There are many types of closing involved in sales. Today, I want to focus on one of the most important ones: closing a cold call.

In my line of work, it’s not like we’re telemarketers; you can’t make money over the phone. The purpose of every phone call that a salesperson makes is to differentiate themselves from competitors and secure a meeting. Here are some basics rules to follow in order to successfully do so:

  • Tone is key: Imagine you’re asking your best friend for a few moments to talk with them; use this tone when asking the decision maker for a meeting.
  • Qualify: Don’t pitch to the people who aren’t decision makers, it’s a waste of time.
  • Questions: Ask the question, ‘will you meet with me?’ (Surprise, surprise) Comically enough, it’s the only question that matters and many are afraid to ask this, or think that there is some other phrase that works better.

One of our most successful salespeople, Nicole Prechtl, who’s been with the company a little over 3 years, currently trains new salespeople on what she likes to call, the art of cold calling. Nicole, what’s two of your best cold calling tips?

NP: In the art of cold calling, here are two essential tips to keep in mind:

  • Less is more: Don’t use 15 words where you can use 5 words; no one wants to hear a salesperson rant over the phone. In other words, get to the point.
  • Make it a conversation, not a pitch: Let the potential client tell you what they need from you rather than you trying to sell your company to them. Here’s a helpful question for a new salesperson to ask themselves: ‘Do I learn more by listening or speaking to others?’

JR: Fantastic. Spoken like a true, successful salesperson.

PhotoCredit