you are calling. For example, if you conduct an online search, you may find the CEO of your targeted company raises show horses. Learn what you can and use this newfound knowledge to make a connection.
Strike a balance between friendliness and professionalism. Chit chatting about the weather or how the week is going is more likely to annoy a busy stranger than getting the to point of your call. On the other hand, barreling forward without making a personal connection is a good way to hear the dreaded click in your ear. One excellent approach is to briefly introduce yourself and ask if this is a good time to talk. If yes, great; if not, ask if you can call back at some specified time. You may get told not to bother (which is fine because you won’t have to waste any more time with this prospect), but you will also find plenty of people who will be happy to give you a chance to pitch them at a better time.
Remember that cold calling is a numbers game. Statistics show that around 70% of all attempts fail, which means that 30% succeed. Think in terms of closing business with three calls out of ten, not being turned down by seven. Be persistent without being annoying, consistent without being overbearing, and tenacious without being invasive, and you will see the right results.
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