18 Jul Tips for Cold Calling Success (Part 2 of 2)
The following continues part 1 from earlier this week which gave us the first three tips for when it is time to make that dreaded cold call. Here are the final four tips to start you on the road to introductory-calling success.
Measure your productivity and discipline
Construct a realistic time frame in which to make your calls. Whether two hours per week or 50 calls per week, strict self-accountability will bring faster results on a more consistent basis. Imagine what a couple thousand calls per year could do for your business!
Dealing with Voice Mail
Do it sparingly! Your prospect most likely won’t call you back, and it could work against you if you leave too many messages. Remember, you’re prospect is already squeezing in 12 hours into a 9 hour day. If you don’t get your prospect “live”, either make another attempt later or ask the receptionist the best time to reach the prospect. You can leave messages sparingly, but persistence will get the prospect live!
Be exceptional at follow-up and record keeping
Effective Telephone marketing, like most facets of your business, requires discipline and precise record keeping. Take advantage of a good contact management database system. Purchase a list that outlines your target market and import it into your database. Better yet, start building your own in-house list. Maintain accurate notes, set callback alarms and follow up on the day you say you will. On many occasions, your prospect will advise you to call back next week, next month or in four months. Call them back as requested, and you will quickly be branded as a company worthy of respect and credibility!
Winning requires only one thing: Persistence
With enough phone calls, you WILL set appointments and close business. Ponder what it would mean for the growth of your business if you were able to set five new business appointments each week, and close one each week. Certainly you are not too busy for that.
