I’ve been reading much about cold call techniques this week which is good because I am a lousy cold caller. An interesting discussion occurred at a networking meeting I attended this morning regarding cold calls. There are 5 cold call basics to maintain before each call:
1. What does the prospect company do and what industry are they in?
2. Based on quick research, in what areas does the company need help?
3. Based on what you know, what is the value you bring to them?
4. Who at the prospect’s company will recognize your value?
5. What are the other unique aspects your company brings to this discussion?
The point is that any salesperson making a cold call should be able to answer these 5 questions before making the call. We have encountered salespeople who attempt to build an encyclopedia about a prospect before picking up the phone. Bad move. But if you can answer these 5 questions, you will greatly improve your cold calling success.