I have always hated cold calling.  Now that I am enrolled in a  sales training program through TrustPointe, I still hate cold calling, but I understand it is something, as a small business owner,  I need to do from time to time.

In this article from the Harvard Business Review, Steve Richard outlines four tactics which will increase your cold calling success.  He suggests:

1. Get the direct line of the person that you are cold calling.
2. Separate your cold calling into two activities: prospecting to find the right person, and call blitzing to get that person on the phone.
3. Know the difference between persistence and annoyance.
4. Utilize online resources

To this list I would add a few things I learned from Matt Nettleton, at TrustPointe

1. Have a script.  You don’t have to stick to it, but have a plan for the call which is designed to help you identify pain points, and create a reason for the prospect to WANT a longer conversation
2. Allow the prospect to DECIDE on the next step. You control the choices you offer, but when they decide, they are more likely to follow through to the next step.
3. Make cold calls even when you don’t feel like it.   This is probably the best advice, I don’t always follow it, but I am always glad when I do!

Cold calling is part of a strategy which will move prospects from being Random Strangers to Raving Fans. Want to learn more?  Join Matt Nettleton and I for a lively morning workshop.   Click here:

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