Why is cold calling important?
Cold-calling provides you with an opportunity to discover what people think about your product. The data gathered during cold calling can be extremely beneficial when trying to define who the target market is. With this insight, you can modify your offering more precisely to meet their needs and adjust marketing tactics accordingly.
Converting an unqualified lead into a productive conversation is no small feat. If you’re communicating with your audience through such an interruptible channel, make sure that the appropriate tone is sent at the right person and they receive all relevant information within a short amount of time to grab their attention.
Here are a few essential things to remember before beginning your cold calling B2B SaaS journey:
Avoid this mistake when cold-calling.
Do not ever ask a prospect “Hey, is this X?” When you inquire about someone, you immediately convey who you are talking to them. Avoid making this costly mistake!
Be confident when saying, “Hey X, this is Y.” They’ll likely inform you that you are not speaking to the correct individual and there’s no need to call back.
Make the most of personalization when opening cold business-to-business calls.
Personalizing your conversation with a potential client is an effective way to grab their attention!
After all, you are not simply speaking to a business; rather, you are conversing with someone! It can be easy to forget this when trying to persuade the company into becoming your customer; however, remembering the need for personalization when making sales calls is crucial for making an effective sale.
Try using phrases like this:
“Hello (first name), I noticed you enjoyed some posts on LinkedIn about fleet management and had a quick question about it. My name is (sender’s name) from (company name). Do you have a minute?”
Include information that shows you understand their wants and needs. Doing so could create a rewarding conversation.
Be mindful of your voice tone when communicating.
- Speed: Reduce your speaking speed; speaking too quickly can make you appear unconfident.
- Jargon: Eschew the technical terms used in sales and marketing from your vocabulary; your prospect should be treated like other professionals in their field when communicating with you.
- Smile while you speak: Smiling can create an upbeat atmosphere in the room that’s sure to be noticed by those around you and sets the mood for the rest of your conversation.
- Use Pauses Between Sentences:Pausing takes some practice and effort to master. Salespeople often fill gaps with silence, but pausing allows you to be attentive to what the prospects are saying so that you can ask more pertinent questions and give them more time for answers. It also gives the prospect more space to provide additional information.
Be respectful when discussing your rivals and avoid any negative remarks.
In B2B sales, trust is paramount in order to gain buy-in on large deals. Neglecting a competitor during an initial cold call isn’t advised as it could leave the prospect feeling insecure and pushy. Avoid doing this at all costs!
Recognizing and exploiting your competitors’ advantages is typically recommended. If you haven’t yet done extensive research on this subject, take a look at this competition research template as an initial resource for that knowledge.
Awareness of one’s presentation is essential for keeping the conversation from becoming negative about competition. It should be about what makes you unique, not what they have done that makes them superior.
An effective strategy might include: “Company X is reliable. However, I believe you might be interested in what we do differently when solving (insert problem).”
Why is it essential to leave a message at the end of every call?
Send voicemails to your top-value potential customers, such as those with the perfect title or those who have opened your email multiple times, as well as those from B2B companies you wish to target.
Most people will never contact you again, and that’s perfectly acceptable! But the real value lies in brand recognition that will ensure your next contact or email stands out from the rest.
Prioritize calling those who have opened your emails (i.e., those who have opened it more than five times). Or you can use the number of clicks as a signal!
Examine individuals’ LinkedIn recommendations to discover the names they use. Sometimes a person may be listed as Alexander, yet they prefer being addressed simply as Alex.
Avoid using a professional/sales voice. Speaking too rapidly and formally can make you appear less than polished and assured. Speak clearly, casually and at a normal, relaxed speed for best results.
Are you uncertain how to pronounce a name? Check out LinkedIn first, then visit an online site such as Pronounce Names for further assistance. Additionally, listen to voicemail messages to hear how people spell their names correctly and write it down for reference.
What lessons have been learned and next steps should be taken from these experiences?
Cold calling is an effective method for reaching out to businesses you are interested in and turning them into customers. To be successful with cold calling, you must be personable and use all possible personalization to build a connection that lasts.
