Tips for Successful Cold-Calling

We've never met anyone who's actually been able to improve their results by applying a sales tip or two, and we've been doing this for over 25 years. There simply are no "tricks-of-the-trade" that are going to work in cold-calling because it's not a game. It is, in fact, the highest level of sales skill there is.

But we also know that most people think that you should be able to get good information on the Web for free. So here are some FREE tips for successful cold-calling. Good luck!

• What you say in the first 15 seconds on the telephone will determine whether you get to talk with the prospect for the next three minutes. Don't say anything stupid in the first 15 seconds. (If you want to know what to say, read chapter 2 of "The Most Powerful Weapon in Your Marketing Arsenal.")
  
  
• And what you say – or, more appropriately, what you ask – during those next three minutes will determine whether you get the appointment and, eventually, the sale. (If you want to know what to ask, read pages 129 - 151.)
  
  
• Treat gatekeepers with respect. They can't say "yes," but they can say "no." (We have almost two chapters on how to deal with gatekeepers. Do you really think the solution is going to fit in a bullet point?)
  
  
• Put in at least 15 hours per week on the phones. Anything less is a waste of time. ("The Most Powerful Weapon in Your Marketing Arsenal" has a whole chapter on time management. It's that important.)
  
  
• People don't buy features. No one cares that your company is the leading provider of framastats in the Western World. People buy benefits. (Learn how to build benefits in Chapter 5.)
  
  
• Fear comes from ignorance of what's going on in your prospect's mind. If you can't read his mind, how are you going to say something that he'll want to listen to? (Learn what's going on in your prospect's mind, and lose the fear.)
  
  
• A little learning is a dangerous thing, so don't be too smart. (Find out why the more you know, the less you sell.)
  
  
• Most sales managers don't understand cold-calling, or how to do it well; but they demand that you do it. (Give your Sales Manager a copy of "The Most Powerful Weapon in Your Marketing Arsenal," and help them help you, for a change.)
  
  
• And finally: There is a script that will work for you. And once you understand what's going on in your prospect's head you can write it in about ten minutes. (Learn how to write it in Chapter 6.)

Of course, the problem with "tips for successful cold calling" is that they're always correct at a general level, but you can never apply them to your own specific situation. There are too many differences from product to product, and from company to company, and too many factors that make every situation unique. If you want to be successful, you have to understand what's going on, and you have to have the right tools. But you also have to know how to apply them to your own situation. The only way you're going to do that is by picking up "The Most Powerful Weapon in Your Marketing Arsenal."

Is it free? Regrettably, no. But failure is a lot more expensive. And that's the best tip of all.