Facing the fact that you may sound exceptionally awkward, be rejected by not-so-nice recipients, and possibly misrepresent your business interests can be enough to make you avoid cold calling altogether. However, the fact of the matter is that cold calling is a misunderstood process for businesses. In fact, those who are able to master the art of the unsolicited call may come to enjoy the power that comes with cold calling. In this article, we’ll cover a number of items that can make these cold calling tips as easy as can be, including
- Practice Makes Perfect
- Faking It ‘Til You Make It
- Always Be Personable
- Understand the Other Party’s Needs
Practice Makes Perfect
Understanding the unknown is the easiest way to eliminate fear. And the only way to understand the unknown is to encounter it time and time again to learn the parameters of it, ultimately accounting for all of the possible variables that may occur. In other words, practice makes perfect.
If this comes as a disappointment, you should realize that it is paradoxical to choose another path towards mastering cold calling. After all, how do you become better at something that you never do?
Basics of Making Those Cold Calls
However, there’s hope. Because you already have experience with making phone calls, conversing with individuals that you don’t know, and closing a sales meeting, you’ve already covered the rudiments of cold calling. The only difference is that when you’re talking to a person over the phone, establishing rapport takes a different type of approach. The tricky thing is, this approach occurs without body language, situational context, and other aspects of in-person communication. Instead, your voice and its intonation must align with your goals – something that takes practice.
For those that have perfected a skill, such as learning a musical instrument, the process is similar. First, you’ll want to keep the stakes low. Don’t be too ambitious starting out. Even if you only make a few phone calls with mixed results, focus on areas that need improving and celebrate your successes. Next, you’ll want to gradually up the stakes beyond your current abilities. Try different approaches in pitching callers and take note of any feedback. Remember, any attempt is success and “failures“ will further hone your abilities – either way, it’s win-win.
Embracing the Thrill of the Unexpected
As you proceed, you’ll begin to gain a sense of what cold calling really is and how exciting it really is. After all, just by using your voice and knowledge, you’re able to persuade callers to align with your business objectives; a valuable skill no matter which industry you choose to work in. Even in a matter of days, you’ll consider yourself a cold calling expert!
Faking It ‘Til You Make It
The truth is that even the most practiced individuals still feel some sort of anxiety when calling an individual they don’t know. In order to increase your success rate, you must demonstrate confidence, even if you feel the opposite. However, there’s a simple psychological hack: Faking confidence turns into real confidence. In fact, there’s relatively no difference between believing that you are a competent cold caller than actually being a competent cold caller. When the truth of this sets in, you’ll see that “faking it” is actually just stretching your abilities beyond your current perception of yourself.
Always Be Personable
If there’s one tip that you take away from cold calling, it is that maintaining a personable and enthusiastic demeanor over the phone is paramount to ensuring success. Under no circumstances should you ever be mean or forceful, as negative emotions instantly turn off most callers that will take their business elsewhere. Having a cheery voice and even smiling during the conversation will boost your success rate. It also helps to give the other party the benefit of the doubt – as long as they’re on the phone, you can help brighten the day of even the grouchiest of customers, just by empathizing with their stress and struggles. Powerful cold calling tips!
Understand the Other Party’s Needs
Similar to always being personable, accommodating what the party your calling actually needs is pivotal to your success in cold calling. No matter how much you may try, selling something that someone doesn’t want or need are fruitless endeavors. Instead, you want to align what your company is selling with the needs of the caller. For instance, you may be dealing with a stressed out mother that doesn’t have time to hear the endless features of your product; instead, you want to show how it solves her problems and makes her life easier. Keeping this in mind will raise your success rate and provide real satisfaction when it comes to cold calling.