How to Cold Call

Cold emailing is the preferred method of B2B sales outreach because it is highly scalable, low cost, and can provide insightful analytics when combined with specific tools. But it has its downsides in that you mostly don’t know why the person isn’t responding.

Cold calling, on the other hand, can tell you a lot. You’ll know quickly if you are speaking to the right person and if they want to hear from you again. Getting a verbal ‘no’ is instant instead of being ghosted or ignored.

When is it Most Appropriate to Use Cold Calling?

Cold calling should be a complementary strategy in your sales and marketing efforts. It can be highly effective in the following scenarios:

1. Prior connection: A mutual contact provided you with the phone number and didn’t mind that you said they gave it to you. Or you met the person at a conference or had some interaction elsewhere.
2. Reengagement: Reaching out to past clients or leads who showed interest but didn't convert can reignite their interest.
3. Highly targeted lead: When you have a list of carefully researched and qualified leads, cold calling can be an excellent way to initiate contact.
4. Following up on inbound leads: Call a person who emailed you. It adds warmth and human connection to the exchange.

Effectiveness of Cold Calling

When done right, cold calling can be incredibly effective. It helps you:

1. Build Relationships: It's a chance to establish a personal connection, which is often more memorable than an email.
2. Overcome Objections: You can address concerns and objections in real-time, increasing the chances of converting a lead.
3. Gather Valuable Feedback: Even if a call doesn't result in an immediate sale, it can provide insights into your prospect's pain points and objections.

Practical tips on how to Do it Professionally Without Being Intrusive:

1. Respectful Timing: Be mindful of your prospects' time zone and work hours. Calling at inappropriate times can be a major turn-off. Also, keep it short.
2. Introduce yourself quickly: Do not make any pleasantries before introducing yourself. State who you are and why you are calling quickly
3. Be normal: Avoid sounding like you are reading off a script, and skip the cheesy intros with questions. Be casual and friendly.
4. Soft Call to Action: I’d love to tell you more about how we can help with <their pain point>. Can I send you an email with more information and give you a call to follow up in a few days?“
5. Open number: Call from your cellphone or your disclosed business number. Unknown numbers or clear ‘call center’ numbers won’t cut it.
6. Be prepared to disclose how you got their number: Privacy is paramount, and you should be honest about it.

Personally, cold calling gives me the chills. I wouldn't say I like making them out of fear of rejection and the general anxiety of talking to strangers. But making a cold call when you have a hot lead is more effective than sending out 100 emails and being ignored. Some of my most effective sales have come from cold calls. So, I have to get over it and give myself a little pep talk.

You will rarely have a person be hostile towards you if your cold call is done professionally and with tact – the fear of that response is much greater than its frequency.

Cold calling can be nerve-wracking; we all fear rejection, and speaking to strangers is anxiety-inducing for those less outgoing. But you know what’s worse than rejection? Not getting rejected at all because you didn’t try. So wear your big-person underwear and make a few cold calls today.

Yours in picking up the phone,

Elna