Cold calling all by itself is a challenge. It can get frustrating for both the caller and the receiver as the latter has no idea why he is called. When a receiver receives a cold call, he is likely to show zero interest. However, it is good to note that no two cold calls are the same. When a few techniques are followed, the cold call can become more than just successful. In no order of importance, we have listed the top cold calling tips from customer support for sales success.
Observe and understand your market
The debut step is to study and understand the market that you are dealing with. It will help while conversing with the caller. Also, the receiver will appreciate a mature conversation instead of a script or a sales pitch being read out.
Know what you are selling
Know the product/service you are selling thoroughly. Learn more about your products so you can comfortably answer any related questions thrown at you. It’s also a good idea to have a thorough understanding of all the products/services you offer and not just what you must sell. It can help when you need to cross or upsell products.
Map out the conversation
A call can go different ways. Consider all other areas and directions a call could lead and how you will tackle each scenario. Create a mind map that branches into various directions—for example, booking an appointment for a demo, setting up a call at a more convenient time, or even closing a deal.
Draft a successful cold calling script
A 30-second script will be perfect - a script should include an introduction, a reason for calling, and information about how the product/service is the ideal problem solver. You might have to create multiple scripts and then test each one individually to see which works best.
Prepare to deal with objections
Rejections and objections are a part of selling your product. When you cold-call, you have a few seconds to deal with it. First, make a list of all the possible objections you could face, and then work on dealing with each of them. Next, get information regarding what questions to expect from potential customers and how to answer them.
Invest in customer relationship management software for better customer support services
Customer relationship management (CRM) software can help you manage your customer support services, including your cold calls, by:
- Keeping track of your prospects and productivity.
- Connecting you instantly with missed calls and leads.
- Recording calls to offer you better sales insights.
- Helping with call training.
Personalize your calls
Every potential customer is unique. Research on individuals and learn about them. Then personalize your call to have a more meaningful conversation. Your potential customer visits social media platforms that provide a goldmine of information on their recent activities, hobbies and interests, education, mutual connections, professional background, and more.
Call only when your call will be received well
Research proves that certain days of the week and specific times are better than others for cold calling. Therefore, consider making your calls on specific days and at a suitable time. Also, analyze your call records for when you got the best results and schedule your calls accordingly.
Lead with your prospective customer
Learn to focus on the person at the other end of the call. Listen to what they say to learn about their requirements and concerns. According to some studies, the best sales professionals listen to the prospect 57% of the time and speak only 43% of the time.
Stay on track
Don’t lose focus when on a call. Here are some things to do on a cold call:
- Engage the prospect.
- Ask questions but stay on topic.
- Take notes as they talk – their interests, problems, and concerns.
- Organize your thoughts around the data you gather to make your pitch relevant to them.
The tone of your voice is important
Your prospective client cannot judge your body language or facial expressions. So, they rely on your voice to better understand you. Voice modulation makes you more human, lends a breath of freshness and enthusiasm to the conversation, and makes your offer sound more appealing. Add warmth to your call. Match your tone of voice with your words.
Gauge the prospect’s response
Understand your prospect’s response, so you know whether you have their attention or are losing them. Learn to gauge their interest by the:
- Questions
- Responses
- The tone of their voice and volume
- Choice of their words.
- Avoiding pitching prematurely
A premature pitch can lead to failure
Understand what the potential customer wants and if the product/service you offer can counter their problems. Then, when you are sure you have a solution to their problems, dive into your pitch.
Don’t be afraid to take calculated risks
Your solution should be as big as your buyer wants it to be. So if you can sell more than what you originally intended to sell, don’t be afraid to drop that pitch and pitch a bigger deal. Your cold-call script must make room for selling bigger and more.
Leave voicemails
Many people avoid taking calls from unknown numbers. So, leave a short voice mail delivering your pitch uninterrupted. Remember, you have only approximately 15 seconds on a voicemail, so use that time effectively.
Know when to stop
If you don’t get a prospect on a first try, try calling again at a different time. If your calls and voicemails are unanswered after four or five shots, it’s time to move on to other prospects. You could try reaching out to this prospect after a couple of months.
If you can’t overcome call reluctance, then outsource call center services will help. If you believe that cold calling is a thing of the past, then consider investing in customer support outsourcing. When you hire an outbound call center outsourcing services to a reliable customer support services company, you can be sure that they will help you reach your cold calling campaign goals. You can take a closer look at the services offered by Wow Customer Support. Get in touch with the team of experts who will be glad to help you.
