"Getting Started for a Cold Call"
There's a little Girl Scout on the street carrying boxes of
different flavored cookies, timidly trying to knock on her
neighbors' doors worried that somehow she'll be booed out and
that doors would just slam shut on her face after offering her
cookies for just a few cents? Such a pitiful sight eh?
But imagine what this little girl could be feeling even before
approaching doors. Will they know that she is on official
business and would just be selling cookies for the good of
humanity? Will she be able to speak her rehearsed cookie
scripts? Will she make her first order?
Little that we know that a lot of grown ups, even professional
salesmen, experience anxiety the idea of making their own cold
call. It's so normal to feel butterflies hitting big time up and
down your belly, that just thinking of making the call (whether
personal or business) would even want to make you throw up.
But, let me give you the exact explanation of what a cold call
means. A cold call is a personal call, it can be a visit or
phone call to someone you know a little or someone whom you
really don't know. The main reason for the call is that you are
selling something for personal or official business.
Others think that a cold call is only being made to total
strangers, taken from phonebooks or referrals from other
persons. On the contrary, this cold call can be made to someone
you already know or to a prospect you're already familiar with.
It can be someone you met last month at a party or maybe a
friend introduced him to you before and you found him to be a
good prospect to sell the product. But still, contacting someone
you know breaks the ice for a moment. Try to narrow your
prospects at first where you feel comfortable, once you've
mastered the technique that's the time you can move on to a more
challenging prospects you never even thought of approaching.
The ordeal that you have to go through first is making that
personal, meaning one on one, physical appearance or
telepresence. This can make you so tense that you feel like
quitting everything. There are even cold calls that make you
feel like you will disappear in a heartbeat.
Even professionals like doctors, lawyers and professors feel the
same, which is why they depend on friends or clients' referrals
for fear of losing their dignity and good name after making an
unsuccessful cold call. One deep breath can help do the trick.
Nothing can be as uncomfortable as prospecting someone for your
cold call. The fear of being shouted at or making a fool out of
yourself, are roadblocks and keep you from selling. This can be
overcome with the right attitude together with guarded planning,
preparation and if possible - Training. Believe it or not,
salesmanship is possible for everyone.
Take these simple tips on how to Cold Call
Always be Positive
Remember that cold calling is a powerful business strategy.
First be positive with your self. Your co-workers and your
prospects you're about to make the cold call should be next to
feel positive about. There must be enthusiasm in your voice the
people can feel right away.
Prepare to be Prepared
It's not enough to know the procedure and having the right
attitude. Prepare the list of whom to be called or visited, how
the introduction should be done, learn what prospects do and the
most important part of all is that your offered product or
service should be something that could be of good use for them.
Being well prepared can turn a simple cold call into real
business.
I am what I am
Never sound too over reactive or obviously nervous on the phone
or when you shake your prospect's hand. Never try to be somebody
you are really not with an aim to getting the attention you
need. Assume that talking to your prospective customer for the
first time should be the key to a lasting relationship.
Calm Down
Anticipate that you'll be declined. That's it. It's really hard
but never take it as a personal attack on you. Don't let the
feeling of being dismissed put you down and roll you back. Be
patient and learn from your mistakes. You will reap a good
harvest if you commit yourself to being persistent. This will
also help you find a strategy that will work in the long run.
Look at each turn down as if it were the next stepping stone.
The Art of Questioning
You cannot expect someone to believe you right away and just
sign up after describing your company's objectives. You have to
ask the right questions. Ask what they do correctly and promptly
to help you use it along the conversation. A sure attention
getter when opening a conversation can be "May I ask you about
something Ms/Mr?" People want to help and this question lowers
their guard. The next question will be "Can you help me out
about this thing sir/ma'am?" This question does not ask for a
yes or no answer but would definitely give you a valuable
response that you can use all through out the interaction.
It's possible that the little Girl Scout on the street asked the
same question and left the doorway with 2 less boxes of cookies
at hand!
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