What’s the best way to cold call?

Develop a simple cold call script. An effective cold call script keeps you on course…controlling the progress and often the outcome of your cold call.

But how to do it?  What do you say? Where to begin?
Why script your cold call: It keeps you focused and in control of the call. Make your introduction short, simple, to the point — something you can deliver in twenty seconds…without being rushed.
 Relax and be yourself.  After that, the rest is easy!
Remember, the phone is a great way to build prospect lists, increase customer loyalty and win sales.
The secret is to keep your call relaxed, almost informal tone.
A cold call script you write yourself and are comfortable using will help you accomplish this by giving you confidence and the ability to control each call.

• Say exactly who you are: The prospect you are calling is at a disadvantage. He or she does not know your name or anything about you. Prospects will refuse to speak with you unless you immediately confront these issues. State the exact reason you are calling. Make your cold call introduction specific and brief…twenty seconds or less.

• Effective cold call lead generation by phone is about information gathering. That means finding out if the person you are calling is a qualified sales prospect. Your lead generation sales script guides you into asking specific questions that properly qualify —or disqualify— each prospect.

• Picture a crowded room.[singlepic id=61 w=220 h=140 float=left]Your goal: find the folks interested in your offer. How to do it? Ask for a show of hands. There, that’s the goal of your cold call — (1) finding the right prospects;   (2) separating them from the crowd; then (3) qualifying their interest level.

• Immediately hit upon a benefit to your prospect. A benefit can be a key word or phrase. It should trigger an interest in your prospect — i.e., make your prospect want to learn more about you.

• Be provocative. Ask open ended questions that cannot be answered “yes” or “no”. Your goal is to promote interaction…and get your prospect to reveal information.

• Don’t interrupt. Let your prospect do most of the talking. Develop your cold call script using questions you want answered.

• Take “No” for an answer. The number one complaint of cold call prospects is that salespeople will not take “no” for an answer.

• Conclude your introduction with a simple “yes” or “”no” question.  How your prospect answers will indicate if they are a qualified prospect…or a prospect you want to drop. Used early in your call this simple question helps you spot good prospects from the not so good prospects.

• Qualify your prospect for future contacts. Ask them to suggest what they would like you to to —- “when do you want me to contact you again?”. Drop those prospects who will not suggest a call-back date. Your call is [singlepic id=19 w=220 h=140 float=right]designed to generate a sales lead  —- a prospect you can add to your sales funnel and recontact with a follow-up call.

• Cold Call Sales prospecting is a form of direct marketing. And building a highly targeted database is the key to any successful direct marketing campaign. Therefore, view each call as a means for fine tuning your sales prospecting database. It’s a work in progress that never ends!

Improve Your Cold Call Lead Generation

Get updates on ways  Cold Call Lead Generation can help your business grow —especially in this economy.
Also, go here for DMA 2012 response rate reports for lead generation marketing media. Plus this Advertising Age update on B2B phone marketing.
Also, if you do nothing else today click and read this:

7 New Rules for Prospecting In The Age of The Customer

Also: Harvard Business Review reports on business development Lead Prospecting By Cold Call.