Tips For Cold-Calling Success

These days, with 90% of all buying research (B2B and consumer) done on the internet, cold-calling is a huge challenge. It is hard to refute the fact that when people or companies need a product or service, they turn to Google. Though, as a sales professional, day in and day out, it is your job to find new business. Technically, if you were in sales and were not a "hunter" you would be referred to as more of an "account manager." That is my opinion and can be argued, however that is the way in which I see it. Terminology aside, there is a difference in the two roles. Back to the subject at hand:

Below, you will find some tips and some thoughts which should help you with your next cold-calling campaign.

1. Understand that you are a pain - this is the first key to effective cold-calling. Nobody likes to be cold-called, especially when they are busy working on something else. Therefore, you're only going to get through if you are pleasant. The object of the game is to make the person on the other line think of you as "human." Unless he or she does that and does that quickly, you are toast and you've lost a lead for good.

2. Sound Intelligent - this goes for all sales, however when it comes to cold-calling, you have to do this quite quickly. Many cold-callers come across as unknowledgeable (well, I don't have to say the word) and, thus gain little to no respect from the party on the receiving end. The second the targeted party does not think you are worth speaking to, they quickly run and the lead is lost for good.

3. Research, Research, Research - know the person whom you are calling, know the company, know the industry and know the competitors. The key to cold-calling is to not make it a "cold-call." There are many resources out there for a sales professional to utilize in order to research who exactly his or her target market is and the people within those respective companies. When you have this information and use it wisely, a few benefits come of it.

A. You don't get the wrong person, have them know it is a cold-call and immediately forward you to the voicemail. For a cold-caller, the voicemail is a formidable enemy.

B. You can actually introduce yourself and tell the person what you know about them, their position and respective company. This goes back to #2; when you come across as intelligent and knowledgeable, your chances for cold-calling success greatly increase.

C. You can immediately speak industry related terminology which will allow you to pass the dreaded 1 minute mark. Also, when you're speaking to the right person, you know that you don't have to go ten steps up the latter to get to a decision maker. Cold-calling the right person can greatly reduce any sales cycle.