How To Prepare for Cold Calls When Resistance is Likely
Cold calling and networking is one of the most grueling tasks to do, you think that it is being able to just call on someone without them having a clue who you are. However, when they answer the phone they'll find out all about your company and what they want, which can make it seem like a daunting task. This article has some practical tips that can help you prepare for this difficult task.
Preparing For Cold Calls:
1. Figure Out Who You Want to Talk To.
When you begin to prepare for a cold call, you need to figure out who you want to talk to, which is hard to do when there are so many people in any given organization. You might not have enough time at all, but if you prepare yourself and make other necessary calls then that shouldn't be a problem. Try asking for names of companies the person works for or people who work next to the person. Always ask questions about the person like their title or department they work in; this will help you prepare and figure out what types of things they want or need from your company.
2. Look at Other Cold Call Calls in History.
When you're trying to figure out who you want to call on, it would be wise to look at some of the previous calls that you've made in the past. You can look at other organizations and see what they did. You can also see what mistakes people make when calling on people, which is key so that when you go in to make a call you won't make any mistakes that could cost your company sales or favor with the person on the other end of the line (which is important).
3. Know Why You Should Be Picking Up the Phone.
Before you actually pick up the phone, you need to know what the person you're calling on might need from your company. This could be something as simple as "I'd like some pens" from a person in a sales position or it could be something that requires more information like a "strategic plan." When you are contacting other people about their needs, make sure to get the main one that is most important and make sure that this is said two times so that others will pick up on it.
4. Be Prepared for Resistance.
It's always true; if they don't call back they don't call back. This means that when you call on people, you need to be prepared for some resistance. If the person doesn't want to listen to you, then they're not going to listen, even if you offer them a nice piece of cake, so don't be afraid of this and just keep trying every time. People will often give in a little because it's easier than having a fight on the phone, but over time they'll get tired of your cold calling and will call back on their own when they want something from your company (or someone else's).
5. Don't Be Afraid of Making Mistakes When Calling On Others.
When you're calling on people, you'll often make calls that don't go as planned. You might show up at the wrong place or not be prepared for what the person might say to you. Get over these fears and just start making calls; nobody is perfect and that's why we can learn from the past.
6. Prepare Your Cold Calls
When cold calling, always prepare yourself a bit before you actually call on people so that you can feel more confident in what's going to happen next. The first thing is doing your homework and asking questions about the person or organization, but also looking at their website to see if they offer something that your company could make better.
7. Don't Be Afraid to Try Out Different Methods of Calling.
When you make calls, it's important that you don't just make the same type of call every time because everyone will catch on and give you a fake response. It's alright to change your methods of calling on people just to see if anything new happens. You have nothing to lose in this case, so why not try something new? You might find something better than what you had before.8. Look for the Best Time for Calling People
If it seems like people are always busy, then look at when they're not busy, but still ready for your call. This can be easy to figure out, so try to schedule your calls when the person you're calling on is about 50% busy. This could be in the early morning or late at night, but shouldn't be during lunch or when they're getting ready for work. You'll have better results this way and will get to your intended goal much faster.9. Don't Be Afraid of Calling People Who Are Busy All the Time.
When you make calls on people who are always busy, they'll always pick up right away instead of waiting three days to think about it, which helps you out a lot. If you call them at the right time, you won't have to worry about being put on hold for hours or days and will get to the main thing in your call much faster.
10. Definitely Meet or Call On The Person You're Cold Calling On.
This is one of the most important tips when it comes to cold calling, you need to meet and talk to the person you're calling on before they even answer their phone. If they aren't expecting your call, chances are that they won't pick up right away unless something else is going on (like if they're sick), but at least a meeting can be arranged so that you can find out more about what exactly they want from your company.
11. Don't be Afraid of Getting Decided Against.
If you made some mistakes in your cold calling, don't be afraid to get decided against at all. If a person does decide against your cold call, make sure that you're not being too pushy about it, but instead just let them know that it wasn't a good time right now and ask them when they will be free. It's better to wait until the right time than to force it on a person who isn't ready or interested in what you have to say.
12. Don't Despair if Your Cold Call Doesn't Work the First Time Around.
Conclusion
There's always the possibility that your cold call may not go well and that you'll have to try again a few times before you can get them interested in what you have to say. So don't despair if it doesn't work on the first try, instead keep trying and you'll see results eventually.
13. Stop Trying to Use Cold Calls When You're Not Ready or Don't Have What You Need.
If someone says something like "I'm not ready right now" or "I don't need anything right now," then don't try to talk about cold calling, but instead ask what their current needs are or what they want to use your company for.
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