Secrets of a Successful Cold Caller

Posted by Ann Barr in Cold Calling | 12 responses

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How many people do you know, who are successful at cold calling? It can be a difficult thing: calling people who don’t know you and whom you’ve never spoken with before. It takes a special skill to do this – and to convince this person to buy from you. So, when I heard from someone – her name is Ann (not me; another Ann) – who bought because of a sales person’s cold call, I decided to find out why she bought from this particular sales rep (Patricia). Special skills are needed for really successful telesales marketing and not everyone is good at it.

The Customer’s Perspective

I asked Ann why she bought from this sales rep and what set Patricia apart from other sales people Ann heard from and this is what she told me:

“Actually, it was her persistence. I kept putting her off. And she picked ONE item – printer cartridges. She simply asked me to get a price quote from her before I ordered from the discount store. And after I placed my first order, she sent me a fancy little thank you note in the mail!”

How She Makes Those Productive Cold Calls

I asked Patricia for her success secrets and this is what she wrote:

“I think it is very important to believe in the product you are selling as well as the company you work for. When I am cold calling a customer I mention that I have been handling office equipment supplies for many years and I am very fortunate to be working at [name of her company].

“Be persistent! I tell customers that I don’t expect to get all their business after one or two calls. Try us out! We will show you the type of service we provide – Let us be an alternative to your current vendor – a ‘Back Up.’

When I cold call and speak with the receptionist, and can’t get through to the decision maker – I ask for the name of the person who is responsible for ordering office equipment supplies – I’m not trying to sell anything – I just want to send information. I then send an introductory letter to the decision-maker and information about our company.

“After I have a good cold call – I send a thank you note along with my business card. A lot of my customers mention that they like the ‘note’ they have received from us.”

Six habits

that set Patricia apart as a sales professional

1. She is persistent. Even though the customer “put her off,” she did not give up after only one or two prospecting calls.

(Research from Sales & Marketing Executives International found that 81% of all sales made are made in the fifth call or later in the sales process.)

2. She picked ONE item to focus on. She didn’t confuse the prospect by talking about a variety of products.

3. She BELIEVES in the products she sells AND the company she works for. That belief is communicated to her prospects.

4. Patricia offers to be a “back-up supplier” in case the customer’s regular vendor doesn’t have what the customer needs. This is a non-threatening “soft-sell” approach that I have seen pay off over and over and over again.

5. She makes the FIRST call just to get the NAME of the decision maker, then she sends an introductory letter with information about her company.

6. After a successful cold call, she sends thank-you notes with her business card. This is the mark of a professional. It sets Patricia apart from her competitors. A personal thank you note is remembered and appreciated by prospects and customers.

Replacing Lost Business

An American Management Association study shows that only 65% of customers buy every year where they bought before. So sales reps have to sell enough new business to replace lost business just to stay even. How do you get new business? Some companies use direct mail marketing successfully. Others use a combination of fax blasts and direct mail marketing. But when effective telephone marketing is added, sales can skyrocket.

About The Author

Ann Barr is a telesales marketing success coach with a passion for teaching. She loves helping people who are starting out in new telesales careers and working with experienced sales reps who are looking for new ideas and tips. In addition to presenting monthly e-classes, she writes and edits direct-mail marketing letters and emails for clients. Sign up today for Ann’s free Weekly Sales Tips and get marketing tips and ideas to increase your sales!