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Cold Calling Tips

by StevenTylerPjs
18 replies
I know there are other threads on cold calling, but they're huge so I started a new one.

Everybody hates cold calling so I want to get better at it.

I like to start off using Jordan Belfort's tonality technique. "Hi Bob, this is Steven? From warrior forum?"

It seems strange annunciating as a question, but it gets the prospect wondering if they know already. Some may call this a pattern interrupt. Or they may call is dirty. I don't know, but it seems to work for me.

I then give them my benefit statement and ask if they'd like to hear more. They usually either hang up or say sure.

I've never been able to rattle off some of the longer scripts " benefit statement followed by - could I have just 30 seconds of your time? After that you can decide if you'd like to move forward with the discussion or not."

I think maybe I get nervous and talk to fast trying to get it all out. It changes my tonality and I sound less confident. It's something I want to work on though.

What are your techniques or favorite calls that you've received? Do you think tonality matters at all? I try not to sound overly enthusiastic. For me at least, that would be fake.
#calling #cold #tips
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  • Profile picture of the author WF- Enzo
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    Yes tonality matters, and I agree with you that you don't wanna sound overly enthusiastic but without sounding too cold and machine-like. My tone and sound also depends on the person on the other line.

    Originally Posted by StevenTylerPjs View Post

    I know there are other threads on cold calling, but they're huge so I started a new one.

    Everybody hates cold calling so I want to get better at it.

    I like to start off using Jordan Belfort's tonality technique. "Hi Bob, this is Steven? From warrior forum?"

    It seems strange annunciating as a question, but it gets the prospect wondering if they know already. Some may call this a pattern interrupt. Or they may call is dirty. I don't know, but it seems to work for me.

    I then give them my benefit statement and ask if they'd like to hear more. They usually either hang up or say sure.

    I've never been able to rattle off some of the longer scripts " benefit statement followed by - could I have just 30 seconds of your time? After that you can decide if you'd like to move forward with the discussion or not."

    I think maybe I get nervous and talk to fast trying to get it all out. It changes my tonality and I sound less confident. It's something I want to work on though.

    What are your techniques or favorite calls that you've received? Do you think tonality matters at all? I try not to sound overly enthusiastic. For me at least, that would be fake.
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  • Profile picture of the author webcontent
    In cold calling, yes tone matters a lot. A person from your tone decides if he would like to talk further or not. Moreover, it is always very important to introduce yourself first before beginning your communication.

    If you wish to make your cold calling successful, then its very important to first mail to give a small glimpse of the purpose. This helps in making a person interested in taking your call.
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    • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
      Originally Posted by webcontent View Post

      In cold calling, yes tone matters a lot. A person from your tone decides if he would like to talk further or not. Moreover, it is always very important to introduce yourself first before beginning your communication.

      If you wish to make your cold calling successful, then its very important to first mail to give a small glimpse of the purpose. This helps in making a person interested in taking your call.

      When cold calling (or any kind of selling) everything matters. Everything you do, everything they perceive...matters.

      The reason tonality matters so much is that most salespeople get it all wrong. They either act super enthusiastic, or they talk like they are reading a report card. Both are deal killers.

      When selling over the phone, all you have is what you say and how you say it.

      But tonality also includes pacing, timing, indicating interest (by your tone of voice) and being able to imply your position, authority, and having more business than you can handle.

      None of this can be learned from a book. None of it can be learned from a series of posts.

      The Belfort approach and training is the single best training I've ever seen for selling over the phone. Better than mine. Better than any out there. But you have to hear it.
      . I bought and listened to the Belfort course, and I can't recommend it enough.

      I'm going to give you all a gift. I found this on E-Bay.

      The Straight Line Selling course sells for $2,000 online. This guy sells it (Including a few other Belfort courses) for a few dollars as a download. The whole thing.

      Enjoy. No I have never dealt with this company. I just found the offer.

      https://www.ebay.com/itm/Jordan-Belf...133085178164?_


      Added later; I just bought it myself from this guy. Yup. You really do get 5 (I think) courses, including Belfort's Straight Line System. You even get it in a PDF as a transcript.
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      • Profile picture of the author savidge4
        Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

        I'm going to give you all a gift. I found this on E-Bay.

        The Straight Line Selling course sells for $2,000 online. This guy sells it (Including a few other Belfort courses) for a few dollars as a download. The whole thing.

        Enjoy. No I have never dealt with this company. I just found the offer.

        https://www.ebay.com/itm/Jordan-Belf...133085178164?_
        I Have actually bought this from this seller - and "hearing" it DOES make a world of difference.

        Tonality for me is a REALLY big thing.. so much so It translates into my typing style - lol
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      • Profile picture of the author StevenTylerPjs
        Thanks for the link. I'm going through the material and it's been very good so far. One thing I really like is the emphasis of not front-loading the pitch with too many benefits.
        I've seen that a lot. The prospect is bombarded with benefits right off the bat, but it's more than anybody can process at once. Save a little for when you get an objection.
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        • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
          Originally Posted by StevenTylerPjs View Post

          Thanks for the link. I'm going through the material and it's been very good so far. One thing I really like is the emphasis of not front-loading the pitch with too many benefits.
          I (several times, with different offers) would privately list every feature my offer gave, and listed every benefit that every offer gave (from the customer's point of view). I'd end up with maybe 50 features and a couple hundred strong benefits, in total. It's an exercise that will pay off for years.


          You'll find you can state benefits in several different ways, and you'll always have strong benefits that you haven't even mentioned yet, that will fit the prospect.

          Yeah, never bombard them with lots of benefits rapid fire, it will confuse and overpower their ability to process the information.

          Belfort's method of "Looping back" is the best I've ever seen, even better than my own. It is specifically useful if you are selling one item/offer and one price point...to a single individual. I'd never do most of this in a setting where you are pitching a CEO in person.
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  • Profile picture of the author miaasemily
    In cold calling, of course Tonality matters a lot.
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  • Profile picture of the author jamesandersonicb
    Tonality matters. But as per my experience if you have complete product knowledge nothing is a matter you can deal your customer better than other.
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  • Profile picture of the author misterme
    I came across this a few days ago. It's staged but it's an example of Belfort using the Straight Line technique at a sales meeting. You'll see him setting himself as the expert, asking investigative questions, then making his just give me a try pitch, and several loops back with his favorite closes.


    * I noticed he asks permission to ask questions, I thought he taught the authority expert doesn't ask for permission... also I see he doesn't physically mirror the prospect, very noticeably at the end during the closing sequences.
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    • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
      Originally Posted by misterme View Post

      I noticed he asks permission to ask questions, I thought he taught the authority expert doesn't ask for permission... also I see he doesn't physically mirror the prospect, very noticeably at the end during the closing sequences.
      He teaches to ask for permission to ask questions, at least in the beginning.

      Since he used to sell over the phone, and teaches the same method, mirroring probably isn't part of it, except for rate of speech and level of enthusiasm.

      I don't know about you, but I probably use about 20% of what I know, when I'm selling.

      You should watch this. Grant Cardone is a sales trainer,as is Belfort. But watching them together gives an immediate view of their real abilities.

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      • Profile picture of the author StevenTylerPjs
        Wow. I've heard of Grant but never looked him up. I really didn't think he seemed very comfortable. He constantly gave abstract answers. Some of it I liked. But prefer Jordan's style.

        I was looking for more on Grant and this video popped up. I guess that interview had some people talking...

        https://youtu.be/lgal8Tnk1Y8


        I'm not sure how to show a preview of the video like you guys did. But it's the "reaction" of the interview. The commentator breaks it down by various moments.
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      • Profile picture of the author misterme
        Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

        He teaches to ask for permission to ask questions, at least in the beginning.
        Maybe I missed a nuance about when cold calling the first time, before asking the first first question, maybe the first question being, "can I ask you some questions?" as that sounds a little familiar... hearing so many different things over the past century... I kind of recalled he said you don't ask permission because you're an authority, like a doctor doesn't ask permission to ask you questions.

        Since he used to sell over the phone, and teaches the same method, mirroring probably isn't part of it
        I guess physical mirroring was on a segment about face to face selling... in that video you posted of him with Grant Cardone, Cardone knocks him by ridiculing physical mirroring when he says he (Grant) doesn't have to "cross my legs" or do other "tricks" to make sales.

        I don't know about you, but I probably use about 20% of what I know, when I'm selling.
        I just use the same five things over and over because they seem to work. That may come out to 20% of everything you know for all I know.

        You should watch this. Grant Cardone is a sales trainer,as is Belfort. But watching them together gives an immediate view of their real abilities.
        So, I have seen that and it's a real treat watching how smoothly Belfort handles Cardone and his gigantic ego, like a puppet master, and it's easy to see who the real salesperson is. I mean, would you be interested in being in a car accident? No? Oh, so you DO have some interest! Right, right.
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        • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
          Originally Posted by misterme View Post

          Maybe I missed a nuance about when cold calling the first time, before asking the first first question, maybe the first question being, "can I ask you some questions?" as that sounds a little familiar... hearing so many different things over the past century... I kind of recalled he said you don't ask permission because you're an authority, like a doctor doesn't ask permission to ask you questions.
          The asking permission to ask questions is at the beginning of a cold call, not in the selling. At least, that's what my old brain is telling me.


          Originally Posted by misterme View Post

          I guess physical mirroring was on a segment about face to face selling... in that video you posted of him with Grant Cardone, Cardone knocks him by ridiculing physical mirroring when he says he (Grant) doesn't have to "cross my legs" or do other "tricks" to make sales.
          i don't think Belfort talks about physical mirroring at all in any of his training, but I could be wrong. Belfort (in this video) said something about NLP guys not being as good as his other sales reps.


          Originally Posted by misterme View Post

          I just use the same five things over and over because they seem to work. That may come out to 20% of everything you know for all I know.
          Ha.......ha, ha, ha...............and HA!

          Originally Posted by misterme View Post

          So, I have seen that and it's a real treat watching how smoothly Belfort handles Cardone and his gigantic ego, like a puppet master, and it's easy to see who the real salesperson is. I mean, would you be interested in being in a car accident? No? Oh, so you DO have some interest! Right, right.
          Cardone's "No interest is a level of interest" nonsense had me thinking. I wracked my brain trying to decipher what great truth that could be hiding. I came up with nothing. I think he was just verbally abusing Belfort. Cardone argued with every point Belfort brought up. I think he was just trying to ruin the podcast.

          And it did ruin it, for him. Cardone sells expensive sales training courses to car dealers, and trains car dealers at seminars. And yet in the interview he said how he didn't know how to sell, and only made money selling one thing, fish.

          And to be frank, I think many sales trainers are in the same situation. Good business people that think that their "Rah rah" sessions are sales training. Belfort is a pure sales trainer that made Cardone look like an idiot, in my opinion.

          But I've read several of Cardone's books, and they are quite good. But they are motivational books, not sales books.
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          • Profile picture of the author StevenTylerPjs
            And to be frank, I think many sales trainers are in the same situation. Good business people that think that their "Rah rah" sessions are sales training. Belfort is a pure sales trainer that made Cardone look like an idiot, in my opinion.

            I agree. I don't think Grant did himself or his brand any favors. And the talk about cage-fighting at the end? He really came off in a bad way. That YouTube link to the video I posted above talks about it all.
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            • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
              Originally Posted by StevenTylerPjs View Post

              And to be frank, I think many sales trainers are in the same situation. Good business people that think that their "Rah rah" sessions are sales training. Belfort is a pure sales trainer that made Cardone look like an idiot, in my opinion.

              I agree. I don't think Grant did himself or his brand any favors. And the talk about cage-fighting at the end? He really came off in a bad way. That YouTube link to the video I posted above talks about it all.
              I've bought and read a couple of Cardone's sales books in the last week or two. Mostly good stuff.

              My new thought on that interview is that Cardone just wanted to ruin the podcast for Belfort. That's why he disagreed with everything, and kept saying that technique was worthless. He must have seen Belfort as some kind of threat.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Fernandes
    This was a brilliant piece of content! Thank you!
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  • Profile picture of the author ashL
    Firstly not everyone hates cold calling...some people out there like it. Me personally I'd rather sell over the phone than in person because it saves time and (in my opinion) you have more control.

    Anyhow, never ask permission because that's a one way ticket to "no-ville" every time.

    Ask relevant questions to lead/keep the convo the direction YOU want it.

    I like to know something about the lead/prospect before calling. It helps to have some details that only they would know/have given about themselves. This triggers in their mind that THEY filled their data/agreed to a callback and you aren't some random ass caller.

    So I'd actually say I don't like cold calling but I do like warm calling.
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    • Profile picture of the author StevenTylerPjs
      What's something that only they would know that you would also know? I could see mentioning their specific job title or something. But that's not too difficult to find out.

      Could you give an example? I understand the concept just can't think of anything.
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