Goal

[Kak]

Considering that I am calling smaller, single location businesses, it will be much easier to get a manager or owner on the phone. What do yall think will be a good opening line to get them to start talking to me without the immediate resistance that forms when you are called by someone wanting to sell you something?

 

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[Milkanic]

Considering that I am calling smaller, single location businesses, it will be much easier to get a manager or owner on the phone. What do yall think will be a good opening line to get them to start talking to me without the immediate resistance that forms when you are called by someone wanting to sell you something?

Pre-approach and name dropping is key in getting peoples guard down. Something like this:

"Hi, Mr. Prospect? My name is Joe Salesguy and I'm the one who has been sitting down with all the (insert job title) in the area showing the new (product type/name). I was just talking to Mr. Name Drop over at Name Drop Company and wanted to make sure I got a chance to talk with you quick.

Now you guys just launched that exciting new product a little while ago, correct? I bet you guys are doing really well with it - it looks like a great product. Listen, I'm going to be in the area next week visiting with Name Drop Company and I'd love to stop by and take a quick tour of your place and see that exciting new product. How does 10AM tomorrow work?"

If they object at any point, say "Oh, I'm sorry, I guess you haven't heard of me yet?" and basically repeat yourself and act as if they should have heard of you and you are literally sitting down with everyone you call.

 

[Mike.B]

Pre-approach and name dropping is key in getting peoples guard down. Something like this:

"Hi, Mr. Prospect? My name is Joe Salesguy and I'm the one who has been sitting down with all the (insert job title) in the area showing the new (product type/name). I was just talking to Mr. Name Drop over at Name Drop Company and wanted to make sure I got a chance to talk with you quick.

Now you guys just launched that exciting new product a little while ago, correct? I bet you guys are doing really well with it - it looks like a great product. Listen, I'm going to be in the area next week visiting with Name Drop Company and I'd love to stop by and take a quick tour of your place and see that exciting new product. How does 10AM tomorrow work?"

If they object at any point, say "Oh, I'm sorry, I guess you haven't heard of me yet?" and basically repeat yourself and act as if they should have heard of you and you are literally sitting down with everyone you call.

As a customer there is no "what's in it for me" in this opening. Telling me who you are and who you've met with doesn't get me all warm and fuzzy. I'd be more receptive to something like) Mr. Prospect, this is Mr. Salesguy from XYZ. If I could show you a product that would cut your costs by 20% over the next year, would you give me 10 minutes of your time?

 

[Kak]

As a customer there is no "what's in it for me" in this opening. Telling me who you are and who you've met with doesn't get me all warm and fuzzy. I'd be more receptive to something like) Mr. Prospect, this is Mr. Salesguy from XYZ. If I could show you a product that would cut your costs by 20% over the next year, would you give me 10 minutes of your time?

I actually disagree. I have opened with my guarantee and it got me hung up on more than dropping names of people they know. One of my reps has been very busy and will give me a long leads list of mid 5 figure to 6 figure annual prospects that has done business with in the past. If I don't have it by next week, oh well, the yellowpages has some numbers.

All they can do is tell me no. Screw em! Every single day there are people out there looking for your product and don't have any idea who you are. This eats at me!

 

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[The-J]

I wonder if the gene that makes natural cold callers is the same one that helps people make friends easily?

That would actually make for an excellent study.

I actually think that natural salesmen are high-functioning sociopaths who know exactly what switches to turn on in order to get what they want.

All joking aside, good luck, man! I'm sending out sales letters atm. I'm learning as much as I can about cold calling before I go out and do it.

 

[JAJT]

I actually think that natural salesmen are high-functioning sociopaths who know exactly what switches to turn on in order to get what they want.

I have a friend I've known since childhood who is the best salesperson I've ever met - sell sand on a beach kind of guy. He POWERS through businesses like a freight train - going from entry-level staff to weekly strategy meetings with the VPs within weeks/months of being hired. He's able to make friends in the time it takes to ride an elevator or pay for groceries.

However, to your point - the dude is completely devoid of empathy or emotion when dealing with people. It's like he is playing a game he has figured out how to master.

He judges everyone by his own standards, is extremely demanding and refuses to let anything slide. He's the kind of guy who is almost always right (to an annoying level), but is almost always a total dick about it. This makes for a highly effective business person but a terrible human being. As a result, he has a hard time keeping the friends he so quickly makes.

 

[St.Alpine]

Quote Originally Posted by Milkanic View Post
Pre-approach and name dropping is key in getting peoples guard down. Something like this:

"Hi, Mr. Prospect? My name is Joe Salesguy and I'm the one who has been sitting down with all the (insert job title) in the area showing the new (product type/name). I was just talking to Mr. Name Drop over at Name Drop Company and wanted to make sure I got a chance to talk with you quick.

Now you guys just launched that exciting new product a little while ago, correct? I bet you guys are doing really well with it - it looks like a great product. Listen, I'm going to be in the area next week visiting with Name Drop Company and I'd love to stop by and take a quick tour of your place and see that exciting new product. How does 10AM tomorrow work?"

If they object at any point, say "Oh, I'm sorry, I guess you haven't heard of me yet?" and basically repeat yourself and act as if they should have heard of you and you are literally sitting down with everyone you call.
As a customer there is no "what's in it for me" in this opening. Telling me who you are and who you've met with doesn't get me all warm and fuzzy. I'd be more receptive to something like) Mr. Prospect, this is Mr. Salesguy from XYZ. If I could show you a product that would cut your costs by 20% over the next year, would you give me 10 minutes of your time?

Totally agree with MikeB. Name dropping (I've tested it) doesn't do squat. Everybody is selfish.
All they wanna know is "What is in it for me?" Solve their pain point
and you are in. If they can save/make more money with you, they are
more than happy to do business with you.
"If I could show you something, that would make it easier for your salesperson
presenting your products to customers AND give you more control
over your reps, would you be interested in that?
Is it OK with you, when I give you an explanation of how it works?"
These two sentences alone opened me MANY doors.

 

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[Kak]

Well it wasn't easy, I did not get the full 500. HOWEVER, I did get just over 200 calls in. This is 200 more cold calls than I would have made this week. I have about 15 new leads I am working with and I am probably looking to convert a good 4-5 of these by this time next month I have closed one of them, which does average to about 1 per day!

The point here was to show how a goal like this, even if not fully achieved, can still get you somewhere. It was an action goal not effect. I can control my actions, but I can't control the outcome.

I have learned a TON and have a lot of good suggestions for my reps. Overall this was something that I know will make my company more effective in sales.

 

[theag]

Well it wasn't easy, I did not get the full 500. HOWEVER, I did get just over 200 calls in. This is 200 more cold calls than I would have made this week. I have about 15 new leads I am working with and I am probably looking to convert a good 4-5 of these by this time next month I have closed one of them, which does average to about 1 per day!

The point here was to show how a goal like this, even if not fully achieved, can still get you somewhere. It was an action goal not effect. I can control my actions, but I can't control the outcome.

I have learned a TON and have a lot of good suggestions for my reps. Overall this was something that I know will make my company more effective in sales.

Great stuff! I think your conversion rate isn't bad at all for cold calling! Did you prepare a script or just try to "wing it"? I realized that I like the casual approach much better but its harder to measure what works and what doesnt if I change stuff in every call. I'm calling already existing leads though, not cold.

 

[Kak]

I think what helped was that everyone I called currently uses and has to use what I am selling.

 

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[theag]

I think what helped was that everyone I called currently uses and has to use what I am selling.

Yep, same thing for me. Who doesnt want to save money on the same or better product/service?

 

[Alchemy]

- Born with it (bastards).
- They learned to tweak every word and inflection over the course of a million F*cking "no"s.

Boy that's the truth. I did 100 calls a day for for 3 months back in 2005 to launch my first business. It is absolutely brutal to learn, but the more you do, the better you will get.

One thing that helped me was to ditch the "tele-marketer" pitch and just talk to the person like you have known them for a while. I can tell that JAJT has earned some stripes in this area.

Also, since you are going to be working in a freezing cold market to start, try warming it up as much as you can. You've got to be careful doing this, but try to work yourself into a referral market so you can borrow someone else's relationship. It worked for me and after my first 3 months I never made a cold call again, all referrals of referrals. I'm not entirely sure what industry you are operating in, so it may be easier said than done, but it worked for me.