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The Best Cold Calling Script & How to Make Your Own [Template]
HubSpot Sales Blog
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These platforms streamline manual tasks so you can spend more time doing something technology can't — researching your prospects, building rapport, and closing deals. 21. Make sure you offer value. I often ask myself after a call what value I offered my prospect. If I’m not answering their questions and solving their pain points, I’m wasting both their time and mine. If I don’t think I’ve established enough value, I send them more content to help them learn what my product/business has to offer them. Never underestimate the importance of educating your prospect with free, valuable content. In his book Cold Calling Techniques, Stephan Schiffman says, “Success comes from helping people do what they want to do, not what you want to do.” Make sure your priority is helping your prospects accomplish the things they want to accomplish at their organization. 22. Remember your why. Cold calling can get repetitive and robotic pretty fast. Dialing, reciting your script, asking for the next call, and doing it all over again can start to wear on your enthusiasm, but don‘t let it. When you’re struggling to make it through those last few calls of the week, remember why you love to do what you do. Whether you keep your family‘s picture on your desk, an inspiring note from a colleague, or an encouraging quote from a leader, always keep your “why” in mind. On those amazing days when you’re closing left and right and those slower days when you can't quite get into your groove, your “why” will keep you motivated. Famous saleswoman Mary Kay Ash said, “Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that says, ‘Make me feel important.’ Not only will you succeed in sales, you will succeed in life.” 23. Leverage AI for tailored cold calls. David Breitenbach, Chief Marketing Officer at PatentRenewal.com, says, "One of the top tips for successfully conducting cold calls is to leverage AI tools for in-depth prospect research. “AI can provide insights into a prospect's recent activities, interests, and industry trends, allowing you to tailor your approach more precisely.” “Ask open-ended questions to engage them in a dialogue rather than delivering a monologue. Listen actively to their responses, and adjust your approach based on their feedback. By focusing on building a relationship rather than just making a sale, you‘re more likely to leave a positive impression and lay the groundwork for future opportunities, even if the initial call doesn’t result in an immediate conversion.” 7 Techniques to Master Cold Calls For many sales reps, even the words “cold call” are nerve-wracking. We all know what it’s like being at the customer end of a (not-so-great) cold call. Sales teams are often met with apathy, irritation, or outright hostility. Despite these challenges, cold calls remain effective. So, how do you master the art of cold calling? Part of the answer lies in the scripts and tips listed above. By following tried-and-true methods, you can increase your chances of success and reduce the risk of outright rejection. It’s also critical to train yourself in techniques that help improve your cold calling capabilities. Here are seven ways to boost your cold calling confidence. 1. Focus on problem-solving. It’s easy to get caught up in the fact that you’re selling a product or service. This casts you in the role of the pushy salesperson and your prospect in the part of an unwilling call recipient. It naturally creates an oppositional dynamic that undermines your goal: Creating connection. Instead, focus on problem-solving. You’re not trying to sell someone something they don’t need. You’re trying to help them solve a problem — one they might not even know they have — by creating a win-win scenario. 2. Know your product or service inside-out. A little knowledge goes a long way. The more you know about your product or service, the better — in-depth information offers a soft landing place if you feel your confidence starts to waver.
Before each email you send and phone call you make, identify the close you'll use to encourage more streamlined and focused communication. 16. Make it easy to say yes. Regardless of which ‘close’ you end up choosing, focus on selling just that ‘close.’ The more complicated you make it for the prospect, the easier it is for them to say ‘no.’ For example, if the big goal is to sell a turn-key software package in the four figures, but you know that your demo will blow them out of the water, just sell the demo. Make it easy for them to commit to the demo with no strings attached, and make it easy for them to schedule and show up to the demo. Don't fuss with the details about software packages in this initial step when you can deal with those details later (presumably after the demo). Doing so will plant objections in their mind before you get your foot in the door. If I know that a prospect won’t commit to a demo, I assume they need more time in the purchase funnel, which means they need more useful content. I send them articles, blogs, handouts, white papers, etc., that will make their life easier and help them excel in their industry. Remember,“Value is not what you say it is; it is always what the buyer perceives it to be”(Art Sobczak). 17. Follow up after the call. If my prospect isn't available to meet again until the next week or so, I will follow up with them within a day after our initial cold call. I try to go beyond the traditional “thanks for your time” and offer some valuable information that could help them in the period between our last conversation and their decision about my product. You could try something like: Hi [prospect's name], this is [your name] from [your company name]. Did you get a chance to take a look at the materials I sent over? If they say yes, follow up with some discovery questions or the next step in your sales process. If they say they're not interested, you could end with: Thanks for letting me know. “Select a few recorded (with permission) calls, sit in on a few live attempts, and have reps provide constructive feedback on what went well and what could be improved for the next time.” These platforms streamline manual tasks so you can spend more time doing something technology can't — researching your prospects, building rapport, and closing deals. 21. Make sure you offer value. I often ask myself after a call what value I offered my prospect. If I’m not answering their questions and solving their pain points, I’m wasting both their time and mine. If I don’t think I’ve established enough value, I send them more content to help them learn what my product/business has to offer them. Never underestimate the importance of educating your prospect with free, valuable content. In his book Cold Calling Techniques, Stephan Schiffman says, “Success comes from helping people do what they want to do, not what you want to do.” Make sure your priority is helping your prospects accomplish the things they want to accomplish at their organization. 22. Remember your why. Cold calling can get repetitive and robotic pretty fast. Dialing, reciting your script, asking for the next call, and doing it all over again can start to wear on your enthusiasm, but don‘t let it. When you’re struggling to make it through those last few calls of the week, remember why you love to do what you do. Whether you keep your family‘s picture on your desk, an inspiring note from a colleague, or an encouraging quote from a leader, always keep your “why” in mind. On those amazing days when you’re closing left and right and those slower days when you can't quite get into your groove, your “why” will keep you motivated. Famous saleswoman Mary Kay Ash said, “Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that says, ‘Make me feel important.’ Not only will you succeed in sales, you will succeed in life.” 23. Leverage AI for tailored cold calls. David Breitenbach, Chief Marketing Officer at PatentRenewal.com, says, "One of the top tips for successfully conducting cold calls is to leverage AI tools for in-depth prospect research.
If you want to cultivate some quick social proof and approachability with prospects via an existing connection, consider leveraging a script like this. It shows you the most effective way to use a recommendation from a mutual colleague. Download Template Follow-ups So much of sales is powered by measured persistence. In many cases, you‘re not going to get the response you need (or a response at all) without following up. If you’ve already tried reaching out to a prospect, use this script to get a response. Download Template Connection Requests Failing to connect with a prospect? This script provides an alternative route to reaching out. Download Template Now that you have your script, here are some tips to keep in mind. 1. Be selective with prospects. As a HubSpot employee, I try to live and breathe inbound marketing and sales, relying on my strong sales teams to close deals. I know that a 100% inbound method might not work for your business — at least not overnight. So, be selective with your prospects to mimic the success of inbound sales. That means you‘ll need to get creative with whom you add to your list. If you can find hand-raisers (people already interested in the product or service your company provides), prioritize calling them first. If they’re interested in what you have to offer before you call, you'll be well on your way to closing them on the solution you sell. And that brings me to my next point. 2. Use the right tools. Although a solid script and an excellent sales team will yield good results, remember that they can only take you so far. As I just mentioned, you need to pick and choose between prospects so sales reps or cold calling services won’t waste time reaching out to people who don’t show much interest in your business. That requires data — lots of it. “With each call, you‘ll get a chance to practice your cold calling script — and you’ll learn strategies to make future cold calls more effective.” I try to learn what the company does, find the prospect's role at the company, and discover whether I’ve worked with their company or a similar company in the past. Other publicly available information is also useful: Where did they go to school? Do you know a friend or colleague? Did they recently attend an industry event? These are some rapport-building topics you can use to start the conversation. 6. Find the best time to call. Although there isn't a universal “best” time to make a cold call, some experts recommend early mornings or late afternoons since individuals haven't yet started their day or are already wrapping it up — thus increasing your chances of getting through. However, the more cold calls you make, the more you'll get a feel for the days and times that have the most success. Once you do, prioritize your calls and make the most important ones during those windows. 7. Pique curiosity. I try to open the conversation by generating intrigue and interest. If you can get prospects invested in the conversation, you'll give them a reason to keep listening. The Harvard Business Review notes that “curiosity is a powerful practice to infuse into a company’s culture.” It can reduce stress, as curious individuals are seen as more communal and friendly. So, curiosity is a key component of effective cold-calling. Curious prospects might give you more of their time to explore solutions to their problems. 8. Be respectful of their time. While it's essential to establish rapport and start the conversation off on a positive note, be mindful that cold-calling is somewhat intrusive. You have interrupted their day, so get to the point quickly. Use your positioning statement early on in the call or make a transition like this one: “The reason I'm calling is to … ” These will signal to the prospect that you'll be quick and to the point. 9. Ask open-ended questions. I avoid asking “yes or no” questions.