8 Tips for Cold Calling Success

Copyright (c) 2009 Gavin Ingham

Following on from the positive responses to my previous article, 7 tips for confident cold calling, I thought that I would continue with 8 more of my 23 tips for confident cold calling...

Tip 8 Don't put the phone down between calls.

Putting the phone down between calls can slow you down and impede your motivation. Keep the energy going by keeping the phone in your hand once you start your cold calling sessions.

Many salespeople and business people stop and go during sessions on the phone. Much like jogging down a busy street, this constant chopping and changing is tiring and drains your positive momentum. Each time you stop you need to get your motivation back to get going again, so it is far better to get motivated, get going and keep going.

Tip 9 Wear a headset if at all possible.

Wireless ones are the best. Holding the phone to your ear can impede your movement and impact your ability to communicate naturally. By using a headset you allow yourself more freedom of movement. The more freedom of movement you have, the more you can express yourself.

Many people I work with object to using a headset at first for a variety of reasons. They will often try it for a day or two and then say that it does not work for them.

As with anything new, using a headset for the first time may feel a little strange and could take you a little while to get used to. Once you have pushed through this discomfort however you will reap the benefits of a more natural posture and more freedom of movement and expression.

Tip 10 Sit up, or better still, stand up, when on the phone.

This is a particularly useful tactic at the start of cold calling sessions or when you are feeling your enthusiasm beginning to cool off. Sitting up or standing up will inject much needed energy and vitality into your cold calls.

Sales managers of old used to understand this and make salespeople stand up until they had made their first appointment or their first sale of the day.

Few sales managers would make their teams stand today (and would probably get far too many threats and moans if they did!) but that does not mean that it isn't great advice. Your sales manager may not tell you to stand up but you can make the decision to do so yourself...

After all, it is you who will reap the benefits.

Tip 11 Keep your head up and breathe naturally.

Maintain the correct physiology by keeping your head up and breathing naturally. This helps to improve your focus, your attention and your motivation.

Your physiology plays a large part in how you feel internally. If you have a positive and upbeat physiology then it is hard not to feel motivated and up for it. Ask yourself, "How would I sit if I was totally motivated and confident?" and then sit that way!

Tip 12 Be well prepared.

Being well prepared not only enables you to make more targeted and more professional calls but it also increases your confidence because it helps you to know that you are going to make a great call.

The vast majority of cold calls are poorly prepared and poorly researched. I cannot count the number of salespeople who ring me as a decision maker and who have clearly no idea what they are going to say and how they are going to say it.

Stand out from the crowd and differentiate your call by preparing effectively and structuring a call that is of genuine interest to your prospect.

Tip 13 Learn from your mistakes.

Everyone makes mistakes. The real question is not whether you make any mistakes but whether you learn from them or not.

Life is all about mistakes and how you deal with them. Many people make mistakes when cold calling, get rejected and then do their level best to avoid cold calling in the future!

If you want to be a sales superstar you need to learn how to deal with mistakes. Ask yourself, "What can I learn from this situation to improve my sales techniques and approach in the future?"

Tip 14 Remind yourself of past successes.

Think of a time when you achieved success through cold calling; maybe when you won a piece of new business or secured a sales appointment with an important decision maker. This will help to get you thinking positively and feeling more confident.

It is well worth keeping a log book of your successes. If you work as part of a team, why not spend time sharing your cold calling successes. Few salespeople or teams spend enough time focusing on the positive and reinforcing their beliefs that "cold calling works".

Tip 15 Accept that you can't win them all.

So stop beating yourself up when you don't! Even the best cold callers don't get that appointment or close that deal every time so get over it already.

The only true failure is giving up and giving in. Every successful person fails at some time. When you do not succeed just view it as a piece in the jigsaw on your path to success.

Take some time now to think about how you can use these cold calling tips and strategies for helping you to become a more confident and proactive cold caller...