Some might say cold calling is dead. However, it’s far from the truth.
Is it harder than it used to be? Yes. Is it completely dead? No.
I still talk to teams today, converting at a high rate by leveraging cold calling. Yet, when I work with some teams I notice that they aren’t making any calls.
Why? It’s because of the fear of rejection.
Fear of rejection is why people believe cold calling is dead and avoid doing it. Sure, the pickup rate isn’t as high as it used to be, but fear still holds most people back. Today, we will help you overcome that fear of rejection by following a process.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll break down the four key elements of a successful cold call:
1.
The introduction (pattern interrupt)
2.
Value proposition
3.
Objection handling
4.
Closing
The aim is to provide actionable strategies, real-world examples, and frameworks to help you transform your cold-calling fears into confidence.
The Elements of a Cold Call and How to Nail Each One
1. The Art of the Introduction: Mastering the Pattern Interrupt
The first few seconds of your cold call are crucial — yet most people wing their intros, and you can completely lose your prospect if you don’t prepare what to say.
In my experience, traditional openings like “How are you doing today?” or “Hope all is well” have become so routine that they often fail to engage the potential client.
Instead, we need to focus on a «pattern interrupt.”
This unexpected approach breaks the typical cold call script and piques the prospect‘s interest — and that’s exactly what we’re aiming for here, folks.
There are a ton of great cold call openers out there, but my favorite one I coach on is the PLA method.
It stands for Pleasant, Laughing, Arms Up.
- Pleasant: Start with a warm, unexpected greeting.
For example, “Hi, Sally. Thanks for taking my call.”
This simple positive thanks catches people off guard. Instead of a pitch slap, they are approached with thanks. It respects their time and sets a positive tone for the call.
- Laughing: This is where my favorite little chuckle comes into play.
I like to say, “I know I’m catching you out of the blue here,” followed by a soft chuckle. Other options include “I know you are busy,» or, «I know this call is coming out of nowhere.”
The point here is this creates levity in the conversation and helps reduce tension. The goal is to make the conversation feel more natural. With that said, you don’t want your laugh to sound phony — so you should practice in the mirror before employing this method.
If you come off as fake, no one will want to engage with you.
- Arms Up: Body language is everything when you talk.
I put my arms up because I sound less aggressive and at ease.
Now mix that with the ask, “Do you have a few moments to chat?” and you have a solid opener to where people want to engage with you.
The key here is to use “moments” instead of a specific time frame, as it feels less demanding and gives the prospect more control over the interaction.
If they say no, you can follow up with this:
“I completely understand you might be busy right now. However, all I’m asking for is 30 seconds of your time. In that time, I’ll explain what we do at [Your Company Name], and we can schedule a call if it’s applicable. If not, feel free to hang up on me. Does that sound fair?”
This approach respects their time while giving you a chance to pique their interest.
Another effective introduction technique is the direct approach:
“Hi Sally, you don’t know me, and I don’t know you. The reason for my call is…”
This immediately addresses the two main questions in the prospect’s mind:
“Who are you?” and “What do you want?”
By being upfront, you can quickly move past the initial skepticism and into the meat of your conversation.
Also, they know you aren’t randomly calling because you state a reason for the call. That immediately moves people into curiosity mode because it assumes you have done your research.
Buyers love this!
Remember, your introduction aims to get the prospect into the conversation in those crucial first seconds. Experiment with different approaches to find the best for you and your target audience. The key is to sound confident, genuine, and respectful of the prospect’s time.
2. Crafting a Compelling Value Proposition
Once you‘ve captured your prospect’s attention, it’s time to deliver a strong value proposition.
The key to a compelling value prop is understanding your audience and tailoring your message to their needs.
A generic message isn’t going to cut it.
Here’s a simple three-step formula for crafting a powerful value proposition:
- Identify the Persona: Who are you talking to, is it a decision maker, and what do they care about? Answer these three questions, and you will be fully prepared for your conversation. Have context before you have the conversation.
- Understand Their Challenges: What does this persona deal with daily? Understanding their challenges and goals will make your value proposition more specific.
- Connect Your Solution: How does your product or service help them achieve their goals or overcome obstacles?
For example, instead of saying, “We help businesses improve their marketing,” you might say, “We’ve helped companies in the cybersecurity industry increase their lead generation by 30% within the first three months.”
Here’s an example of how this might sound in practice:
“Sally, as the VP of Sales I imagine one of your top priorities is scaling your sales team efficiently while maintaining high performance. Many VPs in your position need help with long ramp-up times for new hires and inconsistent sales processes across the team. Our sales enablement platform has helped companies like yours in the cybersecurity industry reduce new hire ramp-up time by 50% and increase overall team performance by 30% within the first quarter of implementation.”
By following this framework, you can create a value proposition that resonates with your prospects and clearly understands their needs.
Remember to keep it concise; you should be able to deliver your value proposition in 30 seconds or less.
Bonus tip: When dropping numbers or a case study, make sure it’s relevant to their company size and space. If not, prospects will brush it aside.
3. The Art of Handling Objections
Objections will happen on a cold call, but they don’t have to be roadblocks.
Most of these objections are brush-offs, and our goal is to dive deeper to find the real objection to overcome.
Use the PAQ method to handle objections effectively:
- Pause: Take a moment to collect your thoughts and let the prospect finish speaking. Typically, I want to wait 1.5 seconds before saying anything here.
- Acknowledge: Show that you’ve heard and understood their concern. This validates their perspective and helps build rapport.
- Question: Ask a probing question to uncover the root of the objection. Again, this is a brush off and this step helps you get to the core of what they’re objecting.
Let’s look at how to handle some common objections:
1. “Can you send me an email?”
Response: «Happy to send you an email. Out of curiosity, what exactly are you looking for in this email?
Typically, when people ask for an email, they’re looking for X, Y, or Z. I want to ensure I send you the most relevant information and not become another sales rep to you.
Once they answer back with the information, say this:
Follow-up: «Great, I‘ll make sure to include that information. Typically, we find that after reviewing the email, it’s helpful to hop on a quick call to discuss how this might apply to your situation. Does it sound fair to book a call next week to chat?”
2. “Reach out to me in 6 months.”
Response: “I understand you might have a lot of priorities in the next six months. I’m curious, what will change between now and then that’s preventing us from meeting today?”
They will typically answer with hiring, product updates, competing priorities, etc. Once they respond, say this back.
Then, ask the following question.
Follow-up: “Got it. Are you looking to evaluate or implement a solution in six months?”
Implement: If they say implement, book the call right there.
“Thanks for the answer. Typically, if someone is looking to implement in six months we will probably need to start the sales process in the next month to ensure you have the right customer success and support.»
If they say evaluate, you can say, “I don’t know what to be an annoying sales rep here, however, what is the agreed subject line we can agree on to reach out when it’s a better time to discuss?”
When people give you an unusual subject line, the likelihood of a reply is high.
3. “I’m not interested.”
Response: “Got it. I know this might sound like an odd question, but what are you not interested in specifically? I want to make sure I’m not misunderstanding your needs.”
They give an answer.
Follow-up: “Thank you for clarifying. Based on what you’ve said, it sounds like [restate their concern]. Many of our clients initially felt the same way, but they found that [explain how your solution addresses their specific concern].”
Remember, the goal isn‘t to forcefully overcome objections but to understand the prospect’s perspective and find a way to align your solution with their needs.
4. Closing the Deal: Securing the Next Steps
Even if you’ve nailed the introduction, delivered a compelling value prop, and handled objections like a pro.
We still have one final step. Closing the call to book a meeting.
The key to a successful close is to be confident and direct — and make it easy for the prospect to say yes.
Here’s an effective closing technique:
“Sally, based on what we’ve discussed, typically the next best step would be to schedule a more in-depth conversation to dive into your specific needs and show you exactly how we’ve helped companies like yours. I’ve got my calendar open – would you have 30 minutes available next Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon?”
If they agree to a time, add this crucial step: “Excellent, I appreciate your time. I will send a calendar invite to ensure we’re both on the same page. Please accept it before we hang up. This way, we can ensure it doesn’t get lost in your inbox.”
This approach not only secures the meeting but also gets an immediate commitment from the prospect. This increases the likelihood that they’ll attend the scheduled call.
However, sometimes our close isn‘t a meeting. Still, don’t give up if they are not ready to commit to a meeting.
Try to secure a smaller commitment:
«I understand you might not be ready for a full meeting. How can I stay top of mind without being an annoying sales rep?”
Then based on their answer, take the action that they recommend to you.
Remember, the goal is to keep the conversation moving forward even if it’s small steps.
Cold calling doesn’t have to be something you hate. You can have fun with this.
However, mastering these four steps in the cold calling process.
With a pattern interrupt introduction, a tailored value proposition, masterful objection handling, and a strong close, you can become one of the best cold callers on your team.
Remember, practice makes perfect when you learn to be better at cold calling.