Cold calling manager what. Cold calls. Telephone sales techniques. The most complete guide to calling and sales. Cold calling technique

Why use ready-made scripts if you have a team of experienced managers?

Firstly, because sooner or later newbies/trainees may appear without experience and skills in working with objections. Secondly, the right script can help out a manager if he is confused, lost in thought and the client is about to lose his temper, but there is no time for thinking and improvisation.

What are the disadvantages?

A script can limit a manager and be the reason why sales fail when it is written incorrectly or there is a strict attitude to follow only the written algorithm. A step left or right means execution. The script is an average universal solution, following which the likelihood of a positive outcome of the conversation is greater. But this is not a 100% guarantee. Having a script does not mean turning off your imagination and following only a memorized algorithm.

Managers often make mistakes when calling clients.

• Poor presentation and lack of a clearly formulated proposal.
• Transition to price without voicing the benefits of the product for the client's needs.
• Weak arguments in favor.
• The goal of the conversation was not achieved. The manager answered the questions and made no attempt to engage the client (offer to send a CP, schedule a meeting).

If there ready-made template for calls, there is less chance of making a mistake.

Universal script for sales

The basic stages of any script are:

1. Establishing contact. Greeting + introduction.
2. Identifying needs or problems
3. Presentation of the product, focusing on how it can help.
4. Answers on questions. Work with objections.
5. Target action. Sending a CP at the end of the conversation, setting up a meeting, agreeing on the next call.

For example:

Greetings: Hello.

Acquaintance: My name is Natalya, I am the manager of the company “N”, we are engaged in the repair of industrial equipment. How can I contact you? (Semyon Semenovich).

Establishing contact: Semyon Semyonovich, is it convenient for you to talk to me for 3 minutes now?

Suggestive questions: Tell me, what equipment do you use in your work? How often do breakdowns occur? How long does it take to eliminate them?

Target: We offer... We give a guarantee... We will fix it for free in case of a repeated breakdown... Our specialists will come and fix it at a time convenient for you...

Answers to questions: With us you will receive the additional advantage of...

Ending a conversation: Thank you. Have a nice day.

If everything is done correctly at the problem identification stage, then the presentation of the product will not raise any objections.

For b2b clients, the script will be approximately the same, but a preparatory stage will be added

Namely:

• Collection of preliminary information. Search for the person responsible for procurement or decision-making + his email. If you can’t find it via the Internet, you can, for example, find out by calling the secretary: “Tell me how to correctly spell the manager’s full name...”, “We would like to send a personal invitation to an industry exhibition for the full name, tell me which address is best?”
• Dispatch commercial offer.
• Call + visiting the secretary.

How does an incoming call differ from an outgoing call?

When a client calls, the manager’s task is to demonstrate excellent knowledge of the product and its scope. The questions can be very diverse and you need to be prepared for them. If you have a ready-made script, it’s easier to navigate.

Example of an incoming call to a real estate agency

A: Hello, AN "May". My name is Svetlana.

TO: Hello. I am interested in buying an apartment on Lenin Street, I found your ad on Avito. Is it still relevant?

A: How can I contact you?

TO: Leonid

A: Nice to meet you. Leonid, can you specify the advertisement number?

TO: 2#189324#67

A: Thank you. Apartment on Lenina, 14, 70 sq.m. On the 9th floor. It's like that?

TO: Yes.

A: The announcement is current. Do you have questions or want to watch it right away?

TO: Yes, tell me, are there meters installed there? Is there a telephone and internet? Is it possible to install an electric stove?

A: Yes, it's all there. There is already a gas stove, but you can also install an electric one.

TO: I would like to see.

A: Great. When would it be convenient for you to arrive today within two hours or tomorrow afternoon?

TO: Better today?

A: Okay, call me when you get there and I'll meet you.

TO: Fine.

A: Thanks, see you.

Example of a cold calling template

What is the difference between these calls? The client knows nothing about the company or the product. The manager’s task is to briefly form an idea of ​​the company, identify the pain of a potential buyer, and tell how to solve it with the help of the product.

Greetings: Good afternoon.

Acquaintance: Employee name + company name with a brief explanation of what they do.

For example: Our company supplies furniture fittings. We have a large assortment to suit any request and affordable prices.

+ find out the client's name.

Establishing contact: Make sure this is the person who will make the decision on cooperation. And find out if he now has a few minutes to talk or is it better to call back at another time (which?).

Leading questions: For example, “Are you using this product?” and then “Then you probably often have difficulties with...”. That is, those that will help reveal the client’s pain.

Answers on questions: Arguments and more arguments. Why does the client need your product?

Ending a conversation: Thank you. Goodbye. (Based on the results of the call, the contact moves to the next stage).

Learn more about handling objections

Most often these are statements like this:

• We don't need it
• No money
• Expensive
• We have been working with one supplier for a long time
• We will call you back
• Send CP

In the response template, you can pre-prescribe several convincing options for arguments in favor, which will make the work of managers easier. For example:

- “I understand that now you have no time for me and you want to hang up the phone quickly. Let’s meet and in a calm atmosphere I’ll tell you about our product, you can ask questions and decide whether you need us or not.”

“I’m not suggesting that you abandon your suppliers, I’m offering you a choice, the opportunity to compare whose conditions are better. You yourself will decide with whom it is more profitable to cooperate. Let's meet and maybe our offer will interest you...”

No money. “Yes, you are right, there are always not enough of them, but let’s calculate how much you will save/earn for the company if you accept our offer...”

- “What needs to be done to cooperate with you?”

What a manager needs to remember when cold calling

1. The initiative should always remain with the manager. Use the counter-question tactic. The client’s task is to find out the necessary information and hang up. The manager’s task is to schedule a meeting, agree on the next step, and finally sell. Questions help you break through a client's defenses and avoid objections.

2. Avoid overly long phrases. Remember that this is a dialogue, not a monologue. Moreover, the more information is dumped on the client, the less he will hear from what is said. This will most likely make him angry and he will hang up the call. Pause and speak in short sentences. Save main principle dialogue “you give me - I give you.”

3. Remember the purpose of the call (to make an appointment). If you tell all the information over the phone, the client will no longer be interested, he found out what he wanted. The manager’s task is to intrigue and bring the client to a meeting.

If you work in CRM INTRUM, you can configure

And managers will be able to make and receive calls, having before their eyes a ready-made script with possible answers and examples of working with objections.

During a conversation, you can simultaneously fill out the data received from the contact into the card.

If the client is already registered in the CRM database, his data will be automatically inserted into the text of the script when calling.

During a conversation, the manager can quickly move through the branches of the script.

You can set up step-by-step scenarios for different situations: cold calls, receiving incoming calls from new clients, etc. This way, your managers will always have ready-made recommendations, which will increase the success of negotiations.

Remember

A good script is a cheat sheet, not a rigid set of rules. It helps the manager quickly get his bearings and choose the optimal answer in order to direct the conversation in the right direction, avoid difficult moments, and not get stuck if the question is a dead end.

The main feature of cold calling is that during the conversation it is necessary to interest the client in the service. That is, a person may be interested in a service, but the manager needs to try hard to discuss it.

Cold calls are called because potential clients may be interested in the services offered to them only theoretically and the manager needs to correctly describe the benefits of the offer. Many people listen to offers from various companies every day, so each new call is treated coldly.

Several approaches can be used during a call:

• application of a standard dialogue template;
• presentation of the company offering the service at the very beginning of the conversation;
• thorough preparation before the conversation.

People who face such calls all the time know how to identify them from the first words and end the conversation before the next manager can talk about the offer.

Examples of cold calling and rules for scheduling a meeting with a client are in this video:

What are the features of cold calling?

Sales professionals are required to make a certain number of cold calls every day. Their number may vary depending on the salary. Such calls have several features:

1. Duration of preparation. For a call to be effective, the manager needs to carefully consider the conversation scenario and possible options developments of events.
2. Analysis of results. After making a call, its effectiveness is assessed and clients are entered into the database. If the client is interested, a commercial proposal is sent to him.
3. Variety of scenarios. Cold calling often follows a pattern and unexpected questions from the caller can lead to a loss of control over the conversation. This is why preparing for different options is important.

Since such calls are ineffective, more than 80 calls are made during the working day.

Advantages and disadvantages of cold calling

Usually the salesperson already has a specific customer base that he or she is going to call. The purpose of calls can be both sales and surveys. Organizing sales using cold calls has several disadvantages:

• employees of companies who may be interested in the offer do not expect any calls, so there is no desire to answer them;
• because of large quantity When receiving proposals, many company employees automatically refuse or end the conversation at the very beginning;
• in the absence of experience and skills in talking with clients, a sales specialist will cause dissatisfaction in every potential client;
• In order for such work to be effective, additional expenses are necessary for training personnel and their competent selection;
• negative attitude towards the work of employees who make cold calls.

But, despite the disadvantages described, cold calling is an effective way to make sales. This is because talking on the phone is more effective than sending out emails or handing out flyers.

At the same time, the chance of organizing a personal meeting increases many times over. The benefits of using cold calling include an increased chance of selling a product if the salesperson is competent.

What determines the effectiveness of the method?

Conditions affecting sales efficiency when using the described method include:

1. Client base. To make effective calls, the salesperson must have information such as the customer's name, the company he represents, and his past purchases. This is important for drawing up a script for a future conversation.
2. A script, which is a template through which a sales specialist conducts a conversation with clients. It is the script that allows you to turn a manager into an employee who effectively sells a certain product. If it is drafted incorrectly, even a diligent employee will not be able to attract clients. A script is ineffective unless it is written for a specific business. However, it must be developed for a specific audience. Also, the template should not strictly regulate the conversation scenario.
3. Skills and personality traits of a manager. Much depends on the personality of the sales specialist. He needs to have communication skills different people, as this significantly increases the chances of a successful sale. This is due to the fact that in the absence of a prepared answer to the question posed by the client, communication skills help to continue the conversation. In addition, the manager must be stress-resistant, since conflict situations may arise during a conversation. Creativity is also a necessary quality for a sales professional.
4. Call effectiveness analysis. Such actions allow you to increase the effectiveness of telemarketing.
5. Duration of conversation. Since the goal when working with corporate buyers is, the conversation should last at least 3 minutes.

Several methods are used to analyze calls. One of them is to listen to recorded conversations and assign ratings to each sales person.

During listening, the conversation is divided into several stages. The greeting, introduction to the client, clarification of circumstances, presentation of the product and farewell are assessed.

The sales specialist's performance is also assessed. Great importance plays the number of calls made per day. The average number of calls for managers should be around 100. If their number is less than 80, this should be a cause for concern.

How to make your cold calling more effective

It is also important to periodically change the sales script. If most conversations break down at a certain point, this indicates that the script needs to be changed in that part.

Another way to increase sales efficiency is to implement a CRM system that can be linked to telephony. This makes it easy to track the time spent talking with a client. In this case, you can see who made the transaction.

Another condition for increasing work efficiency is training managers. Employees should not just read a script, but be able to improvise and confidently talk with clients.

Script algorithm

Before the call, a script is drawn up:

• determining the purpose of the call to the client;
• finding a way to bypass the secretary;
• access to a person who can make a decision;
• determining the needs of a potential client;
• product description;
• processing objections. you will learn how to handle objections in sales;
• closing the call.

You can read what clients mean and how they work in practice by following the link.

Defining the goal is the key point of the script. The purpose could be to update a database, offer a service, or schedule an appointment. In addition, during the call a commercial offer may be made or information about any changes may occur.

The next step is to bypass the secretary. It is important that the passage is close to the purpose of the call. If the goal is to offer a product, the manager should introduce himself and ask who is responsible for purchasing equipment for the company.

This is followed by contact with the decision maker. After the secretary switches to the next employee, it is important to find out whether he is the one who makes the decisions.

During diagnostics of the client's potential, it is determined whether he needs the proposed service or product. This is necessary in order to determine the quantity of goods that can be purchased, as well as the timing. Thanks to this, time is not wasted on empty talk.

After determining the level of interest in a particular client, you need to understand how to interest him. An example is the question of what equipment is missing at the enterprise or what devices would like to be supplemented.

You can find out what hot calls are, how effective they are and how they differ from cold calls.

When handling objections, you need to focus on the purpose of the call. If the decision maker says that he is not interested in visiting the forum, for example, it is necessary to point out the opportunities that the client does not see.

Closing a call is also important stage, since even with the client’s consent, it is necessary to agree on the next action. The call may end with a question about when a meeting can be scheduled to discuss the proposal in more detail.

Cold calling is one of the effective ways attracting new clients, but the result is to a greater extent depends on the manager's skills. That is why before using this method it is necessary to properly select personnel.

What are cold calls and how to make them effective - see here:

April 10, 2018

In this article we will take a closer look at cold calling technology and tell you about original scripts and the rules for conducting successful telephone calls, we will share the secrets of where it is best to start, we will explain what stages of interaction with a client exist, we will teach you how to determine effectiveness and set goals correctly, and we will provide a training video.

All the secrets of “cold” sales: definition of the concept, main goals of a telephone call, principles of negotiation

They are called this because clients are quite cold when you try to establish contact with them. Remember how you yourself perceive calls from strangers? Usually they cause nothing but irritation to the person who answers the phone.

From here we get first tip: to have less “coldness” in the conversation, try call first! Of course, the degree of acquaintance with the people around us is different - someone is a close friend or even a relative, and with someone you just have a superficial acquaintance, you met once at something and simply exchanged business cards. But in any case, a conversation with such a person will be easier, with less chance of irritation, retaliatory rudeness and blocking of the number.

At the moment of such a call you should be. Otherwise, even if the deal is concluded, it will lead to the disappointment of your friend, and there may be a complete break in your personal good relations! Our main goal is satisfied customers!

Your managers will be able to work equally productively with both segments, learn to interact and stop being afraid of telephone conversations and learn how to turn their calls into closed deals.

Specialist high level Telephone communications masters such techniques that reduce the failure rate during “cold” sales to a minimum. Company owners who are poorly versed in this area believe that the conversion rate from such phone calls is very low. There is some truth in this. If the staff is not trained, it can actually reach 1% or less. In other words, out of 100 calls, only 1 will hit the target.

And such performance will really contribute to the rapid morale of your salespeople, their low wages, high staff turnover and your high costs of recruiting new employees. By endlessly recruiting new salespeople, you will lose more money than on one investment in the development of one high-quality “Telephone Call Algorithm” and training of your existing employees.

There are many ways to increase conversion by multiples. First, develop and test a reliable algorithm that will subsequently guide your managers. On your own or with the help of experts in this matter.

Read on this site about the peculiarities of business in the “pressure of transactions”, perhaps there you will find some tips for yourself...

Sales stages of cold calling

Step-by-step instructions are compiled for each business separately. If you contact consultant Vladimir Khmelev, you will receive a detailed text that takes into account the specifics of your activity. An example script looks like this.

• Greetings. Establishing contact with the “gatekeeper”/secretary.
• Some kind of magic phrase. Important news. Intrigue. Paradox. "It's a misunderstanding." Urgency. Idea….
• Switching to decision-maker/LDPR.
• Establishing contact. The “hook” of a strategic issue.
• Block of questions and generalizations. Ideally, with the prevention of objections.
• Presentation/proposal.
• Work with objections.
• Closing this stage of the transaction. Ideally, a deal right away.

Cold calling - telephone sales technique: examples of dialogues and conversation patterns for a sales manager

Setting a goal

Think of each stage as links in a chain. Moving from one link to another, you will achieve a result - sell a product or service. But the goal of the first call does not have to be implementation.

Imagine that you are going to sell a batch of furs to a chain of luxury outerwear stores, you contact the right person at the client's and start telling him what wonderful fur items you are ready to give him at a 10% discount. You describe the advantages of silver fox vests for 45 minutes, and the sale fails. Why?

The answer is simple: you didn't have the right goal for this particular conversation! What did you expect by listing the benefits for a long time? The client cannot buy fur coats over the phone: he needs to get acquainted with information on the terms of delivery, look and touch samples, meet with an executive in the client’s network, find out their current conditions with other suppliers, compare your prices and quality of products, and the cost of the same goods from competing companies. Yes, he won’t listen to you for that long! At most, he will offer to send your price list by email, but most likely, he will rudely interrupt the conversation.

The call will be effective and will not leave an unpleasant impression on both sides if you think in advance about what you want to achieve. Your goal may be to prepare a person to receive a commercial offer: make sure that he reads it accurately and does not send it to the spam folder. Tactics and strategies are chosen depending on what you want to achieve when completing the next stage.

Forget phrases like “We offer”, “ Profitable proposition", "I want to offer you", "Mutually beneficial cooperation." They identify you as a seller. And untrained! The potential buyer has a strong feeling that you are now going to “push” something, “sell” something, impose it... Or even you are a scammer and simply want to deceive him.

He will try to interrupt any communication with you immediately and harshly. To hook a client, say something about their organization. Before doing this, we recommend that you study the site, groups in in social networks. When you receive the necessary information, call and say: “As far as we know, you are engaged in cargo transportation, mainly automobiles, and are now expanding your staff. The vacancies on the site say that you do not have enough CE category drivers. This is true?".

You will interest the person on the other end of the phone, he will want to continue communication and find out where the conversation will lead. Go further, make an impression. Report that professional competence your company is closely related to what the potential buyer's company does. Your main activity is recruiting, and you can short time find the right number of people with extensive work experience and good recommendations for work in road transport.

Or: one of my clients from Voronezh provides SEO promotion services for corporate websites. So they utter the following intriguing words as the first phrase:

“Who in your company is responsible for normal the operation of your site? We just noticed that if something is not corrected there now, then your organization will lose/receive less a significant part of clients/contracts/money/market share... Do you think it’s worth putting him (the decision maker) in the loop?”

A rare client will start to freak out and hang up in response to this phrase... The rest will be surprised and want to chat!

Identifying needs

Typically, sales managers only ask technical questions. How many double glazed windows do you need? What is the area of ​​the loggia? What material are the walls made of? The information you receive will help you set a price and determine the scope of work, but will not make the buyer want to purchase your product from you. If you want the best effect in sales, you need to learn to confidently pronounce all other types of questions from the SPIN-sales technology!

Listening only to general and situational questions, a person may get scared (as during an interrogation) because he does not know how long it will take to answer the questions: and begin to push back the “questioning”, telling you to call him back later.

This can happen for several reasons:

• you didn’t “hook” him with your “magic phrase” at the beginning of the conversation;
• He didn’t like you, based on your voice;
  you have not created even minimal trust in yourself;
• you did not redirect his attention to your conversation, did not secure his consent to talk;
• you did not indicate the planned duration of your conversation;
• you talk a lot yourself;
• you ask a lot of closed questions and unsubstantiated statements;
• you did not show him the benefit both from the conversation itself and from your future interaction;
• you didn't choose best time for cold calls - he really doesn’t have time (for example, he’s driving now).

Your possible reaction:

• “I understand, but how much time do you have now? Maybe we'll have time to talk briefly? Saving time and money is always interesting, right? Or:
• “I understand that you are a very busy person! Me too. Let's just have lunch together then, and at the same time discuss our cooperation, okay? Today or tomorrow? Name your favorite place for a business lunch and time - I’ll come!”
• “Now I’ll tell you a few words about ours so that you have an idea about the possibility of receiving gifts, I’ll ask a couple of clarifying questions, I’ll select several options that suit you, and you’ll see for yourself whether it’s interesting to you or not. This will take 2-3 minutes. Fine?" With the phrase “then look” you leave the decision making to the buyer, showing that you are not going to “sell” anything. When a client is “allowed” to refuse a purchase, paradoxically, he agrees with it faster!
Look at your leisure art films about making the right phone calls:
• Boiler room (this shot is straight from the film).
• The wolf of Wall Street.
• In pursuit of happiness (In search of happiness).
• Marigold Hotel: The best of the exotic.

Why cold calling still doesn't work?

Let's give an example from personal experience. We heard this story from a university teacher last fall. Let's call her Olga Vasilievna. A respectable aged lady said the following with indignation:

She received a call from a representative of a certain private clinic and said that their organization is holding a promotion, by participating in which you can get a full medical examination at a good discount. The manager interviewed the teacher in detail and inquired about all illnesses and complaints. The survey took approximately half an hour. Last question was: “How old are you?” Olga Vasilievna answered honestly: “Seventy-five.” To which she was told: “Oh, sorry, we don’t treat such people.” Can you imagine the woman's reaction? It would be funny if it weren't so sad.

Do you love it when people call you? strangers and offer something? I don't think any of us like it. “You call me without knowing anything about me and offer me something I will never need. Why are you wasting my time?” - this is the reaction that an uninvited call causes.

The main reason why cold calling is annoying is because it is thoughtless and unprepared. Many salespeople turn cold calls into banal calls, forgetting that their goal is not to call a directory, but to set up a meeting with a client. If your goal is not to torture, but to sell, then the following rules and techniques of cold calling will allow you to achieve it.

Rule 1. Find a reason

A cold call is a call that your potential client does not expect without preliminary preparation the chances of establishing contact with him are very low. Before contacting a company, gather as much information about it as possible. Talk to someone in the customer service department and find out what they offer their customers.

A good reason for a cold call could be a discussion of materials published on the company’s website or in online media. And viewing publications or interviews will give you an excellent opportunity to contact a company representative directly, for example:

“Good afternoon, Sergei Stepanovich! My name is Igor Makarov, StarNet company. I read your interview in Vedomosti yesterday and am calling to express my respect to you as a far-sighted leader.

I agree with your words that a large company must have a resource that unites all divisions and creates an integral structure of the organization. We are just working on intranet systems, I would like to come to you to talk about our solutions and get to know you personally.”

Rule 2: Don't sell over the phone

In telephone conversations, all you have is your voice and your smile, which is always heard over the phone. Product knowledge and belief that you are offering the right product will give you confidence in your voice.

Start the conversation by introducing yourself and the company. Remember that you are not engaged in sales over the phone, but call to understand interest. The phrase “We want to offer you” is perceived by the client as “We want to sell to you.” It's better to start like this:

“Good afternoon, Sergei Stepanovich! This is Viktor Mikhailov from the PromElectro company. We supply welding and electrical equipment. Could this interest you?”

The undoubted advantage of communicating by phone is that you can be anyone and in any position. It's all about how you control yourself and how you control your voice. When used correctly, this cold calling technique is very effective.

Rule 3. Respect the client's choice

The company you call most likely already has established relationships with suppliers of products similar to yours. Always respect the client's choice and do not question it. Cold calling pressure does not work and causes beeps on the other end of the line.

I would also like to warn you against aggression and farce. Don’t say: “I’ll make you an offer you can’t refuse.” Communicate with people simply and with their permission: “Let me tell you about the opportunity...”

When you receive the answer: “We are already working with another supplier, we are satisfied with everything,” you can clarify: “I understand. Are you completely satisfied or is there still a need to improve anything?”

Focus on discussing what your client likes about working with their supplier and what is most important to them. By establishing good contact without showing obvious interest, you can understand whether everything is really so perfect.

Rule 4. Distinguish between a waiver and an objection.

Be prepared for the fact that no one is waiting for your cold call and a potential client can:

a) don’t want to talk to you;
b) not be able to talk to you.

When communicating on the phone, immediately include the client in the dialogue - it will be more interesting for him and easier for you. Forget about your presentation, save it for a personal meeting.

When you hear the answer: “I don’t have time for this,” this is an objection, not a refusal. Make an appointment in person: “I understand. Let me come to you to tell you everything. Will Tuesday at three o'clock suit you?

Learn to feel the line between importunity and persistence. When you are told a categorical “no”, this is a refusal. Don't invite fire on yourself, just end the conversation.

If you know that there is potential interest in your product, then continue to call from time to time. The situation in the company may change and, perhaps, after a series of refusals they will tell you: “Okay, let’s see what you have.” The advantage of this technique is that over time, a cold call ceases to be cold.

Rule 5. Make an appointment

Take every opportunity to make an appointment. Remember that sales cannot be made over the phone and it is easier to refuse over the phone. Sometimes you can tell the client directly: “We are engaged... and we want to become your supplier. Let’s meet and I’ll tell you about our products.”

The optimal duration of a cold call is 2 minutes, the maximum is 5 minutes. If the call goes on longer, the likelihood of scheduling an appointment decreases dramatically.

Separately, I would like to dwell on the answer as: “Send your proposal by fax.” You can continue the conversation like this:

“I will be happy to prepare all the information for you. In order to offer me exactly what you need, let me clarify...” or like this:

“Of course, I can send you our price list. But it is on 10 sheets and I feel sorry for your paper. Tell me, in order to shorten the information and save your time, which section from our list of products may be of most interest to you – this one or this one?”

After you have clarified the questions you are interested in, prepare an offer on letterhead and deliver it in person, explaining that you want to get to know each other. Be sure to bring a positive attitude and recommendations from your clients to the meeting.

Don't be robotic when communicating with your potential clients. You know everything about the product, but what do you know about those you are calling? A cold call is a call that your potential client is not expecting and without prior preparation the chances of establishing contact with him are very low. Therefore, you should forget about a simple “calling the list”, because everyone with whom you communicate is a real man with your problems and concerns. Try to collect as much information about it as possible before contacting the company. Talk to someone in the customer service department and find out what they offer their customers. The more you know about the company, the better: if the other day company X that you are calling closed a profitable deal and wrote about it in the press, you can start the conversation with congratulations. Although the knowledge itself about what the company does will not be superfluous.

Rule 2. Get to the decision maker

The purpose of the call is not to sell, but to set up a meeting. Many sellers forget about this. How seriously do you take telephone “spam” that takes you away from important tasks in the middle of the workday in order to “push” something? It's never very pleasant. The main thing in telephone conversation- this is your voice and attitude. Even a smile can be felt over the phone. But don't overdo it.

If you realize that you are talking to a person who is not competent in making decisions about a meeting, ask to connect you to the one who is responsible for this - the decision maker (DM). Remember that you are not selling, but asking if the company is interested in the product or service you offer.

It is important that the phrase be said: “If you generally like the proposal, we can continue the discussion, if not, then no, okay?” As a rule, this clear position will find a positive response on the other end of the line. The main thing in this matter is how you control yourself and how you control your voice. When used correctly, this cold calling technique is very effective.

Rule 3. Respect yourself and your competitors

As a rule, the company you are calling not only has established relationships with suppliers of goods or services from among your competitors, but also periodically receives calls of this kind from dozens of organizations. You shouldn’t question the choice, try to denigrate your competitor, or turn the conversation into “but we have it better, we have it cheaper.” Never speak badly about your competitors! Praise them for their “beautiful eyes” and yourself for your professionalism: “Are you served by company X? Yes, they have a beautiful logo, but what about the quality of service? Are you satisfied with it?

Nothing devalues ​​a product more than the desire to sell it immediately. As a rule, the desire to give yourself more significance and phrases like “I will make you an offer that you cannot refuse” are alarming and cause the opposite effect of what was expected. It's just annoying.

People love to talk about themselves and share their problems. Be prepared to listen to them. Ask the question: “Are you completely satisfied with the quality of the services (products) that X provides you, or is there still a need to improve something?” By establishing contact and arousing interest, you can understand whether everything is really so perfect.

Rule 4. No doesn’t always mean “no”

In the case of potential clients, the reason for “no” may be a simple lack of time or workload with others who have higher priorities. this moment tasks. This is fine. For example, when they answer you on that line: “I don’t have time for this,” this is an objection, and not a refusal at all. And you can use this as an opportunity to make an appointment and instead of “okay, I won’t bother you,” offer to meet to talk in more detail. Do not forget to specify the time and place of the meeting. Make an appointment in person: “I understand, it’s inconvenient over the phone. At a wrong time. Let's do this: I'll come to you to tell you everything. Will Wednesday at 11 o'clock suit you?

The line between importunity and persistence is very thin. When they tell you a categorical “no”, this is already a refusal. Do not cause a flurry of negative emotions on yourself, because all the negativity that pours on you will leave an unpleasant aftertaste and discourage you from working.

This is stress from which you will not be able to be effective and will have to recover. In such a situation, it is better to end the conversation and not cause damage to your psyche. Call again after some time if you are sure that there is potential interest in your products or services. The situation in the company may change and, most likely, after a series of refusals they will tell you: “Okay, let me listen to what you have there.” As the Chinese say, a drop wears away a stone not with its force, but with the frequency of its fall, so that over time the cold call ceases to be cold, which increases your chances of success.

Rule 5. Don't sell

Once again: the purpose of the call is not to sell. The purpose of the call is to set up a meeting. Make the person on the other end of the line want to meet you in person. Try to be different from everyone else who, just like you, calls and wants to sell something. To do this you just need to be literate, call pleasant impressions with your interlocutor, dilute the conversation with humor (but in moderation). During the conversation, it’s better to forget about money altogether. Think not about how much you will earn when you sell something to someone, but about your goal - why you want to earn money.