A guide to cold calling techniques

This article discusses the tips that sales representatives can use to conduct cold calls. Unannounced attempts to obtain contacts and possibly sell products are bound to happen in a sales person’s career and hence preparing for them is of paramount importance.

Not as cold as it seems

Salespeople often reach a stage in their work when they have to approach complete strangers and convince them to purchase products. This random, unannounced attempt at sales is cold-calling. Many malign this sales technique in the media but it is sometimes necessary for success. To carry out cold calls successfully, salespeople need to learn a few cold calling tips and adapt a mindset that helps them look beyond the rejections. Firstly, the salesperson needs to overcome fear of failure or rejection. This is usually one of the biggest barriers to success. Once they accept the fact that rejection is part of the business and that it is a necessary ingredient to finding the right customer, salespeople can proceed to do their job. Secondly, they need to accept that they will rarely nail their sale on the first call. Therefore, the best approach is to seek contacts. The salesperson should set the target of simply explaining their products to the client and getting contacts. The representative should also ensure that they get the client’s name right; This creates a very important rapport that smoothens the way for repeat sales and referrals.

Ettiquette

Thirdly, salespersons should use friendly and open language before starting their sales pitch. The client should not feel as though the sales representative is forcing them to buy a product. Therefore, the questions should always be open-ended but aimed at highlighting the possibility of a product purchase. Such an approach enables the customer to reveal information that could be helpful in nailing the sale. Closed-ended questions shorten the conversation and reduce the interaction with potential customers. Fourthly, salesperson should have complete knowledge of their product before they start a sales pitch. This will save them from the embarrassment of admitting that they do not know a few things about the product. Knowing their product well also gives them a convincing confidence that clients appreciate. At the same time, they should control their enthusiasm because this conveys desperation. Lastly, the salesperson should close the conversation in a warm and amiable manner that leaves the client open to future discussions whether they have bought the product or not. This also provides the possibility to ther sales people from the company talking to the client in case the primary salesman is not available. In conclusion, cold calling techniques rely on two important tricks: Use of the right language and asking the right questions.