If you work in the field of sales, then there is no need to explain what cold calling customers. It is because of this that young managers often decide to try themselves in another profession. Even for experienced colleagues, this task is often a real challenge. Hands are trembling, the voice breaks, and the displeased tone of voice on the other end of the line makes me want to hang up as soon as possible and never call anyone again.
What can be said about the effectiveness of such work? Most likely, it will be equal to zero. Today we want to talk in detail about what cold calling is and what tasks a caller faces. For them to be achieved, you must first teach the manager to work with the tool entrusted to him.
Wait to open the directory
How does this usually happen in a trading company? A new manager enters her ranks, and experienced colleagues, with a sigh of relief, pass him a directory of city companies. Instead of the required internship and adaptation, he is offered to call 100, 200, 300 people in a day and tell them something about a company about which he himself does not know anything. What is your impression on potential customers? Do they want to listen to information about your company again? Apparently, this event needs to be prepared more carefully.
What is cold calling
In fact, these are calls to strangers. Sometimes company managers are committed to regularly phoning existing customers and informing them of existing promotions. This is already a slightly different technique, which implies other mechanisms of influence, and even a different style of communication.
Cold calling is communication with strangers. Moreover, it is not always the goal to sell an opponent a product or service. It is much more important to provide information in such a way as to interest. And here lies the main reason for the lack of results. This is an incorrectly set goal and lack of proper preparation. This leads to a negative reaction of customers.
The main thing is to get to the end of the list.
This is exactly what young managers perceive the task. You need to ring the whole telephone directory, well, at least as many people as possible. Maybe someone will be interested. That is, they approach this method extremely lightly, do not try to reach out to everyone. Therefore, we first change the goal. You should interest the potential client, give him the maximum of useful information in general terms and force him to ask for “supplements”. Moreover, now you can try to neutralize all objections and doubts. It is not necessary that the customer completes the transaction by telephone. But after a week, he may remember you and call in the office to ask more details.
Is a telephone directory needed
Let's talk about the introduction of such a mechanism as cold calls. Yes, it is usually implemented simply: open an endless list of phones and start making calls. Nobody is thrilled about this. You tear people away from business and pour a stream of useless information on their heads, often without even asking if they need it. Therefore, it makes sense to first collect a customer base. That is, not only contact information, but also everything that can be found. How long has this been a company on the market, who directs it, where are they located, with whom do they collaborate. Agree, it is much easier to conduct a dialogue with a person about whom you know something, represent the sphere of his interests and can formulate a proposal that he does not want to refuse. This is much better than calling a shoe company and offering to buy bolts for the production of plastic windows.
Where to get the base
Cold calling of potential customers is practiced not only by new companies. Experienced sales specialists have their own base, but not a single company can do without continuous development. A constant influx of new customers is the key to success. Where to find them? A lot of ways, you just need to think.
- Business events, trainings or conferences are held regularly. A company representative should visit them, and not only to obtain new information. Any of the people present here can become a potential customer of your company. Moreover, it is not necessary to immediately proceed to the proposals, it is enough to take the contact information and arrange that you call.
- Word of mouth - it would seem to whom you can tell about your goods and services in everyday life? It turns out to many. It is not worth luring friends and acquaintances, but their acquaintances are a perfectly suitable audience. Therefore, tell your hairdresser about your company while you sit on a haircut, a taxi driver, a dentist. How many people go through them in one day!
- Buying a finished base is a popular service today. Through the Internet you can buy a list of phones. However, customer information is often minimal here, and many rooms may no longer be relevant.
- Search for companies through advertising. There are two ways. Look for advertising in which the company offers its services to customers and also selects new employees.
- Social networks. Attracting new customers from the Internet has long been a priority for many managers. And social networks are an ideal option. Here, a person shares his aspirations and aspirations, spreads information about his family and friends. Therefore, even individuals become convenient objects for cold calls. It is logical that if a young woman with a child is on the avatar, she hardly needs information about auto parts. A completely different matter is her dad, in each photo flaunting next to his favorite car.
Tips & Tricks
Now you have an idea where to get the base for cold calling. However, it cannot be done once and for all. While your company is operating, the base should be constantly open to new customers. In this case, the results obtained cannot be ignored. Many make a mistake. We made a number of effective cold calls, perhaps we invited a client and made a deal ... and forgot about the client. But it is the focus on long-term cooperation that adds stability to your relationship. You need to call customers regularly, regardless of the results. If he refused today, it is not a fact that the same thing will happen tomorrow.
We are preparing a speech
Do not rely on your eloquence, this is not the option when it can help out. The cold call script should be pre-compiled and rehearsed. Ideally, it is based on the implied questions of the potential client. It was you who planned the call, and the person picking up the phone knows nothing about it. And he should literally get information in 30 seconds:
- Who you are?
- What do you do?
- What do you want from him?
- How can you be helpful?
- Why are you trustworthy?
It is advisable to prepare scripts in advance, but try to use them as a cheat sheet. A strictly patterned conversation resembles a conversation with a robot. And do not forget to smile. Even on the phone, a person feels your mood.
Sample scenario
It may not suit you personally, but it will give a general structure in which direction to act. So, the manager’s work algorithm for cold calling includes ten standard elements. Let's take a closer look at each of them:
- Representation of employee and company. Explanations are superfluous.
- Identification of the interlocutor: “How can I contact you? Who in your company deals with issues ...? " If the personnel officer picked up the phone, it is useless to talk with him about procurement.
- Be sure to get permission to contact. If the person you are talking to is busy, ask when it will be convenient to call back.
- The purpose of the call is: “Since we specialize in introducing products ... for your industry.”
- Call value generation: “With equipment XX, companies I, J increased sales by X%.”
- Value proposition: “It is possible that implementation ... in your company will have a similar effect.”
- Call to action: “What do you think, if you had a similar tool, could you act more efficiently?”
- Decoy: "I can’t waste your time now, but I need only 20 minutes for a personal meeting, where I will use my examples to talk about my proposal."
- Appointment of a meeting. Parting.
Main problems
Do not forget that all this will work only if we are in the "pain point" of the client, that is, in the form of our product or service we offered his urgent problem. In fact, this is not always the case. There are only two ways to find out about a customer problem. This is to make an offer or ask a question. In the first case, you risk making a mistake, and in the second - not getting an answer. Therefore, at the stage of cold calls, it is enough to get the minimum amount of information about the interlocutor, to inform about the services, to make an offer to have a more detailed package of goods or services. Then you will have a chance for a second meeting and a more detailed conversation.
Professional Services
As you can see, the work ahead is long and difficult. Instead of training your managers and observing how they make mistakes, you can hire a specialist who has already had a similar job for a long time. Cold calling services are offered by most call centers. You give them information about the goods or services provided, as well as the primary customer base. They are looking for new potential customers and make calls. Special programs record the number of calls made and their effectiveness. As a result, you pay for services and make a profit.