Four Keys to Making Your Cold Call Stress-Free
Four Keys to Making Your Cold Call Stress-Free
This is why our language and energy feels stilted. We aren’t being genuine, and we aren’t inviting the other person to tell us the truth about where they stand.
Here are four powerful reasons to relax and stop trying to force cold calls into sales:
1. When we’re carrying “forward energy momentum,” others feel pressured
Most cold calls break down the moment potential clients feel a lot of “forward energy momentum.” That’s because it brings a feeling of being pressured. Noone likes to feel even a little manipulated, and that’s what pressure is all about.
Sales pressure is a mighty saboteur that comes in all shapes, sizes, and flavors. Making any cold call with the anticipation of a sale puts the whole conversation under pressure. This doesn’t normally create good outcomes. It triggers resistance and tension.
2. Anticipation of a sale blocks the flow of normal conversation
Most of us truly believe that our product or service can help others, so we assume that anyone who fits the profile of a potential client should buy what we have to offer. Isn’t that one of the first things we learn in our sales training?
But this is a recipe for disaster when it comes to cold calling. When we make a cold call presuming someone will be interested, we’ve automatically moved into expectations. This means we’re focused on trying to “guide” the conversation into a sale. Genuine dialogue goes into the back seat, and sales pressure climbs to the front.
Move away from making any assumptions when making cold calls. After all, how much sense is it to have assumptions about someone you’ve never spoken with? How much can you possibly know about their problems, issues, needs, budget, or other key information?
If you approach your cold calls from a place of genuine interest rather than expectations, both of you will relax and the interaction will flow naturally.
3. When you explore whether you’re a “fit,” then you stop chasing invisible sales
If you’re always focused just on making the sale, then you’ll miss the signals that a prospect isn’t really going to buy from you. You find yourself chasing phantom sales and wasting a lot of energy. You can diffuse this by first determining whether you and the potential client are a good fit. Invite the other person to focus on this with you. Determine together whether a good business relationship might genuinely be possible.
When our honest objective is not to make a sale but rather discover the truth of the situation, we’re less likely to get carried away with “possibilities and potentials,” and more likely to hear the truth of what’s being said. We can disengage from people who really don’t intend to buy from us, and focus instead on potential clients who have a problem we can solve.
4. When we’re always trying to close the sale, sincere interest doesn’t have the chance to participate in the conversation
Whenever our aim is to “get the sale,” we can’t relax and let the other person move things forward. We’re high energy and full of pressure. This means our potential client is always responding or reacting, rather than initiating anything. When all you’re thinking about is leading the conversation to a "next step," you're trying to do two things at once. You're trying to have a sincere conversation while still controlling the outcome. Your potential clients can feel this conflict. They feel suspicious and react by holding back the truth of their situation. They simply don’t trust your intentions.
When you release any hidden agenda with moving your conversation toward a close, people feel that you’re focused on their needs and issues. They begin to trust you. Thus, they will share truthfully what their real needs are and whether your product is a fit for them.
When you’re not focused exclusively on making the sale, then you can close with the phrase, “Well, where do you think we should go from here?” This gives the green light for your potential clients to share clearly where they stand with you.
You’ll be amazed at how often your prospect is the one who sets the appointment.
To your success,
Four Keys to Making Your Cold Call StressFree - To learn more about this author, visit Ari Galper's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
From the traditional point of view, cold calling conversations should constantly lead towards making a sale. We’ve been given only one path to follow, and that’s getting a “yes.”
This is why our language and energy feels stilted. We aren’t being genuine, and we aren’t inviting the other person to tell us the truth about where they stand.
Here are four powerful reasons to relax and stop trying to force cold calls into sales:
1. When we’re carrying “forward energy momentum,” others feel pressured
Most cold calls break down the moment potential clients feel a lot of “forward energy momentum.” That’s because it brings a feeling of being pressured. Noone likes to feel even a little manipulated, and that’s what pressure is all about.
Sales pressure is a mighty saboteur that comes in all shapes, sizes, and flavors. Making any cold call with the anticipation of a sale puts the whole conversation under pressure. This doesn’t normally create good outcomes. It triggers resistance and tension.
2. Anticipation of a sale blocks the flow of normal conversation
Most of us truly believe that our product or service can help others, so we assume that anyone who fits the profile of a potential client should buy what we have to offer. Isn’t that one of the first things we learn in our sales training?
But this is a recipe for disaster when it comes to cold calling. When we make a cold call presuming someone will be interested, we’ve automatically moved into expectations. This means we’re focused on trying to “guide” the conversation into a sale. Genuine dialogue goes into the back seat, and sales pressure climbs to the front.
Move away from making any assumptions when making cold calls. After all, how much sense is it to have assumptions about someone you’ve never spoken with? How much can you possibly know about their problems, issues, needs, budget, or other key information?
If you approach your cold calls from a place of genuine interest rather than expectations, both of you will relax and the interaction will flow naturally.
3. When you explore whether you’re a “fit,” then you stop chasing invisible sales
If you’re always focused just on making the sale, then you’ll miss the signals that a prospect isn’t really going to buy from you. You find yourself chasing phantom sales and wasting a lot of energy. You can diffuse this by first determining whether you and the potential client are a good fit. Invite the other person to focus on this with you. Determine together whether a good business relationship might genuinely be possible.
When our honest objective is not to make a sale but rather discover the truth of the situation, we’re less likely to get carried away with “possibilities and potentials,” and more likely to hear the truth of what’s being said. We can disengage from people who really don’t intend to buy from us, and focus instead on potential clients who have a problem we can solve.
4. When we’re always trying to close the sale, sincere interest doesn’t have the chance to participate in the conversation
Whenever our aim is to “get the sale,” we can’t relax and let the other person move things forward. We’re high energy and full of pressure. This means our potential client is always responding or reacting, rather than initiating anything. When all you’re thinking about is leading the conversation to a "next step," you're trying to do two things at once. You're trying to have a sincere conversation while still controlling the outcome. Your potential clients can feel this conflict. They feel suspicious and react by holding back the truth of their situation. They simply don’t trust your intentions.
When you release any hidden agenda with moving your conversation toward a close, people feel that you’re focused on their needs and issues. They begin to trust you. Thus, they will share truthfully what their real needs are and whether your product is a fit for them.
When you’re not focused exclusively on making the sale, then you can close with the phrase, “Well, where do you think we should go from here?” This gives the green light for your potential clients to share clearly where they stand with you.
You’ll be amazed at how often your prospect is the one who sets the appointment.
To your success,
Four Keys to Making Your Cold Call StressFree - To learn more about this author, visit Ari Galper's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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Cheryl MatthynssensCheryl is a life skills coach, licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and a 20 year entrepreneur. Cheryl's dedication to achieving a life of balance led to her expanding her teaching from the simple managing of life's daily challenges to adding financial well being as well. A direct marketer with DrinkACT, she is gaining ground in the online community with her concepts of making sure business owners, entreprenuers and employees have well rounded life styles. She opened up a small affiliate site - The Balance Guide- to help others find resources for mental and emotional well being. Visit Cheryl's blog to see more of the diversity beyond business she has began offering online at www.thebalanceguide.blogspot.com - Visit Cheryl Matthynssens's Website |
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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New Cold Calling and Sales Approach - Cold calling and sales guru and EvanCarmichael.com expert Ari Galper explains how the Unlock The Game sales approach can provide you with a framework for how to create trust over the phone when you are cold calling.
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