How can you be more professional when cold calling?

Waste zero seconds of your prospects time. Get straight to the point. You’ve already interrupted them so no point asking permission to interrupt them. Focus immediately on the problem/solution you called about. See if they have the problem. See if they have any interest in investigating how to fix the problem with your ‘unique’ approach to the solution. If yes…arrange when to talk next. THAT…is the most professional and respectful way to cold call.

120K+ calls in 5 years and I have not seen any script working as effectively as a framework. Understand the psychology of communication, hear them, aim for a meaningful conversation. Scripts may sound robotic. Frameworks are conversational and can be more personalized. 4 pillars of my framework- Permission - You’re interrupting your prospect in the middle of their daily routine. Ask for permission (and never pitch) Probe- ask a probing question that resonates with majority of people in the industry and then start a chat. Problem/Pain- If your probing resonates with them, now focus on their pain and problem to maintain the conversation. Offer- keep it short. Share why you think a chat might be useful. Offer value for their time.

See your script as your name and surname. Until you sound when using your script like you sound when you introduce yourself, you've not practiced enough. Humans are excellent BS detectors. They'll figure out from a mile away if you don't know what you're on about. So practice till you do.

Utilise la methode AIDA: - Accroche : courte, sans se présenter plus que "prenom de société" - Interêt : bénéfices apporter au buyer persona - Désir : chiffres et preuve sociale - Action : date + créneau Pas besoin d'écrire un ptich et de le connaitre par coeur. Il faut laisser place à la spontanéité. Plus un appel sera authentique, avec le bon ton, et la bonne expertise, plus ?a convertira !

To enhance professionalism in cold calling, start with thorough research on your prospects, craft a concise and value-focused pitch, and maintain a polite and confident tone throughout the call. These steps will project credibility and increase your chances of success.

The never ending battle between quantity and quality. Totally depends on your GTM strategy and your ICP. If you’re targeting a small, niche market, research might make sense. If you have a wider target group, aim for quantity (that doesn’t mean you need to give up on quality). This doesn’t mean asking your prospect what their current title or company is. It’s your responsibility to know whom you’re calling (That is why I never ask “Hey is this {Name}?” or “Do you oversee {subject matter}?” Know your buyer persona and their overall challenges and pain points that might resonate with them. In-depth research depends on your business needs.

This is ridicolous - research the ICP and their problems. You will just have too much information, which could create bias and make you overly confident about the wrong things.

You can only research so much. You might accidentally get the wrong information and make your pitch even worse. Be careful! However there's 2 pretty cool ways to gather some info: 1. Connect with other sales people who work at the company you are targeting and ask questions. Be extremely informal, you'll be surprised by how much valuable information you get. 2. Prospect TOP DOWN. Begin prospecting C-Levels and VP's. You'll be able to ask a few questions and get answers that will seriously benefit you when you eventually get to the correct person.

Researching can be a double edged tool here. It could lead to tunnel vision and happy ears going for a specific target, causing you to miss other valuable information. Doing a little research and breaking the ice with congratulating them on a recent achievement has always worked well for me.

Salespeople get a bad rep for being pushy which is why the relaxed approach always wins! A good start is a permission based opener: Hi Dave, It's Connor from Tesla, do you have a quick minute? Just because they answered the phone does not mean they have a quick minute so don't assume. They could have been waiting for an important call or many other reasons. Assumptions are the mother of all....

Cold-calling is primarily interrupting their daily routine. Keep that in mind and ask for permission. Don’t abuse their kindness or their openness. Be as brief as you can be, and then mention that you promised to be brief, offer a meeting instead of trying to qualify them on a cold call.

Since your call recipient isn't expecting your call, it's important to call out the elephant in the room right away. "I realize this call is completely out of the blue" or "You and I don't know each other but share common interests" or "You probably get these calls often, so I won't talk your ear off." However you can come off as genuine, appreciative and mindful of their time, the better.

Asking for permission in the opener is a great start. Keep asking for permission throughout. This doesn't mean sounding weak or apologetic, it means giving the prospect control which makes them more likely to want to talk more.

I agree that respecting someone’s time is crucial when cold calling. I make sure not to call too early, too late, or during busy times like lunch. I always ask if they have a moment to chat, and if they don’t, I politely ask when would be a better time. I’ve learned that pushing for a conversation when someone is busy can leave a bad impression, so I always thank them for their time and follow up later. For example, when a prospect told me they were in a meeting, I quickly scheduled a better time to talk, which helped keep things professional.

Stress, excitement, nervousness, panic, uncertainty… Those will shut down your receptors, and I can guarantee you’ll have multiple moments to feel those on a cold call. Most reps will pitch and start a monologue when that happens. I call that vomiting all you have onto your prospect. Not pleasant for either party, more unpleasant for your prospect. That’s because our Child ego (Transactional Analysis) kicks in any time we experience those feelings on a call call. Best way to do that is to Validate (rephrase) what they say and ask a follow up question.

Active listening is not just about what paying attention to what the prospect is saying. Also be careful about: - Their tonality (confident, unsure, nervous, impatient etc) - Their use of language (I think, perhaps, not entirely etc) The nuances are what makes the difference.

When you're new, I think listening is one of the hardest things to do. You're nervous, scared, trying to follow a script, checking boxes off (literally or mentally) and it can just be a whirlwind. Some people get so caught up in their list they forget to just be human. Everyone wants to be heard so try breaking the ice or following a bullet checklist instead of a script if possible. That way you can BS your way around a bulleted list (and it can be your personality) instead of robotically going through scripted sentences. Also, don't be afraid of quiet/pauses, you don't need to rush to fill the silence. Slow it down!

Listen to your prospect closely- If they mention they are busy, It's okay to ask- "Is there a better time I can reach you'' Yes many of us want to keep that prospect on the phone but it's important to listen closely and respect the time also. Active listening will allow you to understand their struggles and not only could you find an opportunity you could also learn more about their needs. Many forget to listen to what the other person is saying and tend to focus on one side of the conversation. Make relevancy when responding to a prospect's objections.

This is apt. When I’m cold calling, listening is just as important as talking. I make sure to really focus on what the other person is saying so I can ask the right questions and give meaningful responses. This approach helps me understand their needs better and offer solutions that fit. It also shows that I value their concerns, which builds trust. For example, one prospect mentioned time management challenges, and by actively listening, I was able to offer a targeted solution that made the conversation more effective.

"Handle Objections" is the worst term ever. I still say it because it's universally understood. But the language is all wrong. And if you don't understand sales, you can get caught in the act of trying to "overcome" objections. Basically trying to convince the prospect their objection is wrong. Instead, let's "Accept and understand" objections. Objections are concerns or queries. Expect them, invite them, accept them and then seek to understand them. Having that mindset will help you to stay neutral when dealing with your prospects.

Most objections are a test from the prospect's brain. If you keep your cool and give and answer that makes sense = top 10%. If you can do so consistently = 1% This is what being a professional means.

Disarming honesty is the best way to handle objections. Act like and adult, expect an adult on the other end of the line. According to Transactional Analysis theory, we all have- Parent Ego(P): critical or nurturing Adult Ego(A): confident, realistic Child Ego(C): rebellion or obedient. Prospects will be in their P stage (critical) when they get a cold call and expect/treat you as in C stage. If you manage to maintain your A stage, they will move in the A stage. That’s when a meaningful conversation happens i.e. Prospect: “I’m not interested” You: “Is that because you have something in place solving xyz (problem) which is common in your space, or solely because this is a cold-call and you don’t want to talk to me as you don’t know me?”

The first objection is always that the call is COLD! Out of the blue. Unexpected. You interrupted a busy person's day. Best practice is to be straightforward and ask for permission. This is referred to as a "permission" based opener and all the best sales organizations and trainers teach this simple introduction along the lines of: "Hey, can I explain the reason for my call and then you can decide if it is worth your time?" You never want to hold someone hostage. Get permission first. Build rapport. And lead up to trust. One thing to keep in mind at all times is genuine curiosity and empathy for your prospect. The deal is about THEM. The solution fixes THEIR problem. The purchasing decision ball is in the CUSTOMER's court.

Define objections ?? Sometimes objections are not signs of interest and they generally are not a fit for your product. Having worked with many SDRs over the years I have heard some wild "objection handling" which was more like a burglar tryna' crowbar his way into a building First you need to acknowledge and accept the objection, show a little sympathy and understand the issue, only then can we "handle the objection". Don't try to force your way in with your used car sales tactics, remember we are here to solve problems not cause them.

When (like us) you're running campaigns for clients, sending some form of follow-up can really help reduce the amount of "no shows" for appointments. Unfortunately, sending a follow-up or confirmation email after calls can sometimes drive a prospect to pull out of the appointment for one reason or another but both of these things can help save your client time eliminating dead ends and timewasters.

The most important part of the sales process. Lack of follow up's is where the majority of deals die! If you have cold called and booked a meeting for 2 days out. Confirm on the morning of the meeting, even if they have reconfirmed send a 30-minute reminder before the meeting. Make sure the agenda is in the body of the invite! If you are the AE or have passed the lead over to an AE make sure the next meeting is booked in during the call. As soon as you're off the call send an overview of the discussion and anything you need for next steps.

Cold Calling is not about being "more professional". That will make you drown in the ocean of sales calls people get. Instead, aim to stand out from the crowd. That's what will get you noticed.

Many tend to presume that "professionalism" comes from speaking overtly formally, turning up in a jacket and tie to a meeting, and putting business before personal. That's not the case. In order to be "professional" over the phone, be specific don't over stay your welcome, and be pragmatic. It's unprofessional to waste someone's time. Professionals demonstrate value, deliver insights and genuinely help.