What can make an otherwise winning sales pro go wobbly in the
knees, croaky in the throat and flustered all over? Cold-calling, a
sales strategy wherein said salesperson calls another human who may
be cranky. So why cold-call at all? Why not stick to folks
who've at least expressed a scintilla of interest in your
product?
Bill Stinnett, a sales trainer and consultant in Wakefield,
Massachusetts, says cold-calling makes sense when salespeople are
responsible for uncovering their own leads. Stinnett, president of
Sales
Excellence Inc., a business solutions provider, adds that
instead of selling in a reactive mode, cold-calling allows reps to
unearth sales gems. "It's not easy," he says,
"but the value is shorter sales cycles, larger deal sizes and
a lot less competition."
Lack of competition is one reason Rose Mauriello is a big
proponent of the tactic. "If your competition isn't
cold-calling," the president of RRM Staffing
Solutions, a Lexington, Massachusetts, sales consulting and
staffing firm says, "you'll get to uncover a sales
opportunity first and limit the potential impact of
competitors."
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So how to beat back the fear that accompanies picking up the
phone? According to Mauriello, it's time for a game of
"what's the worst that could happen?" This exercise
helps reps sort out the kinds of responses they can expect, from
getting hung up on to becoming tongue-tied. Role-playing with reps
will aid them in sorting through every type of circumstance and
will remove cold-call clamminess. Stinnett encourages sales
managers to equip reps with a top 10 list of common questions or
objections, plus responses. "With practice, fear can be
reduced," he says.
Research and preparation can repel dialing-for-dollars demons.
Stinnett trains reps to research a company or contact person
before the call so they can have an informed conversation.
That way, the rep will be familiar with the business problems the
contact faces and can explain how the product has helped other
clients in similar situations.
Another way to allay fear is to make the call just one of the
many elements used to reach a contact. Try sending an e-mail, fax
or letter before or after a call. Stinnett says such an approach
can improve success rates. "This process produces confidence
that empowers sales pros to be more effective," he says. And
if a rep knows where prospects congregate, nothing beats a
face-to-face introduction, followed by a call.
Even with lots of upfront legwork, cold-calling is sure to be
demoralizing now and again. Mauriello suggests sales managers
encourage reps not to take rejection personally, and to take breaks
after tough calls. "Talk with a colleague or go for a short
walk," she suggests, "and then get back on the phone
again."
Stinnett agrees it's important for reps to emotionally
detach themselves from the call. The job of calling, he says,
"should be perceived as a series of actions-dialing the phone,
posing questions and proposing a prospect take action." To
assuage anxiety, reps must keep in mind that they can't control
a prospect's reaction, only how well and thoughtfully the call
is executed.
Kimberly L. McCall is president of McCall Media &
Marketing Inc. (www.marketingangel.com), a business communications
company in Durham, Maine.