Cold Calling - The Art of the First Call
There are a lot of thoughts about cold calling, some positive and some negative, and we have heard most of them. Some people dread making cold calls because they do not fully understand the technique and purpose. Others say that they love them but still do not have the best success with this age old approach. There does seem to be some confusion about what a cold call is and what you are trying to accomplish when doing it.
Simply put, it is the “First Call” or contact you make, with a lead, to determine whether or not it is a solid prospect. This helps you decide if they belong on your prospect list, target list or dead file. All three types are important to know because this will let you know if you need to follow up or stop wasting your time with them. It will eliminate the “chasing of the phantom decision maker”.
But first what is a first call? Is it a sales call? Is it an information gathering call? Is it an introduction call? Is it just prospecting? The answer-it is a Sales Call! This is the first contact you make to generate SALES. If done correctly it will give you a map of what your future interaction with this client will be.
What is your objective when making that first call? Is the goal to get an order? Is it to get a contact name? Is it to introduce yourself and your company? Is it to qualify them? Is it to make that first impression? To have a successful cold call, whether in person or on the phone, you have to keep in mind that it is multidimensional. You have many goals when you make your First Call, getting an order is just one of them. If you accomplish one or more of the following goals, it was a successful cold call:
You want to go into the First Call looking for a sale but knowing that you want to accomplish as many of these goals as possible. This ensures that if you do not get a sale today, you are now in a position to start the sales process and get it later. Remember, most buyers do not buy from a person or company until they have been approached 5-7 times. With your time and territory management tools, you can plan your follow up strategy for the qualified prospects and increase your sales success.
Sometimes the biggest thing that you get from the First Call is the knowledge that they are not a prospect at all. It could be for many reasons. They may not have a need for your product or service. They may be going out of business. You name it. Now you know so you can spend your time with solid prospects that will increase your sales. No more trying to squeeze blood from a turnip.
You will have a lot more fun and success with First Calls when you remember that it is very unusual to have a “bad one”. You will always accomplish more than one of the goals that we talked about today!
Remember, the sales profession is not a short term process. It is a long term Adventure! Make sure you sign up for our FREE ezine, The Adventurer on the left bar.
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