| Cold calling can be a legitimate and successful way | | | | 9. If you get through to the right contact and |
| of generating new business, if it is done correctly | | | | they sound busy or harassed ask them "is now a |
| and professionally. This article refers to 'business | | | | good time to talk?" should I call you at a later |
| to business' cold calling to generate an | | | | time? |
| appointment rather than make a sale over the | | | | 10. Make your calls from 9.30am to about 11.30am |
| phone. | | | | and then start again around 2pm and go through |
| 1. Use a friendly, conversational approach rather | | | | till 4pm. |
| than a cold, direct approach. | | | | 11. Set yourself a call target rather than a time |
| 2. Don't try and sell on the phone; you can't. You | | | | target, it makes it easier to achieve. |
| can, however, get a meeting or permission to | | | | 12. Don't leave messages; it is rare that anyone |
| send information. | | | | would call you back. |
| 3. Talk about how you can help that business or | | | | 13. Ask or appeal for help rather than just going |
| how you have helped other business. Don't try | | | | straight into a spiel. |
| and sell to them. | | | | 14. Don't be fooled into thinking that a person |
| 4. Name other clients that you are working with | | | | asking you to send information means they are |
| who are in a similar industry or who are a similar | | | | interested...they are simply trying to get you off |
| size to the company you are calling. | | | | the phone! |
| 5. Set a goal for each phone call. Would you like | | | | 15. If you send information by email make sure |
| contact information, a meeting or permission to | | | | you follow it up the next day to confirm the |
| send information. | | | | person received it. This gives you the chance to |
| 6. Write down all the possible objections that you | | | | ask them if they have any questions and gauge |
| are likely to encounter and have an answer ready | | | | their interest in meeting. |
| for them. | | | | 16. Try and do your calls in a block of time, one |
| 7. Target a particular Industry at a time so the | | | | after the other, after the other. After you have |
| script can be adapted and modified to their | | | | finished 10 calls, for example, then send out |
| current situation, challenges or problems they may | | | | information or do follow up. This saves you |
| be experiencing. | | | | reliving the 'fear' or the 'pain' of picking up the |
| 8. Always treat Assistants, Personal Assistants | | | | phone. After about 3 or 4 calls you will have |
| and Executive Assistants with respect; they have | | | | established a habit and you will be much more |
| the power to get you in or keep you out. | | | | confident. |