14 cold calling tips: Because cold calling still works

Consumers don’t want to be called. Ask a person in sales and they will tell you they detest cold calling. The national Do Not Call registry has 229-plus million numbers on it. To put that into some kind of perspective, according to Statista, in 2017 there were about 126 million households in the US. Approximately 138 million people voted in the 2016 general election. Apparently a lot of people don’t want to be cold called.  Why do people do it?

Because it works.

It’s often said prospecting in general and cold calling in particular is a numbers game.  If you used the logic that the chances of success are so low that it’s a waste of time and money, then no one would play the lottery either. Yet according to Gallup, in 2016 about half of all Americans say they have played their state’s lottery.

Minimal cost, substantial payoff

Lotteries and cold calling share two characteristics:  The cost is minimal and the payoff is substantial.

If your business comes from finding new clients, you need some kind of prospecting strategy.  Cold calling is cheap and easy: You smile and dial.

Although 229-plus million numbers are on the Do No Call registry, others are not. The DNC rule was designed to protect consumers, but business-to-business calling is less regulated and many people in sales transitioned to calling business owners.  According to the Small Business Administration,  in 2010 there were 27.9 million small businesses. Over three quarters were non-employers. Calling business owners can be very similar to calling individuals.

It’s true, advances in technology provide ways to duck calls. Over the years, screeners, answering machines and voicemail provided barriers. Yet many business owners still answer their own phones. In 2008 Jack Simplot, the Idaho potato farmer who in the 1960’s was the biggest supplier of French fries to McDonalds, died. The Economist ran his obituary and noted “he often answered the phone himself and his number was never ex-directory.”

Business owners are also known for making quick decisions with the information on hand. They often work long hours and come in on weekends. In their eyes, a ringing telephone holds the opportunity for future business.

Simple advice for people who cold call

It’s easy to overthink cold calling. Hang ups can be disheartening.  Like roulette, where every spin of the wheel has approximately an even chance of coming up red or black regardless of previous spins, each cold call a person makes has the potential to be a winner.

Also, as the CBS drama NCIS tells us regularly, “Old school works.”  You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Still, there are certain do’s and don’ts that a cold caller needs to know.

Cold-calling do’s:

1. Use a script. When you use a script, you sound professional, as if someone with lots of experience put it together. You aren’t “winging it.” If you get flustered, you can get back on track.

2. Try to put them at ease. You are a good person. If you smile when calling someone, it comes across in your voice.  It’s amazing.

3. Use closed-ended questions to get the conversation moving.  Examples of such questions include “Do you feel you are saving enough for retirement?”  “Are you satisfied with your insurance coverage?”  “Do you work with an insurance professional?”

4.  Move on. You know if they are interested or not.  If not, move on. There are lots of fish in the sea.

5. Help them see they have a need. They have a need or they don’t.  People want solutions to problems.  If they don’t think they have a need, it’s difficult to convince them otherwise.

6. Realize that timing is everything. It’s the right time or it’s not. They may not have the funds right now. They might later. If possible, find out when and be in touch a few weeks before they need to make a decision what to do.

7. Draw them out.  Scripts are good, but when an opportunity presents itself, you should use your initiative.  “Tell me more” is a classic strategy.

8. Know that neither of you wants to waste time.  Many people admire a businesslike approach. Get to the point.

9. Have a modest goal.  It might be an appointment at your office. Maybe it’s mailing literature. Professionally printed material helps build credibility.  Figure out what happens next or when you will call again.

10.  Online research.  Encourage them to check you out online. They will anyway, and many industries have databases for disciplinary actions against licensed professionals.

Cold calling don’ts:

1. Don’t insist you are right. You think they have a need. They don’t. You shouldn’t argue because you won’t win this one. Move on.

2. Don’t talk too fast or too much. The “fast talking” salesmen is a stereotype. Listen much more than you speak.

3. Don’t lie or hide facts. They will find out. Nothing is really free. They can tell when you are holding information back or telling a biased story.

4, Don’t press. Going for the close and wanting money on the first call sets off alarm bells.  There are usually laws in place allowing people to back out within a few days too.

Unlike robo-calling, cold calling has the human element. People have needs and problems., but often they don’t put finding a solution top of their priority list. They often wait for a solution to come to them. That might be you.

Bryce Sanders is president of Perceptive Business Solutions Inc.  He provides HNW client acquisition training for the financial services industry.  His book, “Captivating the Wealthy Investor” can be found on Amazon.