Boost your telephone sales with a new strategy. Check out these tips to ensure you’ve got the best cold call script possible.

There’s no question that telephone sales is a tough business. No matter if you have a lengthy track-record of success, a list of prospects a mile long, or the best cold call script ever written, the odds are good that you’ve faced some industry challenges, including declining response rates.

Despite the drop in numbers, the research suggests that telemarketing is a long way from antiquity. In fact, the 2015 Data & Marketing Association Response Rate Report indicated that of all direct marketing methods, telemarketing had the highest response rate at just under 10%—plenty of opportunities to close sales.

But opportunity and execution are two different things. Having a broad audience to work with is encouraging, but if you’re not working with the best cold call script out there, the response rate will mean little in terms of ROI.

The cold-calling struggle

What makes cold-calling such a challenge is that you’re attempting to close a sale before you establish a relationship with the prospect. It seems that many people are conditioned to be defensive when a phone salesperson rings, which means it’s even harder to make a simple connection, let alone develop enough trust in 5-10 minutes for someone to give you their money.

However, there are ways to connect with people on the fly, even over the phone. One of the most important is to develop the best cold call script you can imagine. Scripts may feel a little artificial, but delivered correctly, they are the best way to build rapport in a short period.

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Basic rules for cold calling

The best cold call script uses the prospect’s name from the beginning. Doing this establishes the most basic foundation of a relationship, and also helps to guide the conversation.

That said, beware of getting too personal with idle banter. Don’t waste time with small talk. This person doesn’t know you, can’t even see you. They probably don’t care to chit-chat.

Instead, the best cold call script will focus on answering the first questions a prospect might have before they ask them. Who are you? For whom do you work? Why are you calling, and why should they care? If you can get that information across in a succinct, articulate way, you’re much more likely to capture their attention long enough to tell a little more about your offering.

Excite, connect, question

Once you’ve got their attention, you want to get them excited, or at least establish some urgency. What’s so great about what you’re selling? Is there a limited supply? Are you running a special deal? Why is your product or service perfect for the prospect? Demonstrate how your offering solves a problem your prospect has, and that will get them listening even closer.

Another component to the best cold call script is establishing a professional connection. If you work with a company that your prospect might know, do a little name-dropping. If you’ve worked with a colleague, friend, or family member of the prospect, mention it. This is a quick and easy way to build rapport quickly.

It’s also important to remember that everybody loves to be listened to, while few enjoy being lectured. Once you’ve gotten to the point and built a little trust, ask them leading questions. This does two things: It gives the prospect an opportunity to speak, but it also lets them come to their own conclusion, even if you were gently guiding them there in the first place.

Final tips

Whatever you do, try to be transparent. Remember, the biggest obstacle a cold-caller has to overcome is building trust. Tell them where you got their information. Give them all the information about your offering, including how you plan to address any current shortcomings.

Finally, surprise your prospects. Whether it be through a special offer, a particular capability of your product, or something else, surprise is more likely to influence a prospect in a positive way. In fact, surprises actually trigger the rewards pathway in the brain, regardless whether or not the person being surprised is excited. It’s the unexpectedness, scientists say, that creates the response. Structure your cold call script to have one small surprise after another, and you’re sure to close more deals.

One last thing—don’t forget to rehearse your script during downtime!

Do you have a killer cold-call script? What other useful information would you include or exclude? Tell us your stories in the comments below.

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