7 Pre-Call Tips for Making Cold Calls

You're about to read two words that will probably make you shudder...cold calls.
Everybody hates doing them to some degree, however they are necessary part of sales and NO technology will ever replace the value of speaking to a LIVE person.

Assuming you have no hidden weaknesses or head trash that is preventing you from picking up the phone (subject of a different article), here are some practical tips for making cold calling easier:

1. USE A CRM ACT!, SalesForce, Landslide, Outlook, or even an Excel spreadsheet are invaluable when it comes to tracking your calls. USE THEM!
-Log all contact information
-What the conversation was about
-If you left a message what the message was about
-Your next step when you call again

2. SCHEDULE CALLS IN YOUR CRM
Give yourself a reminder of when you want to call these people again. Inevitably things happen and if you don't schedule a call I guaranty you will forget about that customer. Next time you look at the record you'll realize it has been several weeks since you called them. Scheduling calls also allows you to do step three...

3. USE YOUR LIST OF SCHEDULED CALLS LIKE A TO-DO LIST
You know the good feeling you get when you accomplish something? Same here. Make it a daily goal to get through all of your scheduled calls. Cross them off the list and you'll have a visual record that you accomplished something today!

4. DON'T SCHEDULE ALL COLD CALLS FOR ONE TIME OF DAYYour prospects aren't slaved to their desk, why should you be? Instead of blocking out an hour or two of solid time (lets face it you'll get bored or find some excuse not to do calls within 15 minutes), schedule 3 or four blocks of 20 minutes each at different times of the day. It's shorter. Keeps you focused. Plus someone that isn't there in the morning might be there when you call in the afternoon.

5. SET A REACHABLE CALL GOAL
Make cold calling a daily goal. Pick a number of 10 or above and make sure you hit that number every day. If you don’t have a CRM that you can use to schedule your ten daily calls, print call sheets with the numbers 1-10 or 1-20 or 1-whatever. As you call each prospect write them down on the sheet until you have the sheet filled up. As you get better at cold calling increase the goal by five prospects. When you hit that goal for a month increase it again by five prospects until your schedule won’t allow any more increases. Soon you will know (through data in your CRM) how many calls it takes you to get a meeting. Then you can set a more permanent call goal.

6. STAY FOCUSED WHEN MAKING CALLS Since you're only doing calls for short periods of time, turn off your email or extra phones. If your sales manager comes by for a "gotta minute" tell them to take a hike because you're making calls. Good mangers will realize what you're doing and will leave you alone because they know cold calls lead to new business. Jerky sales managers will take offense and be pissy toward you because you're not paying attention to them. If they don't understand the importance of what you are doing and are giving you attitude, print this blog and leave it on their desk.

***I want to note here that you shouldn't be afraid to have your manager listen to you while making calls. If your manager comes in and wants to listen and they are not a distraction, let them listen in. They can offer feedback after the call or encouragement during a call. I had a sales manager that I didn't get along with and she didn't care for me. One day I was struggling with a call and trying to get an appointment. She was listening behind me and could hear I was frustrated. She calmly patted me on the shoulder. It surprised me later that she did that, but at the time it was the encouragement I needed. I calmed down and got the appointment. Even though we didn't get along, I still to this day appreciated the little gesture she did.***

7. DO YOUR CALLS FIRST THING
I'm a big believer in doing the hardest tasks first. If cold calling is that much of a strain for you, schedule one of your calling sessions for first thing when you get into the office in the morning and first thing when you get back from lunch.
Tackle calls when you are fresh and energized.

Being organized with he steps above will help ease your mind. Instead of coming into your office in the morning and wondering where to start, you'll already have a plan in place and can hit the ground running.
These tips alone will make cold calls easier for you.

Next blog I'll give you tips on what to do when making your calls.
What has worked for you? Let me know. I'm always ready to learn new ideas.

Ev
A Heck of A Nice Guy