There’s no one sales script that you can “plug and play” that will work every time for every type of business.
But when it comes to making successful sales calls or running an outbound call center, there are certain things that can give you an edge.
Confidence, composure, and charisma – those are all great, but they’re hard to teach, especially through a short blog post like this one.
We’re talking about the things that your prospect really needs to hear from you when you pick up the phone.
If you know what to say – and by that, we really mean what points to hit on – you’ll be a step ahead in the cold calling game.
So, what does your prospect need to hear you say on a cold call? Let’s break it down.
1. Ask Their Name, Give Your Name
This one is simple, but important.
You should know the name of the decision maker you’re trying to reach – not only will this help you get past any potential gate keeper, but it will also make you sound more welcoming when you do get to the decision maker.
So do your research beforehand, and be sure to refer to your prospect by name.
Something else to pay attention to is pronunciation. Nothing adds to a prospect's inherent skepticism like the butchering of their name. Sure, mistakes happen. It's not possible to get every name right. But -- and this is especially true when you're using dialer software -- be sure to take a good look at their name as the call is connecting, instead of waiting until they've already said hello.
Naturally, your opening should include your name and where you're calling from as well - so that your prospect knows who they are speaking with.
2. Focus on What They Want, Want to Avoid, and Solutions
Understanding, and speaking to your prospect's hot buttons is a prerequisite to selling. That is, what they really want, or what they really want to avoid.
A good opener identifies this, and offers up a solution. If they believe you can help them, you've opened the door to a sale.
A weak opener would be something like:
“Hey David, it’s Sam over here at Smith Company. Are you interested in ranking your website higher in Google SERPs?”
While that's something a lot of your leads are probably interested in, this opener screams sales pitch, and offers no solution or credibility.
A more engaging opener would be something like:
“Hey David, it’s Sam over here at Smith Company. The reason I'm calling is I noticed that your Google SERP ranking for the keyword 'Lawyers in Glendale,' is toward the bottom of the first page, and I wanted to share a few ideas with you that have helped attorneys in other Arizona cities jump into the top three. Do you have a few minutes to talk?"
Notice how this opening specifically ties into a hot button. Plus, it also hints at a clear and credible benefit the prospect can get from giving you a little bit of their time.
3. Be Clear About What You're Asking For
What are you asking your prospect to do? To buy? To meet with you? To watch a demo or presentation? Not only is it important for you to know your objective before you make the call, it's important for your lead to know as well.
The goal of the call should be to define the prospect’s problem or sought after benefit as quickly as possible, as well as how you can help them address it.
This leads into your call-to-action.
It can be something as simple as, “I’d love to learn more about what you’re currently doing for SEO, and then share some strategies you're missing that are working well for our clients. Can we set aside 15 minutes for a call next week?”
Engage Prospects the Right Way
If your prospect hears these three things, the chances are high that they'll be more receptive to a conversation with you and your sales reps. That, in turn, can make them more likely to advance to the next stage of your sales cycle.
Make sure to download our eBook Outbound Sales: 10 Strategies to Close More Deals and hear even more tips on prospect engagement from five masters of outbound.
