Today we will consider one of the common technologies for working with clients and increasing the client base - the so-called. cold calls. I will tell you about what cold calls are, what they are for, how to implement them correctly, and then I will analyze the techniques and cold calling techniques For example. I think this information will be useful both directly to sales managers and their managers, who are faced with the issue of expanding the client base and increasing sales.

What are cold calls?

Cold calls are one of the methods of establishing contact with potential customers, which does not involve a sale, but serves only for initial acquaintance and planning of some subsequent actions (more substantive telephone conversations, meetings, sending commercial offers, etc.).

I.e, the main objective cold calls is the formation of a database of potential customers for further offers and sales.

The term itself is borrowed from in English and the original sounds like cold calling. Such calls got their name “cold” due to the fact that, as a rule, they are perceived by subscribers coldly, without enthusiasm and sometimes even aggressively. Cold calls are made entirely at the initiative of the caller, and subscribers on the other end often do not support this initiative for various reasons, for example, even because they are busy or busy with other, more important problems.

Interestingly, in some countries, the practice of cold calling has serious legal restrictions or is even prohibited!

However, it is on how successful the call will be that all further prospects for cooperation with this client depend: whether they will be at all. Therefore, cold calls are a very important link in building the entire marketing chain of a company.

How to make cold calls?

Making cold calls is, in fact, very difficult, and truly competent, and most importantly, effective, only a few are capable of this. What is the difficulty? First of all, in the fact that, as I said, the party receiving the call is almost always not happy with it. And this, even purely psychologically, always has a negative effect on the caller: unsuccessful cold calls lower his motivation and aspiration, which makes subsequent ones even more unsuccessful. Deal with this psychological pressure often even experienced ones cannot, let alone beginners.

Therefore, when thinking about how to make cold calls, there are a few important points to keep in mind:

1. Rejections are inevitable. In nature, there is simply no person who would have absolutely all cold calls for a long period of time would be successful. You need to be aware of this right away and be ready for it. You need to be able to hear and adequately perceive a firm “no”, and in order to learn this, you can practice on someone “your own”, for example, on a colleague.
2. Well delivered speech. The success of a cold call simply depends to a large extent on how confidently, clearly, competently the caller will speak, how he will place accents in words, what pace to keep, etc. Not everyone can initially boast of a well-delivered speech, however, this can and should be developed in oneself - it will not hurt in any business. You can train using a voice recorder - make sure that the recorded sound of your voice completely suits you.
3. Talk about solving problems, benefits, emotions, not about the product. In general, this rule applies to any sales, and when thinking about how to make cold calls, you should also adhere to this principle. Trying to interest the client, in no case should you focus his attention on your company and its products. You need to talk about what benefits the client will receive from further cooperation with your company, what problems it will solve, and, ideally, about positive emotions and the joy of using your product.
4. Follow the target. The cold calls you make should have a specific purpose in mind. As I already wrote, this is usually not a sale, but an appointment for a subsequent, more substantive conversation with a potential client, for example, a meeting. Therefore, before making cold calls, you need to immediately set a goal and outline a call plan that would lead to this goal. It is categorically not worth talking about “if only about something” in this case.

Cold calling tips and tricks.

Now let's look at popular tricks, cold calling techniques with examples. Before making cold calls, you should understand that no one is waiting for your call, and the person you are calling is most likely busy with other things that are more important to him than your call. It's quite normal. There will almost certainly be an initial reluctance to engage in dialogue, distrust, or even aggression. Therefore, you need to hone your tricks and techniques of cold calling simply to perfection.

Collection of information. Before committing cold call, you should already have enough information about the person you are calling. It can be collected in a variety of ways: social networks, from mutual acquaintances, from his colleagues, from the news, etc.

Making a call plan. Anyone who has ever dealt with cold calls themselves knows that they all follow a certain pattern that has already been worked out. And this is not casual, because it is really more efficient. Make up your own plan/template for a cold call, you can take existing examples from the Internet as a basis. Literally note on the points what and in what order you will say.

Performance. A cold call should naturally begin with an introduction. It is best to state your name, position and the company you represent. Also here you can briefly describe the scope of the company, especially if it is little known, and this must be done in the most attractive form, however, excluding deception in any form.

For example, it is not necessary to say “we are a reliable forex broker”. Instead, it is better to say “we are a leading company specializing in investments in global markets”.

Collection additional information, test questions. Next, you should try to find out the information about the potential client you need for further conversation, which you could not find in open sources, in order to build a further dialogue based on this.

For example: Tell me, have you ever invested money in global financial companies?

We do not immediately sell, but only interest the client. You have a cold calling goal that is not a sale, so go for that goal. For example, you need to make an appointment or send a . Try to interest the interlocutor as much as possible so that he gives his consent to the action you need.

For example: I can provide you with statistics showing how much our investors earned in the previous year, and you will see for yourself how profitable it is.

Work with objections. As I said, with cold calls, objections are inevitable, and sometimes even in a very harsh form. Dealing with objections is a separate topic, which I will somehow consider in one of the following articles. But you must be fluent in objection handling techniques - only then will your cold calls be effective. Therefore, be sure to study this moment.

For example: - Thank you, I'm not interested.
– Perhaps you will change your mind when you see the real results of cooperation with our company of our regular customers. Can you tell me how I can send you this information?

Respect for customer choice. Whatever final decision your interlocutor makes, you must treat him with respect and demonstrate it, even if it is a refusal. In no case do not put pressure on the interlocutor - in this case, the path to him will be closed to you forever.

For example: – Thank you, but I have already invested in another company X.
- Undoubtedly, X is also a very worthy company, I wish you to get a high investment income there. If you don't mind, I will periodically inform you when we have offers that might be of interest to you.

You are an expert and professional. Any cold calling technique implies that you must have an expert level of knowledge in the field related to the topic of your conversation. Because if the interlocutor asks you questions (and this is quite likely), you should, without hesitation, give a professional and competent answer. But even if you cannot answer right away - in no case do you need to invent something (perhaps the question is generally a test of your competence) - it is better to say that you will clarify this information and call back.

Regularity. One of the most important rules for the success of cold calls is that they must be made regularly, thereby gaining experience and honing your skills literally to automatism. The more cold calls you make, the more ready-made answers to tricky questions and objections you will have prepared, because in general they will answer you in approximately the same way.

Smile. And finally, the last important rule of any cold calling technique is to smile during a conversation - this way your voice will sound more friendly and relaxed, which, of course, will be positively assessed by your interlocutor, and will give more chances to achieve your goal.

Now you have an idea of ​​what cold calls are, what they are for, and what cold calling techniques and techniques look like. Practice, gain experience, improve your skills, and you will certainly achieve the desired success.

I wish you high results of your work! See you at!

Hello!
Wrote another (but short) article in which he cited real examples their own dialogues on the phone ...

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The topic of cold calling seems to be endless. There are many articles about cold calling technologies and the risk of repetition is very high. Therefore, I decided to describe my non-standard view on this topic. I want to get to the bottom of it so that I can figure out how to increase personal motivation. and efficiency.

Irrelevant indifference.

So, let's put ourselves in the place of the person receiving our cold call. What do you think it (this person) is doing at this time? That's right - anything. Sits on the Internet, writes a report, talks to someone, drinks coffee, smokes a cigarette, fills out an Excel sheet, feels like going to the toilet, etc. In short, he is not up to us and not up to our proposals.

We make the first conclusion. We don't care. They do not know us, and we distract, therefore, we create the first reason for irritation, resulting in a desire to send us away as soon as possible.

Do you know what we have to work with? I answer: with indifference. They don't give a damn about us. However, this can work!

First of all, let's get to work. Our job should be to put those who pick up the phone to work. We are not to blame for distracting someone from an important matter or idleness. We do our job and try to do it well, because our work feeds us. Our boss, in general, also does not care that those whom we call from morning to evening do not care, and they do not want to talk to us. Therefore, the only way out is to call yourself the "Architect of your own happiness" and become the MANAGER of the work of others.

We, too, should not care that we are distracting people and this is the first installation that you need to give yourself. “I make a call, I distract someone from some work, which means that this someone should now work for me. After all, taking calls from me is part of his job. And don't care."
The habit of sending everyone to...

Any form of refusal, even if it is expressed in a cultural or veiled form, is precisely “you go to ...”

This is quite logical, because no one wants to work, and with our calls we make people do work, some actions, make them think. This is unbearable for many. We must understand that people quickly get used to doing the same things. And if the company we call receives countless calls like us every day, then any employee of this company will quickly get used to sending everyone away. Understandably?

You can fight this too.

We need to get used to the fact that we will be sent and not pay attention to it. I propose to realize that we are the “Architects of our own happiness” and MANAGE the work of other people. We love ourselves very much and no one is allowed to wipe their feet on us and work out their habits on us.

Simply put, you need to say to yourself “you go to ..., with your “you go to ...” ”and overcome the habit of sending, the habit of not hearing it.
Enter into contact.

Let me give you an example from my own practice. Dialogue (I am me, She is she). Names have been changed.

Option one - the result: "you go to ..."
She: Hello!
Me: - Hello, my name is Alexey Dmitrienko, Optim company. Who can I talk to about supplying accessories for small appliances?
She: - We don’t need it (read: “you go to ...”)
Me: - Excuse me, are you making a decision?
She: - No, director, but we do not deal in petty household appliances…
Me: - It's about accessories, not technology. Can I talk with the director?
She: - He won't talk to you. I told you, we don't do this.
Me: - Allow me, in your Online store offered for sale various Appliances. I want to make you an offer on related accessories for many of the models of the equipment that you sell. This will help increase the attractiveness of your store and increase your income.
She: - Young man, I told you, we don't need it.

The conversation is over. She hung up the phone.

Option two - effective
She: Hello!
Me: - Hello! Is this an online store?
She: - Yes, what do you want?
Me: - I would like to buy a brand X vacuum cleaner. And I'm wondering if a set of disposable dust bags is included in the kit?
She: - Oh, I need to clarify ...
Me: - Unfortunately, I did not find dust collectors in your assortment ...
She: - But we do not sell them ...
Me: - So, are dust collectors included in the package of the vacuum cleaner? Excuse me, what's your name? (Stirlitz's technique - answer the last question)
She: - My name is Oksana.
Me: - Very nice, I'm Alex. Tell me, Oksana, where can I buy dust collectors?
She: - I don't know. Most likely in the service centers.
Me: - Excuse me, am I the only one asking about dust collectors?
She: - No, sometimes they are interested.
Me: - Understood. Why don't you sell dust collectors?
She: - Well, I don’t know, you need to ask the management ...
Me: - What is the name of your leadership?
She: - Dmitry Leonidovich.
Me: - Oksana, can I talk to Dmitry Leonidovich?
She: - What do you want to tell him?
Me: - I want to suggest that he include dust collectors in the assortment. Because it is inconvenient to run around service centers and order the necessary dust collectors from them! How can I talk to Dmitry Leonidovich?
She: - Call after three hours.
I'm fine thanks. By the way, this “X” vacuum cleaner is equipped with disposable dust collectors.
Her: Let me clarify. Can you call back?
Me: - Ok, Oksana. I'll call back.

Conversation is over. I hung up.

What is the result? I brainwashed Oksana, found out who makes the decision and when it will be. I made Oksana feel guilty and "bummer", because I was interested in a vacuum cleaner and wanted to buy, but the purchase is delayed. My next call again led to Oksana and I asked to connect me with Dmitry Leonidovich, to whom I did offer.

The conclusion that can be drawn from this dialogue is very simple. I made Oksana work. I asked her to clarify an essential detail that stands in the way of making a decision. In addition, I blocked an attempt to send me away, because I am a "BUYER"!!! She does not decide anything, but for some reason in the first dialogue she allowed herself to send me away on behalf of her director, who, by the way, for some reason did not send me))). Therefore, it was necessary to send her away. Actually, I did just that.

Let's understand, finally, that the seller is a person and, as a person, he is a buyer. We are all tied. If you send, then be prepared for the fact that you will be sent too. And vice versa. And on any bolt you can always pick up a nut.
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In fact, sometimes your nerves are on edge and sometimes you force yourself to restrain yourself with an effort of will.

Discussion question:
Has anyone had such that, unable to stand it, you sent away the person you called? They got nasty, scolded, spoiled the mood, etc.

In general, does it make sense to sometimes produce emotional anger on someone?

Do you like it when strangers call you and offer something? I don't think any of us like it. “You call me without knowing anything about me and offer something that I will never need. Why are you wasting my time?” - this is the reaction that causes an uninvited call.

The main reason why cold calls cause irritation is thoughtlessness and unpreparedness. Many salespeople turn cold calls into banal calls, forgetting that their goal is not to call a directory, but to set up a meeting with a client. If your goal is not to torture, but to sell, then the following rules and techniques of cold calling will allow you to achieve it.

Rule 1. Find a reason

A cold call is a call that your potential client does not expect and without prior preparation, the chances of establishing contact with him are very low. Gather as much information about the company as possible before contacting the company. Talk to someone in the service department and find out what they offer to their customers.

A good reason for a cold call can be a discussion of materials published on the company's website or in online media. And viewing publications or interviews will give you an excellent opportunity to contact a company representative directly, for example:

“Good afternoon, Sergey Stepanovich! My name is Igor Makarov, StarNet company. I read your interview in Vedomosti yesterday and I am calling to express my respect for you as a far-sighted leader.

I agree with what you said about big company there must be a resource that unites all departments and creates an integral structure of the organization. We are just dealing with intranet systems, I would like to drive up to you to tell about our solutions and get to know you personally.”

Rule 2: Don't Sell Over the Phone

In telephone conversations, all you have is your voice and your smile, which is always heard over the phone. Product knowledge and belief in what you offer desired product will give your voice confidence.

Start the conversation by introducing yourself and the company. Remember that you are not selling by phone, but call to understand the interest. The phrase “We want to offer you” is perceived by the client as “We want to sell you”. It's better to start like this:

“Good afternoon, Sergey Stepanovich! This is Viktor Mikhailov from the PromElectro company. We are engaged in the supply of welding and electrical equipment. Could this be of interest to you?”

The undoubted advantage of communication by phone is that you can be anyone and in any position. It's all about how you control yourself and how you control your voice. When used correctly, this cold calling technique is very effective.

Rule 3: Respect the customer's choice

The company you call most likely already has established relationships with suppliers of products similar to yours. Always respect the choice of the client and do not question it. Cold call pressure doesn't work and beeps on the other end of the line.

I also want to warn you against aggression and farce. Do not say: “I will make you an offer that you cannot refuse” Communicate with people in a human way simply and with their permission: “Let me tell you about the opportunity ...”

When you get the answer: “We are already working with another supplier, everything suits us”, you can clarify: “Understood. Are you completely satisfied or is there still a need to improve something?”

Focus on discussing what your client likes about working with his supplier and what is most important to him. By setting good contact without showing obvious interest, you will be able to understand whether everything is perfect in reality.

Rule 4. Distinguish a waiver from an objection

Be prepared for the fact that no one is waiting for your cold call and a potential client can:

a) do not want to talk to you;
b) not be able to talk to you.

When talking on the phone, immediately include the client in the dialogue - it will be more interesting for him, and it will be easier for you. Forget about your presentation, save it for a face-to-face meeting.

When you hear the answer: “I don’t have time for this,” this is an objection, not a refusal. Make an appointment in person: “I understand. Let me come to you to tell you everything. Will Tuesday at three o’clock suit you?”

Learn to feel the line between importunity and perseverance. When you are told a categorical “no” - this is a refusal. Don't call fire on yourself, just end the conversation.

If you know that there is potential interest in your product, then keep calling from time to time. The situation in the company may change and, perhaps, after a series of refusals, they will say to you: "Okay, let's see what you have there." The advantage of this technique is that over time, a cold call ceases to be cold.

Rule 5. Make an appointment

Use every opportunity to make an appointment. Remember that sales cannot be made over the phone and it is easier to refuse over the phone. Sometimes you can say directly to the client: “We are engaged in .... and we want to become your supplier. Let's meet and I'll tell you about our products."

The optimal duration of a cold call is 2 minutes, the maximum is 5 minutes. If the call lasts longer, the likelihood of an appointment decreases sharply.

Separately, I want to dwell on the answer as: "Send your proposal by fax." You can continue the conversation like this:

“I will gladly prepare all the information for you. In order for me to offer exactly what you need, let me clarify ... ”or like this:

“Of course I can send you our price list. But it is on 10 sheets and I feel sorry for your paper. Tell me, in order to shorten the information and save your time, which section of our product list would be of most interest to you - this one or this one?”

After clarifying your questions, prepare an offer on letterhead and take it personally, explaining that you want to get to know each other. Be sure to bring a positive attitude and recommendations from your clients to the meeting.

What irritates customers when cold-calling sales managers? Biznes.Ru experts tell you how to properly prepare for calling the base, and what is better not to do.

Cold calling technique: an example of an effective script

Igor Barbolin, President of Grant Cardona CIS office:

There are five main mistakes in cold calling. Everyone wants to have abs with cubes, but no one wants to go to the gym. Everyone wants to have their own business, but they don't want to work for it.

Everyone wants new clients, but no one wants to call. The fact is that the one who calls the client first gets 50% of the market.

Untrained phone masters make many mistakes, but the most common mistake when making a call is not being prepared, not having a communication script.

This leads to the fact that the seller speaks uncertainly, gets lost, and this, in turn, does not inspire either respect or trust. And as a result, it irritates customers the most.

How to properly prepare? You need to prepare a script (there is a technology how to compose it), learn it, and then practice with a partner in role play until the script becomes "native".

This must be done on a daily basis, and this will eventually lead to the flexibility of the seller and his telephone victories.

This is NOT the correct way to call:

1. Hello, my name is Ivan Egorov, I'm calling you from Grant Cardona's office;
2. Our company is a leader in sales training. After our trainings, the level of sales in companies increases by 20-50%;
3. I would like to meet and discuss how our company can help yours;
4. Can you make time for me this week to see what our company can do for yours?

How to call correctly:

1. Hello, my name is Igor, I'm calling you from Grant Cardona's office;
2. Grant asked me to call you and give you a tool he created to help companies like yours increase their sales by over 40%;
3. I will ask you a couple of questions to make sure we can help your company;
4. How many salespeople are in your company?
5. What are the two biggest challenges your salespeople constantly face?
6. If we could increase your company's sales by 20%, would you take the time to meet with me?
7. Who other than you needs to be at this meeting to learn how to use the tool that I will talk about?
8. When can you give me 18 minutes to look at our product and how you and your sellers will benefit from it?

Got the difference? At 25% conversion to a purchase, which you can miss by ignoring cold calls. Be the first and don't be afraid to earn money!

Cold calls. 22 mistakes. Video

Cold Call Conversation Scheme: Common Mistakes

Svetlana Makarova, Director Makarova S.A.:

– As a rule, a telemarketer should be very stress-resistant, organized and clearly answer the question “what do I offer the client?”.

If during a cold call you cannot clearly articulate the essence of your offer, then the number of refusals will grow exponentially.

And so, the list of the most common mistakes:

1. The telemarketer is afraid to call. Fear destroys any, even potentially strong, employee. Alas, 95% are afraid. And if in the first few days a client comes across who says: “How are you tired of calling me, forget my number ...” or answers in a rude way (and this will definitely happen - the costs of the profession), then the fear will become even greater and such an employee decides not to work with cold calls anymore;
2. Calls too few. Yes, it happens 80% of the time. The employee is sure that 5-8 calls are enough. As a rule, the return on such a meager number of calls is minimal. Accordingly, the result of the work is 0;
3. There are a lot of calls, and the percentage of conversion to a client is close to zero. It's a brute-force job, anyone willing to cooperate. Alas, this method will give little result. By increasing the average time of a conversation with a client, and reducing the number of outgoing calls, we achieve an increase in conversion;
4. The telemarketer cannot form the essence of the offer. Almost every client at the beginning of the conversation asks a logical question: “what do you offer me?”. At this moment, the employee begins to state either something indistinct, or a monologue begins. The client wants to hear the answer to his question and this answer should arouse interest in further dialogue. It is important to form several high-profile, beautiful sentences or slogans that will become a catalyst;

Someone loves them, and someone terribly hates.

At the same time, x cold calls in conservative industries and narrow niches remain one of the better ways find new customers and clients.

Even an experienced manager on the phone experiences some stress during a phone call. But all the experiences are more than paid off by inner delight and jubilation from closing the sale after cold calls.

In this case, everything happens according to a well-known law of nature: you must first give in order to receive something. You are investing your personal emotions and energy in developing business success.

Online marketing is now becoming the "default" tool for most companies that want to get new leads and new customers quickly and inexpensively.

Cold calls have lost their place in the ranking of the popularity of promotion tools over the past 10 years. However, they remain an extremely profitable form of marketing when properly configured for you.

In this post, I will show you 10 ways to improve your productivity on your phone. The material is based on personal research and on advice that I have collected on the net and that I have been able to test in my work.

To become a master of cold calling, use these tips and you will definitely collect the contacts of the right people and start working with the most profitable buyers.

Find out who to work with

Without up-to-date data on the industry of your potential customers, even the most talented manager will not get results.

I didn’t do this before, but now I see a deep sense in lingering at the start in order to save strength and energy. The first thing I do when preparing for a cold call is to research the industry or field of my choice. The most inhuman alternative to this step is to call everyone indiscriminately from the directory.

If you do not have data on the decision maker ( Decision Maker), his full name and position. You do not know the role of the decision maker in his company. First you need to find out how working in the selected companies is related to the questions that you plan to ask.

First, collect information and find "points of entry" in the interests of your chosen group of clients. To do this, use search queries and information about the industry from Wikipedia, LinkedIn, Facebook.

Find relevant posts on forums, job openings and resumes on job search sites, discussions at industry events, and other information about how your potential clients solve problems.

The collected information should meet the basic requirement - in given industries they use and purchase similar services or goods that you plan to talk about.

Learn to use search engines before you start calling. At the beginning, it may be difficult for you to digest a large amount of information that is not relevant to you, or you may be faced with a complete lack of necessary information.

Narrow your search, use key phrases + industry name. Constantly upgrade your research skills.

For example, I really want to believe that companies from the oil sector use translations from foreign languages ​​when conducting business correspondence and preparing documentation for export deliveries. Previously, we have not worked with this industry, there are only assumptions.

How to choose the right keywords for requesting information about translations? First, I am looking for vacancies for full-time translators in this area.

I collect information on the Web about their level, qualifications and the requirements of employers with such requests: “ oil company looking for a foreign language translator”, “oil company vacancy for a foreign language translator” and receive a sample of answers and several resumes of translators from the oil industry.

I look through vacancies and resumes and see that a full-time translator closes most of the issues related to translations in the company.

This means that there is a lot of work and it is preferable to keep a full-time translator than to work under a contract with a company. Therefore, it is not worth asking the question about the expediency of transferring written translations to our company. They will answer me - we have a full-time translator.

This scenario will be repeated over and over and I don't want that.

The only way to get started with a company like this is to help out with a full-time translator, who may not be able to keep up during periods of hectic (seasonal) activity. Or who will be able to transfer his routine "to the side."

You can test this hypothesis on forums or social networks by asking industry translators about the need to help them.

After reviewing the information and conducting a brief survey, I decided not to test my hypothesis with further calls. The industry was "closed". Negotiations and correspondence have a high degree of confidentiality. Remote assistants are rarely involved. "The game is not worth the candle" - this industry is not for us. At least for the entrance "from the street."

It took me only 1.5 hours for this investigation. I would not have learned even a share of such information, even if I had called for 1.5 days.

Make a plan, not a script

The rules of cold calling, imposed on us by marketing and sales gurus, state that success or failure depends on the quality of your script. That's right, you can do a script with verbatim phrases for cold calls. But when you start to pronounce it on the phone, it looks like a monologue of a telephone robot reporting a debt.

Such a dialogue sounds uninteresting and even offends your interlocutor, and therefore deprives you of the prospect of establishing contact with him.

Create a plan instead of a script. General map your calls. And approve the rules of permissible freedom in communication.

Some calls require spontaneous thinking. To successfully and sincerely overcome objections - the script will not help.

The cold calling map allows me to digress from the topic, but eventually return to it again. I personally don't like hard scripts.

Remember what happened at school. We stubbornly crammed the correct answers, retold and rewrote word for word, exactly the same. But many things remained serrated, but not understood. A understood and accepted plan with key phrases distinguishes a successful manager from a market-scanning robot.

Managers don't like detailed scripts because they have to speak their own language. And managers are right when they say scripts don't give them the wiggle room to answer questions. potential client. Instead of working on the map, you constantly adjust the conversation script and still have questions. It's also annoying that after working on a script for a long time, you can stop noticing new objections, new facts and events.

Refusal does not mean offending

Very often they “hang” me on the first bitch, do not answer my questions or do not switch (although they say they do). It is important to understand here that this will always happen.

Even if the offer is completely free or carries fantastic benefits. People working in the IT field who have developed a new unique product or service will understand me now. Even from an indefinite free test drive, people refuse.

But this does not mean at all that no one wants to deal with you personally. You just have to get used to the fact that it is not you who is rejected, but your call.

The market in some industries is “scorched” by cold calls. The subscriber on the other end of the wire often subconsciously rejects all attempts to start a dialogue.

Still there is a call to the wrong place, out of business, at the wrong time or at the wrong address. Don't let yourself be convinced that your product or service, idea or opportunity is useless.

Yes, several people refused. Use denial for personal learning. Record failures in a notepad or save audio recordings of failures on your computer.

How can you use the rejection to your advantage?

When your presentation has already failed, don't hang up - ask the person why they said "no, not interested." Through such a simple survey after unsuccessful calls, you will learn a lot about what makes people refuse.

This unexpected technique I often use in new industries. And it is very important not to make assumptions for the client: “They probably have full-time translators. Yep, that's understandable."

Don't do it! Let the customer speak for himself!

For example, use such a direct question: “Let me ask, why is it “not interesting”? So I can understand your specifics ... "

And very often they answer me like this: “In general, we are a branch, and all services are purchased from the parent company. You can call there. Write down the phone."

Stand up when the conversation is important

You should not think that since the interlocutor cannot see us, then you can lie in an armchair with your legs on the table.

People are sure will hear your insecurity or arrogance over the phone. Believe me, the person lying in the chair can be heard. I listened to my audio recordings. I didn't want to talk to myself!

Once upon a time, at one of the first sales trainings, we were recommended to get up with the phone handset if an important contact occurred.

When I do this, I feel like I get extra energy. A straight back makes my voice clearer and more persuasive for discussing details. I understand that I am already participating in serious negotiations, and this technique allows you to catch the right wave at the physiological level.

This is a psychological trick, just like smiling during a conversation.

It also helps me to remember those people who managed to influence me personally in a conversation or during a meeting.

Try to imitate the body language, tone of voice and confident phrases of such people “on the screen” during cold calls.

You won't be able to do it right away. But each time it will get longer and better.

These are learned skills. Start by simply getting up from your chair.

Prepare responses to objections

Very few clients will say “Oh, we just need this!” from the first call. Almost every call will have objections from customers.

Of course, more often than not, we ourselves disagree when someone slips an opinion that is not adapted to our needs. Or when they ask questions that distract from current affairs.

But if you tell more about yourself or your way of helping in an original way, then you pass the test of trust and expertise. The client becomes interested enough to be distracted for a few minutes from their affairs.

The key to overcoming objections is to know ahead of time what they will object to. Just as you plan a conversation, prepare strong arguments and colorful explanations in your favor.

If you cannot address all objections immediately, then, as I said above, collect and accumulate them from the very beginning of your work. This way you can prepare and test good answers on the next call.

Every objection is important to use!

If you hear - "It's too expensive!" - do not try, without a clear example, to declare your (as it seems to you) "features" like High Quality product or reasonable price.

And do not try to tell the client about the strong personality of your director, who is known to everyone in the city.

Clients know that the strong personality of your director will not help them in any way, that today the quality of services is similar on average across industries, and reasonable prices and high speed - all this needs to be proven first!

Most often I use the technique: “Divide the price into components”
It is so convenient to show the client what he refuses if he wants to save money.

Consider the example of my typical dialogue with a client (there will be question templates in parentheses to adapt to your needs)

Customer: We are now translating 300 rubles per page, and you have 450 rubles in the price list. It's too expensive for us.
I: So, let's stop there. Do you order translations from an agency or from a private person? (Who are you paying? What level of current competitor?)
Customer: In the company, under the contract. Looks like Translife.
I: Great, but what volume of translation are we talking about now? And what are the deadlines usually? (Request for volume and urgency of execution)
Customer: Our volumes are 1000-1500 pages, project documentation. Within 2-3 weeks, it usually "endures". There are a lot of repetitions and identical tables, but they edit and finalize everything for us at this price.
I: Fine! If such serious volumes and with numerous repetitions, I think that we can agree on 300 rubles per page. Can you send a sample with a document for an accurate calculation? At the same time, look at the level and quality of work of our translators. It will be free.
Customer: Well, the quality really does not always suit us. We finalized the last project for another whole week. If you can do better and at the same price, we can try to work together.

Break your objection handling into a series of small clarifying questions.

You seem to be telling the client - I don’t just call the base on the list, I want to work with you, I want to make cooperation profitable for you, I know the market and will seek a compromise.

Offer to do a free quote based on a recent project that has already been completed with your competitors, so that the client can appreciate the big picture.

The usual comparison of positions in the price list is biased!

Also, immediately clarify whether everything was perfect in working with a competitor, or there is something that you would like to avoid in the future.

With the original wording of the answer to the objection, you have the opportunity to show the client that you are not like other managers who constantly call the office.

Perhaps a masterfully crafted objection is the best opportunity to continue the conversation and build trust.

Get my bonus list of top customer objections for free

Prepare your own original answers instead of the suggested ones and become just an unstoppable phone salesman!

The habit of hearing "no"

In the world of sales, rejection doesn't always mean you don't stand a chance. Many interlocutors answer “no” as soon as they identify you as a seller. This reaction is more like a reflex than a reasoned response.

Don't worry just because you got rejected in the beginning. This does not mean that they will not agree with you later, after hearing your arguments or clarifying questions.

There is a rule: "Use refusal as an invitation to ask questions." Do you think the client needs more information? Maybe yes, maybe not. In any case, this is not at all an excuse to “apologize for the bother” and end the phone call.

Do not persist right now if you feel that the moment is not the best.

Often, when I get rejected for no reason or even “rude rejection”, I just set an alarm for another date.

Toward the end of the day or even the end of the month.

So I check that that hasty refusal was not due to seasonal or weekday peaks of a person's load on the phone.

I've turned down calls myself, simply because it wasn't convenient to talk, or because I'd already talked to a few salespeople, or because the kids were too noisy around me.

You understand, the first refusal is not real. Like make-believe. Instead of giving up immediately without a fight, ask clarifying questions about the reason for the refusal and then use your plan to answer the objections received.

These phrases are like shots: “no”, “we don’t need it”, “not interested”, “don’t tell, it’s not necessary” can be intimidating and paralyze novice managers. But their pluses are that tremendous opportunities lie behind them.

Alas, in order to make sure of this, it will take some time and regular practice.

Talk to the secretary

AT corporate world the leader traditionally shields himself with subordinates and assistants. Almost all incoming calls go to secretaries and administrators.

In sales, these are the people who stand at the “gateway to the company” and ruin all your great plans. The answer to your offer or question is often the default “we are not interested”.

Despite the secretary's immediate reaction, they, like everyone else, react to proven psychological tactics.

One of the best ways to get the right information or action is to introduce yourself as a client or partner of the company.

Ask the secretary for help finding the information you need. When they switch you and they answer there, say that you don’t know why you were connected to this department and ask them to connect you to the department that you were originally looking for.

Here the calculation is that internal employee recognizes the secretary's mistake in dialing the number and performs his function smoothly and without objection.

Good afternoon, Sergey Sedykh! Please tell me, do you have an estimate engineer in your company? Do you calculate custom projects? Who can I discuss my project with?

... Switch to the budget department

Good afternoon, Sergey Sedykh, SPHERE company, this is a department foreign economic activity? Not? Where did I get to? And how can I get into the foreign trade department now? Can you switch?

This trick works because it slightly changes the usual notion of "secretary's passage". All secretaries and administrators are used to being “pushed through” or asked in a friendly way to connect with a specific person.

And when someone asks them for help, it breaks the stereotype of a brazen or cunning salesperson. After all, only clients or partners ask for help. Try this tactic with those who have turned you down before and you didn't know how to approach them.

Know Your Product

There are only three types of customers who buy from you.

The first ones, the most numerous and the most unreliable in the long run, become customers because of the low price.

The latter become customers thanks to a convincing presentation and technical boost from the fourth or fifth attempt.

Still others always want to know more about the characteristics of the product and how to use it before you buy.

Most Valuable Customers for Life are the third ones who need to know technical details and how to use the product or service after purchase.

You are selling these customers a new world, in which you describe in detail its new opportunities from using your product or service.

And they live in this new world thanks to you! They are grateful to you!

This rule is even more true if you are selling a technical product or a specific service.

Consulting, auditing or new IT infrastructure may not fit into the current needs of the company. In this case, knowing the technical data and exceptional features of your product will help you close the deal with your most valuable customers.

Instead of focusing solely on mastering sales techniques, culture of speech and clean writing, instead of endlessly overcoming objections and rejections, take the time to learn the basics. specifications your product and know how valuable they are to your customers.

Prepare a special offer

Each of us loves to get something for free.

What could be better than getting a discount on the right product or service. Especially if you feel that this offer is exclusive, and even with a limited duration.

One of the best ways to negotiate a deal over the phone is to offer a bonus or discount for those who are still hesitant or hesitating.

How excruciatingly painful and insulting it is when you sell a new world to your client and he mentally buys it, but delays paying the bill.

And he pulls because he needs this world, but he really wants to get a small discount. Tiny.

But you think that you can not give it. And you lose the deal because your competitor gives you a discount.

When there is a fundamental decision that the client cannot live without your product or service now, swing the swing of the transaction in your direction. Just use as an argument not the amount of the discount, but its exclusivity or limited duration.

Prepare in advance two or three justifications for additional bonuses for new customers - from free samples to a physical discount. Use them only to overcome the indecision of a potential client.

An additional five percent "new customers only in March" discount is often all it takes to get started with your new customer.

Track call results

Analyze the results of your work. Think about what methods work and what don't. This way you can gradually increase your level of performance.

Factors such as the time of day you call, which departments you are transferred to, who you spoke to in your position, which conversation plan worked best, will all make a difference.

This will allow you to see which combination of variables works most effectively. This way you can optimize your next steps.

Based on the statistics of past years of work, I determined for myself that calls on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12 pm to 3 pm have the maximum efficiency. This does not mean that I do not call at other times. But if I need to leave for a meeting, then I will schedule it for the morning or evening so that I can devote myself to calls at the best time.

Recording cold calls becomes easier with a CRM system. There will be a lot of phone calls. In addition, we experience work stress and often forget who we called a week or a month ago. I demonstrated a convenient CRM for cold calls with a recording of negotiations.

1. Reread this post again

2. Choose for yourself those items that "respond within you"

3. Start Making Other Cold Calls

Personally, I love cold calling. Cold calling is scary right from the start.

When you found confidence in yourself, realized that rejections and objections are your opportunities, and not obstacles at all - cold calls become a favorite way to acquire new orders and customers.