Cold calling is a sales and marketing strategy in which a salesperson calls unsolicited leads to sell a product or service. The consumer may or may not have directly expressed interest in the product or service before being called. Sales representatives typically get lists of cold call leads through subscription forms, referrals, word of mouth and networking.
Cold call leads are not expecting your call, which can make the process of convincing them to buy difficult. However, with the right preparation, a thoughtful approach and scripted prompts, you can keep them on the phone and convince them to buy.
20 tips for effective cold calling
Cold calling can be a challenging but often necessary part of a successful marketing strategy. Consider these tips to help you prepare and deliver an effective cold calling campaign:
How to prepare for a cold call
Before you start the dialogue and bring home the sale, you’ll need to prepare. A lot of research, rehearsal and planning goes into an effective cold call. Here’s what to do:
1. Research your leads
By researching the leads in your call list, you can gain valuable insight into how to approach each case. People are more likely to listen to and then purchase from you if you can make them feel valued.
For example, you may be provided with a state of residence for your call list, and acknowledging something as simple as the weather in their region can show a potential lead that you are engaged in the conversation. This personal approach can be more persuasive to a prospect than sticking only to your sales pitch.
You might also research what your prospect’s role is if you’re selling them a product or service at their business. Try to find out what their job entails, what their company does (if you are reaching out to businesses), what industry they work in or if you have any mutual connections.
Any way you can make a personal connection between you and the lead will enrich the dialogue and offer you a better chance of a sale.
Related: What You Should Know About Planning a Sales Call
2. Stay up-to-date with current trends
Get familiar with your prospect’s industry by monitoring shifting trends, new legislation or other developments within it. You can then use this information to help you connect your product or service to a need your prospect has because of business changes.
Example: If you are selling IT security software to a bank, consider browsing news articles, quarterly updates and other sources that could tell you about any past security breaches the bank has had and what solutions they have implemented to protect their customer data.
3. Create a script
Writing a script beforehand of what you want to say can help you organize your key points, polish your introduction and prepare for potential objections. In brainstorming your cold call script, try to get your prospect’s attention in 30 seconds or less. Remember, to avoid sounding unnatural, a script should be used as a guide and not read verbatim.
As you write your script, consider including key elements in your introductory sentence, such as a common interest to initiate the conversation and a qualifying statement that tells your prospect how your product or service can meet their needs.
Example: “Hi, Jacob, this is Barbara from System GO LLC, and I’d like to steal just a minute of your time. I’m calling because I noticed on your site that you are hiring new sales reps. Several local companies are already using System GO to help their sales reps double their conversions and book appointments. How would you like to do the same?”
Read more: How To Create Cold Calling Scripts (With Examples)
4. Calculate your quota
Know your quota. You can use a spreadsheet to help you track cold calls by hour, day, week or month. Track the time it takes to reach a prospect, get them interested and converted to a warm lead. The less time it takes, the more cold calls you can make toward your quota.
Example: If your quota is to make a total of 320 calls per day, with a conversion rate goal of 80%, that means you will need to target 40 calls per hour, with at least 32 of those calls being converted to warm leads or paying customers. With these numbers, your average call time will be around one-and-a-half minutes long.
Read more: What Is a Sales Quota? Definition, Types and Examples
5. Use a local number
If you work as an independent contractor or out of a sales call center, consider using a local number when you contact people on your list. Using a local number can improve the odds that someone will answer your call. Often, when prospects see an unfamiliar number with a long-distance area code, they may consider it spam and not answer.
Example: If your prospect’s area code is 555, use a local number with the same area code.
6. Practice cold calling by role-playing
Practicing your cold calling techniques by role-playing with friends and family can be an effective tool in developing your skills. Practice with your script, reading and summarizing it in conversation, and then try some mock calls. Ask them for constructive criticism on your delivery.
Read more: How To Be Good at Cold Calling
How to make an effective cold call
Once you’re prepared, use these tips to make an effective cold call:
7. Contact the right person
Before you make your cold call, make sure you have the right contact. Companies often have an individual or team devoted to purchasing decisions on behalf of the organization. Ask to speak to the individual by name so you have a better chance of being transferred to their direct phone line.
Example: “Hello, my name is John, and I was wondering if you could help me, please. I am calling to reach Dr. Phillips. Could you transfer me over?” or “Hi, my name is John, and I am calling to reach Dr. Phillips. What is the best way to get in contact with them?”
8. Call at the appropriate time
Research the best times and the ideal days for the market you want to sell to and make your calls then. You can also use tracking software to show you the different percentages of leads that are available during different times of the day. For instance, you may find many of your leads are reachable—and maybe more receptive—during the morning hours.
9. Keep them on the phone as long as possible
When cold calling, you have about 10 seconds to prove that you have something valuable to say so keep that in mind while planning your script and initial introduction.
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