Recently I wrote about why I think phone sales cold calling still works, and the feedback has been amazing.
All of the feedback I received confirmed that cold-calling does still work when it is done right.
The biggest thing I heard regarding phone sales cold calling is simply making the time to actually do it. This is without a doubt in my mind the biggest problem people have. I feel it is bigger than the need to have good people or leads to call.
The reason I say this is simple. They call it cold-calling for a reason…it’s cold!
Please, if you’re not a fan of cold-calling, don’t stop reading. Let me share with you my firm belief that yes, cold-calling is not as effective as it used to be. I know that and so does everyone else.
Despite this fact, there still is no valid reason to give up on it all together.
Making the time and sticking to it is going to be the difference between a cold-calling process that works or and one that doesn’t work.
Far too many salespeople are quick to come up with other things they need to do in place of making cold calls.
The exact time you set aside for making cold calls is going to vary based on who you’re calling, where you’re calling and where you’re calling from. For many B2B industries, cold-calling on Mondays or Fridays is not feasible. However, for some industries it is the best time to call.
My general rule is this: The time period you set aside to make cold calls has to fit two things.
First, is it a time when the decision makers are most likely going to be available?
Second, is it a time when you’re mentally prepared?
Sometimes these two periods can conflict with one another, and if they do, then I guarantee you’re going to have a problem.
For many decision makers, the best time to reach them is between 7:15 AM and 8:30 AM. Typically they are in the office, but other people are not, and they may be more likely to answer the phone.
For some industries, especially those involving production employees or a lot of staff, the best time might very well be after 4:15 PM when production has wound down and the day is moving to a close.
The reason I share these two examples is simple: The time periods you select to use to make cold-calls may very well consist of nothing more than 45-minute or one-hour windows on a daily basis.
Your challenge then is to maximize the window by being mentally prepared to call. This means you have to be prepared. If you merely go into your daily “cold-calling window” literally cold, I guarantee your success rate will be zero.
B2B cold-calling works!
Copyright 2012, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.
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