Cold calling is not good for business

Jun 29 2009 by Carole White, The Journal

COLD Calling – I don't think so! As a business owner, getting that all- important sales appointment is vital to any business.

Being able to master the art of an effective telephone call will make gaining an appointment easier and will, of course, make the results more effective.

OK, so you have your list of contacts, ready to conduct a phone around – what now?

If you are uncertain as to who has the buying power in each company, you can simply make a quick phone call to find out.

Once you have the name, second name and title, and how they like to be addressed – you can double check – “So am I right in thinking that Mr Smith is responsible for …” as in some cases the receptionist may say “Oh no, Mr Brown is responsible for that”.

It is important to get the right name. Do not ask to be connected, simply say you wanted to make sure your letter was addressed to the right individual. It really is essential to get the right person you need to speak to about that all- important sale.

The next stage is to conduct your telephone calls to firm up some appointments. It is important to decide a few points early on before you start your calls for the day. Decide how many calls you are going to make, how long you will spend making them, make sure you have all your information to hand and remember the purpose of your call is only to sell your appointment.

Writing out a few pointers or a script often helps you keep to your task in hand and helps answer any surprise questions.

Some tips when making your calls:

Always plan your call.

Decide what you want to achieve before you dial.

Always smile when you’re speaking on the phone. It projects a better telephone manner.

Be enthusiastic as this can be infectious.

Ringing around can be time consuming and often due to lack of resources, we don’t have the time to contact long lists of clients.

But that extra input can be extremely valuable to your business and help you stay ahead of the competition.

If you need help getting sales appointments or someone to contact your customers, TEDCO’s MintFresh service can help you and your business. Call us to see how we can help.

Carole White, Business Support Manager, TEDCO, Tel: (0191) 428-3535