Cold Calling Techniques (That Really Work!)
Cold calling is a very important (and necessary) element to any successful business-to-business (B2B) sales effort. Many of you already know this. But phone call downs are also a very important element in successful B2B marketing. Call campaigns are one of the best ways to qualify lists, allowing you to prioritize where you should spend your sales and marketing resources. While you can easily purchase a list based on demographics, often a phone campaign is the only way to segment that list even further based on psychographics, specific needs, and buying behaviors. Unfortunately, cold calling is an activity that while seemingly straightforward can be very frustrating for salespeople. In fact, it is an activity that just never seems to happen.
Cold Calling Techniques (That Really Work), by Stephan Schiffman, outlines the practical skills and techniques needed to help any salesperson increase their cold calling success. In this quick read, Schiffman breaks down cold calling myths and excuses, and rebuilds a philosophy that can be used successfully by any sales organization—no matter the industry!
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Cold calling is hard work. This is a fact of life. It's an uncomfortable thing to do and it takes time and practice to master. Mr. Schiffman outlines some simple practices that can help make it easier, as well as the essential information you need to keep track of your success. Some of this information is obvious—such as know your numbers, set aside the time—but it's a great reminder that most salespeople don't follow the basics, and therefore become frustrated and eventually give up. This book will remind those folks about why this information is required, while helping get them back on track.
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Scripts are important. One of the most important concepts in this book is consistency. Mr. Schiffman defines the mechanics of cold calls that work, from defining your goals to developing a script that gets your contact's attention, tells them who you are and what you do, qualifies the opportunity, and finally moves your call to the next step (in this case setting an appointment). His unique understanding of both salespeople and the prospects they're calling, allows him to communicate a very straightforward approach that quickly delivers the above information.
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"No" is not the end. No is not a dirty word, and it is something that you should get used to hearing. However, Mr. Schiffman illustrates that it doesn't mean the end of every call. He outlines the "psychology" of the word no, and offers very good advice on advancing the call past the common objections. The concept of "The Ledge" is unique to Mr. Schiffman's company, and it is something that can be used to regain footing during calls where "no" is the answer. His advice with regard to "The Ledge" can help any salesperson turn a negative response into a positive outcome.
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Commitment is a must. As with any new process, there is a period of adjustment and commitment required before it becomes a good habit. Mr. Schiffman offers excellent advice on the steps you should take and why they're important. He doesn't just throw the techniques out there, but offers anecdotes from successful sales folks who have seen results quickly.
While not every technique will work for your environment, this book can be read, absorbed—and most importantly implemented—VERY quickly! This book offers practical, straightforward advice on how to get the right results from cold calls. We would recommend this book to any sales team—especially if they are looking to motivate themselves and their sales!
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The Sales and Marketing Toolkits BUNDLED contains:
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Over 60 sales and marketing templates (DOC, XLS, PPT, and PDFs)
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Loads of "how-to" articles and examples
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8 Training sessions (MP3 audio files) for your computer or iPod
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