Cold Calling Success Made Easy - Part 1

by Elliott Smith, co-author of Highway to Success

Getting on the phone and calling someone out of the blue is probably the biggest fear faced by most every business person seeking new clients. There’s something uncomfortable about the whole process. This fear then becomes an obstacle to your success. The first time I did it, I felt like I was intruding and I was bothering people. Part of the reason I felt this way is because I know it bothers me when sales people call me at home. I get so tired of phone salesmen that I hang up on them. I imagine the frustration and rejection they must feel and I don’t want to have to go through the same thing with my business.

This is where we have to make some distinctions. There is a difference between calling a stranger personally and calling a business on business terms. There is also a difference between calling someone out of the blue and calling someone based on a referral. The approach you take to your cold calls have to reflect your motive for calling.

Ever wonder why they call it a cold call?

It’s not because of the frosty reception you get from certain people. It’s called a cold call because when you make one, you break the ice with someone.

More properly defined, the cold call is a first communication made with either an individual or a company, in which you’ve had no relation, in order to solicit your services. The cold call is a proactive communication (that is you call other people) as opposed to reactive communications (where people call you). Either way, if you are dealing with a client for the first time, you should treat both the cold call and the incoming call in similar fashions with respect to the information you convey. Only your approach will be different. For the moment, let’s focus on the cold call. You can then adapt your sales pitch to reflect incoming calls.

Some businesses that make cold calls are usually trying to sell a product or service on the spot. Other calls are designed mainly to inform prospects of their services with the objective of having a follow-up call or meeting in the future to close the sale at that time. This type of cold call is therefore a little warmer and can be called a warm call, but that could lead to confusion. The industry still uses the term “Cold Call”.

There is a difference...

Making a cold call to an individual is different from contacting a business. Whereas businesses are used to dealing with other companies soliciting their products or services, an individual is not used to such things at home. Furthermore, an individual rarely welcomes such calls at home.

If you are making a cold call to an individual, you should have a reason for calling them beyond just looking up names in a phone book. You should have a link to them somehow. Your link is usually a referral. Imagine the following conversation openers:

1. “Hi, My name is Elliott and I’m calling just to let you know about an amazing opportunity…”
2. “Hi, My name is Elliott. Your name was given to me by John Smith. John thought you might be interested in…”

While both openers are sales pitches, the second opener gives the client and yourself a mutual point of reference. A client may be turned off by a straight sales pitch whereas a reference to a common acquaintance can incite them to listen further. By listing your common acquaintance, you are establishing an indirect relationship with the client.

If the prospective client inquires about the common acquaintance, take the time to chat with them. The more you reveal a personal side to the relationship, the more accessible you become to your client. You become a friend by association.

It's really a normal thing to do...

Cold calling a business is a common practice. Company receptionists are quite used to these calls and are generally very helpful in directing your call to the proper contacts. This courtesy stems from the fact that businesses need each other to keep operating. Companies all over the world are continuously calling each other in the hopes of selling their products or services to each other. It’s an accepted and expected way of doing business.

On occasion, you may come across a business that has a no solicitation policy. Please respect these policies and take that name off of your phone list. You may follow-up a solicitation by mail, but stay off of the phone until they contact you.

Try to be like Sherlock Holmes...

Whenever you are contacting a company, you have to know who to talk to. There is no point in doing your sales pitch to someone only to find out they are not the person responsible for using your services. When you find out you’re dealing with an assistant who has to run your idea by the big boss, you may be tempted to bypass them and go straight to the boss. This is a bad idea. First, the reason the boss has an assistant is because he’s a busy person and you really shouldn’t disturb him at this point. Second, the assistant usually holds the boss’ ear. Winning the assistant over means having an ally in winning the boss over. Third, bypassing the assistant may ruffle some feathers. Once again the assistant has the boss’ ear. By alienating the assistant, you will most likely find you have alienated the boss as well. Fourth, a business is used to dealing with its internal hierarchy. By upsetting this structure, you are essentially telling the business you disagree with their protocols. Disagreeing with a business is not a good way to gain a client.

To find out who your contact should be, simply call the company and talk to the receptionist. You don’t have to do a whole sales pitch at this point. Simply tell the receptionist who you are and what you do. Get a complete name and phone number with extension as well as their position. Be sure to remain courteous and very friendly with the receptionist as they are your sole source of information on the business contacts available.

Elliott Smith is a professional magician, entrepreneur, corporate speaker and acclaimed co-author of Highway to Success

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