Don't Do This on Cold Calls

When you make a cold call, what are you doing?

Think about this from the prospect’s perspective, not yours.

As they see it, you’re an annoying interruption - at least at first.

Want to know the quickest way to actually become an annoying interruption?

Start your cold call by asking them to confirm their name, title, and/or company.

This is a massive mistake that tons of salespeople make.

Here’s why it’s an ineffective approach:

1. It tells the prospect you haven’t done your research.

2. Those questions create space for the prospect to shut you down.

3. You’re adding friction to an already uncertain situation.

Let’s be honest: the reason we’re opening cold calls by asking questions we know the answers to is because we don’t want to ask the tough questions that we don’t know the answer to. (read that again)

Questions like “What kind of availability do you have next Tuesday at 3:00 p.m.?”

We’re scared to get a hard NO on that one, so we ask the easy ones that won’t hurt the good ol’ ego.

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Try this today:

When a prospect answers, assume you’re talking to the right person and that you’re approaching them with a solution that makes their life better.

Don’t ask them to confirm their own name, that’s a waste of their time. And yours!

If you have the wrong person, they’ll stop you.

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