How do you cold call for B2B and B2C?

Marketers approaching B2B cold calls should remember that businesses aren't an amorphous entity but consist of individual decision-makers. If you're trying to sell a CRM software to a company, getting an IT manager's perspective may differ from the CEO's. This individuality extends to B2C as well. Personalizing the call to the person's specific interests and needs will make your cold call stand out. For example, if you're a fitness company reaching out to potential members, knowing their specific fitness goals will make the conversation more relevant.

Absolutely! It was happened with me couple of days back then i got to know that Shifting the focus from what we can offer to acknowledging the client's remarkable achievements and value in the market is a game-changer. It's all about building a connection and showing genuine interest in their success before proposing collaboration. When you put the client at the center and make them feel appreciated, the magic truly happens. It's a reminder that it's not just about selling a product or service; it's about building meaningful partnerships and providing tailored solutions to enhance their journey. Great advice for successful cold calls! ??? #ClientFirst #BusinessSuccess

Whenever you are home, and you get a call from an unknown person trying to sell you something (even if they start very kind and trying to grab your attention), what is your reaction? You politely answer, "Sorry, I have no time. I will hang up," or you hang up with not even a word. Period. We're not in the 70's or 90's. People don't have the time, patience, or willingness to pick up the phone from an unknown caller. Plus, with unknown caller suspicion of today. Cold calling is still a means of business, but cold calling without other supportive channels or tools is no way to go. Only by using a good reference, may eventually help to hold the person on the other side of the line.

Legendary ad man David Ogilvy famously said, "You can't bore people into buying." This rings true for cold calling. While scripts ensure your message consistency, improvisation can adapt the script to each unique call, creating a conversational and engaging experience. For instance, in a B2B call, if your prospect starts discussing their struggles with remote team management, pivot your pitch to highlight how your product specifically addresses that pain point.

In cold calling, consider intriguing your customer by piquing interest vs pitching. Your job is to ask questions that focus on your buyers persona KPI and bring to light the problem he is facing. E.g Buyers Persona: VP of Sales. Intrigue: I see you have few open Sales positions. How are you currently reducing the ramp up time of new hires and getting them to close business as quickly as in 1st month of joining. Pitching: I am from XYZ Corp and we sell products that help your sales team ramp up quickly. Available for a chat next Monday?

People don't like to be sold stuff. People like to think they decided to buy things. So don't be salesy; you'll just put your prospect on defensive mode and on the brink of hanging up. If you were lucky enough to come through a reference, briefly explain who you are and why you're calling but appealing from the counterpart's perspective. Put yourself in their shoes and answer, "Why should I keep listening to him?" I am sure you have been called at home or work by someone trying to sell you something. We all have. What was your reaction and why? When you have the answers, you may find the holy grail to succeed with your cold calls.

Your tonality plays a huge role. When you first start a call, you want to sound: - Neutral - Confident - Friendly and positive Your tone is like your body language on a call - communicate you're not a threat, and your prospect will relax.

This is a false premise. In a time where there was no internet, there was no information widely available, there were no cable TV and Shop TV channels, and there were no Facebook marketplaces. Ebay and influencer's social selling, Instagram and email marketing, etc., cold calling was a channel to get sales and reach potential customers. Today? That's wholly obsolete or should be used only for a few selected cases. People don't talk to strangers on the phone and forget about building trust and relationships with an unknown person at a time when phishing, data stealing, and all sorts of delinquencies are done by phone.

The opening of a cold call is crucial. In my experience, using a 'pattern interrupt' - a statement or question that's unexpected - can break through the autopilot response to sales calls and pique the prospect's interest. For a B2B call, it could be a thought-provoking question about their industry. In a B2C scenario, it might be a compliment or an interesting fact about the town they live in.

Great marketers understand the importance of open-ended questions in discovering customer needs. For B2B calls, try to delve deeper into their business, like "Can you tell me more about how you handle your logistics?" In B2C calls, try lifestyle questions such as, "How do you see this product fitting into your daily routine?" It shows the prospect that you're not just interested in making a sale, but in understanding them.

No one likes to be handled but would like to be heard. Every objection is an opportunity for a discovery. Eg. Real estate agent: We have an excellent pool area and you can book a cabana. Prospect: We are not big fans of pools. Agent: it looks like not having a pool is important to you. Can you please elaborate? Prospect: We have small kids. Agent: that's great. We have guards on site and pools are closed with covers during off season or after hours.

Objections are often a sign of interest and should be welcomed, not dreaded. The feel-felt-found method can be highly effective: "I understand how you feel, others felt the same way, but what they found was..." This can be applied to both B2B and B2C scenarios. Remember, closing isn't just about getting a 'yes' to the sale, but setting clear next steps, be it sending a proposal or scheduling a product delivery.

In cold calling, resilience is key. Rejection is part of the process, but each 'no' is a step closer to a 'yes.' Also, in our digital age, consider using LinkedIn or other social media to warm up a cold call. Even a brief interaction on social media can make your call feel familiar and increase your success rate. Finally, practice and reflection are crucial. Record your calls, review them, see where you excelled, and identify areas for improvement. As they say, practice makes perfect.

A smile in your voice and just genuinely liking what you do comes through on the phone. I had a manager give me business on my first call to him simply because he felt my sincerity and good mood on my voicemail. Getting a call back from him saying that he hardly ever returns these calls but just had to because of how I sounded- authentic and happy! So if you call like your are grinding and pitch like a robot it will come through.