Sales calls can sometimes be intimidating, especially if you've been on the receiving end of those calls before. However, there are ways to make that first impression work in your favor and let you walk away from each call with something positive to show for it. Below are 11 tips that will help you turn those dreaded sales calls into an opportunity for growth!
Most people would be horrified to hear this number so high, but not the experts. Sales professionals actually expect it to be that low. They understand that landing a big fish takes more than just casting out a line and hoping for the best. Salespeople are always looking for ways to improve their odds of winning, which is why finding better opening lines has become such a hot topic lately.
A poor opening line can ruin your chance at success right away. Even worse, cold calling prospects day in and day out can become exhausting when you're not seeing many positive results. The good news is that with a few simple changes you can greatly improve your chances.
Even the biggest fish in the pond will tell you they don't like being harassed by sales calls back to back. The last thing they want is to give an order to someone who didn't even take the time to ask them questions or research their company. They are busy people! Most of them have an overflowing schedule full of phone calls, meetings, deadlines, etc., so treat them as such by showing some respect for their time and energy. Showing interest before making a pitch can go a long way toward getting what you want out of your next conversation.
So before jumping onto Skype or picking up the phone, take a look at some ways to open a call and get the most out of your next conversation.
Callers who try to jump right into their pitch without first introducing themselves come off as disrespectful and impersonal, which is definitely not the impression you want to leave with your contact. Even worse, those people often end up looking like annoying pests rather than valuable assets that might be able to help them improve their business in some way.
If possible, make sure you've looked over their website and social media profiles before reaching out if your goal is an appointment or demo meeting. If you haven't researched this prospect at all, you will not only come across as unprepared but also like someone who isn't interested in their needs or wants.
If there's any way to make an introduction before reaching out, do it in your sales calls! If your contact is connected in some way with the person you're trying to reach (e.g., in common via LinkedIn), then it would be beneficial for them to know that you've got another connection in common before they hear from you directly (and probably get annoyed to boot).
For example, if I was calling David Smith and had a friend of mine on the line that was connected with him too, I might say something like this: "Hi David, I hope you're doing well! I'm Evan from ABC Company.
I was hoping to connect with you today regarding the new marketing campaign your company is working on. I know we don't have a direct connection, but I was introduced by a mutual business contact and thought it would be good to chat."
Since this works in line with the previous tip, try mentioning some information about the contact your prospect provided when they scheduled the call or that was listed on their website. This just shows them that you did more than just look these people up after receiving an email from them letting you know you'd been connected/matched/invited/ etc.
For example, if my friend David Smith was the one to introduce us, I might say something like this: "I hope you don't mind me reaching out to David. You may not remember me but we were connected through my friend Evan Green. He let me know that you and your company are up for a challenge and I wanted to see if there's anything we can do to help."
People love talking about themselves and will openly share information about who they are and what they do when asked politely (even on the phone). That said, use their LinkedIn profile as a means of starting off your conversation. You'd be surprised by how many people actually check out your profile before giving you a call; those who don't will appreciate the gesture nonetheless in your sales calls.
For example, I might say something like this: "Hi Jennifer, it's Evan from ABC Company. I hope you're having a good day so far! I know we haven't talked before but I look at LinkedIn pretty regularly and see that you're running XYZ for ACME Industries. I was actually just looking into them earlier today and wanted to connect with someone about their marketing needs."
If you have information or leads on other companies in their industry or niche, mention them by name during your opening line. This shows that not only did you do some research on them prior to leaving your message, but also how easy it would be for you to help them out if they worked with your company. You will be pleasantly surprised at how often this tactic works!
For example, "Hi John, I hope you're doing well today! I see that ABC Company was recently working with XYZ Inc. on a new campaign. I know you've done some amazing work for them in the past and would love to hear if there's anything we can do to supplement what they are already doing."
Nobody wants to talk about their problems or even acknowledge that any exist, but prospects are always looking for ways to solve them so it's worth mentioning early on in the conversation (during the opening line). If you don't understand their pain points right off the bat, make a few educated guesses and ask questions to clarify.
For example, "Hi Nancy, I hope you're having a good day so far! I wanted to reach out because I noticed that there were some interesting articles on your website about challenges with promotion lead generation for new product launches. That's a pretty common problem in this industry and one we've been able to solve by working closely with XYZ Company on strategies to get them more leads at a faster rate."
Nobody likes being put on the spot or feeling uncomfortable during phone calls so it's perfectly fine (and sometimes beneficial) to start things off with some casual conversation before getting into the spiel. This is especially true if you're reaching out to someone you've never spoken with before.
For example, "Hi Nancy, I hope you're having a good day so far! I'm actually calling from my cell phone right now because I thought it would be easier than using my office line (chuckle). How are things over there at ABC Company?"
If your prospect has taken any time whatsoever to put together some online content then they most likely want people to see it! By referencing what's already on their site or blog, you'll go above and beyond just mentioning that you did some research after receiving an email from them asking for your help.
For example, "Hi Nancy, I really liked that article you put together on XYZ Company's blog yesterday! I had actually just come across the same information this morning and wanted to give you a call to let you know that we found some research that talks about how marketers are finding success with ABC Company's solutions."
As sales professionals, it can be extremely tough for us not to mention our company name or products/services during calls because it feels like we're missing an opportunity otherwise but truthfully if prospects don't want us there then nothing will make them hang up faster than bringing up topics they weren't expecting to discuss. Since nobody likes surprises, giving someone all the power to decide whether you should continue talking or not (by pretending like you don't care about becoming their provider) is actually a bold move that often works like gangbusters.
For example, "Hi Nancy, I wanted to reach out because I saw that XYZ Company was looking for ways to increase the number of calls coming through from AMA members. I think we can help with this."
If you're able to take some time at the end of your opening line to ask prospects what they're trying to accomplish and why they wanted someone from your company's industry reaching out then it will quickly become apparent if there's an opportunity or not! Not only will this give them a chance to receive some help from someone who's going, to be honest with them, but it also helps you learn a lot more about what they're actually looking for.
For example, "Hi Nancy, I hope you're having a good day so far! I'm just reaching out to see if XYZ Company is working on anything right now that could use some marketing assistance? Is that something you were hoping to discuss?"
You can learn a lot more than you think just by asking the right questions and listening carefully to what your prospect is trying to do/achieve because there's almost always some sort of pain point involved. Also, if you're not asking them how they'd like to be contacted then they might choose someone else such as their time-strapped colleague or boss so this really should go without saying but… don't assume!
Just because someone returns your call doesn't mean that they're interested in buying anything from you today (or this week, month, etc.), and rushing into the pitch without answering any of their (valid) questions will only make them question whether or not you're actually a good fit for them. No matter how badly your company wants to sell something, always remember that people buy from those they trust and who clearly understand what they need.
Get to the root of their issue before assuming that you know everything there is to know about it otherwise you might blow right by a very valuable opportunity when one presents itself to become much more than "just another vendor."
Knowing why a prospect needs what you offer is one thing but explaining exactly how this will help them overcome their pain points and achieve results is going above and beyond! So make sure you can speak confidently about what makes your business special because it's a lot easier to sell something when you're sold on it first!
If you don't have a genuine enthusiasm for the business that you represent then everything else from your tone of voice to what you say will likely sound fake as a result so always remember to smile and be as energetic as possible because people want to work with those who are passionate about what they do.
The prospect will have concerns about what you say whether they're valid or not so you'll need to be ready for this because let's face it, no one likes saying no… but you know what they do like? Solving their problem! So don't take it personally if they can't immediately say yes to purchasing your solution because there are other ways around this.
For example, if their concern is about price then offer a trial period (i.e., pay peanuts and see monkeys) or suggest using alternative resources first (i.e., use XYZ Company until we've worked together long enough that they trust me more).
It can't be said enough times that people buy from those they know, like, and trust so if you've ever had a current or former client who is willing to vouch for your work then make sure this information gets included in the conversation as soon as possible. It's much easier to win new business when it comes from a referral because not only does this give you instant credibility but also a much better chance at becoming the "only" person they do business with going forward!
Sales calls openings certainly aren't the most exciting part of any sales conversation but they're still extremely important because it's usually how you start off which ultimately decides whether or not your prospect will stick around for more. So make sure to take advantage of these examples and remember that if you don't ask the right questions then no one (not even yourself) will be able to help you figure out what they really need!
