20 Cold Calling Tips to Increase Sales Conversion in 2018
Did you know that only 1% of the cold calls that you make result in generating meaningful appointments? As per a recent report, Wednesday and Thursday remain the best days in a week to call prospects. Well, cold calling is an essential part of the sales function, but if done without following certain guidelines, then it has the potential to become a nightmare, for a company as well as for its customers.
There are teams whose sole target is to do cold calling in order to increase sales conversion. However, very few of them are well-prepared with the requisite knowledge and skills needed to get the best results. It is important that organizations have the required knowledge about cold calling techniques and tips before launching the campaign.
Improve Sales Conversion with Top 20 Cold Calling Tips
Staying updated with the latest developments in the industry is one of the best qualities of a company. To make things easy for organizations, we have listed the top cold calling tips which need to be looked into to boost sales conversions. Here are some of the best cold calling techniques for sales conversion -
Start with Researching and Rehearsing
Beginning without researching is like jumping in a pool without learning how to swim. Eventually, you will get tired and drown. Knowing your customer base and understanding your markets well as well as your clients' needs play a huge role in your success. You might find a topic which your customer will love to talk about and discuss with you, eventually helping you cross the first step towards starting a conversation for more effective relationship-building. Prepare a script for your call, and be ready with some questions that you may want to ask the prospect during the call. Be ready with some answers to the potential questions your prospect may ask you during the call.
Clarity of Goal Matters
We know that you want to understand how to convert cold calls into confirmed meetings but, let's be clear that you are not going to close a deal with cold-calling only. The best you can get out of it could be a chance to pitch about your business to a potential client. So, don't get too ahead of yourself and remember that your goal is to get your clients to give you an opportunity to meet them. The relationship between you and your customers will need time to develop and be established. The main aim of the courtship is to solve the problem and reap mutual benefits.
Well Begun is Half Done!
But at least it's half done, isn't it? A good opening line will never hurt anybody, and will, in fact, set the tone for the rest of the conversation, if at all that happens. So work towards finding that one strong opening line that'll make your life easier. The first impression might be your only impression on your prospect, hence it's important to grab their attention at the beginning.
Analyse Best Times to Call
Keep a track of all the calls you make, what time you make them and how long they last. This can have an important effect on your performance. Each and every data point is important and can give you valuable insights. For example, by analyzing the data, you may infer that calls made in the evening were more fruitful than those made in the morning.
Make Notes
Noting down every minute detail of your call - the minutes of call meeting with your prospect - does help in future interactions. Your prospect is impressed if you remember what he had asked for during the call, and deliver accordingly. These reference points that you make during a call, help you plan the actual meeting with your prospect better. A strong relationship is built by taking care of small things.
Don't Overdo It
In many situations, callers manage to get into a long conversation with a prospect. However, the key here is to not jump the gun and hard sell! You have to make sure the prospect has enough room to hear you and comprehend what you are saying, before going for the kill. If you pitch too early, you could end up losing a potential client. This demonstrates how it is always recommended not to be overly eager, and rather wait for your turn and see the results.
Focus on Prospects, Not Yourself
Instead of starting with, 'Hey, I represent XXX and we do YYY', proceed with 'Hey, we have a ZZZ proposal for you'. Nobody is interested in what you do. All that they care about is what is in it for them. Give them that, or try starting with it. People are not looking for your products or services; they are looking for solutions to their problems. The more you solve their problem, the more they will be interested in listening to you and know more about your problem-solving solutions.
What's Really in it for Them?
Do you know the answer to this yourself? If yes, then half of your job is done. Everyone wants to be on the right side of the deal and if you can convince them that they are, then you've got a deal even before it happens. Prospects are often looking for people who will look at their problems as their own, and offer solutions they really desire. Unless and until you are talking about it, nobody is going to hear you out. So, make sure you know the pain point of the person you are talking with. During the conversation, try and communicate how your product or service can address your prospect's specific pain point.
Keep it Simple
As hard as cold calling sounds, it really isn't so complicated. You don't have to go bang-bang the moment someone picks up your call. Instead, start with a greeting and keep your pitch simple, crisp, and to the point. Nobody is looking is to have a chit-chat with a stranger and especially someone who is probably going to pitch to them a product or a service. Do not over-complicate or confuse your prospect.
Be Organized
Ever thought about a scenario, where you called a suitable client and you just forgot what you wanted to ask or pitch? Could be an embarrassing situation, right? Besides, you lose a golden chance to increase your conversion percentage. Follow a simple solution - organize your thoughts and be prepared for what you are going to speak and in what context. Make sure you do not mess up the order in which you want to convey certain points or ask any follow-up questions. This will help you to come out as a more effective caller who is relevant and not wasting the time of your prospect.
To 'Follow' or to 'Go with the Flow'
One of the cold calling strategies people find confusing is to whether to follow a standard script made for you, or carry out a conversation based on the response of your prospect. While both have their merits and demerits, keep in mind that you have to be sure of what you are communicating, and at the same time respond to your prospect by clearly understanding what he or she is looking for. Bring into play your experience of past cold calling scenarios where you dealt with the questions asked by your prospects.
Practice!
Yes! This is essential to improve your success percentage. Most successful sellers didn't create magic in their first attempt. This, like every other profession, requires tremendous effort and more importantly, practice! Once you have practiced what you will be saying during the cold call, you are better equipped to handle queries, doubts, and counter questions.
Observe and Learn
There is always something that others might be doing better and more effectively. You can either observe and learn from them and save yourself some precious time or, just dive into it and fail from scratch. Which one seems more feasible? Obviously, learning from the best practices of other companies or your peers is a good idea. Why make the same mistakes that others have already done. Instead, you can learn from what went wrong for others and try not repeating it.
Playing the Volume Game
Most salespeople, who execute cold-calling tasks, often look at the number of calls that they've made in a day, week or month. They try to keep increasing this number. The more number of prospects they reach out to, the more chances they have of tasting success. Looking at the huge volume of calls as a key metric does help, especially when you aim to increase this number as you move ahead. This is a good measure to keep track of your efforts and see if you are getting the desired results or not.
Percentage Conversion Not Good?
One of the key reasons for you being behind your target could be that you're not converting the calls into valid leads. Making enough calls is one aspect, but converting some of them into leads or customers is also important. It is fine if you make fewer calls and manage to convert almost all of them, but not getting enough deals and meetings from the huge number of calls that you make just means that your efforts are going in vain. Hence, these two metrics or criteria for measuring your progress are vital for improved performance as well as to stay motivated.
Overcome Reluctance and Resistance
It has been observed that over 80% of the newbies in cold calling switch to other jobs after experiencing initial resistance from prospects. It is important to overcome the initial glitches and stay focused on getting results. This is a very important tip to keep in mind in order to be successful in sales.
Just Asking for the Right Time Works!
Making a cold call and being told that they're busy shouldn't have to be the end. Just asking 'What'd be a good time to call you back?' can give you some unexpectedly good results. Also, remember to time your call. If you are calling a prospect who has already signed a deal with your competitor, then that person is no longer a prospect. Chances are he/she will not entertain you, simply because the need has been fulfilled by your competitor. However, calling people at the right time can fetch you better conversion rates. You can leverage services such as Google Alerts or Mention to stay alert and identify opportunities to call at the right time.
Persistence is the Key
Persisting with your efforts does guarantee success in cold calling. However frustrating it may appear to be from the outside, showing persistence through calling has been known to produce better results. Remember that your goal is to get more conversions, and calling consistently can help you get there. Every failure makes you stronger in your approach and thought. If you don't succeed initially, you will definitely succeed eventually, only if you are persistent enough.
Power of Social Media
Stories sell well on social media. A small clip of someone, who had the same problem as your prospect, being benefitted by your product, isn't a secret anymore, it's a mantra everyone loves to use to influence. As per a recent report, if a person, who is also a part of a common group on LinkedIn, is on your cold calling list, then you are 70% more likely to get to speak with that person. Building a network of prospects and other professionals on online business platforms do boost your efforts significantly.
Gestures to Make your Prospect Feel Good
While it is imminent that there will be more rejections than moments of success, it's crucial that you don't forget to be nice to your prospect. You could send over a promotional item or share something of value with your prospect to make a mark in the mind of your prospect. Our outsource cold calling services outsource cold calling services help agencies leave an indelible imprint on the minds of the users. We can proudly remark that people would always sing praises about your customer service and reach out to your firm should a business opportunity present itself.
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Outsource2india has been a leading provider of cold calling services and a host of other call center services to global clients. We have been in the industry for almost two decades now, and have the required skills and experience to cater to any of the clients' needs. We have multiple delivery centers spread across the globe in different time zones which helps us to cater to clients at any time.
These cold-calling tips for sales success in 2018 will be only effective if you follow them effectively. You may need the help of a dedicated partner to achieve your sales goals. We, at Outsource2india, can fulfil all your cold calling requirements. Learn from us how to turn cold calls into confirmed meetings. If you are looking for a reliable, cost-effective, efficient, and effective cold calling service provider, then look no further. Get in touch with us today.
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