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63% of salespeople say cold calling is what they dislike most about their jobs, while 48% of B2B salespeople fear making cold calls.
Cold calling is integral to sales but is not always a favorite activity among salespeople.
This fear can be detrimental, as a salesperson afraid of making cold calls often has trouble hitting your quotas.
However, with the best tips and techniques for cold calling, you can take over that fear and turn it into success.
This article will explore practical B2B cold-calling strategies to help you hit your quotas and achieve your sales goals.
We'll also discuss the importance of B2B prospecting and how it can improve your cold-calling efforts.
Plus, you can take home our 15 cold-calling scripts, full of tips and scripts for your cold-calling needs, to add to your arsenal.
So, let's dive in and learn how you can master the art of B2B cold calling:
What is Cold Calling? A Deep Dive Into Cold Calling
Cold calling is a sales tactic where a sales person makes unsolicited calls to potential customers who have not shown any prior interest in the company’s product or service.
Cold calling is often used in B2B (business-to-business) sales to reach decision-makers looking for new customers.
Is that something you’d be interested in doing for your company?
You’re about to dive deeply into cold calling, including its definition, differences from warm calling, effectiveness, and ethical concerns:
How is cold calling different from warm calling?
A prospect’s interest in your business highlights the difference between cold calling and warm calling.
In warm calling, the salesperson contacts a prospect who has shown some prior interest in the company’s product or service. It might be easier to engage with a prospect in warm calls since they have shown some level of interest in your company.
But don’t let this turn you away from cold calls. You can also turn them into warm calls by researching potential customers before reaching out.
This can help the sales representative to personalize the call, increasing the chances of engaging with the prospect.
Is cold calling still effective, or is it dead?
Despite the rise of new communication technologies, cold calling remains an effective sales technique.
Can you believe connecting with a buyer takes an average of 18 calls?
According to the same source, 2% of cold calls result in an appointment.
These statistics show that cold calling can effectively reach potential customers but requires persistence and patience.
Is it ethical to cold call?
For a long time, the ethical implications of cold calling became a topic of debate.
Some argue that cold calling is unethical because it can be intrusive and disrupt people’s daily lives. However, others say it is ethical and a legitimate sales technique when done correctly.
The rules and regulations for cold calling have changed over the years.
For instance, the National Do Not Call Registry in the US prevents telemarketers from making unsolicited calls to anyone who registers their phone number.
In addition, most countries have specific laws that govern cold calling, such as requiring companies to identify themselves and providing an opt-out option for individuals who do not wish to receive further calls.
Despite the rise of new communication technologies, cold calling remains an effective sales technique. However, to avoid being intrusive and disruptive, it is essential to follow ethical guidelines and regulations when conducting cold calls.
How does an effective cold call take place? Let’s go over some of the best techniques:
How to Cold Call
Cold calling is an important sales tactic that can yield excellent results if done correctly.
70% of sellers make an effort to contact buyers and schedule meetings over the phone.
High numbers are tempting, I know. However, it's crucial to approach cold calling with the right strategy to ensure success.
Here are some pointers to help you refine your cold-calling technique:
Know Your Prospects
Before making a cold call, it's important to research the company and decision-makers you're targeting. This will assist you in customizing your message and increasing your chances of success.
B2B prospecting is a popular method for identifying ideal customers. Identification of prospective clients, often known as prospects, is the beginning of the sales process. Prospecting aims to create a database of potential consumers and communicate with them regularly to turn them from potential customers into existing customers.
Having a good understanding of your target audience can help you create a more personalized and compelling message.
Create a Cold Call List
Building a cold call list can be challenging. You must identify the right companies, find the right contacts, and ensure your list is up-to-date, or else your efforts will be less effective than what you're hoping for.
Here are five tips you should take note of:
- Create your list with the use of cold call software.
There is no need to manually enter contact information because this application will automatically add fresh leads to your call list as they become available.
- Check to see if your call list is updated.
Your chances of getting a meeting approved with a specific lead are minimal unless you have any fresh updates for them. So make sure you have an updated cold calling list.
- Make sure your call list adapts to the unique requirements of your target audience.
For instance, if you're marketing to small company owners, make sure each lead's profile contains thorough information about your services.
- Make cold calls using a script that speaks to the particular requirements of your target market.
In addition to helping you avoid frequent mistakes, doing this will guarantee that you appear genuine and competent while making calls.
- In making cold calls, keep a pleasant attitude.
Ensure you keep a positive outlook during the entire chat since people respond better to joyful and upbeat people.
Use a Cold Calling Script
A cold calling script can be a valuable tool to help your salespeople stay on track and make a good impression.
We are providing you with an excellent resource for creating effective cold-calling scripts and some examples.
Download the 15 cold-calling scripts to add to your arsenal.
It's essential to strike a balance between selling and discovering. You want to provide enough information to interest the prospect but not overwhelm them.
Practice Over and Over
Like any skill, cold calling requires practice.
The more your salespeople practice, the more at ease they'll feel and the more successful their calls will be.
Klenty believes in a three-point approach to training salespeople:
- Scripting the cold call: What to say and how to say it
- Absorbing the script: Absorb the script and learn to improvise
- Becoming a maestro: Listen to call recordings + coach reps on best practices and mistakes
Attention-Grabbing Introduction
You know you only have a few seconds to capture a prospect's attention, so emphasize making sure you leave an excellent first impression.
Start your call by briefly introducing yourself and your company, then immediately move on to a question or statement that piques the prospect's interest.
Take note! Mentioning the reason behind your call will increase the success chance.
Sell Instead of Discovering
While discovery calls are important, cold calling is all about selling.
You want to provide enough information to interest the prospect but not overwhelm them.
Your success rate is 2.1 times higher when you begin with a proactive reason for your call.
Always explain why you're reaching them so your prospects can give you their time.
Provide a Summary of the Call
At the end of your call, briefly summarize your conversation. This will provide an avenue for clarification and help ensure that you and the prospect are on the same page.
Follow Up
Following up with prospects is essential to ensure success. It takes five follow-up calls after the first meeting to close 80% of sales.
If the prospect is unavailable or not interested, ask if there is a better time to call back or if they prefer communication through a different medium like email. Always follow up as promised.
Now that you know how to do cold calling, you can improve your cold calls with these tips. Remember to keep your messages personalized, practice your pitch, and follow up with prospects to ensure success.
Best Cold Calling Scripts Templates to Use in Your Next Call
Cold calling can be intimidating, but with the proper script and approach, it can be a powerful tool to generate new business.
Here are the five best cold calling scripts and templates that can help you get started:
Introduction Script
This script is a simple but effective way to start a cold call. It's essential to introduce yourself and your company clearly and concisely.
Pain Point Script
This script focuses on identifying a pain point your prospect may be experiencing and offering your services as a solution. It's important to research and tailor the pain point to the prospect's specific needs.
Referral Script
This script leverages a referral to establish credibility and build trust with your prospect. It's important to ask permission before mentioning the referral's name.
Social Proof Script
This script uses social proof to demonstrate your company's value and build credibility with your prospect. It's important to mention customers relevant to the prospect's industry or size.
Objection Handling Script
This script addresses common objections, such as lack of time, and offers more information for the prospect to review on their own time.
In addition to these scripts, here's a B2B cold calling script that you can use as a guide:
B2B Cold Calling Script
This script establishes a friendly and helpful tone while identifying the prospect's needs and offering your services as a solution. It's important to ask open-ended questions to encourage conversation and engagement.
A well-written cold calling script can help you overcome the fear and anxiety of cold calling and increase your chances of generating new business. Remember to customize your scripts for each prospect and focus on building rapport and trust.
Cold Calling Tips and Techniques to Increase Call Conversion Rate
Cold calling can be challenging for any salesperson. However, with the proper techniques, it can be an important tool for increasing conversion rates and generating leads.
Here are some valuable tips and techniques to help you succeed in cold calling:
Anticipate and Handle Sales Objections
Sales objections are a natural part of cold calls; you should prepare for them.
Some common objections include I'm not interested, I don't have the budget, or I need to think about it.
To overcome these objections, you need to anticipate them and have a response ready.
For example, if a prospect says, I'm not interested, you can respond with, I understand you may not be interested right now, but can I share some information with you that may change your mind?
Embrace the Rejections
Rejections are inevitable in cold calls; embracing them and not getting discouraged is important. Multiple rejections can lead to sales call reluctance, but nothing is too much to overcome.
Cold-calling statistics indicate that 87% of sales prospects reject cold calls because representatives do not try to understand their needs.
Rejections are opportunities to learn and improve your approach.
Personalize Your Sales Calls and Scripts
Personalizing your approach is one effective way to improve your cold calling success rate.
You can start by researching your target customer's needs and interests. This will help you create a personalized script that resonates with them.
Personalization is an effective way to establish trust with prospects, making it more likely for them to convert into customers.
Know When to Call
Timing is everything in cold calling. You need to know when the best time of day to call is and plan accordingly.
According to studies, the best times to call are between 8-9 am and 4-5 pm.
Also, don't give up after just one call.
Focus on the Right Opener
Your opener is crucial in grabbing a prospect's attention and keeping them engaged.
The best openers are ones that show you've done your research and understand their needs.
For example, I noticed your company just launched a new product, and I wanted to see if we could help you generate more leads.
Don't Be Afraid to Take Long Calls
Sales reps with a solid average cold call conversion rate tend to spend an average of five minutes and 50 seconds on the phone. But on the contrary, longer calls are often better. They allow you to build relationships with the prospect, ask more questions, and better understand their needs.
An average cold call with a follow-up lasts about 5:50 minutes, so maximize your time!
Balance Listening and Talking
When cold-calling, 42% of people value active listening the most. Research shows that the ideal balance for you as a salesperson is to talk 55% of the time and spend the rest of the time listening.
As a salesperson, it's important to balance listening and talking.
Listening more than speaking would help you understand the prospect's needs better. A good technique is to use question stacking. Ask open-ended questions to get the potential customers talking and learn more about their business.
Dial Decision-Makers Every Time
When making B2B cold calls, it's important to focus on decision-makers. They are the ones who can make the buying decisions and are more likely to convert into a customer. In fact, over 50 percent of decision-makers prefer to be contacted over the phone
Please research, find out who the decision-makers are, and target them specifically.
Ask Happy Customers for Referrals
One of the best B2B sales strategies is using referrals. Referred customers bring you a 25% higher profit margin, and customers who are referred by someone else tend to be 18% more loyal than customers acquired through other methods.
Having satisfied customers increases the chances of them recommending your business to others, so asking for referrals is important.
Referrals are golden!
Contact your satisfied customers and ask for referrals. Then, try to reach them.
Use Voicemails
Leaving a voicemail can effectively capture the prospect's attention and pique their interest in your product or service. Over 97% of sales cold calls go to voicemail, so you must leave an effective message each time highlighting the benefits of calling you back.
It's important to be concise to keep your message relevant. A sales voicemail script might help you with this.
Extra Tip: Rejections are an Opportunity. Every rejection is an opportunity.
Cold Calling Statistics to Consider in Your Sales Call Strategies
Cold calling remains a popular way for businesses to reach potential customers. However, not all cold calls are successful. Here are some Cold calling statistics to consider when crafting your cold-calling strategy:
- Only 1% of cold calls result in a meeting - (Zippia)
- Contacting a prospect takes an average of eight cold call attempts. - (Klenty)
- 44% of salespeople give up after one follow-up call - (Marketing Donut)
- Wednesday is the ideal day of the week for prospecting - (Call Hippo)
- The best time for cold calling is between 4 pm and 5 pm- (Klenty)
- 90% of buyers say they will never respond to a cold call - (MarTech)
- On average, effective cold calls last 2:36 minutes longer than failed ones. - (Gong.io)
- It is a known fact that 80% of sales need five follow-up calls after the initial meeting- (LinkedIn)
- 78% of decision-makers have scheduled an appointment or attended an event via email or cold call- (DiscoverOrg)
- After hearing objections, 54.3% of top-performing salespeople follow up with questions. - (Klenty)
- 35-50% of sales can go to the vendor who responds first- (Harvard Business Review)
- According to recent statistics, 92% of customer interactions occur over the phone - (Salesforce)
By leveraging these statistics in your cold-calling efforts, you can improve your success rate and generate more leads for your business.
Remember to personalize your outreach, follow up consistently, and consider the timing of your calls to increase your chances of success. By considering these statistics, you can improve your cold-calling strategy and increase your chances of success.
Pair Up to Go Up
Cold calling is an effective strategy for generating leads and increasing revenue. Sales reps can reach out to prospects and convert them into valuable leads by utilizing effective techniques and strategies.
As you embark on your cold calling journey, remember to personalize your outreach, be persistent but respectful, and always focus on adding value to your prospects.
Make sure to download 15 cold calling scripts to add to your arsenal, to carry tips and sample scripts to make things easier for you!
At AI bees, we offer cutting-edge AI-powered sales solutions to help you automate your sales processes, streamline your outreach efforts, and achieve your goals faster.
To learn more about how AI bees can help you optimize your cold-calling strategy, visit our website today and schedule a demo.
You can't afford to miss this opportunity to revolutionize your sales performance!
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