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Cold Calling Telephone Strategies By Frank Furness

Cold calling is one of the areas that most salespeople fear,
purely because of the rejection. People will do anything to
avoid phoning and I’ve seen it all throughout the years. The
most successful people just do it! They make it a habit, they
get onto that phone and they’ll phone for two hours every day,
irrespective of what the clients or the prospects would be
saying to them over the phone. They just focus on results. All
they want is for two or three people to say to them ‘yes, come
and see me.’ So let’s analyse how do you actually become good on
the telephone? What are the words you’ve got to say? How do you
do about using the phone properly? There are some dangers as
well of not knowing how to cold call properly which could cost
you a lot in lost sales. A lot of people just use a slapdash
approach. They’re not at all prepared. They will get onto the
phone, and they’ll be enthusiastic for the first call. ‘Hi, this
is Joe Smith, I want to come out and see you,’ - and find
themselves being rejected. The next call will be less
enthusiastic and the rejection can now be heard in their voice.
The third call would have no enthusiasm at all and by the fourth
call they start with emails, paperwork and anything else that
will take them away from their telephone session. Some people
can actually be too pushy. Some have bad habits like chewing gum
or smoking while telephoning. I’ve got to tell you one of the
funniest experiences I had a few years ago. I went to an
offshore financial services company and they asked me to observe
their phoning session. Well, it was an open office and there
must have been about twenty people phoning, but I’ve never seen
anything like it. There were these twenty people all making as
much noise as they could, other people walking around slapping
people on the back of the head, papers being thrown all over the
place and the company was wondering why their people weren’t
successful on the phone. We changed things around, put them into
their own offices, small groups, and all of a sudden the phoning
ratio went up by one hundred percent.

Sometimes we’ve got to think about our voice tone as well. Are
we too loud or too soft or are we just confident. Remember this
though, you’ve got somebody sitting on the other side of the
line, he doesn’t know who you are, you can’t see them, they
can’t see you, but you’ve still got to introduce yourself,
introduce the company, you’ve got to establish rapport and sell
the appointment. And that’s all you sell, you sell the
appointment, nothing else. You don’t get into any product talk,
nothing, you’re selling the appointment only. One of the big
secrets here, always remember, proper prior planning prevents
pathetically poor performance. So the better you prepare, the
better you plan, the more successful you’re going to be on the
phone.

Now think about it, you’ve got this list of prospects. Sometimes
they’re prospects, sometimes they’re suspects. What do you
actually know about them, what do you know about their needs?
What are you going to say when you get onto the phone? What is
the purpose of your call? Have you thought about some of the
objections that are going to arise because there’s only about
three or four common objections that they would come up with
each and every time?

So let’s think about planning our calls, let’s think about
setting goals and targets, knowing ratios, planning breaks and
setting mini targets. I recommend that people come in and phone
for two hours every day, and phone when energy levels are
highest. I would normally say, get in from 7.30 to 9.30. Now why
7.30? If you’re going to be phoning very busy executives, they
get into the office before the admin staff and that way you
avoid the gatekeeper and the secretaries. Many times, first
thing in the morning, you can get through to the decision maker.
You also have to set your goals and targets and break these down
into weekly and daily targets. Another thing you have to do is
know your ratios, so if you’re phoning just from a list of cold
prospects that you’ve never seen, never heard of, a hundred
other people might have used these lists, your ratios are going
to be awful. One in ten, one in twenty or one in thirty, but if
it’s a referral, it’s going to be two out of five so know what
your ratios are. It gets back to prospecting, the better the
prospect, the better your ratios on the phone.

Plan breaks as well, you know if you feel your energy lagging,
take a small break, have a cup of coffee but then get going
again, pick up that telephone and keep it next to your ear all
the time.. Then set yourself mini targets: ‘I’m going to have a
break as soon as I have my first two people saying yes.’ Set
yourself objectives. Lay out your work area. Get rid of all of
unwanted papers, switch off your email and clear your desk of
anything that could distract you. All you want on your desk is
your telephone, your diary and your list of prospects. You also
have to prepare yourself emotionally. Sit down with an erect
posture or stand, have a look at your script and psyche yourself
up so that when you get onto that phone, you are one hundred
percent enthusiastic. Know what you’re going to say and be ready
for some of the most common objections that you’re going to come
across.

Sometimes we have the fear of phoning and the only way we can
overcome those fears is to set ourselves mini targets. Now
you’ve got to have fun as well. If you’re feeling a bit down,
find somebody else in the office. Sit with them and suggest a
joint phoning session to see who’s going to get the most
appointments. Give them the phone and listen to them. Compete
with each other and have fun.

Now what you have to do is put the client into a positive state
of mind. You’ve got to script your opening but never ever sound
as if you’re working from a script. Create interest and sound
enthusiastic. Adopt a naturally enthusiastic voice, don’t be
over the top, don’t be too exuberant, speak clearly, emphasizing
your name and the company and don’t ask any insincere or silly
questions.

What we have on the other side of the phone is some person who’s
getting a cold call and in his mind they’re saying this, is this
person trying to sell me something, do I know them, do I know
their company, what’s in it for me, am I too busy to speak to
this person?

You’ve also got to genuinely appreciate the client’s concerns.
Put yourself in their shoes and try and see things from their
point of view.

You have to get commitment from every call because you know
these calls are so important. You’ve worked really hard to get
all these names, the last thing you would want to do is to lose
any of these names.

An example of a script that you can use is this. John, I am from
XYZ F and we specialise in helping ——- to plan their
———.(fill in the gaps)

We’d be happy to drop by and give you the opportunity of seeing
it and we’re going to be in your area on Friday at three or
Wednesday at two. Which would be better?

This is an excerpt taken from ‘Sales Success Strategies’ which
is available from our website.

Frank Furness CSP CFP is a professional speaker and trainer
specialising in sales and sales management. He has educated,
entertained and inspired audiences in 42 countries. His
publications and sales CDs have been sold globally. For more
information or to sign up for the free ‘Sales Tips & Ideas’
newsletter, email frank@frankfurness.com or telephone+ 44 (0)
870 240 6505. www.frankfurness.com

NOTE: You’re welcome to “reprint” this article online as long as
it remains complete and unaltered (including the “about the
author” info at the end), and you send a copy of your reprint to
frank@frankfurness.com Take a look at other articles, free
software and e-Books at http://www.frankfurness.com/ Download 39
Power Sales Closing Scripts at
http://www.frankfurness.com/closingscripts.cfm

Wouldn’t you agree that every sales job is unique? Aren’t there significant differences in products and services sold, target markets, target geographies, company cultures, lead sources, sales cycle lengths, and more? Given these many differences, how can you accurately define the parameters that will produce success in your company’s sales job?

The questions asked in this article do not identify every possible factor you should consider as you analyze your company’s sales position(s). However, reviewing these questions should spark useful thoughts concerning desirable salesperson characteristics. At minimum, if you carefully consider each question, you will become more consciously aware of key requirements than you were previously.

If you are a salesperson, you can also benefit from considering these questions, as they can help you identify target prospects and further refine your sales approach.

1. Nature of the Customer

• What are your target markets?
• Are they horizontal or vertical?

• Do you sell to consumers, corporations, schools, state and local governments, etc.?

• What level(s) in the organization do you sell to? (Purchasing, Engineering, Business Unit Manager, C-Level Executive, etc.)

Target markets drive numerous sales parameters including the typical sales cycle length, prime selling seasons, and specific knowledge or experience that may be required to earn credibility with prospects and customers. Wouldn’t you agree that selling effectively to C-level executives (CEO, CFO, CIO, etc.) and other high-ranking officials requires different attributes and skills than selling to purchasing agents?

2. Nature of the Offering

• Are your offerings complex or relatively simple?
• Are they tangible or intangible?

• Do they consist of stand-alone products or services, or bundles of products and services?

• Does your company have a small portfolio of offerings or a large portfolio of offerings?

The nature of the offering(s) will determine the most effective Sales Style (see item #5), the importance of Learning Rate to sales success, and desired prospecting and opportunity qualification approaches.

3. Sales Environment

• What kind of environment do your salespeople work in?
• Are they office-based or home based?

• Is most of their selling done over the telephone or in person?

Salespeople that work from a home office usually perform best if they are independent self-starters, whereas office- based salespeople may have the option of receiving more frequent direction and support from their sales manager.

4. Geography

• How many sales locations does your company have?
• Where are they located?

Different sales approaches are usually required to sell successfully in different locales such as downtown Manhattan (NY), Baton Rouge (LA), and Los Angeles (CA).

5. Sales Style

• Which sales styles (Consultative, Relationship, Display, Hard Closer) are most effective in your target markets?

The nature of the customer and the complexity of the offering(s) should be considered when answering this question.

6. Relationship Preference

• Is your company more concerned about:
• Finding new customers?
• Increasing account penetration and/or managing long-term relationships?

• Both?

• If both, please estimate a percentage for each.

Salespeople usually prefer one type of sales role to the other. If you truly want to accomplish both new business and account penetration sales goals, you may want to consider staffing two different sales positions.

7. Sales Cycle Length

• How often do your salespeople have opportunities to close sales?
• Several per day?
• Several per month?

• Several per year?

If a salesperson receives gratification from closing sales, he or she won’t be happy in a role that offers just a handful of opportunities per year to exercise this skill. This kind of salesperson is often better suited to selling products or services that have shorter sales cycles and higher volumes of opportunities.

8. Prospecting

• Do prospects come to your salespeople, or must your salespeople seek them out?
• If the answer is “both”, estimate a percentage for each.

If your sales position requires a lot of outbound prospecting, your salespeople will need more energy, mental toughness, and a positive attitude.

Seven additional parameters are covered in Part 2 of this article.

Copyright 2005 — Alan Rigg

Sales performance expert Alan Rigg is the author of How to Beat the 80/20 Rule in Selling: Why Most Salespeople Don’t Perform and What to Do About It. His company, 80/20 Sales Performance, helps business owners, executives, and managers DOUBLE sales by implementing The Right Formula™ for building top-performing sales teams. For more information and more FREE sales and sales management tips, visit http://www.8020salesperformance.com.

Do you know anyone whose attitude and disposition seems to drag
you down? Do you know anyone whose outlook and energy bring the
best out of you? I like to call this the Winner/Whiner model. I
like to simplify things and divide the world into two kinds of
people - Those who are Above, and those who are Below the Line.
I know what you’re thinking, and I’ll bet it’s… Huh?? Think of
those people in life who always seem to be in charge of their
destiny, and maintain a great attitude no matter what they face.
They are accountable for their actions, they are responsible,
and they can’t help but be infectious. I call these folks the
“Winners.” They might not be able to tell you whether their
success is the result of their attitude, or vice versa, but I’m
here to set the record straight. These “Above the Line” people
are much more effective when presented with adversity, and they
are almost unstoppable when things are going well. Needless to
say, Salespeople in this category make a lot of sales. Why?
Because as I’ve said so many times it’s like an echo in my head:
“When you make a sale, someone else has made a buy.” Don’t lose
sight of the importance of that relationship. If you can’t
connect with your customer, and make them like you, you’re at a
serious disadvantage. On the flip-side of the coin, are the
Whiners. These are the people I refer to as “Below the Line.”
They make excuses, they blame others, and they are in a constant
state of denial. They too, are infectious. In your personal
life, and in business, it’s easy to see what kind of people
you’d rather associate with. Your customers feel the same way.
If you can conduct yourself “Above the Line” as often as
possible, more of your prospects will be willing to enter a
business relationship with you.

You’ve met a new prospect, accurately assessed their needs and determined that you can provide the product and service she is looking for. You’ve presented your information in an engaging manner and the prospective customer appears interested. Many salespeople now make one or two very fatal mistakes that cost them the sale.

1. They don’t ask for the sale.

2. They talk the customer out of the sale.

You may scoff and think these don’t happen. After all, how can salesperson or business owner NOT ask for the sale or talk the customer out it? Let’s first address the issue of asking for the sale.

My experience has taught me that the majority of salespeople fail to ask for the sale. Instead, they wait for the customer to say, “I’ll take it.” However, in many cases, the customer doesn’t say this. She may be thinking that the machine will enhance her operation and, hopefully, drive more revenue to the bottom line. She may see that you offer something your competitors do not. She may also want to act quickly and have the equipment delivered and installed in the next few days. But she may not tell you that.

This is your responsibility! If you’ve worked through the sales process and done everything properly up to that point then you’ve earned the right to ask for the sale. Remember, the prospect expects you to ask for the sale. You ask you get. The more you ask, the more you get. If you leave the prospect’s business without asking for the sale you run the risk that a more assertive competitor will present their equipment and service, ask for, and get the sale! Then your work, effort and energy have been for nothing. I’m not suggesting you will close every sale by asking but I will guarantee that you will generate more business by consistently asking people for their business.

In the last few months I have had at least three situations where I’ve been ready to buy a product or service but the salesperson failed to ask me. One of these involved membership in a networking group and during the meeting I announced I was ready to join if someone wanted to take my money. To my surprise, no one approached and signed me up. It’s little wonder this group is not experiencing growth in its membership.

Unfortunately, many salespeople are afraid of the rejection that comes with selling. By not asking for the sale, they avoid the possibility of the customer saying no. Other salespeople are concerned they will appear pushy and risk offending the prospect. Here are a few simple statements and questions you can use to move the sale forward:

“What are the next steps?”

“What do you think about what we’ve discussed so far?”

“What would be the best day to arrange delivery and set-up?”

“Is there any reason we shouldn’t get started on the paperwork?”

The next biggest mistake salespeople make once they do ask for the sale is to talk the customer out if making the decision. A few years ago, I was considering an activity for one of my training sessions. After listening to the salesman’s presentation and seeing the product I told him I wanted one. He proceeded to say, “If you want some time to think about it, that’s okay, there’s no rush.” I again told him I wanted to purchase the activity and he responded by saying that many of his customers like to consider the purchase before making a final decision. Finally, I reached across the desk and took the activity out of his hands and said, “I’ll take this one. Here’s my card, send me a bill.” I couldn’t help but wonder how many sales opportunities this business owner missed.

If you want to increase your sales, IMMEDIATELY, remain silent once you ask for the sale. Here’s why this simple technique is so powerful.

In every sales situation, the customer or prospect has a mental checklist of conditions that must be met before they will be prepared to make a purchasing decision. Remaining silent allows them time to mentally tick off each item on that list. Talking interrupts this process and does not give the customer time to review what, if any, conditions remain unfulfilled. The longer a customer takes during this process the greater the likelihood they will make the purchase. Yet, most salespeople get so nervous during this period of silence they end up blurting out something like, “Have you been offered a better deal by someone else?”

Don’t give the customer a possible objection! Ask for the sale and remain silent until they respond, regardless how long it takes. I recall reading a story about a salesperson whose prospect took almost two minutes to say yes after being asked to make a decision. By remaining silent she closed the sale. Avoid the risk of talking your customer out of the sale by keeping quiet after you ask for the sale.

If you’re serious about building your business get serious about asking for the sale and develop the discipline to stay silent afterwards.

You are welcome to reprint or use this article providing you include the following information.

Copyright 2004, Kelley Robertson

Kelley Robertson, President of the Robertson Training Group, works with businesses to help them increase their sales and motivate their employees. He is also the author of “Stop, Ask & Listen – Proven sales techniques to turn browsers into buyers.” Visit his website at www.RobertsonTrainingGroup.com and receive a FREE copy of “100 Ways to Increase Your Sales” by subscribing to his 59-Second Tip, a free weekly e-zine.