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3 Best Cold Calling Scripts and Tips - RAIN Group Sales Training
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“In short, successful cold calling scripts follow a five-step approach: Introduction What’s in it for me? Call to action Propose time to meet Deliver on the value offer” Protecting their global shipping operations and ensuring continuous cash flow Achieving the best possible efficiencies by connecting all <blank> disciplines Using <our client's special expertise> to create competitive differentiation and capture market share The information will give you a framework for assessing your situation at <company name>. I'm wondering if you'd like to talk with me and one of the partners here at Widget Co. on March 23. Cold Calling Script #2 My name is Jane Smith and I’m with Global Manufacturing Inc.—we're a <insert type of company>. As a part of that work, we've just completed a benchmark study where <industry> firms rate over 350 major suppliers in areas critical to deciding who they'll do business with. What we've been doing as a way of introducing ourselves is share with some select suppliers survey details specific to you: How (company name) rates on six critical success factors Where your competition stands in relation to you What areas you can focus on that will have the greatest impact on increasing your share of wallet That's it. Even if you decide not to pursue this any further than this first meeting, at least you'll have valuable intelligence as a result. What does your calendar look like next Wednesday or Thursday? Cold Calling Script #3 My name is Jane Smith, and I'm calling from Smith & Jones. We're a <insert type of company>. The reason I am calling is to schedule a brief meeting to review the findings of the work we've been doing on what makes the biggest difference in <topic area> for leaders who are looking to <do something specific that benefits the company>. It's fascinating stuff, especially since in the next ten years there will be <an important industry dynamic that you need to attend to>. If you're interested, we'll even make some recommendations as to what areas to focus on that'll make the biggest difference in your particular situation.
“Many cold callers use deceptive tactics to get through and leave a bad taste in buyers' mouths.” Protecting their global shipping operations and ensuring continuous cash flow Achieving the best possible efficiencies by connecting all <blank> disciplines Using <our client's special expertise> to create competitive differentiation and capture market share The information will give you a framework for assessing your situation at <company name>. I'm wondering if you'd like to talk with me and one of the partners here at Widget Co. on March 23. Cold Calling Script #2 My name is Jane Smith and I’m with Global Manufacturing Inc.—we're a <insert type of company>. As a part of that work, we've just completed a benchmark study where <industry> firms rate over 350 major suppliers in areas critical to deciding who they'll do business with. What we've been doing as a way of introducing ourselves is share with some select suppliers survey details specific to you: How (company name) rates on six critical success factors Where your competition stands in relation to you What areas you can focus on that will have the greatest impact on increasing your share of wallet That's it. Even if you decide not to pursue this any further than this first meeting, at least you'll have valuable intelligence as a result. What does your calendar look like next Wednesday or Thursday? Cold Calling Script #3 My name is Jane Smith, and I'm calling from Smith & Jones. We're a <insert type of company>. The reason I am calling is to schedule a brief meeting to review the findings of the work we've been doing on what makes the biggest difference in <topic area> for leaders who are looking to <do something specific that benefits the company>. It's fascinating stuff, especially since in the next ten years there will be <an important industry dynamic that you need to attend to>. If you're interested, we'll even make some recommendations as to what areas to focus on that'll make the biggest difference in your particular situation.
Protecting their global shipping operations and ensuring continuous cash flow Achieving the best possible efficiencies by connecting all <blank> disciplines Using <our client's special expertise> to create competitive differentiation and capture market share The information will give you a framework for assessing your situation at <company name>. I'm wondering if you'd like to talk with me and one of the partners here at Widget Co. on March 23. Cold Calling Script #2 My name is Jane Smith and I’m with Global Manufacturing Inc.—we're a <insert type of company>. As a part of that work, we've just completed a benchmark study where <industry> firms rate over 350 major suppliers in areas critical to deciding who they'll do business with. What we've been doing as a way of introducing ourselves is share with some select suppliers survey details specific to you: How (company name) rates on six critical success factors Where your competition stands in relation to you What areas you can focus on that will have the greatest impact on increasing your share of wallet That's it. Even if you decide not to pursue this any further than this first meeting, at least you'll have valuable intelligence as a result. What does your calendar look like next Wednesday or Thursday? Cold Calling Script #3 My name is Jane Smith, and I'm calling from Smith & Jones. We're a <insert type of company>. The reason I am calling is to schedule a brief meeting to review the findings of the work we've been doing on what makes the biggest difference in <topic area> for leaders who are looking to <do something specific that benefits the company>. It's fascinating stuff, especially since in the next ten years there will be <an important industry dynamic that you need to attend to>. If you're interested, we'll even make some recommendations as to what areas to focus on that'll make the biggest difference in your particular situation. “At the onset of the call, introduce yourself and provide a brief overview of your company (one sentence, not a 20-second elevator pitch).” The reason I'm calling is because my company, the ABC Consulting Group, has just recently conducted a major benchmark study on how manufacturing businesses—including Competitor 1 and Competitor 2 of yours—in the Midwest are succeeding with their labor unions in the face of global outsourcing. There are 3 practices that are working across the board and a few that fail most everyplace. If you're interested, we'd be happy to come by and take you through the results." If this topic is on your mind, you might risk a 30-minute meeting to hear the results. Or you might have some questions right then and there. Either way, John has presented his cold "introduction" of himself and his company in a way that delivers value. Not everyone will take you up on a meeting. But if your target list is well segmented and clean, a number of prospects will. When you get in front of prospects, the topic of conversation should be your recent research, work, and expertise—not a "get to know you and sell you" meeting. A conversation about recent research is just one of many potential value propositions for the meeting. You might not want to present research because it might not be the best entry for you. But if your offering is worthwhile, a conversation with you should be able to offer something of strong value. 3. Call to Action There's a simple, non-threatening call to action. You're not going to make a sale on the first call, but you might schedule a 10-, 20-, or 30-minute teleconference in which you share your valuable insights and further explore their concerns. This will also help position you as an expert and thought leader in your field. Other next steps include forwarding information kits and following up via email. Regardless, find a way to continue the conversation and be sure to follow up. 4. Propose A Time to Meet When you get near the end of the call, you close with asking the prospect to look at a specific time on their calendar.
It's fascinating intelligence, and I was hoping you might have some time on the morning of Thursday, June 6, or anytime in the afternoon during the week of June 22. What would work for you? How Do You Cold Call Effectively? Let's look at why these scripts make for an effective cold call. 1. Introduction At the onset of the call, introduce yourself and provide a brief overview of your company (one sentence, not a 20-second elevator pitch). You should be able to introduce yourself, your company, and your company’s value proposition. In some cases, you can also tell a story to get a potential buyer’s attention. For example, one business developer used his interest in wine to get past the gatekeeper at a company that sold products and services to vineyards and interact with the decision maker. Just make sure whatever story you’re telling is crisp and concise. 2. What's in It for Me? Once you have a prospect’s attention, it’s important to keep conversation brief and to the point. Always remember to keep the prospect’s concerns at the forefront. The more you focus on their situation and how you can improve their business, the more likely the person will want to continue the conversation. In these scripts, you immediately move to the WIIFM (“What’s in it for me?”) and pitch a value-based offer. This isn't "an introductory meeting" where you go in and pitch a sales presentation on your clients, services, and successes. It's a meeting where you share your expertise and insights and apply them to the prospect's situation. Let's assume you're a Chief Strategy Officer at an $800M manufacturing firm in Ohio. Someone calls you and says, "My name is John Smith and I'm a change management consultant. Do you need change? Let's meet." Chances are, your immediate change needs probably won't include John Smith. But let's say John calls and says, "My name is John Smith. “When you get near the end of the call, you close with asking the prospect to look at a specific time on their calendar.” This turns the question from being one of yes/no to being one of when. 5. Deliver on the Value Offer In the introductory meeting, you deliver the best practices, benchmark research, and findings you promise in the cold call. The pitch isn’t a sales presentation in disguise, but a conversation where actual challenges and advice are shared. Use these 50 powerful sales questions to develop rapport, uncover needs, and deliver insights. Tips For Effective Cold Calling Beyond emulating the structure of these cold calling scripts, there’s plenty more you can do to increase the chances of turning a call into a meeting. 1. Research Buyers and Customize Your Messages Buyers want to know you’ve researched them and know their business. Research their field, understand what’s important to them, and tailor your cold calling script to include these findings. Keep any insights current and relevant. 2. Adjust the Goal of Your Calls At the start of the sales process, you aren’t selling your offering, you’re selling time. You must ask yourself what would make it worthwhile for the buyer to take 20 minutes, 45 minutes, an hour, etc., to meet with you. Take the relationship one step at a time. First, intrigue the buyer with your expertise and provide value in your conversation. Then you can work on uncovering needs, sharing your value proposition for what you sell, and discussing potential opportunities to work together. There are no hard rules for when to move from one stage to another; this comes with experience and your ability to lead strong sales conversations. 3. Ask Yourself, “Then What?” Before making the call you must be ready to have a peer-to-peer conversation around business issues facing your buyer. These conversations appear as though they'll end in two minutes with a yes or a no, but can often go for 30 minutes or more. If you can't be conversational without a script in front of you, you shouldn't be making the calls.