What does it say about a job when people performing it don’t
even like it? It is quite well known, in the lead generation business, that
most sales agents don’t like making cold calls. And cold calls don’t exactly
make the day of the people on the other end of the line either. This is a major
reason why many people in the lead capturing industry are predicting the demise
of cold calling.
It may be premature to predict the demise of one of the most
effective ways of lead capturing when all that may be needed is to tweak the
approach of cold calling a little bit. The sales agents have to change their
mindset, they have to stop thinking about cold calls, and start thinking about
call nurturing.
Call Nurturing
Customer service representatives have to stop their
interruption marketing tactics because people don’t appreciate them anymore.
The approach should be about building relationships and not about making a sale
on the first call.
Be Helpful
When you are developing your lead capturing campaign or
plan, put yourself in the customer’s shoes. When was the last time you received
a cold call that was useful for you? Your customers feel exactly the same way.
Advise your agents not to try for the sale right after saying
hello; the hard-sell approach will be detrimental to the cause. The most
important thing they need to do in that first call is to listen to what the
customer has to say, and provide them with information or resources that will
be useful to them.
The Right Information
Do your homework on the prospects that you are contacting;
the worst mistake a sales agent can make is to call the customer without
knowing everything relevant about them. Once you have all the relevant
information about them, you will be able to provide solutions to the problems
they are faced with.You can offer them information about the issue plaguing
them, in the form of blogs, articles, sites, etc.
Build Relationships
This personal touch will help you gain their trust and
develop a relationship with them. You use follow up voice messages or calls to
inquire about their problems. Finally, you get to make a sale; you can offer
them the products or services your organization provides as solutions.
For optimal lead management, use our software, Lead Capsule. Its various
features will allow you to capture, organize and deliver your leads
efficiently. If you have anything to add to the topic or have an opinion about
cold calling, then please share it with us by leaving your comments.
