Call Me, Maybe? How the Efficient Sales Process Can Help Overcome Cold Calling

how-the-efficient-sales-process-can-help-overcome-cold-calling

There’s much noise in the marketing world today about how cold calling is dead. While cold calling is frequently considered an out-of-date practice, there’s a reason you missed the funeral. Cold calling is just as alive and well as it always was, but with a few twists. Let’s be honest with ourselves. We aren’t in the ’90s. You can’t just pick up the phone and call the business down the street and expect to work with him just because you complimented the color of his new sign. You can, however, learn to adapt your cold calling strategy to fit the new world of marketing.

You’re probably asking how this is possible. Maybe you’ve already abandoned cold calling in favor of email marketing (another cold venture), or you’re trying to find new ways to train your sales team to boost conversion rates. Your sales process is probably to blame for your cold call failures of the past. This guide will address common sales process mistakes so you can create a strategy that overcomes the hurdles typically associated with cold calling potential clients.

Have a Plan (And Be Realistic)

First, you need to have a plan. Why are you picking up the phone in the first place? Be realistic about your goals. It’s not enough to decide you want to sell your products or services through your call. Of course, that’s the goal of all your marketing efforts, but that shouldn’t be your primary motivation for cold calling.

Your plan should be something easy to do over a first phone call. It might be as simple as confirming a time to meet in person or agreeing to send more information over email. These sound like small steps, but they’re significant obstacles for cold callers.

Keep it Client Focused

If you’re reaching out to a potential client for the first time, there is much temptation to talk about yourself. You want to introduce your company and talk about what you do, but this can be a major turn off for potential clients. It’s better to avoid talking about yourself or your company at all (unless asked).

Your call isn’t about you or your company. It’s not about explaining your latest promotion or talking about how you’ve helped other businesses. It’s about the client. If your cold calls are client-centered, you’ll come across over the phone as professional and authentic.

Cold calling scripts should be left in the past. Consumers of today are savvier than ever before. They know when you’re reading something over the phone and when you’re creating a real conversation. You don’t need a script to get from Point A to Point B. Instead, think of your call as a roadmap. First, you want to open up your client with an opening question. You can then bring the conversation more in-depth into the progress of his or her business, the market, and so on.

Not sure where to start without the script? One foolproof way to get your prospect talking is by asking about their most significant problems. If you’ve done your research, you probably already have an idea of what these are and how your business can help, but be open-minded.

efficient-sales-process-can-help-overcome-cold-calling

Build a Relationship

Marketing of today isn’t about selling. It’s about building relationships. You’ll need to create a genuine conversation over the phone to plan the seeds of this relationship. Don’t sell to your prospect, talk to them. You can think of this as an interview where you’ll discuss the current state of their business. Be proactive about note-taking so you can review this information later on.

By coming across as friendly and authentic, you’re more likely to land a second call or meeting. Cold calling doesn’t have to mean you come across as cold. As long as you’re serious about connecting with your prospect, you’ll make progress.

The top life science marketing agency in London, UK recommends that the best marketing strategy today is a diverse marketing strategy. While you should feel confident in your cold calling if it’s working successfully for your business, you should consider trying new forms of marketing for your business.

Those who haven’t found great success from cold calling might turn to inbound marketing for prospecting new clients. By attracting interested prospects to your website through high-quality content, you’ll land new leads without needing to research new prospects.

How can you start with inbound marketing? It begins with your website. Create blog posts that place you as an expert in your field. Show your clients you already have the answer to their problems, and that you understand their challenges. Take this a step further by promoting your content across social media and interacting with others in your industry. By placing yourself as an expert and demonstrating the value of your service or product, you’ll land more leads organically.

Let’s finally put to rest the idea that cold calling is dead. Though it takes more time and effort than inbound marketing, cold calling is a great way to build relationships with the right clients directly. Invigorate your marketing with these cold calling tips as well as a diverse, effective strategy!

Free CRM Trail Banner

Leave a Comment

BOOK A DEMO

Can't read this? click here to refresh.