by Nancy Calabrese | Dec 16, 2019 | Advice, Sales Prospecting
Our 21st century world is NOISY! And I don’t just mean the audible assaults. I am including the constant barrage of media, social and otherwise, as well as the incessant arrival of emails and robocalls. As a Salesperson, cutting through all this noise to find and connect with prospects can be a real challenge. My suggestion is to let the Human Touch be YOUR Sales differentiator.
According to a recent Hubspot statistic, “the average person deletes 48% of the emails they receive every day”. This does not bode well for ‘cold’ emails as a sales tactic. These days, the likelihood of someone opening an unsolicited email from someone they do not know, is slim to none.
Reception of audio and/or video messaging is similar. These ‘one-way’ broadcast messages are seen for what they are – advertisements of YOUR products or services without regard for the recipient. A bit like billboards, these are a ‘one-message-fits-all’ approach that just adds to the noise!
Yet people DO still pick up the phone.
Your competition may be using phone calling as a Sales Prospecting tactic but more and more of them are using AUTOMATED calls. These so-called ‘robocalls’ give legitimate callers a bad rap and make getting through even more difficult.
What can a Sales caller do? My advice is to KEEP DIALING and when you DO get through to someone, be human! Be a real person who is honestly interested in learning more about THEM and THEIR business. Be warm in a world of ‘cold’ calls!
People do business with people they know, like and trust. Human dialog and conversation can build all of these.
Use your time with the prospect to ask questions and to really listen.
Listen for their passion and their pain points. Create PAUSES in your conversations that allow for hearing and responding, something that just is NOT possible in an email, text or any other ‘one-way’ broadcast messaging. Actual human conversation, between two people, leads to real engagement.
And I want to loop back to emails. Emails DO have value, just not as a substitute for ‘cold-calling’. They are a useful tool for setting up appointments and sharing information and documentation. And they can also help you stay top of mind once you have established a connection.
Let the Human Touch be YOUR Sales Differentiator
So, KEEP dialing and when you DO connect with someone, make sure they know you are a REAL HUMAN!
Need help with YOUR cold calling skills and scripting? Give us a call at 908-879-2911 – our training programs will get you and your team up to speed and on track to succeed!
And here are some more helpful Cold Calling tips:
Habits to Develop if You Want to be Successful in Sales
Active Listening – it’s more than just ‘hearing’ what your prospect is saying!
Control what you can in Sales
by Nancy Calabrese | Dec 3, 2019 | Sales Prospecting
I will keep this short and to the point – do NOT stop prospecting over the holidays! Yes, you may have a lot going on outside of work and yes, even when you DO get through to people, they may be distracted. But making the calls, and having conversations NOW, builds the relationships and the contacts that will turn into prospects and sales in the coming year!
Here are some important points to keep in mind:
- People may not be closing new business in December but the relationships you make this month are the seeds you plant to ensure a prosperous Q1 in 2020.
- Gatekeepers may be out of the office over the holidays, making it more likely you will be able to reach key decision makers directly.
- And when you DO reach those key prospects, they may be a bit less busy, in better spirits and receptive to chatting. This gives you the opportunity to learn more about them, their needs and how you can more effectively help them!
- Your competition probably ISN’T working the phones so it may be easier to get your calls answered and the people who DO answer the phone will be impressed by your work ethic.
- If your responsibilities include knocking on doors, making presentations and networking, you may find fewer people in their offices, but those that ARE there are probably a bit more laid back and able to talk.
- Remember, not everyone is celebrating in December – find the ones who are ready to work.
- Don’t fool yourself – if you are NOT prospecting over the holidays, you ARE leaving money on the table!
Don’t be discouraged – keep dialing and prospecting – it’s the best way to ensure a strong 2020!
by Nancy Calabrese | Nov 20, 2019 | Cold Calling Tips, Lead Generation, Sales Prospecting
Back in 2015, there was a lot of noise, much of it negative, around a comment made online that “You have the same number of hours in each day as Beyoncé”. The implication was, Beyoncé seems to be able to run the world with HER 24 hours and so should you! The gist of the negative narrative was, “Well, yes, but I don’t have a personal trainer, or household staff or a ton of money”.
I mention this because, as we plan for 2020 – and Yes, you SHOULD be planning for 2020! – we all DO have only 24 hours in a day and we need to be sure that we are making the most of each one of them. Here are some tips on how to make the most of YOUR Sales Prospecting hours in 2020.
First, let’s do the math:
At 6 – 7 hrs of Sales Prospecting a day (most of us work longer days, you can increase it as needed) X 5 days a week (again, in an ideal world we aren’t all cranking on weekends) = 30 – 35 hrs a week X 50 weeks (hopefully you are taking SOME time off!) which leaves you with 1500 – 1750 hours a year of Sales Prospecting time.
Here are some tips for making the most of YOUR Sales Prospecting hours:
- Commit to making calls EVERY DAY. Block out that time on your calendar and USE it – every day! Do NOT use this time to complete unrelated tasks.
- If your job entails more than calls, get THOSE activities on the calendar as well. Block out the live networking events, allocate time for digital networking on LinkedIn and other relevant platforms, plan the days when you will be knocking on doors and making presentations. By consciously ‘chunking’ out your days there will be less down time spent figuring out what you will do and when, making your Sales Prospecting hours more productive.
- Use a CRM specifically DESIGNED for outbound calling and lead generation, make sure you know how to use it properly and remember to USE it for ALL your Sales Prospecting.
- Be sure that you are working from a QUALIFIED LEAD list.
- Develop, memorize and internalize a script with a compelling message. Practice it until you are comfortable and confident in your delivery.
- Have your ‘toolbox’ filled with documents and cheat sheets so you are prepared to address and overcome objections.
- Have a plan. Work the plan. Commit to success!
Here are tasks that WASTE Prospector’s time – AVOID these:
- Using an OUTDATED or OLD Call list is a HUGE WASTE of time!
- Answering email and/or engaging on Social Media during your dedicated Sales Prospecting Hours is a WASTE of valuable time.
- Extensive research is a waste of time. We have a ‘1 x 1 rule’ – spend a maximum of one-minute researching LinkedIn and the Prospect’s website before making the call. You need to know who you are speaking with and the industry they are in – nothing more.
- Don’t be distracted by colleagues during your Sales Prospecting time UNLESS it is related to making a sale!
- Spending time on the phone with influencers is unnecessary – focus directly on the decision makers!
All of us will have the same number of Sales Prospecting hours in 2020. Many will waste their time on pointless or misdirected tasks. Some will work longer days and weeks to try to accomplish more. And some will work SMARTER, focusing on what matters most. How will YOU use YOUR Sales Prospecting time in 2020?
If you need help getting YOUR Sales Prospecting team up to speed, give us a call – we train, manage and monitor YOUR inside sales team to ensure real results! Click HERE to learn more.
by Nancy Calabrese | Nov 5, 2019 | Best Sales Practices, Cold Calling Tips, Sales Prospecting
I recently read a good post on habits to develop if you want to be successful in sales. In the post, she listed the following habits:
#1: Worry about what you can control
#2: Only do things that make you money
#3: Focus on the pipeline, not sales
#4: Be willing to lose it all
#5: Get face to face constantly
#6: Understand them better
#7: Leverage relationships
#8: Constantly get feedback
#9: Follow a plan
I agree with her his list and would add the following:
KNOW and MONITOR YOUR KPIs
KEEP dialing – don’t be discouraged – it is a NO business, keep dialing for that YES. Knowing your KPI’s should give you an idea of how many dials you need to make before you get to that YES.
You need to engage in ACTIVE LISTENING to get to #6. Lean into the calls and actively listen to HEAR the insights that give you the edge!
Get HELP – we offer training and management programs that get you up to speed, keep you there and on track!
Would you like additional tips on which habits to develop if you want to be successful in sales? Are there any additional habits YOU would add to these lists? Please follow me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ncalabrese/ where I regularly share tips and advice and be sure to join the conversation about this post!
by Nancy Calabrese | Oct 22, 2019 | Cold Call ROI, Cold Calling Tips
I am frequently asked, “is Cold Calling a waste of time?” Given that my business is to find and place, train and manage Cold Callers and that we at One of a Kind Sales LOVE making Cold Calls, I can confidently say, “YES” – when done poorly, Cold Calling IS a waste of time!
This may sound blasphemous – how can someone who LOVES Cold Calling, admit that it is a waste of time?! I am able to say this because I KNOW that it is true. I meet salespeople all the time who are wasting their time – and the time of their potential prospects – by using outdated scripts, poor techniques and/or ‘winging’ it. Too many people think that Cold Calling is just a matter of picking up the phone, dialing a number and chatting with, or worse yet, bullying the person on the other end into setting up an appointment. This could not be further from the truth!
Cold Calling is an art and a science. There are proven techniques and approaches that you need to learn in order to be effective. And you must be able to LISTEN to, and empathize with, your prospect. Most people are NOT born with these skills but with training and guidance, they CAN be learned.
Successful Cold Callers know:
- They need to be consistent, making calls daily.
- They need to be persistent – and know not to give up!
- Their KPI’s – their Key Performance Indicators (check out our post Are YOU Dialing Blindly for more on this).
- The VALUE of their work – they know that the appointments they set with qualified prospects lead to CLOSED SALES and a healthy bottom line.
Cold Calling is NOT for the faint of heart. It is a hard, often harsh, business where you hear “No” way more than you hear “Yes’. But it is also a rewarding one! Cold Calling is an important and EFFECTIVE part of many business plans and well trained, accomplished Cold Callers are ALWAYS in demand.
Are YOU wasting YOUR time Cold Calling without results? Give us a call at 908.879.2911, we can provide you with the training you need turn that around! And if you would like to HIRE one or more of our well-trained salespeople to fill your pipeline with qualified leads, give us a call. Our people are snatched up pretty quickly, so get on our list!
So, is Cold Calling a Waste of Time? When done poorly, yes, it can be. But when done properly, by well-trained salespeople, Cold Calling can be one of your most powerful funnel filling tactics! Are you and your salespeople wasting YOUR time?
