Many sales representatives find themselves easily stumped by rejection during a cold call with potential new clients. They think that once the prospect expresses a lack of interest, that’s the end of the conversation. But they’re missing out on essential cold calling tips that can help turn that initial dismissal into the beginning of a productive discussion.
So how can you get past a prospect’s rejection and push forward until you make that sale? Here are some practical cold calling techniques that really work.
Handling Common Objections
Cold calling in sales is one of the most challenging parts of working in this industry. After all the work you’ve put into lead generation and planning out your sales tactics, your cold call could end up being a waste of time if they say “no.”
But knowing the most common reasons people say “no” and how you can overcome them makes cold calling in sales much easier. Here’s what you should know about keeping the door open.
Lack of Interest
The most frequent response to cold calling in sales is that prospects aren’t interested. The catch is, most of the time the person on the other end of the call doesn’t even know what service you’re offering. They’re simply looking for a quick excuse to get off the phone.
The only way a decision maker will open their ears is if you can speak to their pains and their issues. It is important to gather why the decision maker might want to consider alternative options.
Pressed for Time
If someone on a cold call says they don’t have the time, this can mean one of two things: they don’t have time at that specific moment or they don’t believe your current cold call is a priority.
If they just don’t have time at the moment, you can always leave your information for them to call back at their convenience. You can also try to get information on another, potentially more qualified person you could speak to for lead generation purposes.
Suppose they believe that due to extenuating circumstances in their life or business, your services don’t sound like a priority to them. In that case, you can ask them to elaborate on these circumstances. Then, suggest ways that your company could assist them with the problems they’re having.
Different Priorities
Sometimes your prospective client may have a good reason why your services are not interesting to them at the present time but could be in the future. This can still be a good sign for drawing in future business down the line and is perfectly common in sales prospecting.
Be sure to exchange contact information with the prospect and circle back to them in the future. Even if they’ve told you they don’t want to start discussing a potential business relationship for at least six months from now, you can still make contact with them earlier than that to remind them that you’re available.
Budgetary Concerns
Plenty of prospects will give you the knee-jerk reaction that they just don’t have the money for whatever you’re selling right now. However, if you know how to cold call strategically, you can still convince them to patronize your business. Point out ways that they may be wasting money by not taking advantage of your services and show them the long-term value of working with you.
Pre-existing Relationship with a Competitor
If a prospect from your lead generation tells you that they’re already working with one of your competitors, it’s not a closed door. Ask them about their relationship with their current service provider, and find out if they are meeting the client’s needs. Share any strengths that your company has over the company that the prospect works with — you might just convince them to switch over.
Dealing with Constant and Persistent Rejection
Cold calling leads to plenty of uncomfortable rejection. Getting hung up on by client after client, even after weeks of lead generation, can be pretty demoralizing. It’s important not to lose hope and to keep pushing forward, even if you never seem to make a sale.
If you’re stuck in the same old routine and getting nowhere, try switching up your approach entirely and see where that gets you. Remember: Strategy is huge. Sometimes you just need to change your tactics and learn how to cold call in a new way to get results.
Take Your Cold Calling Game to the Next Level
Converting a prospective client to a paying customer with a cold call is one of the toughest parts of the sales industry. But with these helpful cold calling tips by your side, you’ll know some cold calling techniques that really work to power through rejection and make the sales you need. So get out there and start having successful sales prospecting interactions today! Would you rather have a team of experts applying top-notch cold emailing and calling strategies for your business so you can have appointments booked on your calendar for a whole lot less effort? Kraken Sales Funnel is here to make that happen.