Feeling nervous before calling a new prospective client is natural. But it is detrimental to success. A little practice and the development of a routine will help you build confidence and your business.
“Cold calling is a skill and anyone can acquire it,” says Mary Jane Copps, owner of The Phone Lady in Halifax. “Anyone can cold call but, just like playing a musical instrument, you have to prepare to do it well and then you have to practice to make it happen.”
Get rid of your cold calling jitters with this expert advice:
> Prepare an opening
Before picking up the phone, write a professional-sounding opening statement to grab your listener’s attention.
Create a short 30-second-or-less opening targeted to your listener, says Copps. Let listeners know what’s in it for them.
To avoid embarrassing gaffes or clichéd lines, create an outline or “call guide” for phone calls, says Jim Domanski, president of Teleconcepts Consulting Inc. in Ottawa.
A call guide is not a word-for-word script; it’s an outline that shows the flow of the conversation, says Domanski. You will sound more confident using a guide than if you “wing it.”
> Read aloud
Practice your cold-call opening by reading it aloud. Role-play with a colleague to refine your pitch, says Copps.
When you read it aloud, you’ll both notice any words or phrases that don’t sound right, she says. Also, listen to your tone to make sure your not making a statement sound like a question.
If you don’t have a partner, record your message on your voice mail and listen to it.
> Make a list
Plan out your calls by writing a list of prospects.
Once a week write out 25 names and phone numbers on a pad of paper, says Domanski. A simple list will keep you organized and prevent you from wasting time searching through a CRM system or other files.
Domanski suggests preparing the list on Friday or Sunday to have it ready for Monday morning.
Remember that if you’re calling people who have not given you permission to call them, you must make sure they are not on the national do not call list.
> Set a target
Calculate how many calls you’ll have to make to meet your sales target.
First, consider how much you want to make in a year and what a client is worth, says Copps. For example, if you want to make $100,000 and a client is worth $1,000, you need to bring on 100 clients.
On average, you will get a client for every 10 people you call, says Copps. So, you’ll need to contact 1,000 people to meet your target. Dividing 1,000 by 12 tells you how many people per month you need to contact and gives you tangible targets to track.
> Call in short bursts
The thought of cold calling all day often discourages advisors before they start. Instead of doing marathon sessions, set aside an hour each day to call prospects, says Domanski.
To make it even easier, put the cold call hour at the top of your to-do list.
“When you do it right off the bat it’s over with,” Domanski says, “and you’ve got the rest of your day.”
IE