Need help with cold calling-script!

I expect it won't be too very long before someone pops in and demands that cold calling doesn't work or how it's the most horrible way to do business.

IN MY OPINION, cold calling on the phone WHEN DONE PROPERLY is a great way to build your business. Having said that, there are many great places and resources where you can get some ideas about how to go about it and how to develop a script.

The first thing I would suggest you do is look for any posts by John Durham and than you should join his Telemarketing Forum, download a free audio that has a website sales script as a major part of it.

I would also suggest that you have an alternative offer to a website. For example, they may have a website, but you could show them the value of a blog, or fanpage.

If you've got a decision maker on the phone and they have no need for your primary offer you shouldn't let them go without being able to offer something.

This is probably going to turn in to a big thread...hope it does!

Did you land any clients from those calls?

It seems like you are just calling random numbers you should research the business and see if they have a website before you even call this will give you a more targeted approach.

And when you call you have to ask for the owner (grab it off Manta.com), a lot of contractors have secretaries who's job is to make sure they filter out solicitors so you have to make up a clever script to get passed them.

Aside from picking up the dialing pace... which is optional, because you are usually fine if you do 100 numbers per day to set a couple of appointments at least.

The biggest issue I see is that you are calling mostly corporations and franchises, and or probably foreign owned family operated businesses (no stereo types implied) which is about the equivalent of targeting "nail salons", which I will not elaborate on, but plenty of people here know what I mean.

... Go for independent business owners. Pick another niche, Thats my take. Pick one that makes sense. Realize with plbmbers you are going to get 95% answering machines or answering services, because they are usually out on call... so you may leave alot of voice mail messages and your strategy might be to stuff the pipeline for a few days till it explodes, instead of going in with the idea of one call closing 20 people your first day. lol

When considering a niche, apply your "common sense" and think about the daily operations of that persons business and how they work. For instance "Lawyers arent in on Wednesday".

No niche is impossible, but some are easier to get through than others.


Ps. On the other side of the coin, if a lawyer "is" in on Wednesday, he's probably wrenching his hands trying to figure out how to get more business.

To differentiate yourself, come up with some typical reasons people would do business with you. The rest of the web designers are going to say that they make a cool website that looks great. So what?

If you can say that you help businesses in that niche who are:

* frustrated that not enough potential customers are finding out about their company

* concerned that it's difficult to explain everything that their business does in a quick phone call, and they're missing out on opportunities to do work because of that

* upset about revenues that are up one month and down the next, and would like a machine that works 24/7 to convert visitors into qualified leads that call in for business

then you're the person to talk to...

...you'll be different. Be the person who solves those problems, and you'll get clients.

See what John said above about the availability of tradespeople.

I was a credit manager for a national electrical wholesaler for 4 years. First thing I had to get over back then was the fact that hardly anyone answered. Took me about a year to realize they were under a house or halfway up a ladder and couldn't answer the phone at the time.

Consistency in prospecting is the key. You can't do just one day of it and then sit back. What you did a week ago will come back to help you this week. So you had to make four or five calls to get ahold of someone. So do I! So does everybody else.

The averages are: half the people you call won't be in. Half of those who pick up won't really want to talk right now. So right away you're down to 1 in 4 people who will actually pick up the phone and talk. Pick a trades field to call into and the number of people who are available will be lower. However, maybe when you DO have a conversation, it will be the only one they have with someone like you...because the rest of the people quit after one dial/attempt.

Persist!

If you're going to cold call on the phone then at least hire someone else to do it for you. Not only does this leave 100% of your time free to do the work and get paid, but a professional B2B telemarketing room will get MUCH MUCH better results. Check out "salesteamus" on Elance, they're the best and very affordable. Flexible too, and totally professional.

Hi Orrarah,
I have had eight years cold calling business to business both face to face and over the phone. I know very little about your business model but I do know something about cold calling. Really you must capture their interest within the first 3 seconds of contact as to avoid psychological barriers coming up. One of the best ways to do this is to build a free offer into your initial approach.
You should also use your first name and family name in the approach as this gives you credibility and legitimacy with the prospect.
For example: Hi my name is (first name and family name) from (XY Marketing); I have free advertising advice for a plumber in your area…….
By using “for a plumber in your area” this then personalizes the offer more to the prospect, having them feel if they do not listen to your free offer it will go to a competitor in their area.
Also smile when you pick up the phone to make the approach to the prospect as friendship and warmth is relayed in your voice to the prospect.
I hope this helps,
Cheers

Orrarah. I have a lot of experience in selling B2B in Sweden and Norway over the phone and I have some pretty darn good results to. Where I'm working now I close deals for about 13-14,000 kr per day in marketing service every day.

If you have any industry specific questions you can send me a PM.