Cold calling is an art. Calling a prospect – out of the blue in the middle of their workday – winning their attention and booking a meeting, requires both skill and determination.
SDRs & BDRs earn their living from cold calls, and the stars that do it well are truly helping their companies generate serious sales revenues.
So how can you improve your cold calling game? These seven killer tips collected from RightBound experts will help your SDRs craft the perfect call and handle common objections.
Tip #1 – You’re After a First Date, Not a Marriage
Always keep in mind that your end goal on a cold call is to book a meeting. That’s it. You’re aiming for a first date and not for a wedding (at least not yet…) No one gets married on a first date (except on reality TV shows 😊) – it’s just a chance to get to know each other better. You don’t have to be a product expert – you just need to be intriguing enough to pique the prospect’s interest and set the date.
Tip #2 – A Little Mystery Never Hurts
People are naturally attracted to mystery. Not mentioning where you’re calling from right off the bat is a good way to make your prospect curious to hear more.
For example, start with “Hi, this is Jack Winston, how are you today?” Let them wonder who it is – maybe their doctor? Or their child’s principal? You’ve added some mystery into the conversation. This will typically buy you a few more seconds where you can try to create some rapport with the prospect.
Tip #3 – Put on Your Dancing Shoes
The secret to managing a cold call is to quickly read the situation and adapt on the fly. Each person will react differently, depending on their personality and where you caught them on that particular day. Some people will immediately want to know where you’re calling from and what you want, while others will be happy to start with some polite small talk. Your need to be ready to “dance” to any tune, stay flexible and confidently steer the conversation to your end goal.
Tip #4 – Exude Confidence
Keep a confident and positive mindset. Go into the call with the mentality that this person wants to meet with you because it’s important to them, and you’re helping them solve a problem. Speak slowly and clearly, consciously smile and sit up straight during the call (yes – even without video). Your expression and posture affect your tone of voice, strengthen your pitch and work magic on the conversation.
Tip #5 – Research the Person (Not Just the Company)
Your valuable time before the cold call is better spent researching the person you’re calling than poring over the company’s website. Try to learn about their responsibilities, team structure, professional interests, and look for mutual acquaintances. This will help you fine-tune your pitch to address the pain points most relevant to their specific position. You’ll learn about the company when you have the meeting.
Tip #6 – Get to the Calendar
When suggesting a meeting, don’t ask “Do you have time next week?” Instead, suggest two dates and two times on each date, letting them choose whatever’s best for them. This makes the process much easier for your prospect. If neither date is convenient, be ready to suggest a time 2-3 weeks out. The last thing you want to do is send them an email with a few alternatives that they most likely won’t see or won’t open.
Similarly, it’s very important to get the invite out within one minute (seriously) of finishing the call – before your prospect gets bombarded by other tasks. This significantly increases the chances of getting an accept.
Tip #7 – It’s ALWAYS a Good Time
When a prospect says “Now’s not a good time” – acknowledge that by saying something like “I’ll be lightning quick” or “Give me just 30 seconds and I’ll be done.” Not only does this help ease the tension, it also shows that you understand your prospect is a busy person and that you’re being as concise as possible.
The best part is that in most cases this 30-second reprieve gives you enough leeway to deliver your regular pitch, while the prospect has the impression you’re giving them the condensed version.
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Cold calling requires a bag of tricks – no single tactic or technique is guaranteed to get you a meeting. That’s part of the game. If you want to increase your cold call win rates, these proven tips should get you off to a great start.
