Cold calling is something we’re all familiar with. You’ve probably hit the dialer to cold call at some point in your career, especially if you’re in sales.
If you listen to LinkedIn discussions you would think cold calling is no longer an effective strategy.
I’m here to tell you that’s dead wrong, and that cold calling is still an extremely effective way to make it past the gatekeepers and connect with prospects in 2023.
Don’t believe me? Check out these Rain Group sales prospecting stats on cold calls:
- 69% of buyers have taken calls from new companies in the past year
- Over half of senior-level buyers and decision-makers prefer to be contacted via the phone vs email
Clearly, cold calling is an especially important skill to master, because if you can be successful at it, you will elevate your sales game and have a huge competitive edge over peers.
But, without the right skillset and training, you’ll fail to get through to the decision-makers you need. So here are 3 tips and tricks you can use to maximize your cold call results
1. Use Call Scripts
You need to use call scripts. Plain and simple. Just do your best to not sound like a robot. Take the time to understand your narratives and delivery so you can feel comfortable when presenting your product or service.
Here are some great resources for cold scripts:
- 10 Best Prompts to Start a Sales Conversation
- 10 Powerful Prompts to Close a Sales Conversation
- Ultimate Cold Calling Guide
2. Pitch at the Right Time
Experiment with your calling schedule to find the best time for your prospects. Our research shows that mornings and late afternoons are the best time to make your calls.
Also, keep in mind that the best time may differ from persona to persona as well as your target industry.
3. Production Over Perfection
According to the Rain Group, on average, it takes up to 8 touches to generate a meeting or other conversion from cold calling. So be consistent with activity (consistency is key to success in sales) and results will follow.
Recap
Cold calling can be a very effective sales channel if you use the right scripts as a guide to help you through the conversation, test to find the perfect time of day to hit the dialer (depending on the target industry and persona of course), and remain consistent with your activity every single day. Be diligent with these strategies, and you’ll be able to book more appointments and demos with cold calling.
More Cold Calling Resources
- 10 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Cold Calling
- 10 Effective Strategies to 10x Your Sales With Cold Calling
- How to Generate Millions Using Cold Calling
- How to Condense Your Cold Calls to Close More Deals
