Why Do Cold Calls Fail?
We know they do, but why?
1) People hate being surprised on the phone.
2) People get way too many phone calls and emails, and with the overwhelm/busyness they just don’t want to talk with people they don’t know and who don’t know them.
3) Cold callers launch into “their pitch” because they don’t have a friendlier way to start a conversation and gain permission / interest to talk.
A much better method if you want to use the phone: call in to ask for referrals. (This works with cold emails too).
You can also make great ‘cold referral’ calls without doing much research on the company beforehand; but no matter what, it’s essential to have a clear Ideal Customer Profile. You want to be “be a sniper not a machine gunner”.
Opening the Conversation
When calling ANYONE my favorite question to open a conversation: “Did I catch you at a bad time?” It’s friendly, and gives the person a chance to collect their thoughts. If they do have a few minutes, it always leads into a great chat. And if it truly is a bad time, you don’t want to talk with them at that point anyway, and ask “…when is a better time?”
What to Say Next
Think of the last time you went to a restaurant, looked at the menu, and didn’t know exactly what to order. What do you usually do?
Well, most people, in a very calm manner, ask the waiter for help: “I’m not sure what to order, what do you suggest?” is a common way to find out more about specials, or favorites.
Use the same approach when asking who you should be contacting.
Here’s an example: “I’m reaching out to see if your company’s a fit or not for what we do.” Usually, the caller will ask “Well, what do you do?” Answer the question in a friendly manner with no jargon.
You can then say something like, “I’m not sure where to begin, who to talk to to help me figure this out. I’m a little lost.” Again, think of how you request assistance when ordering food from an unfamiliar restaurant. You’re not freaked out, worried, sweaty-palmed, nervous. You are casual, calm, curious, gentle.
Be that way with the caller and they will help you.