There are a number of routes to potential customers but if you truly want the fastest way to
grow your sales pipeline quickly the only answer is picking up the phone and starting new
conversations.
I know that nobody really likes cold calling, it’s the fear of rejection and we are only human.
If you have read my colleague John’s articles, he talks of how fear will make us react rather
than respond.
That survival instinct will make you freeze and it’s essential not to undertake this fantastic
means of getting customers, if you are in this react state.
So how do we overcome that fear?
Firstly, we just don’t do it enough and as a result we never get comfortable with it. You
know the cycles, lots of work on and all activities on lead generation stops. Then suddenly,
oh my God, we have no pipeline – hit the phones. And then it’s rinse and repeat. Cold
calling never gets into the comfort zone.
Now I wish I could tell you there is a magic formula to making cold calls and that if you just
say this or just do that your prospect will open you with welcome arms. But one of my
values is honesty and it won’t happen.
What you can do though is improve your chances by demonstrating your values as early in
that call as possible.
Don’t try and sell anything (you haven’t earned the right), don’t be pushy, don’t be cocky
and don’t be aggressive (unbelievably some are) and tell people what you do like you would
tell your Nana.
If my Nana asked me what my company did, I wouldn’t turn into a robot and start telling her
when we were formed, how big we are, the markets we work in, our product range, blah,
blah, blah. I’d say, in a nutshell, we help sales people become great salespeople.
Don’t second guess what you think this person wants to hear? Just be honest.
My calls are made one of two ways:
Firstly, we just don’t do it enough and as a result we never get comfortable with it. You
know the cycles, lots of work on and all activities on lead generation stops. Then suddenly,
oh my God, we have no pipeline – hit the phones. And then it’s rinse and repeat. Cold
calling never gets into the comfort zone.
1. “Peter, we work in learning and development and would love to register an interest
in doing business with you guys. What’s the best way to make that approach
without me being yet another pain in the bum?”
“What is it that you do Neil?”
“In a nutshell, we help salespeople to become great salespeople.”
And now my prospect starts to ask me questions about how, where, how. Etc.
I have demonstrated absolute honesty, I’ve been very short and sweet, simply asked for
help and I haven’t tried to second guess what I think Peter wants to hear.
2. “Peter, I help clients who typically have one of these three problems; not enough
sales, not enough activity, not enough revenue. Do any of those resonate with you?
Again, short sweet, honest and no robot mode bullshit that at this point is irrelevant.
One thing that will never change though, if we speak to enough people, we will find
somebody in the market for what it is that we have to sell.
So it is about managing the law of averages.
Improve your average by being honest and to the point, whilst demonstrating your values!