November 9, 2022

5 Cold Calling Experts Share Their Insights on Making It Work

Many sales professionals still struggle with cold calling. We’ve gathered some cold calling experts to share their insights on how to make cold calling work for you.

Christopher Jan Benitez

Reading time: 4 minutes

The idea of cold calling seems simple.

Just call someone. And when this person picks up, throw in your offer, and you’re all set.

A closer look, though, will tell you otherwise. It will reveal that many factors come into play and make matters challenging — some of these include the tonality, time of the cold call, and who the person on the other end is.

Even the most seasoned sales reps who have made cold calls before will understand that things are far from simple.

If you’re struggling with hitting your daily quota and closing leads, fret not!

This article discusses the insights of cold calling from experts in the field. We will talk about how they can make cold calling work and how you can apply their techniques.

1. Make setting up an appointment your cold call goal

Leigh Harris, a sales trainer at CDK Global for five years, says that if you focus on sales, you need to switch things up.

Ditch the idea of making an immediate sale. And instead, focus on learning about your prospects. It’s the most appropriate call to action to a cold call.

If you handle this phase well, you raise the chances of them taking you up on your offer.

Here are tips on how you can apply this expert insight:

Use tools: Choose a good online scheduling software. It streamlines the way you make and accept bookings. Some tools have features that enable you to accept appointments from other channels, like an Instagram book button.
Research: Learn about your prospects — their names, time zones, work, and more. It allows you to personalize your calls and raise the odds of getting an appointment.
Build trust and confidence: Share credentials, provide social proof, and establish a trustworthy authority. It gives your prospects a reason to trust you and initiate a plan to listen to your offer.

2. Leverage LinkedIn Sales Navigator

According to Paul Petrone, the genius who took over the LinkedIn Sales Blog and quadrupled its viewership within nine months, you need to take advantage of the resources within your reach.

Notably, he advises using LinkedIn Sales Navigator (a LinkedIn version designed for sales professionals) to get phone numbers from Sales Navigator as this makes it easier to find contact details.

And because of its powerful search capabilities, it’s what every salesperson needs to up their game. It promises improved visibility into more networks, custom-tailored algorithms to reach decision-makers, and more.

Here are tips on how you can apply this expert insight (using sales navigator Professional):

Integrate with CRM: Use data from your customer relationship management (CRM) software to learn more about your prospects and prevent sales chaos. You can also make the most of the integration to send direct messages, see viewed connections, ask for introductions, and add leads.
Track your prospects: Determine who is part of the decision-making process. Then, identify their priorities, interests, objectives, and goals. And form a connection with them.
Use TeamLink: Apply the TeamLink Connections filter (a filter that allows you to tap into the networks of your sales team and first-degree connections). With it, you can build strategic relationships and find more prospects according to your search criteria.

3. Craft killer cold calling scripts

For Madeline Miller, a writer who talks about business strategies, having a cold calling script within reach is essential to cold calling success.

You can say the right things at the right time and you can make a lasting positive impression.

Here are tips on how you can apply this expert insight:

Introduce yourself: State your name and your company (or location). The idea is to start right and establish trust. If the prospect has no clue about your identity, they may hang up on you.
Be mindful of your tone: Combine friendliness and professionalism. While your goal is to push a sale, avoid sounding aggressive or pushy.
Clarify your intent: Inform your prospects of the reason for your call. Do this early on to prevent wasting their (and yours) time if they tell you they have no interest in a sales call.

💡 Additional resource: Effective Pre-Call Planning Templates for Sales Teams

4. Outsource

According to Emily Roner, the Marketing Operations Manager of Prialto, you need to delegate. Let your sales team focus on what they can do best and outsource other work.

If you employ outsourced sales support, you will see an increase in revenue, consistency in prospects, and more.

Besides, by letting other qualified players enter the picture, you can take a load off your shoulders. Outbound call centers do it — and so should you.

Here are tips on how you can apply this expert insight:

Focus on quality: Prioritize the quality of potential outsourced partners. Work with them if they can meet (or exceed) expectations and have praiseworthy attitudes.
Consider culture alignment: Recruit an external team only if it works well with your salespeople and business.
Allocate a budget: Determine how much you will spend for outsourced services and stick to that plan. Ensure you will get cost-effective services to reach business goals faster.

5. Complement your cold calls with cold emails

Enter cold calling expert Stefan Smulders, a SaaS entrepreneur and founder of Expandi. According to him, a cold email strategy can strengthen your cold calls. Cold calls and emails go together — both are important and have a place in your sales strategy.

He advises that if you reach out to your prospects through cold calls and emails, you diversify your channels of acquiring customers. As a result, you will see a boost in sales opportunities.

Here are tips on how you can apply this expert insight:

Personalize content: Send emails that match your recipient’s preference. For example, mention the details you proposed in your calls.
Offer value: Acknowledge how the recipient took the time to open your mail. Then, design the message for them — and how you can improve their lives. Avoid centering the email about your offer.
Measure performance: Identify open rates, unsubscribes, click-through rates, and other important email marketing metrics. They can help you understand your performance and kickstart improvement.

💡 Additional read: Cold Calling VS Cold Emailing: Which Is More Effective?

Conclusion

The experts above can attest that cold calling is no easy feat. And like them, it’s crucial to have the right mindset. With the right frame of mind, you can generate an effective strategy and do what it takes to win as a cold caller.

If you had a series of unsuccessful cold call attempts, avoid feeling bad about yourself. Just try again, apply these tips, and you’ll be better at it in no time!

Christopher Jan Benitez

Christopher is a writer who specializes in the digital marketing field. His work has been published on SEO and affiliate marketing-specific niches.

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