By Clubfreedom
What can bring total fear into the heart of even the most successful sales professionals? What can crush your self-confidence and destroy your self-esteem? The sheer terror of calling prospects. Many net workers would rather spend an entire day in a dentist's chair than spend time cold calling. Does the thought of cold calling makes your stomach drop to your toes?
First let me explain what cold calling is. Cold calling is when you are making calls to prospects that you do not personally know.
Second, let me tell you a funny story about my cold calling days. When I first started calling leads a few years ago, I was extremely nervous. I would keep saying I will do it tomorrow. When tomorrow came, I would find another reason to postpone my calling session. When I finally started making calls, my hands would perspire as I dialed the telephone numbers on my list of prospects. As the phone rang, I would close my eyes and say out loud, "Please, please, please, let me get their voice mail. Oh, please, please, please!"
One morning after a couple of weeks of this routine, I sat down in my office chair and started to laugh. The realization hit me as to just how ridiculous the whole thing was. What was I afraid of? Prospects are just people. After all, they asked for information on a home based business. I wasn't calling people that had not requested information. What was the worst that could happen? They could say "no", that was the worst thing. After a few minutes of self-talk, I was ready to tackle any cold call to any prospect. I want to help you overcome any fears you may have of talking to prospects.
Make telephone calls
Few things are more terrifying than the unknown. The fear you create for yourself is far worse than the reality of cold calling. Once you start making telephone calls and continue making telephone calls, it gets easier. Just like anything in your life, you overcome the fear by doing.
Make a lot of telephone calls
If you have only one prospect to pursue, that prospect becomes overwhelmingly important. If you have hundreds of leads, no one prospect can make or break you. The more calls you make, the more success you will have.
Prepare an opening statement for your cold call
This lets you organize your thoughts before cold calling and helps you avoid common mistakes in the cold call opening that would give the person you're calling the chance to terminate the conversation. For instance, you should never ask, "Is this a good time to talk?" or "How are you today?"
What you should include in the opening statement
Include a greeting and an introduction, a reference point (something about the prospect), the benefits of Clubfreedom and a transition to a question or dialogue.
Start with less important leads
It will be good practice and less stressful. Once you feel more comfortable, start working on the more important leads.
Stay calm and remain relaxed
You will, for the most part, be talking to people who will appreciate your call. If a prospect is rude, remember it is not personal. They may just be having a bad day. Move on to the next call.
Accept some things are out of your control
If a prospect does say "no", ultimately that is out of your control. What is within your control is continuing to prospect and continuing to make calls. It is also within your control to improve your cold calling skills by going to seminars and reading books or online articles on prospecting. The more you learn, the less your prospects will say "no".
Ask for an appointment at a specific time
You want to say, "Would Wednesday at 11 a.m. be a good time to meet?" instead of saying, "Can I meet with you to discuss this next week?"
Be persistent when cold calling
Most new sales are made after at least the fifth contact, yet the majority of net workers give up after the second attempt.
Have Fun
This is not life or death; it's only a cold call. The fate of the world does not rest on you and your telephone. You will not ruin your life if a prospect says "no." Loosen up, be creative and have some fun!
Above all, my friends, practice, practice, practice. While cold calling may never be your favorite activity, you can get better at it, just like I did. I went from sweaty palms and an upset stomach when I first started calling prospects to someone who later became a trainer in lead calling.
The more you practice calling, the more effective a sales tactic it will be. So, get your script and your call list together and reach for the telephone. The people who want to do business with you are out there, but you have to let them know about you first.
Next week, we will give you tips for communicating with power.
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