Cold calling is an essential strategy for turning cold leads into warm ones, and ultimately converting them into paying customers. The trouble is cold calling is very much a learned skill. Even the most gregarious business owners may find the prospect of cold calling rather daunting, but with plenty of practice and the right strategy, it’s possible to gain confidence and develop mastery.

Best Practices for Cold Calling

While there are multiple approaches to effective cold calling, there are also several best practices that hold true across the board. Consider this your crash course in effective and strategic cold calling.

Research Your Leads

Before calling someone, take a few minutes to do some background research. Even taking the time to acknowledge the local weather, or to comment on the industry or niche in which your prospect works, can help establish rapport, making them more willing to hear you out.

Create a Script

To ensure your thoughts are well-organized and you maintain your train of thought, consider making a script for yourself. Of course, you’ll want to use it as a guide rather than reading it verbatim, as you don’t want your remarks to sound robotic, stiff, or unnatural.

Try Role Playing

Nervous about cold calling a prospect? Build confidence and gain familiarity with your sales cadence by practicing with a friend, family member, or co-worker. Simply engaging in some role play can help you feel more comfortable with your script, allowing you to actually hear how the words will sound coming out of your mouth.

Get the Timing Right

Finding the appropriate time of day is a crucial part of cold calling. You can use software to show you which times yield the best outcomes, or you can simply track your own stats, monitoring whether morning or afternoon hours seem to work best.

Make the First 10 Seconds Count

When planning your script, keep in mind that your goal is to keep the prospect on the line for as long as possible… and that you’ll generally have about 10 seconds to really hook them. Ensure that you lead with a clear and attractive value proposition, an intriguing question, or a similarly alluring opener.

Keep Your Tone Friendly and Casual

Bear in mind that your prospects may not be at the office; they could be spending time with family or enjoying a day off. Convey value to them, making it clear that it’s in their interests to continue the conversation, but also maintain a warm, amiable tone.

Ask Questions

Remember, when cold calling, you shouldn’t be the one doing all the talking! To get your prospects to open up, ask some open-ended questions about their work, their professional challenges or goals, etc.

Cold Calling is Essential for Lead Generation and Business Development

Mastering the art of cold calling is an invaluable way to invest in business growth. Alternatively, you can entrust your prospecting and lead generation to our team of experts. At Piedmont Prospecting, we’re in the business of helping small companies grow. Reach out to us to find out more about our unique approach!