Telemarketing in the 1970s provided something important for communication technology, with the interaction between people who needed to solve their business needs. Cold calling was the action of picking up the phone to offer a product or service.
In the minutes preceding that call, fear was felt as something usual and normal in the face of someone unknown. However, no matter how positive the message seemed, everything told us that expecting a favourable response from the other side was something unrealistic.
Summary
- Concentrating on one pattern is not the best thing to do. Discipline would be the key. By finding the best way to make a connection, we would be laying the groundwork for first contact on the cold call.
- By having relevant information beforehand, where the important thing now is the point of view, we will lose that fear of the first contact with our potential customer. Trust is part of that first big step (1).
- Cold calling is now seen as a complement to social media and platforms, with the addition of mobile phones as an ever-changing and evolving technological tool.
Everything you need to know to do cold calling the right way
In the old days, the right thing to do was to call a customer at your office. Nowadays, there are countless platforms to contact the potential customer.
Even so, the goal remains the same, with the only question being whether this or that medium is better or worse.
Just as the tools or media are different, so are the people (3). But the key is not in the number of resources, but in the way, they are used. We can therefore say that cold calling has not disappeared, but has evolved. Thus, complementing these resources would be the best way to go.
What a cold contact looks like: our recommendations
Currently, a tool such as the metric used to measure traffic helps us determine how many users are or are not interested in a product or service.
But we should not only take into account this result in order to make a sale.
In the old way, we will have to “go out to the street” understanding this as a better approach. As a consequence, adding more people interested or not, in what we have to offer, will give us more chances to get a “yes” as a response.
Format of the best cold call
The paper format is a resource that is still adopted and recommended for the most conservative. It is available and still in force, so we advise having it as an extra along with the material in digital format.
- Stories
- Savings
- First Aid
- Qualified prospectus
| Format | Cold Calling |
|---|---|
| Stories | An excellent way to engage the prospect, awakening their interest through stories. |
| Savings | The right skills will make a difference in the prospect’s life. Move forward a “not now” into “right now”. |
| First Aid | Understand the prospect to help him. Reflecting on things in a pleasant way becomes a very practical and recommendable option. |
| Qualified prospect | Know what to say. Breaking the ice with unlimited phrases will turn prospects into qualified people. |
How to make a cold call?
Since the appearance of search engines, picking up the phone to contact a prospect is now considered a complement to social media such as FB, Linkedin, Twitter and others. In addition, we can measure the interaction of people and companies present on the network.
In this way, it is much easier to know what are the actions of a prospect, long before even making a call.
It means an advantage when making that cold call, with better chances of being able to establish a connection in the future.
Cold call versus hot call
Contacting a customer through a cold call means talking to someone with whom we have had no previous contact. In this instance, success is highly dependent on a positive attitude.
We suggest making a list of potential contacts, since the more calls you make, the more likely you are to get a response.
Today, we have tools that provide us with background information on a potential client (4). Consequently, that first feeling of fear disappears. Our prospect is able and relaxed to listen attentively to what we have to say. This is the stage of the hot call where we have the highest possibility of obtaining results.
What types of cold calling are there?
We could say that there are no types of calls, but processes. Calling a prospect just because you have his phone number would not be convenient. Check beforehand, and see where he spends the most time, to know the best time and place where he would like to be contacted.
Although cold calling is a reasonably aggressive technique, it has evolved with technology.
Now we know that there are tools called metrics that help us influence our prospects in any buying decision.
The 3 “P” technique for cold calling?
The process or path to your prospect should not be simple. Therefore, if you use the Prepare, Practice, Personalize technique, you will be better trained and more likely to succeed.
Preparation
Assemble lists of pre-analyzed prospects. Write a speech and have a presentation at hand to make a good first impression. Improvisation is not recommended. Having things clear will help you make important decisions.
In short, get organized!
Practice
When you put together a speech, it is good to read it out loud to detect small mistakes in meaning. It will also help you gain confidence and find an appropriate and friendly tone of voice (2).
Personalization
Personalizing according to the interests of each prospect is very convenient. Thus, having several speeches prepared will help you to decide quickly and not have to delay your future client. Remember that, when it comes to a sale, one minute can be decisive.
(Source: Ana Ramos/ Gitnux.com)
Best cold calling tips
Taking into account the best time for cold calling has a lot to do with the profile and preference of each company. The more open the receiver is, the greater the possibility of receiving information. Keeping an agenda is ideal as part of your organization so that you do not lose sight of the agreed meetings.
It is known that calls from strangers, today are much more rejected, for security reasons. However, this concept is not entirely real, if you consider that being in the networks is already being public. As for the investment cost of the company, it will be valued the more and better you filter your new contacts.
| Cold Calling | Best Tips |
|---|---|
| Schedule | According to preference and company profile. |
| Agenda | Organize the agreed meetings. |
| Security | Being public is part of being in the networks. |
| Cost | A better assessment of the cost is to better filter your contacts. |
Telephony
In the history of telephony, it was logical to call without a clear flowchart and spend many hours on aimless cold calls. Today, you can contact through multiple platforms, knowing that you can find your potential contact in a matter of minutes.
Networks
With social media dominating the world, a good percentage of it is used by the executive side of decision-making. You can take advantage of this reality and contact your target audience on platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc. This type of prospecting allows for better lead generation.
E-mail can be ideal for a cold call. A well-resolved and personalized subject line for each prospect has a good chance of being read, as well as a good call to action. Also, adopting follow-up is a good practice to be able to contact your leads at the right time.
Voicemail
After you have informed and updated your lead, you decide to call them. This is no guarantee that you have made effective contact, but keep in mind that patience is the virtue of the wise and that this will happen a thousand times. In case you are unable to reach your contact, use the voice message as a form of follow-up. Something as important as a call itself.
The success of cold calling
There is no formula or magic wand for cold calling. Therefore, there is no one model to which we can ascribe success. There are as many ways as there are people.
Consequently, in success there is not one model but one way for each prospect.
Presentation is as valuable as planning. No matter what you do first, never fail to follow up. Also, if you think that times change and there is no definite “no”, you will know that with a cold call you can conquer the world… Who can stop you?
Conclusion
There is nothing precise in the world of cold calling. Although it could be said that the technique in its traditional form has evolved, it has not disappeared. The reach of the tools we have today makes it easier for us to communicate with potential clients in a timely manner, but we cannot avoid that first call.
The possibility of gaining the trust of a potential customer, even in a digital context, will make that communication less cold. Today’s modality is distance, but with the certainty of knowing who our contact will be. Will we forget that feeling of fear of the old days that now lives in our memory?
References
1. Caicedo Gaviria, A. C., & Rueda, L. (2021, November). Process of generation of LEADs for the increase of SQLs in favour of the profitability of the company Acsendo S.A.S. -. Retrieved August 2022, from
https://repository.javeriana.edu.co/bitstream/handle/10554/58456/M7..pdf?sequence=5&isAllowed=y
2. Larc, A. (2016). 8 Steps to increase your sales easily. -. Retrieved 2022, from https://books.google.es/books?hl=es&lr=lang_es&id=cWEXDAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PT2&dq=prospectar+sales+call+in+cold&ots=jG_f48dSdF&sig=Ye7_lWkEihfNeJ7rmxlsGiVt24c#v=onepage&q&f=false
3. LANKENAU CABALLERO, E. L. I. S. A. M. A. A. R. Í. A. (2000, November). A MODEL OF NEGOTIATION TECHNIQUES: APPLYING MARKETING TO THE SALES PROCESS. -. Retrieved August 2022, from
http://eprints.uanl.mx/764/1/1020145378.PDF
4. Málaga García, A. del R., & Espinoza Casanova, A. U. (2021, October). ONLINE PROMOTION STRATEGIES AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH SALES OF THE TEXTILE PRODUCTION COMPANY WILTEX IN. -. Retrieved August 2022, from https://repositorio.upt.edu.pe/bitstream/handle/20.500.12969/2019/Malaga-Garcia-Ariana.pdf?sequence=4&isAllowed=y
5. Cervantes Gallegos, M. R., Tapia Palomino, S. del R., & Hurtado Palomino, A. (2019). “Commercial skills and their relationship with sales performance of commercial advisors of the company International Camiones del Perú S.A. http://repositorio.unsa.edu.pe/handle/UNSA/10264. Retrieved 2022, from
http://190.119.145.154/bitstream/handle/UNSA/10264/SEcegamr%26tapasr.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
