Cold Call Using Your Right Brain

If you're having trouble cold calling, the problem might be which side of your brain you're using.

Research shows that left-brain thinkers are analytical, logical, and look at things in parts, while right-brain thinkers are creative, believe that everything is possible, and look at a situation as a whole, rather than as steps. This means that right-brain thinkers are more likely to look at cold calling as a way to start a conversation, and consequently face fewer setbacks when the conversation doesn't lead to a sale.

If you're not enjoying cold calling, try looking at it with a right brain mentality. Here are some suggestions from sales trainer and speaker Ari Galper.

• Before you make a cold call, think to yourself, "My goal is not to make the sale but to create a conversation based on how I can help the other person."

• Avoid changing who you are when you make your call. There's no need to be on "stage" or to sound enthusiastic. Just be your everyday relaxed self, as if you're calling a friend. People know when you're being genuine, and when you're not.

• Throw out your linear sales script and generate a spontaneous conversation based on the problems you can help the other person solve.

• Let go of thinking "buyer-seller," and view the person you're calling as another person, not as a "prospect."

• Let go of worrying about driving the conversation "forward." Instead, open your call with a problem statement that generates the response "What do you mean?" or "Tell me more."

Ari Galper is the creator of Unlock The Game, a new sales mindset that overturns the notion of selling as we know it today. Contact him at www.unlockthegame.com.

Ease Cold Calling Fears by Changing Your Focus

Here's a quick tip that is sure to change the way you look at cold calling from The Queen of Cold Calling, Wendy Weiss:

Change your focus from 'cold calling' (sounds scary) to 'introductory calling.' You are calling to introduce yourself, your company, product and/or service. In life, you make introductions all the time. This is an introduction that happens over the telephone.

For more no-nonsense cold calling advice, check out The Queen of Cold Calling.

SalesDog Quick Tip

Sales advice is filled with admonitions to salespeople to listen more and talk less. Sometimes this is easier said then done. Active listening is an acquired skill. Beyond asking open-ended questions, summarizing and asking for feedback, what can you do to actively listen? Try this tip from tele-selling expert Jim Domanski.

The best way to listen is to listen with a pen in your hand. Take notes. Tell your client that you'll be taking notes as you go. They'll appreciate it. It gives them peace of mind. It suggests to them that you are thorough. They also have a tendency to slow down a bit which makes listening and note taking that much easier.

Write in point form. Don't worry about getting every word in a sentence. If you miss something or you don't understand something, put a circle around it or put a big question mark beside it. When it is time for you to 'investigate' use your notes to guide you. Preface your question with trigger phrases such as, "I have a note here on my pad. You said something about ... and I did not quite get it. Could you elaborate?"

Taking notes is almost a forgotten art, particularly in tele-sales. This is often due to complacency. The rep figures he's 'heard it all before' and the need to jot down notes is not necessary. Big mistake. Writing notes keeps your focus and concentration.

Jim Domanski is the President of Teleconcepts Consulting Inc. and works with companies and individuals who are frustrated with the results they have been getting when using the telephone to generate leads and sales. For more information visit: www.teleconceptsconsulting.com or call 613-591-1998.

Working with Warm Leads

If you're like most salespeople, your company probably gives you leads from website inquiries, trade shows, Internet advertising, media advertising, and more. This is good for you (more leads!) but can also be troublesome if you don't know how to deal with these "warm leads." Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales, has some Do's and Dont's for handling these leads:

#1 DO begin your opening in a welcoming, assumptive way. Try:

"Hi, this is Mike with ABC Company. I wanted to thank you for (visiting our website, stopping by our booth, your interest in) and I wanted to answer any questions you had. What specifically were you interested in?

DON'T be vague:

"Ah, this is Mike getting back with you. I see you went to our website and I was wondering how I can help you?"

#2 DO be prepared to ask qualifying questions and LISTEN to uncover their specific buying motives. Try:

"What motivated you to take the time to fill out our request form?"
"What specifically were you interested in?"
"What part of our (product/service) appealed to you most?"
"Many of our clients like that we provide X. Is that what you were looking for, too?"

DON'T start pitching! 80% of your competitors make the critical error of assuming a warm lead is interested in your product or service so they start pitching. Don't go into pitch mode!

#3 DO use a script. The top 20% of sales closers (who account for 80% of sales revenues) understand how important it is to make a connection, stay in control, uncover buying motives, and disqualify prospects who are just looking. Only a carefully crafted script allows you to do that.

DON'T ad-lib your way through your presentation. 80% of your competition still make the mistake of assuming that a warm lead is a good lead and so they often quickly make appointments, send demos, etc., without properly qualifying. Big mistake! Treat a warm lead like any other and qualify it using a script.

Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales, specializes in helping sales reps avoid rejection and make more money. Check out his free ezine at http://www.mrinsidesales.com/ezine.htm

Tips for Terminating Telephone Terror

Do you dread picking up the phone to make one more cold call? Here are a few tips that are sure to help, from Wendy Weiss, The Queen of Cold Calling.

Make a lot of telephone callsIf you only have one prospect to pursue, that prospect becomes overwhelmingly important. If you have hundreds of leads, no one prospect can make or break you. The more calls you make, the more success you will have.

PracticeIf you are new to cold calling or uncomfortable with cold calling, practice your pitch out loud. Role-play with friends or colleagues. Practice various sales scenarios. This way you will not have to worry about what you are going to say, you will be prepared and you can focus in on your prospect.

Start with less important leadsIt will be good practice and less stressful. Once you feel more comfortable, start working on the more important leads.

Wendy Weiss is known as The Queen of Cold Calling. If you ache with dread when you pick up the telephone to call a new prospect, put Wendy's advice to use. If you break out in a cold, clammy sweat at the mere thought of having to make cold calls, Wendy can help you.

Wendy teaches an 8-week virtual Cold Calling College beginning Feb 19. You can learn all about it, and get some immediate expert advice, by joining her on a FREE preview call on Tuesday, Feb. 5th at 4:00 p.m. EST. Wendy will talk about cold calling, appointment setting and how to develop new business. She'll be sharing some tools and techniques that you can begin to use immediately to increase the numbers of qualified prospects you are able to meet.

Go here to learn more and register