Each week, I bring you battle tests, sales plays, and learning lessons from my experience as a Founder, VP of Sales, and my current role as the VP of Sales at Leadium where we help world-class B2B sales teams drive revenue through our done-for your top-of-funnel services.

Cold-calling people can be very uncomfortable at first, and it can be frustrating. However, applying the right approach could yield better results by turning cold leads into warm prospects that may become customers.

Here are a few strategies to make cold calling more successful for you.

Research and Prepare Before Making Calls

Don't go into cold calling blindly! Take some time to learn about your leads before reaching out to them.

Spend some time finding a piece of information that can help you form a connection with the lead.

For example, if you've visited their town, you can mention how much you like a particular restaurant, park, or other attraction.

Maybe your CRM shows that they visited a specific landing page recently. You can use that to ask them what interests them about the product. Then, you can offer your services to help them choose a different option or finalize an order.

Craft Compelling Opening Statements

The success or failure of a cold call begins with its opening statement. Without a compelling opening notice, many people won't give you the time t

When writing your opening statements, there are some rules you need to follow. For instance, you must identify who you are and what company you represent. Beyond these basic requirements, however, you can make opening statements as intriguing as possible.

Your approach will differ depending on your lead and the item you want to promote.

Use Active Listening and Ask Relevant Questions

Active listening and asking relevant questions show you're paying attention to your lead's concerns.

How do you practice active listening? Try:

• Restate what your lead says, but in your own words, to make sure you understand them.

• Identifying with your lead by sharing relevant experiences.

• Asking open-ended questions and paying close attention to the lead's response

Handle Questions Confidently

Leads might feel suspicious of you when you cold call them. Unfortunately, people receive many scam calls, so they're often defensive when receiving calls from unknown numbers.

When your lead objects to something you say, reply confidently to show that you believe in your product and service. For example, if the person says, "You're charging too much for that," you can show confidence by telling them how your company invested in the best technology to build a superior product.

You aren't apologizing to or agreeing with the other person. You're simply stating the value of what you're selling.

Some people will never be receptive to cold calling. That's okay! Handle their questions confidently. You might not make a sale, but you can grow your brand reputation.

Final Thoughts

Follow up consistently to stay top of mind. Sometimes it can just be a timing issue that helped them back previously.

How often should you reach out? You don't want to call too often, which would annoy the person. You also don't want to wait so long that the person forgets about your earlier interactions. Find the sweet spot that works well for your business.

See you again next week!
-Collin Mitchell