From Cowardly to Courageous - How to Succeed at Cold Calling

Written by Jim McCormick


There it is. That darn phone! And you have to pick it up and call someone you don’t know. You need to make some cold calls.

The first thing to know is this -repparttar longer you put off picking uprepparttar 127332 phone and making that first call,repparttar 127333 heavier that phone gets. Give it enough time and you’ll swearrepparttar 127334 phone weighs 500 pounds when you try to lift it.

I’ve been skydiving for years. In thousands of jumps, I’ve learned some valuable lessons that apply to lots of things … including cold calling. So, let me share some insights with you I’ve reaped from all those skydives that will make you more successful at cold calling.

So, how do you get started? How do you overcomerepparttar 127335 understandable fear of cold calling? Here are a few simple steps.

Five Steps for Being More Successful Cold Calling

You Have to Believe in What You’re Offering

See It Fromrepparttar 127336 Buyer’s Perspective

Separate Yourself fromrepparttar 127337 Inevitable Rejection

Acceptrepparttar 127338 Fear - Then Move Through It

Keep Dialing

Step 1 - You Have to Believe in What You’re Offering

You have to believe inrepparttar 127339 product or service you’re offering. You have to know you’re selling something of value - something that will assistrepparttar 127340 person or organization you are calling.

If you are not sure ofrepparttar 127341 benefits you’re offering your prospect, you need to sit down and think about it. Ask yourself, “How will this person or their organization be better off if they buy what I am selling?” How will they sell more, save money, operate better, be happier, be more profitable - whateverrepparttar 127342 benefits are they’ll enjoy.

This is vital! Do not bother going on torepparttar 127343 next steps until you have this really clear in your mind. You will be wasting your time. You have to be absolutely convinced - deep down - ofrepparttar 127344 value of your product or service.

Now, if you’re stumped on this one, get some help. Ask some colleagues or friends for their thoughts onrepparttar 127345 value you’re offering. If you do all this and conclude there really is not much value in what you are offering … move on! You will never be a success at selling something you don’t believe in. And life is too short to spend your time doing it.

It’s similar to skydiving. If you do not believe in yourself and your equipment, you have no business being inrepparttar 127346 plane - let alone in freefall. You owe it to yourself - and your prospects - to only sell something you in which you truly believe.

Step 2 - See It Fromrepparttar 127347 Buyer’s Perspective

When I was getting certified to take people for their first skydive, I was first required to put onrepparttar 127348 student harness and ride onrepparttar 127349 front of an experienced instructor - just like my students do now. This was required because it is critical that I understand my student’s perspective. Experiencing a jump fromrepparttar 127350 student’s perspective has definitely made me a better instructor.

It isrepparttar 127351 same for cold calling. You have to put yourself inrepparttar 127352 buyer’s shoes. In your mind, trade places with your prospect. Ask yourself, “What would make me say, yes?” And also ask yourself, “What would make me say, no?” You have to appreciaterepparttar 127353 buyer’s perspective to effectively sell to them.

It will help to ask people you’ve already sold to why they said, “yes.” What maderepparttar 127354 difference to them? You’ll gain valuable insights that will help you better understand you prospect’s perspective - and make you more effective.

Step 3 - Separate Yourself fromrepparttar 127355 Inevitable Rejection

Five Phrases to Avoid during Your Next Sales Presentation

Written by Charlotte Purvis


The success of your next sale may be riding on more thanrepparttar product or service you’re offering. Your presentation will play a major role inrepparttar 127331 sale --repparttar 127332 words, your style, andrepparttar 127333 tone of your delivery. Here are five phrases to avoid during your next presentation. By avoiding these common phrases you will have a better chance at making a favorable impression.

Hey “y’all,” “you guys” or “yous.” As endearing as these words are, they are best left out of your presentation. These and other informal words can drainrepparttar 127334 professionalism out of your presentation and may sendrepparttar 127335 message you want to win them over with your charm. Instead, work to draw attention to your product,repparttar 127336 customer service afterrepparttar 127337 sale, andrepparttar 127338 professionalism of your organization. Remember to use formal words delivered with a friendly tone.

“The competitor’s product is not as good as ours.” Instead of saying, “Theirs is very low-performing,” say “Ours meets all industry standards and recently won awards for best performance in all three major categories.” It is acceptable to make objective comparisons to helprepparttar 127339 audience inrepparttar 127340 decision-making process (“Ours has three xyz’s and theirs has one”). Remember thatrepparttar 127341 decision-makers inrepparttar 127342 audience may have purchasedrepparttar 127343 product you’re disparaging! What happens when that competitor you mentioned merges with your company and you have to come back and meet with this same group? Or if you take a job with that competitor? Instead of drawing attention torepparttar 127344 competitor, keep them focused on your product or service.

“I don’t know.” OK then, who does? It’s a natural response to say, “I don’t know,” but that doesn’t help your audience. What they want to hear is that you are pleased they asked that question up and that you will be onrepparttar 127345 telephone to get an answer within minutes ofrepparttar 127346 close ofrepparttar 127347 meeting. They don’t want to hear you say, “I’ll get back with you,” they want to know when and how you will get their answer.

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