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We rarely think about our prospect’s problems when we cold call. It’s just easier to focus on our product or service. Naturally, it’s really tempting to make cold calling all about us and what we have to offer, rather than about the other person.

In this new cold calling approach, we think about the potential client. We especially look at problems they’re having, and we build our conversations around that. This is the most effective way to do cold calling, and here’s why:

1. Potential Clients Listen Better

Everyday, people from all over the world send me their selling challenges.
This one just came in from Julie in Atlanta, Georgia:

“Ari, I’m not a typical salesperson. I’m easy-going, I focus on client needs, and I do my best not to exert any sales pressure. But I still end up getting stuck in the cat-and-mouse sales game, and I don’t understand why. I call a prospect, and, if they don’t say ‘no’ right away, we have a pleasant conversation. They lead me to believe that they’re interested in my service, but the next thing I know I find myself back in the ‘chasing’ game. Please help!”

Across all industries, one of the major issues professional salespeople struggle with is proper time management. All too often, at the end of the day the professional salesperson can look back and feel as if they accomplished nothing of value. We evaluate three key tips to improving time efficiency and your mastery of time management.

Tip #1 Have your day planned out before you start.

Let’s be honest. Cold calling isn’t easy. So there are probably lots of times when you’ve actually been relieved that you didn’t reach a prospect personally. You weren’t really thrilled to leave a voicemail message, but you “had” to.

You know that leaving voicemails means you probably won’t get a return call. But it feels better than going back to the receptionist, who is likely to challenge you.

The Receptionist Gatekeeper

Receptionists are often expected to act as gatekeepers to protect employees from sales calls. So they often do challenge callers with questions like, “Who is this?” or “What is this in reference to?” or “Is he expecting your call?”

1. The Forget About It Screener

Definition: When you encounter this type of screener you can forget about getting through to your sales prospect. Basically, you have no chance of being transferred or getting any type of information from the screener.

Your Solution: Your best strategy is to locate the email address of your prospect. When you email your prospect include a compliment about their screener such as “(Name of screener) is an excellent at their job because no matter what I said (he or she) would not let me through to you!” Also, in your email, note that you are very determined to speak with them and give a brief explanation why they should give you a few minutes of their time.

Cold calling is a selling method wherein the salesperson makes unsolicited calls – with the help of a phone in most cases – to prospective clients. The adjective “cold” is used because of the initial treatment of recipients towards the callers. Although it’s extremely difficult for sales people to attain their objectives through cold calling, most of them still persist in using this topic.

There should, however, come a point of accepting that some methods just don’t work – ie. cold calling – and it’s time to move to greener pastures.

Other Areas Where Cold Calling is Used

The moment you use the old-school cold calling approach – the traditional pitch about who you are and what you have to offer – you trigger the negative “salesperson” stereotype. And that usually means instant rejection from your prospect.

The problem is with how you’re selling, not what you’re selling. When you start cold calling by talking about what you have to offer, you’re “pitching” yourself instead of focusing on the other person. Your voice and demeanor is full of expectation. And this creates sales pressure, which triggers resistance.

Avoid getting pulled back into cold calling frustration

It’s always a little scary to try something new when an old formula (even if it doesn’t work very well) is familiar to us. But remember that the definition of insanity is to continue doing the same thing over and over, while expecting different results.

This new approach I’m presenting around cold calling is one of focusing on relationship rather than salesmanship. This is may or may not be new to you. And you may feel a bit hesitant to make your first cold call in which you apply this new mindset.

There’s a wonderful way to step into the world of the person you’re cold calling. Just focus on their everyday problems. Start by talking about their issues, not your solutions. And make it specific and compelling to them.

Don’t go into a sales pitch, which is what you would do if you were operating out of the old traditional cold calling mindset. Try to keep in mind that who you are and what you have to offer are irrelevant at this moment.

All that matters is the person you’ve called and the problems they may be having that, down the road, the two of you may decide you can help solve.

I was in a rut, stuck dong the same thing day in day out, working for a software company setting up appointments for their sales people. I was in my fifth year and the thought of doing it for another year just overwhelmed me with dread.

I have a family, a wonderful supportive wife and two lovely girls, so running off to the Greek Islands was not an option.