Are you following outdated cold calling techniques like "everyone is a prospect" or "cold calling is a numbers game"? If so, you'll eventually reach your customers - but it will take more time than it should. Here telesales expert Wendy Weiss offers up some tips that will have you dialing for dollars - not dismissals.
Have a targeted list
Before starting a cold calling campaign create a profile of the ideal prospects you are trying to reach. What that means is that out of everyone in the entire world who might buy what you sell, who is most likely to? Who is most likely to buy a lot of what you sell and then keep returning to buy more?
Describe this ideal customer in specific detail. Use criteria like: What industry? Where are they located? What is the title of the decision-maker? Does this market have challenges or issues that your product or service can solve? If you are calling in the consumer market, what are the demographics of your ideal prospects? Where do they live? Work? Go to school? These are your "qualifying parameters," the parameters that describe your ideal prospect who is likely to buy, buy a lot and come back to buy more. Then, only call the leads that fit your "ideal customer profile." If a prospect does not meet your parameters, they are not a qualified prospect. You will spin your wheels and waste your time trying to reach them and they will not buy or not buy very much.
In business-to-business calls make sure to only call the highest-level person you believe is the decision-maker. If that person is not the decision-maker, they'll be able to tell you who is. Far too many sales professionals and business owners waste their time calling too low. They do this with the idea that somehow the calls will be easier. They won't. This will simply waste your time and extend your sales cycle. If you are not speaking with a decision-maker, you are not speaking with a qualified prospect. If you are not speaking with a qualified prospect, they will never buy from you.
Check back in tomorrow for more from of Weiss' updated cold calling tips.
Learn more from cold calling expert Wendy Weiss at www.wendyweiss.com or email her at wendy@wendyweiss.com
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