Common Mistakes Made When Cold Calling Potential Customers
Being an expert salesperson takes time and practice to master the trade, particularly on the phone. You may get many theoretical doors slammed in your face, hurting your confidence. Dodging these common mistakes made when cold calling potential customers allows you to have a sound strategy before you dial.
Ask the Right Questions
A cold call must get to the point as soon as possible. Going into a scripted spiel will only fail, as most customers will tune you out or shut you down in seconds. Try an elevator pitch, assuming that the elevator is only going up a few floors. Keep it short and ask the question quickly.
Additionally, your questions should be open-ended. When someone can respond with a one-word answer, it opens the door for a quick exit. A question like, “How are things going with your current supplier?” allows them to pontificate further. If you ask, “Do you like your current supplier?” they can answer yes or no, supplying you with no further information.
Don’t Be Overbearing
Although no one likes listening to themselves speak, listening to your calls after they are over would be advantageous. A good athlete watches film to correct their errors from the previous game, and you can fix yours when you listen to your calls.
Being too aggressive is a quick way to get a hang-up, so try an alternative approach if you’re reaching dead ends. Talk to them as if they are your friend rather than a potential client. Last, don’t try and close too soon. Prospects don’t like feeling the pressure, especially from a stranger.
Learn Current Trends
We tend to buy from individuals or businesses that we trust. Therefore, if a cold caller doesn’t have the faintest idea about the product or service they are selling, that is a giant red flag. To better prepare yourself for your cold call, know the current trends and why your offer is superior compared to the rest.
Speak to the Decision-Maker
With so many rejections and unanswered calls throughout the day, it can be exciting to have someone answer the phone. However, that someone may have no say in using your business, wasting your time. Make sure you pitch to the decision-makers. Please don’t be rude to the initial contact person because they could tell their boss that you were a jerk before handing them the phone, putting you behind the eight-ball.
Use Your Ears
The gravest error a cold caller can make is simply not listening. Frequently, cold callers are so focused on getting their message through that they overlook what a prospect says. Whether a prospect poses a question or communicates their disinterest, you need to close your mouth and open your ears to listen to their concerns. Being able to answer their concerns may have more of an effect than whatever your pitch would be.
The best way to avoid these common mistakes when cold calling potential customers are to bring on Racket Reps’ outsourced cold calling services. We tailor our outsourced cold calling services to your brand and conduct the required calls to close your transactions. If you discover that your present procedures yield few results, we’ll address them and optimize your cold calling strategies.
