Start off on the right foot by using some of the best cold calling openers to get your prospect’s immediate attention.
It’s no secret among telemarketers that the start of a cold call can make or break a sale. In general, a salesperson has about fifteen seconds to capture attention and generate interest on a phone sale, or the call may be lost before it’s even begun. To tackle this issue, it’s helpful to have an arsenal of the best cold calling openers at the ready, so you don’t miss out on opportunities that might otherwise turn into sales.
If you feel that scripted cold calling seems disingenuous, you’re not alone. Many sales professionals would rather have an organic conversation, and ultimately, that’s an option. But scripts, and especially scripted openers, help you get to the point quickly without accidentally omitting information that might be critical to generating the interest that leads to the sale.
Structuring an opener: 3 things to remember
The best cold calling openers adhere to a few specific guidelines. The first and perhaps most important of these is to keep it short. Most people recognize a sales call when they receive one, and it’s common for defenses to go up immediately. The longer you take to get to the point, the more time the prospect has to decide they don’t want to be on this call.
Another component to a successful opener is to be as personal as possible. You may not always have the contact’s name when cold calling, but the more information you have, the better chance you have of establishing a connection.
A third thing to keep in mind is to never ask for permission or forgiveness. Don’t request a minute of someone’s time, and don’t apologize for taking up their time. Simply thank them and get to the point.
Some other quick tips: Ask a question (“Would you be interested in hearing about this special offer?”), demonstrate value (“This product can save you thousands of dollars a year,”), and finally, create a sense of urgency (“I’m running a limited time promotion that I really think you’d benefit from,”).
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Different openers for different verticals
Using different openers for different verticals adds another level of personalization to each call. Including industry-specific information to your opening statement is a great way to get a prospect to listen from the get-go, since the details you present will presumably be relevant to their business.
For example, if you’re selling to a law firm, start out by telling the prospect how many other law firms in the area you already work with. This establishes a reputation, which helps to set a foundation of trust, ultimately leading to a higher likelihood of a fruitful conversation. If you then try to sell to a real estate firm, give them numbers on local real estate clients. This type of specification offers more meaningful information to would-be clients.
Confidence, automation
You may have some of the best cold calling openers at the ready, but if you come across as lacking confidence, you hurt your chances of making the sale. When you go into a cold call, know that the odds are against you—most cold calls don’t turn into sales. Develop a thick skin, forget about rejection and failure, and believe that, against all odds, every call will turn a profit.
If you’re someone who finds it easy to procrastinate between calls, automating the process may help streamline the job. Outbound sales technology exists to keep you moving from one call to the next. This allows you to focus on what you’re going to say rather than fiddling with call lists and phone numbers.
The best cold calling openers
While the information above should give you a good foundation for scripting your openers, here are three of the best cold calling openers that are most likely to get a productive conversation started.
1. “Hi, is this Mr. Smith? My name is Ed Jones and my company, ABC Company, works with six of the leading real estate businesses in Anytown, USA. Would you like to hear about some of the benefits they’re enjoying through our product?”
2. “Hi, my name is Ed Jones, and I’m calling from ABC Company. Would you be interested in learning how our product can save your business $20,000 a year, guaranteed?”
3. “Hi, Mr. Smith. Ed Jones here from ABC Company. As a leader in the real estate industry, I wanted to extend to you a special promotion that I believe will save you $20,000 a year. Would you like to hear the details?”
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