March 15, 2022

Here Are 8 Tips To Help You Get Over Your Fear Of Cold Calling

Most sales reps fear to cold call. In this article, we will discuss why people fear cold calling and the tips to overcome this fear.

Saqlain Mushtaq

Content Writer

Reading time: 5 minutes

Cold calling is an essential component of any outbound lead generation strategy. However, sales reps deem it the most challenging aspect of their jobs.

1 out of 2 SDRs admits to being afraid to pick up the phone and call strangers. As a result, many reps find it challenging to reach their quotas and targets.

Most salespeople dread their initial encounter with a prospect since they have no idea how they would react to a cold call. SDRs fear that the call may be rejected, that they’d be faced with a ton of objections, or that they would anger the prospects by bothering them.

Cold call anxiety is certainly a common problem, generating significant emotional misery for salespeople and potentially costing firms thousands of dollars in lost revenue.

That said, let’s take a look at how you can overcome the pressure and get over your fear of cold calling!

Why am I afraid to cold call?

The fear of rejection is one of the most prominent reasons why cold calling may be so stressful.

Fear holds us back — it generates anxiety, unrest, and a sense of powerlessness.

But, you can’t think properly or have a meaningful conversation with a prospect if you’re afraid. When you’re not confident and don’t sound sure of yourself, prospects can easily tell. This makes them lose trust in you before you can even start your sales pitch.

Overcoming this fear is essential to succeed in B2B cold calling because if you give in to the fear, you will not be able to prospect effectively and ultimately fall short of your sales goals.

Fortunately, there are several strategies you can employ to thrive.

Tips to get over your fear of cold calling

Research before dialing the prospect's number

When speaking with a stranger, we typically feel nervous. So, to develop a connection with your prospect, make sure you know who you’re calling.

As a result, make sure you spend some time gathering information about the prospect. Identify your buyer’s persona, learn about the difficulties they frequently experience, and evaluate how you can directly assist them in resolving these problems.

Social media platforms can instantly supply you with all of the information you require about a prospect. To figure out what they’re interested in, keep an eye on their posts and try to find commonalities between yourself and the prospect. You can even look at the prospect’s website to learn more about what they do.

The prospect’s information aids in breaking the ice and initiating meaningful dialogue. Furthermore, it shows the prospect that you’ve done your homework before phoning them.

Have a plan

During cold calls, sales reps frequently become speechless or lose their train of thought. These long pauses and off-topic conversations are futile and, more often than not, lead to losing a promising opportunity.

That said, reps should plan ahead to alleviate stress and anxiety, making you capable of taking control of the situation. After completing your research on the prospect, plan what you’ll say during the cold call.

What questions are you going to ask? What is the message you want to convey? How will you open the conversation?

If you plan beforehand, you’ll know what to say next to engage the prospects and keep them on the line for longer.

Determine what you are frightened of

Many factors could prevent you from making the cold call. So, assess your anxieties and make a list of fears that prevent you from making a cold call.

Getting rid of your fear has to start from the root problem.

If you’re concerned that you’ll call a prospect at the wrong time, do some research or ask the seasoned SDRs about the best time to cold call.

If you’re afraid that you’ll stutter or forget what to say, prepare a script beforehand and practice with your colleagues.

You get the gist. The point here is to find out why you’re afraid and work on overcoming that issue.

Avoid distractions while making cold calls

Distraction is the one big enemy of sales reps because cold calling necessitates undivided concentration.

If you’re not focused, you might lose your train of thought or speak incoherently. Besides, distractions interrupt the flow of communication and isolate you from possible sales leads. Furthermore, no prospect wants to be asked the same questions multiple times.

When making cold calls, resist temptation and maintain your focus. Make sure to follow the following steps to block out the noise while cold calling.

Turn off your computer or television
Set your phone aside and keep it on silent
Divide your time and work smart
Keep your distance from social networking platforms

Ask relevant questions

Instead of rushing through a cold call and trying to sell on the initial call (which almost always never happens), focus on building a relationship with your client.

Try to ask pertinent questions to gather as much data as possible for future conversations. Make it clear to them that you want to assist them. Your main concern should be the prospect’s challenges and set up the initial meeting to demonstrate your product.

Try asking the following questions on your initial call with the prospect:

In your field, I see A, B, and C happening. Is it affecting you in any way?
X and Y are causing problems for a few of our clients. What strategies do you have in mind to deal with the situation?
Could you inform me about the present state of your business?
Is there anything you’d like to enhance in your business?
Is there a solution you’re employing now?
You’ve identified your top four priorities in your yearly report. Is it posing any difficulties for you?

Carefully ask the questions and attentively listen to their answers as their responses hold a plethora of valuable information that can help in closing the deal.

Use scripts, but avoid sounding scripted

Salespeople strive to have the best possible cold calling scripts that help to engage the prospect and close the deal eventually.

However, the success of your cold calling campaign is determined by how well you use your script. These scripts can help you navigate a discussion, but if you don’t utilize them correctly, you might end up relying too much on it or reading off of it like a robot.

A cold calling script is merely a guide to keep you on track while speaking with a prospect. A checklist of sorts. It helps you stay focused and reminds you to cover everything that you need to cover.

Reach your clients at the best time

In sales, timing is everything.

It doesn’t matter how many calls you make in a day if you don’t contact your prospect at the ‘proper time.’

In a comparative analysis, we examined studies conducted by different sales software companies and corroborated the data to help you find the best cold call timings.

Based on the data, some general observations can be made:

The best times to cold cal are between 10 am and 11 am in the morning, and 2 pm and 4 pm in the afternoon.
The best days to cold call are weekdays, Tuesdays to Thursdays.

💡 Check out our full analysis of the best times to cold call here!

Do note that these studies are done with a customer pool of B2B customers. Hence, the data shown might not be true for different industries, products, or services.

Use non-traditional methods that work for you

Even if you’re still unsure how to conquer your phobia of cold calling, there’s one not-so-secret formula that always works — make it entertaining instead of stressful!

To get the best sales results, be innovative and figure out what “non-traditional” approaches work for you:

Perform vocal exercises before the calls to improve the quality of your voice.
Pump yourself up by listening to your favorite artist.
Go over the script with a colleague.
Listen to the finest orators of history speak.
Practice your pitch in front of the mirror.
To improve your speaking abilities, use a variety of strategies.
Each time you make a good call, give yourself a pat on the back.

Most importantly, keep in mind that if you enjoy what you’re doing, success will follow soon. Be pleased with your accomplishments and maintain a positive attitude, even if your self-confidence suffers from minor setbacks from time to time.

Conclusion

We revealed the top cold calling tips to boost your confidence and alleviate your fear of it. If you know how to apply these clever sales tactics, cold calling can be highly advantageous for your firm.

Prepare yourself to appear confident during cold calls by planning your call procedure ahead of time to prevent making mistakes.

Add a dash of levity to your sales calls by interacting with clients with a sense of humor. Put yourself in your client’s shoes and consider how you may assist them in solving their business issues.

Check out our blog for more tips on cold calling!

Saqlain Mushtaq

Saqlain is a content writer at Novocall.

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