8 Tips for Cold Calling By E-mail and Telephone

 

Since the advent of the digital age, cold calling went out of vogue. But in the lingering downturn – whether you’re in advertising or staffing services – cold calling has become the logical tool to use to generate clients or business customers.

For most businesspeople, cold calling isn’t the easiest route but it is a proven way of getting clients and customers. It gets easier and more fun with practice – using your value propositions.

Once you get some results, it will actually create a domino effect. A little bit of footwork leads to some business, which leads to even more business.

So it’s all about attitude – an attitude of gratitude and providing a valuable service to your prospects.

Here are eight tips:

1. Make certain all online references about you – social media, Web site and press releases – are professional. Once a prospect is interested in you, the person will search your name on the Internet. So do the footwork now.
2. Remember you’ll only get a brief moment to pique the person’s interest in a phone call. Develop a tantalizing phrase for your subject line, if you’re e-mailing. Know your elevator pitch before you start the sales process – benefits that differentiate you. Your initial goal is just to get face time to lay the foundation for a possible relationship. Don’t try to sell your products or services. Go for a single instead of a home run.
3. After you’ve identified the right prospects, also target centers of influence – people and organizations that can direct business your way. That means a business association, chamber of commerce or the news media using press releases.
4. The best time to make contact via e-mail or telephone is early in the morning. If you get the person’s assistant or receptionist, indicate you’d like to call back. Try to learn the best time to try again. But try never to allow an employee to forward a message to the person for you.
5. Engage the prospect by setting up a dialogue by asking open-ended questions. The best salespeople listen 90 percent in such conversations.
6. Demonstrate that you care about the person and her/his business, and that you listen. Follow up with a handwritten thank you note – or an e-mail, if you must. Include a restatement of the prospect’s concerns, an appropriate value proposition with additional information, and a statement to prevent buyer’s remorse.
7. Unless you are able to schedule an appointment in the initial contact, allow five business days before you follow up. Remember your image — you want to earn the business, but you don’t “need” it.
8. Be patient and persevering. Only a small percentage of the contacts will turn into prospects or sales. It often takes five positive contacts before a person buys. Make sure you’re not committing the seven deadly sins of selling. So use the best selling techniques, the seven steps to higher sales.

From the Coach’s Corner, here’s another article: The Lost Art – How and Why to Use Cold-Calling for Higher Sales.

“If you don’t take a chance, you won’t have one.”

 

__________

Author Terry Corbell has written innumerable online business-enhancement articles, and is a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services. For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule him as a speaker, consultant or author, please contact Terry.