Connect, don’t sell

Todd Schulberg discusses key lessons from his recent cold calling experiences:

• Tone matters: The way you speak is crucial for building rapport quickly. Focus on your tone more than the words themselves.

• Speak slowly and calmly: Have a clear objective for the call, such as determining mutual alignment and deciding if a further conversation is worthwhile.

• Aim to connect, not sell: The primary goal is to establish a connection, not to push a sale immediately.

• Know when to move on: Recognize when a prospect isn't interested or doesn't have pain points you can address. Avoid pushing too hard, as it can create negative feelings.

• Expect high dial rates: Be ready to make 8-10 calls for each successful connection. To reach 30 people in a day, you might need to dial around 300 numbers.

• Innovate caller ID solutions: Finding a way for prospects' names and businesses to appear when they return your call could be a game-changer.

• Overcome rejection fear: Once you get past the fear of rejection, cold calling can become an enjoyable challenge.
  

Getting past gatekeepers

In a LinkedIn post, Michael Pedone explains how he overcame his fear of gatekeepers in sales calls.

Here are his specific tips for salespeople:

• Start strong: Begin your call by clearly stating your name and company. This sets a professional tone and gives gatekeepers the information they need upfront.

• Use the right tone and speed: Deliver your introduction with the appropriate speed and tone to sound confident and respectful.

• Be concise: After introducing yourself, mention that you are following up with the prospect by name. Then, pause and wait for the gatekeeper's response.

• Stay silent: After your introduction, remain silent. This encourages the gatekeeper to process your request and often leads to being put through or reaching voicemail.

• Expect common questions: Be prepared for questions like "Is s/he expecting your call?" or "What's this regarding?" Have responses ready but keep them straightforward.

Cold call effectiveness

In the Sales Reinvented podcast episode 413, Joe Pici discusses effective cold calling strategies with host Paul Watts.

Here are Joe's tips:

• Preparation is key: Spend time preparing your call list and strategy each day to ensure focus and efficiency.

• Stay focused: Use 'do not disturb' settings and time blocking to eliminate distractions during calls.

• Direct approach: Start with a clear, concise script to quickly convey your purpose and engage prospects.

• Keep calls short: Aim for three-minute calls to qualify prospects and schedule follow-ups without overwhelming them with information.

• Track your progress: Use a 'focus board' to monitor metrics like calls made, meetings booked, and follow-ups completed.

• Use scripts wisely: Develop scripts for different call types, but practice them enough to sound natural.

• Handle objections later: Save detailed objection handling for meetings instead of during the initial cold call.

• Cold calling do's: Be concise, respectful, and start with a value proposition that benefits the client.

• Cold calling don'ts: Avoid talking people into meetings, excessive objection handling, and make sure to listen more than you talk.

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