With a few simple strategies \u2014 most rooted in solid research and planning \u2014 you can make successful cold calls without getting cold feet. Let\u2019s dive in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What you will learn<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n- What is cold calling, and why are cold-calling techniques still important?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Eight-step guide to an effective cold call<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Cold-calling regulations<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- What to look for in a sales CRM<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t
Level up your game with AI conversation insights<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Sell smarter using Einstein Conversation Insights \u2014 with customer signals and next-step guidance to help you close.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\tLearn more<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/eu\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/salesforce-blog\/dist\/images\/offer-block\/offer-illustration-layout-one.png\")
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\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\nWhat is cold calling, and why are cold-calling techniques still important?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Cold calling is a type of sales solicitation from a salesperson to a prospect<\/a> who has never interacted with the company before. The goal is to develop a business relationship with a new customer and, eventually, close a sale.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhile the thought of calling someone out of the blue can be intimidating, the right cold-calling tips can help you feel more confident going into each conversation. And it\u2019s worth it. Using best practices for cold calling \u2014 rooted in solid research and planning \u2014 can help your reps turn successful cold calls into warm leads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cold calling is also an effective prospecting method when you compare it to email or social media. Prospects can simply delete your emails and scroll past your social media posts, but a voice on the phone is immediate. You gain the opportunity to get real-time responses, address any concerns, and gather a lot of information in a short period of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(Back to top<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\nEight-step guide to an effective cold call<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Picking up the phone on a whim isn\u2019t the best strategy. Doing your homework lets you tailor your message and communicate more effectively. Use the following cold-calling advice to break through initial fears and find success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Conduct research<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Before calling your prospects, research their biggest pain points and consider how your products or services can help solve them. To streamline your research, John Barrows<\/a>, CEO of JB Sales, recommends segmenting your list by industry and title. Then you can use AI sales tools, such as Salesforce\u2019s automated research assistant<\/a>, to speed up your research. Some will even pull data about your prospect into your customer relationship management (CRM<\/a>) software.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOnce you have a basis of industry knowledge, get to know your target companies. Review their websites (especially their blogs), their social media accounts, and news articles about their companies to see whether they\u2019re facing any challenges. Then, check your sales engagement platform<\/a> to see if the person you\u2019re about to call has clicked through any emails and engaged with content. That may give you clues as to what they\u2019re most interested in, so you can better frame your product features as solutions they need right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhen it comes down to it, the person on the other end of the phone is a human being you need to connect with on a personal and professional level. Look in your CRM for information about the individual, such as their favorite book, how long they\u2019ve been on the job, and other information you can use to make a connection. Also be sure to look at LinkedIn for any mutual connections or common experiences, such as working at the same company or living in the same city in the past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFor top-tier target accounts, segment about one hour a day to do the research,\u201d said Barrows. \u201cSpend some time on your prospect\u2019s LinkedIn profile and find something specific that you can reference to make a direct connection to the value your service can provide.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Create a call script and practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Once you\u2019ve completed your research, draft a quick-hit intro script that ties together basic information about your company and presents an open-ended question. That allows you to collect more information you can use to frame your solution. If you often struggle with wording, and you have generative AI<\/a> built into your CRM<\/a>, use it for a spark of inspiration to get the language right.<\/p>\n\n\n\nCold call script example<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Plan to create a new script for each prospect based on the information you gathered about them to make every call personal and relevant to every lead. No two customers are alike, after all. A personalized approach will help you keep your calls genuine and focused on the help you can provide. The most important part of the call is the first 30 seconds. If you don\u2019t catch their attention, they will likely cut the conversation short \u2014 or, worse, hang up on you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are the three core elements to your script:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- A quick intro about you and what your company does (10 seconds):<\/strong>
\u201cHi, Taylor! I\u2019m glad we\u2019ve connected. Jessie here at [company name and description].\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n- A point of connection, <\/strong>such as something you know about them, something you share in common, or a referral\u2019s name to help build rapport. Also it\u2019s always better to start off with something you know about them, rather than information about you. help build rapport (10 seconds):
\u201cThe reason for my call is, I saw you at the recent sales training conference and wanted to connect in person, but I didn\u2019t have the chance. So I thought I\u2019d give you a call. (A point of connection phrases may start off with sentences like, \u2018I saw, I read, I heard, I noticed, I came across.\u2019)\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n- A note about why you\u2019re calling<\/strong>, highlighting a key pain point or new valuable information for the prospect (this is where your research, and creating a solid (Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) really comes in handy), followed by a prompt to gather more information (10 seconds):
\u201cWe\u2019ve seen lower quota<\/a> attainment in the XYZ industry, and we\u2019ve been working closely with others in the industry to [do something positive with our product or service]. \u2018May I ask, is this something you\u2019re experiencing? And if so I\u2019d love to hear about how (company name) has been able to overcome this challenge. If now isn\u2019t a good time, can we schedule something later this week?\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nThis is really all you need to draft. The rest of the call will depend on how the prospect responds to your open-ended question, such as, \u201cWhat specific pain points or bottlenecks are you looking to address?\u201d Make sure you listen carefully<\/a> and ask more questions. Try to identify three key factors in their decision-making: time (when they need a solution), money (how much they can afford), and impact (what a perfect solution would look like, preferably framed by metrics they\u2019re trying to hit).<\/p>\n\n\n\n3. Prepare for the call.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
With a script in hand, it\u2019s time to get ready for prime time. Here are three things to do before the call:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Anticipate common questions, especially negative ones, and plan quick answers that help direct the conversation in a positive direction.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Practice your pitch in front of a mirror or, better yet, with a colleague.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Take several deep breaths to calm your nerves before you pick up the phone.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/eu\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/salesforce-blog\/assets\/images\/rbn-left-sales.png\")
\n\t\n\t\n\t\t
Level up your game with AI conversation insights<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Sell smarter using Einstein Conversation Insights \u2014 with customer signals and next-step guidance to help you close.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\nWhat is cold calling, and why are cold-calling techniques still important?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Cold calling is a type of sales solicitation from a salesperson to a prospect<\/a> who has never interacted with the company before. The goal is to develop a business relationship with a new customer and, eventually, close a sale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While the thought of calling someone out of the blue can be intimidating, the right cold-calling tips can help you feel more confident going into each conversation. And it\u2019s worth it. Using best practices for cold calling \u2014 rooted in solid research and planning \u2014 can help your reps turn successful cold calls into warm leads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cold calling is also an effective prospecting method when you compare it to email or social media. Prospects can simply delete your emails and scroll past your social media posts, but a voice on the phone is immediate. You gain the opportunity to get real-time responses, address any concerns, and gather a lot of information in a short period of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Back to top<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Picking up the phone on a whim isn\u2019t the best strategy. Doing your homework lets you tailor your message and communicate more effectively. Use the following cold-calling advice to break through initial fears and find success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before calling your prospects, research their biggest pain points and consider how your products or services can help solve them. To streamline your research, John Barrows<\/a>, CEO of JB Sales, recommends segmenting your list by industry and title. Then you can use AI sales tools, such as Salesforce\u2019s automated research assistant<\/a>, to speed up your research. Some will even pull data about your prospect into your customer relationship management (CRM<\/a>) software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you have a basis of industry knowledge, get to know your target companies. Review their websites (especially their blogs), their social media accounts, and news articles about their companies to see whether they\u2019re facing any challenges. Then, check your sales engagement platform<\/a> to see if the person you\u2019re about to call has clicked through any emails and engaged with content. That may give you clues as to what they\u2019re most interested in, so you can better frame your product features as solutions they need right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes down to it, the person on the other end of the phone is a human being you need to connect with on a personal and professional level. Look in your CRM for information about the individual, such as their favorite book, how long they\u2019ve been on the job, and other information you can use to make a connection. Also be sure to look at LinkedIn for any mutual connections or common experiences, such as working at the same company or living in the same city in the past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFor top-tier target accounts, segment about one hour a day to do the research,\u201d said Barrows. \u201cSpend some time on your prospect\u2019s LinkedIn profile and find something specific that you can reference to make a direct connection to the value your service can provide.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve completed your research, draft a quick-hit intro script that ties together basic information about your company and presents an open-ended question. That allows you to collect more information you can use to frame your solution. If you often struggle with wording, and you have generative AI<\/a> built into your CRM<\/a>, use it for a spark of inspiration to get the language right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Plan to create a new script for each prospect based on the information you gathered about them to make every call personal and relevant to every lead. No two customers are alike, after all. A personalized approach will help you keep your calls genuine and focused on the help you can provide. The most important part of the call is the first 30 seconds. If you don\u2019t catch their attention, they will likely cut the conversation short \u2014 or, worse, hang up on you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are the three core elements to your script:<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is really all you need to draft. The rest of the call will depend on how the prospect responds to your open-ended question, such as, \u201cWhat specific pain points or bottlenecks are you looking to address?\u201d Make sure you listen carefully<\/a> and ask more questions. Try to identify three key factors in their decision-making: time (when they need a solution), money (how much they can afford), and impact (what a perfect solution would look like, preferably framed by metrics they\u2019re trying to hit).<\/p>\n\n\n\n With a script in hand, it\u2019s time to get ready for prime time. Here are three things to do before the call:<\/p>\n\n\n\nEight-step guide to an effective cold call<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Conduct research<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
2. Create a call script and practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Cold call script example<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
\u201cHi, Taylor! I\u2019m glad we\u2019ve connected. Jessie here at [company name and description].\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe reason for my call is, I saw you at the recent sales training conference and wanted to connect in person, but I didn\u2019t have the chance. So I thought I\u2019d give you a call. (A point of connection phrases may start off with sentences like, \u2018I saw, I read, I heard, I noticed, I came across.\u2019)\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve seen lower quota<\/a> attainment in the XYZ industry, and we\u2019ve been working closely with others in the industry to [do something positive with our product or service]. \u2018May I ask, is this something you\u2019re experiencing? And if so I\u2019d love to hear about how (company name) has been able to overcome this challenge. If now isn\u2019t a good time, can we schedule something later this week?\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n3. Prepare for the call.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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