As you look at the phone and get ready to make the first outbound call on the seemingly endless list in front of you, you're filled with doubt, fear, and anxiety. As you break out in a cold sweat you've just realized why they call it a cold call. But the reluctance and fear that you're feeling can be remedied if you do just follow a few simple things before you start your outbound efforts.
You control the image that you project to the world. If you are knowledgeable and prepared, you will be more confident and convey a positive self-image. Remember that prospects can benefit from your expertise and knowledge and that you are calling to offer them something useful. Here are some tips and tricks on how to make your outbound efforts more fun and successful.
The first GOLDEN RULE during your calls which applies from the very second you pick up the phone is ABS - ALWAYS BE SMILING! Whilst this may seem ridiculous you would be surprised how your mood will resonate through the phone. The person on the other end of the phone will know what mood you are in so smile and think of something funny (or fake it till you make it), people are always attracted to other people who are happy and smile.
An outbound script forms the foundation of all sales. It is important before you start calling your prospects to have an outbound script memorized. Whilst you will know your script verbatim you should find an equal need to be flexible throughout the conversation and adapt the call to suit each person you call.
The goal of any outbound call is to get the person on the other end of the line involved. The way to do this is to employ a knockout combo. If you were a boxer, you'd follow up a jab with a cross hook and an uppercut! (the good ole one-two-three knockout!). If you're a telemarketer you follow the "Yes Ladder" up with open-ended questions.
Harnessing the power of 'No' - In sales and negotiations, the traditional approach often focuses on steering the conversation towards a series of 'yes' responses. However, a more effective strategy can be to encourage potential customers to say 'no'. This approach, known as 'no-oriented questioning', not only alleviates the pressure on prospects but also opens up a more honest and productive dialogue.
All sales are a numbers game. Outbound calling is a game of attitude and numbers. If you call enough people and have a positive attitude (ABS); you have a higher probability of success. Outbound calling is also an acquired skill. You acquire it by practicing and being prepared. The only way to get better at it is to make more of them and practice, practice, practice.
Sometimes if your cold calling isn't working, no matter how much you try or how great your list is, you might need to convert your cold calls into warm calls. In a nutshell, a warm call is a cold call where the prospect has exposure to your company or what you're trying to sell.
Convert cold calls into warm calls by sending prospects an email out. This is what we call a pre-call strategy. This often helps as it allows your prospects a chance to decide if it does or doesn't interest them.
Don't you hate people that have a negative spin on everything you do? Those people with a negative attitude are exactly the kind of people that we all try to avoid. So why would it be any different to people on the phone? If you're starting your sales efforts with a negative attitude then you're already behind the eight ball. Having a positive attitude makes a huge difference to your approach and the way you come across to your prospects.
When sending a standardized follow-up email after an out-bound call, you should always try to tailor your email to each client.
If you don't then the client will ignore your email.
These are the 5 things that you should include in your follow-up email:
You should know how to jab (YES ladder), then cross hook (open-ended question), it's time to learn how to stay focused in the ring. When we talk about maintaining focus, we're really talking about controlling the conversation. When the conversation is getting a bit off track or the prospect is telling you more information than you need to know, the best way to get the conversation back on track is to ask them a question that is related to the topic to which they are likely to answer "Yes".
For example, if I'm on the phone trying to sell a training event, and the conversation started sounding like this:
At the end of the day, when all the people on your prospect list have been called and you're just about ready to throw in the towel, there's still one more task to complete. You need to remember that an outbound campaign is just like any other business campaign - it needs to show an ROI (Return on Investment). Management needs to be made aware of its success or its failures.