In this video, we share a real cold call example from a salesperson who appears to be selling IT consulting services. After the cold call recording example, we provide a review of what went well, what could have been better, and then a recommended cold call script that he could have used.

 

Product Selling Sales Pitch

In many of our training videos, we break down sales scripts into two categories. The first category is what we call Product Selling where the salesperson primarily talks about his or her company and then tries to make the prospect interested in buying the product. The other category that we put sales scripts into is consultative selling where the salesperson focuses more on the prospect’s needs and tries to match what they have to offer to what the prospect needs.

This cold call example is clearly product selling as the salesperson opens the call talking about his company and then tries to talk the prospect into wanting what he has to sell. The cold call script that we provide at the end of the video shows what he could have said if he used more of a consultative selling approach.

 

“We already use someone for that.”

The main objection that this salesperson faced was some version of “we already use someone for that”. This is a very common objection, so you need to be ready for it.

His response to this is pretty good as he first asks a current state question of “So you have an in-house team of developers or you are working with someone else?” This is not only a good way to keep the conversation going, it is a good question to ask to learn what is going on with the prospect.

 

Sell the Meeting, Not the Product

Toward the end of the call, the salesperson acknowledges that the prospect does not need his services at the moment and he deflects to just trying to schedule a meeting to talk more. Not only is this a good way to stay alive when the prospect is trying to end the conversation, but it is actually a more logical thing to focus on.

When you are talking to a prospect for the first time, there are likely steps that need to take place between that initial interaction and the prospect purchasing your product or service. For example, most likely, the next step in the sales process is to simply have a more established conversation with a longer call, meeting. or appointment. When the prospect says they don’t need what you sell during your initial outreach, deflect back to your sales process and the next step which is to simply talk more.

 

Ask Pain and Current State Questions

Another way this salesperson could have responded to the sales objections on this cold call example was to ask pain questions and current state questions. Pain questions would be designed to ask the prospect if they have pain points or challenges in the area that the product or service can help. If the prospect is using a vendor or provider today, but there are challenges or things aren’t perfect, that can create a reason to talk more.

Current state questions are designed to identify what the prospect is doing in the area where you have something to offer. If a prospect says they already use something or have a provider, respond with questions that ask about what they have and try to learn how it is going. Not only is this a great way to keep the call going, but it can often uncover new information that could be a justification for talking more.

We hope this cold call example gives you some ideas of how you can improve your own sales script and sales pitch!