In this video, we discuss how to generate leads when cold calling by taking an example of a B2B cold call and discussing three concepts that can be applied to every cold call, regardless of the product being sold.
You might hear that call and think it was very friendly, and that everything seemed very easy. While it might have just been good timing and a good prospect, the salesperson used a system to make cold calling and lead generation easier, and we will provide some of the key steps she took here.
1. Disarm the prospect
The first thing the salesperson did with her system for how to generate leads when cold calling was to disarm the prospect by asking the question of:
Did I catch you in the middle of anything?
This is a pattern interrupt question because most salespeople ask, “How are you doing today?” when they open a cold call. By asking this question, it will snap the prospect out of autopilot mode as a pattern interrupt.
It is also a less formal question, closer to what a colleague or friend would ask, which helps decrease the prospect’s guardedness and creates a slight bump in rapport.
2. Value proposition
The next thing the salesperson did was she shared her value proposition by saying:
We help companies to improve their internal training programs.
This is powerful because it differs from what most salespeople do: they open cold calls by explaining the product or service they sell. Not only does the value proposition align more closely with what the prospect cares most about, but when a salesperson focuses primarily on the product, it triggers greater guardedness and objections.
3. Make the call about the prospect
The next step in this system for how to generate leads when cold calling is to make the call more about the prospect. Most salespeople will make cold calls more about their product and company by talking primarily about what they sell. The main goal of the call is to determine whether the prospect wants or needs what they sell.
While this is a logical approach, there are many reasons why it is not the best way to go. Just to point out a couple of problems: this approach is more likely to trigger guardedness, leading to more objections, rejection, and resistance. Another problem with this approach is that the prospect is most likely not in buying mode when they answer your call. With that, a product-focused approach is more likely to create a mismatch between what you are trying to talk about and where the prospect is mentally, leading to objections and missed opportunities.
The best way to make the cold call more about the prospect than the product is to ask good questions. This salesperson did this by asking:
What are you all doing to deliver your training information today?
How satisfied are you that you are effectively training people?
Would you be interested in making your training more efficient?
Not only does this help you learn more about the prospect, but it also helps engage them in the conversation and make them the center of the discussion. And by learning more about the prospects you talk with, you will be better able to generate leads when cold calling.
4. Product introduction
After the salesperson learned about the prospect, she introduced the service she sold by saying:
- We’ve been in the Houston-area for 15 years.
- We work with companies to improve their training programs.
- We help you to develop the content as well as the creative.
A nice way to do this is to uncover needs or challenges in your questions, then introduce what you sell as a solution to the prospect’s needs.
5. Close for the next step
The last thing this salesperson did was to close for the next step in the sales process, which is simply talking more and having a conversation. This is different from what many salespeople do: they try to close to see whether the prospect wants or needs the product, which focuses on the last step of the sales process.
And the problem with that is that, in most scenarios, the next step in the sales process is simply talking more and having a conversation, usually via a call, meeting, or appointment. To maintain clarity on how to generate leads when cold calling, it is important to stay focused on the step of talking more and doing what you can to help prospects move forward.
We hope this process for how to generate leads when cold calling provides you with new ideas that can improve your sales efforts!
