There was a time when cold-calling numbers with nothing but enthusiasm was enough to land a sale. Those days are gone. In the current day and age, most prospects are already defensive answering a phone number they don’t recognize, let alone allowing a conversation go on more than 15 seconds with someone they don’t believe has something actually relevant to offer them. Here are a couple tips to ensure your words don’t fall on deaf ears:
1. Know Your Customer
With the advent of the borderline scary amount of information available on the internet and social media, it’s well within your capabilities to do a little research before reaching out to a prospective client. Not only that, there are a host of even more in-depth sources of information available at your fingertips. You can target your sales by demographic to a level previously unimaginable. This information is absolutely key when you’re trying to be efficient with your sales. It ensures you have a bona fide qualified prospect BEFORE you place the call. This way, you don’t have to worry about cycling through hundreds of disinterested groans and dial tones killing your motivation before you reach someone who you can close the deal with.
2. Keep Trying
It often feels easier to throw in the towel with prospects that seemed like they were only trying to be polite, or that brushed you off without a second thought. But you know these potential customers could truly benefit from your product, and you could certainly benefit from their business; so why stop there? Statistically, the likelihood of making a sale increases drastically with follow-up calls. You have the opportunity to build a rapport with the prospect, or over time share enough information that perhaps something they previously didn’t believe they’d want can grow into an enticing product or solution. It also reinforces their perception that they’re important to you as a potential customer, and they’re not just some name off a list. They’re a client you’ve researched thoroughly and are certain will gain from what you have to offer.
3. Move With a Purpose
Service speed is an overwhelmingly important factor when customers are considering recommendations for a company. How quickly you react to your customers needs or interests can easily be the difference between making a sale or missing out. This is especially true on inbound leads. We all know full well that there are many more options of readily available options to buy from than to sell to, so how quick you are on the uptake is vital.
