Here are four huge pitfalls associated with cold calling – along with tips on how to avoid them:
1. The approach is confrontational — not consultative
When prospects sense confrontation, they often feel provoked and challenged. Salespeople who are too anxious to close the sale in a cold call, or try to get their prospects to see their point of view, only decrease the odds of closing.
Cold calling is not about getting people to see your point of view. It’s about allowing yourself to see the prospect’s point of view.
2. Prospects feel pressure rather than help
When prospects feel pressure during a cold call, they feel that demands are being placed on them. Pressure violates a prospect’s trust because it occurs when a salesperson fails to show respect for the prospect’s ideas and needs.
Creating demand and force won’t work when cold calling. Patience, respect and understanding will.
When you’re able to turn pressure around, it works to your advantage because you become elevated to a level above your competition.
3. The salesperson is aggressive — not supportive
Customers don’t usually reward aggressive behavior. When salespeople are aggressive in a cold call, their only goal is to share what’s important to them — closing the sale.
There’s a big difference between aggressive and assertive behavior. When salespeople are assertive, they believe in the value of their products or services.
Successful salespeople are self-assured and self-confident during a cold call, and they never allow their sales talk to overwhelm or push away prospects.
4. A rep’s goals are self-focuses — not prospect-focused
Prospects will work with a salesperson who can assist them, service them and educate them. Professional salespeople help, support and share knowledge with their prospects.
They pass along important information and only ask prospects to buy after they have demonstrated how their product or service will help achieve the prospect’s desired results.
