3 TIPS TO CHANGE THE WAY YOU FEEL ABOUT COLD CALLING
| Category: Sales Tips | Date: 2001-03-12 |
During the first year I sold supplies by telephone, cold calling was something I dreaded.
Until I discovered how to change the way I felt about cold calling.
First, I realized it was all in my mind. In MY mind, not in my prospect’s mind. I found that when I came to the office in a terrific, cheerful mood – feeling great and full of energy – the prospects I called were receptive and even friendly.
On the other hand, on rainy Mondays. . . or Tuesdays or any other day. if I felt tired or not enthusiastic about calling, the prospects I called sounded unreceptive and unfriendly.
Then, an amazing thing happened. I put 2 and 2 together and realized it was up to ME how my prospects responded to my voice and my attitude on the telephone!
WOW!
This opened the door for some tremendous sales. And I want to share the magic formula with you.
1. Cold call when you have a really terrific monthly special - a great sale!
* * KEY POINT: Now, this is crucial: YOU must feel it is really, truly, a GREAT deal for your prospects and customers! This is the key. I will say it again because it is so important:
YOU must feel it is a really, really dynamite opportunity for the people you are calling.
Why?
Because your attitude will shine through! Your prospects will HEAR it in your voice! When YOU sound excited and happy, it will be contagious! It will transfer to your prospects (unless you are calling a really grouchy, negative person who wouldn’t sound happy even if s/he won the lottery!)
2. Cold call when you have a new product to offer.
Same advice as above: You must feel happy to be sharing this news with your prospects. YOU must really believe it’s a good thing that your company now has the ability to offer this new product or new addition to your product line. For the same reasons listed above.
CREATE BUSINESS ON A SLOW DAY
3. For a really successful day of cold calling, have a "Phone Blitz"!
What is a phone blitz?
It’s a calling contest you have with co-workers in your supply sales department. (If you are alone in your department, challenge one or two of the outside sales reps to a phone blitz – their goal can be to see how many appointments they can set.)
HOW A PHONE BLITZ WORKS
Set aside two or three hours (no more than three hours) to call prospects and customers. Ask your administrative department or receptionist to answer phones for you and take messages. Or use your voice mail to take messages. For those two or three hours, dial, dial, dial!
Keep track of sales and/or profits on a chart posted on the wall. As soon as someone makes a sale, they go up to the chart and post the sale on the chart. The challenge can be one or more of the following:
1. Who generates the most revenue during the blitz or
2. Who generates the most profit or
3. Who gets the most number of sales
Make a game of your blitz by each putting up some money a quarter or a dollar or whatever you feel you can gamble. Winner gets the pot!
Get management involved by suggesting they offer prizes for the person who makes the most number of sales and the person generating the most revenue or profit. Certificates can be given for the winner in each category: "Good for a one-hour vacation come in an hour late or leave an hour early," subject to manager’s approval. Dollar bills can be
put into prize envelopes.
WHY IT WORKS
Enthusiasm is contagious. The competitive spirit gets you pumped up and motivated. As sales are made and posted on the chart, you will be more motivated to make the next call. Cold-calling becomes fun and challenging and not dreaded because there is a good reason to make the calls:
You want to win the contest!
Phone blitzes and recognition for the winners - are a great way to MOTIVATE!
There is a direct relationship between motivation, recognition and the bottom line!
About the Author
Reprinted with permission
(Copyright, 2000, Ann Barr’s Selling Supplies.com) Reprint permission granted in part or whole when the following credit appears "Reprinted with permission from Ann Barr’s SellingSupplies.com Weekly E-Mail Sales Tips. To subscribe free, E-mail to: annbarr@sellingsupplies.com with "subscribe" in the subject line."
annbarr@sellingsupplies.com
www.sellingsupplies.com
Until I discovered how to change the way I felt about cold calling.
First, I realized it was all in my mind. In MY mind, not in my prospect’s mind. I found that when I came to the office in a terrific, cheerful mood – feeling great and full of energy – the prospects I called were receptive and even friendly.
On the other hand, on rainy Mondays. . . or Tuesdays or any other day. if I felt tired or not enthusiastic about calling, the prospects I called sounded unreceptive and unfriendly.
Then, an amazing thing happened. I put 2 and 2 together and realized it was up to ME how my prospects responded to my voice and my attitude on the telephone!
WOW!
This opened the door for some tremendous sales. And I want to share the magic formula with you.
1. Cold call when you have a really terrific monthly special - a great sale!
* * KEY POINT: Now, this is crucial: YOU must feel it is really, truly, a GREAT deal for your prospects and customers! This is the key. I will say it again because it is so important:
YOU must feel it is a really, really dynamite opportunity for the people you are calling.
Why?
Because your attitude will shine through! Your prospects will HEAR it in your voice! When YOU sound excited and happy, it will be contagious! It will transfer to your prospects (unless you are calling a really grouchy, negative person who wouldn’t sound happy even if s/he won the lottery!)
2. Cold call when you have a new product to offer.
Same advice as above: You must feel happy to be sharing this news with your prospects. YOU must really believe it’s a good thing that your company now has the ability to offer this new product or new addition to your product line. For the same reasons listed above.
CREATE BUSINESS ON A SLOW DAY
3. For a really successful day of cold calling, have a "Phone Blitz"!
What is a phone blitz?
It’s a calling contest you have with co-workers in your supply sales department. (If you are alone in your department, challenge one or two of the outside sales reps to a phone blitz – their goal can be to see how many appointments they can set.)
HOW A PHONE BLITZ WORKS
Set aside two or three hours (no more than three hours) to call prospects and customers. Ask your administrative department or receptionist to answer phones for you and take messages. Or use your voice mail to take messages. For those two or three hours, dial, dial, dial!
Keep track of sales and/or profits on a chart posted on the wall. As soon as someone makes a sale, they go up to the chart and post the sale on the chart. The challenge can be one or more of the following:
1. Who generates the most revenue during the blitz or
2. Who generates the most profit or
3. Who gets the most number of sales
Make a game of your blitz by each putting up some money a quarter or a dollar or whatever you feel you can gamble. Winner gets the pot!
Get management involved by suggesting they offer prizes for the person who makes the most number of sales and the person generating the most revenue or profit. Certificates can be given for the winner in each category: "Good for a one-hour vacation come in an hour late or leave an hour early," subject to manager’s approval. Dollar bills can be
put into prize envelopes.
WHY IT WORKS
Enthusiasm is contagious. The competitive spirit gets you pumped up and motivated. As sales are made and posted on the chart, you will be more motivated to make the next call. Cold-calling becomes fun and challenging and not dreaded because there is a good reason to make the calls:
You want to win the contest!
Phone blitzes and recognition for the winners - are a great way to MOTIVATE!
There is a direct relationship between motivation, recognition and the bottom line!
About the Author
Reprinted with permission
(Copyright, 2000, Ann Barr’s Selling Supplies.com) Reprint permission granted in part or whole when the following credit appears "Reprinted with permission from Ann Barr’s SellingSupplies.com Weekly E-Mail Sales Tips. To subscribe free, E-mail to: annbarr@sellingsupplies.com with "subscribe" in the subject line."
annbarr@sellingsupplies.com
www.sellingsupplies.com
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