I have always found that successful cold calling starts with asking permission. The other day, it really paid off!
It started with a routine call to a branch bank manager. The woman who I spoke with listened for a while then explained that she had zero need for my services. Rather than get flustered or frustrated, I replied, “Well if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it!” and went on to ask her for a referral to someone who might be a better fit.
What she said next, made my day!
“You know, I LIKE you Nancy!” and she explained that she really appreciated that I has asked her permission to start our conversation. “You are GOOD at this!”
She went on to say that I sounded “different” and proceeded to give me the direct dial number of someone in corporate since other branches might, in fact, need my services.
Ding, ding, ding – we have a winner!
Her closing comment was, “when you are in my area, you come visit me honey!”
This a great example of my ‘Conversational Selling’ approach to cold calling. I teach people to have CONVERSATIONS that are both memorable and that lead to qualified leads and SALES.
I show people how to have meaningful conversations that are genuine – not salesy, where the goal is to build a relationship as two equal business professionals. We know that relationships like those that last longer than the typical 2–minute sales call will lead to more work and sales today AND down the line. That type of successful cold calling starts with asking permission.
And if you are lucky, on a good day, it may end with making a new friend in a new city!
Do YOU need help figuring out how to have more productive cold calls? Give me a call at 908-879-2911 or click here to set up a one-on-one with me to see how we can help YOU and your team build real relationships that convert to more sales.
For more Cold Calling tips see:
How Long Should A Cold Call Last?