Cold calling can be one of the most awkward things you have to do as a sales rep. It’s never comfortable “surprise-calling” someone with the intention of making a sale.
What’s the first step to an effective cold call? An effective sales script.
So, for your outbound sales strategy, here’s a step-by-step on creating a sales script that can help close more deals.
Before you start, take note: cold calling is a numbers game. So the more calls you make, the more opportunities and possibilities of “yes” you create.
How to Build Your Sales Script: A Step-by-Step for Every Scenario:
For every scenario…
- Make a list of prospects—then group and prioritize them. Make a list of prospects you want to call. You can classify or group them based on their place in the sales cadence: is it an initial call, a follow-up call, etc.? This way you go through each call focused. For each group, you can create a hierarchy list. You always prioritize those that fit your ideal customer profile (ICP).
- Make an outline of what you’re going to say. This is where the grouping comes in handy. You can make an outline of what you want to say when you know where the prospect is at in the sales funnel or buyer’s journey.
Scenario 1: First Call
1. Make an introduction: Introduce yourself by saying your name and your company’s. This is your opener so you have to sound confident, engaging, and energetic. But do not overplay the energy—and come across as too eager to speak to the person.
If you’re going through a gatekeeper: “Hi Lisa. This is John Doe from Good Company. May I speak with Mr. David Smith?”
If you’re speaking directly to the target prospect: “Hi Mary. This is John Doe from Good Company. I hope your day is going well.”
If it’s a stone-cold call and you know nobody: “Good morning. My name is John Doe from Good Company. With whom am I speaking?” (Then you address the person by his/her name moving forward.)
2. Establish a connection: You’ll want to build rapport from the get-go without it seemingly forced or contrived. Since this is a professional call, the connection you want to establish should relate to their work or their business.
“I heard recently that Gold Realty just opened a new office in Phoenix. Congratulations!”
“I’ve been working with clients in the real estate industry who need help with back office solutions so they can cut on their overhead costs. Does that sound like something Gold Realty may also need?”
3. Offer your value proposition: This is where you make your elevator pitch. Keep it short, to the point, and unique. Your proposition should basically tell them what value they will get from this call. How can you help them? How can they benefit from you?
4. Schedule for the next step: Do not hang up without getting a schedule for step 2—this can be a follow-up or, if you’re lucky, a one-on-one meeting.
“I don’t want to take up too much of your time, but I would love to schedule a one-on-one with you next week. Is Wednesday or Friday a good day for you?”
Photo by Berkeley Communications on Unsplash
Scenario 2: Follow-Up Call
1. Make an introduction: Introduce yourself by saying your name and your company’s. Mention that it’s a follow-up call and jog the prospect’s memory.
“Hi Lisa. This is John Doe from Good Company. We spoke last week about the back office solutions we offer specifically to real estate companies.”
“Hi David. This is John Doe from Good Company. I sent an email last week about the back office solutions we provide specifically for real estate companies. Have you had time to look at it?”
2. Leverage social proof: Cite a success story that would resonate to them.
“We most recently worked with Global Realty and their overhead costs dropped by 20% percent…”
3. Reiterate your value proposition: State how you can help them again. Be very, very specific.
4. Gather feedback: Any kind of feedback—good, bad, neutral— would be good at this point. This way, you can strategize on your next move.
5. Schedule for the next step: Do not hang up without getting a schedule for the next step, whether it’s the third, fourth, or fifth. Persistence is key!
Scenario 3: Leaving Voicemail Message
Go through the steps in Scenario 1 plus add social proof. But keep it short—like 30-40 seconds short. And this time, leave your contact details. Try to say everything without sounding rushed.
“Hi Mary! This is John Doe of Good Company. I heard recently that Gold Realty just opened a new office in Phoenix. Congratulations! I work with clients specifically in the real estate industry, providing them with back office solutions to help cut down on overhead costs. A most recent client reported a 20% drop. If that sounds like something Gold Realty may also need, please don’t hesitate to call me at 123-456-7890. Again, this is John Doe of Good Company. Thanks and hope to hear back from you.”
Other tactics you can also employ...
- Tease them with an offer.
- Drop a name that would matter to them.
- Make a personal connection (as opposed to just professional). Mention that you went to the same university, that you belong to the same business organization, and the like. Just nothing too personal that it sounds creepy.
Cold calling only feels awkward now. Trust us, you’ll get used to it. And if you know what you’re doing and saying, you can avoid the sting of rejection.
Good luck and happy cold calling!
Main photo by Taylor Grote on Unsplash
