Ari Galper's "Curious/Humble" Approach to Cold Calling

22 replies
Unlike the majority of cold callers who go in with the intention of peaking enough interest to get an appointment that leads to a sale, and controlling the conversation to lead to this result, Ari approaches the cold call as a curious fellow looking to see if there's a fit. And he keeps the dialogue wide open!

What do you guys think of Ari's approach? I've never seen anyone else suggest not taking control of the conversation ("you are selling them on buying OR they are selling you on not buying" is what I've read on this point")
#approach #ari #calling #cold #curious or humble #galper
  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    We teach EVERY style here... the "humble curious" approach is just another name someone put on something to make it sound original... However, yes I can vouch that it works.

    There are alot of ways to approach cold calling, and pretty much ANY of them will work consistently as long as a person is doing at least a couple hundred calls per day...if not, then almost NONE of them work consistently.

    Cold calling is alot about momentum; momentum on several different levels.

    The actual "getting down and dialing" is where 90% of the people who fail are failing.
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  • Profile picture of the author Delta223
    Thanks; in terms of technique do you prefer this style over the others you've used?
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    • Profile picture of the author David Miller
      Originally Posted by Delta223 View Post

      Thanks; in terms of technique do you prefer this style over the others you've used?
      Every person needs to adopt a style that suits their personality. Success in sales in large part is a matter of being genuine. Pretending to be something you're not may work once in a while, but over the long term, you're bound to fail.
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      The big lesson in life, baby, is never be scared of anyone or anything.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    I personally like the humble approach alot. It ingratiates people, fits my disposition. Sometimes I'm in more of an aggressive mood and I switch out, but I have used the humble approach more in my time than any other and it works well for me, so I would say yes. Coming off like a cynical big shot isnt really my style on the phone, even though it is my style as a manager.

    For people with alot of bass in their voice...the authoritative approach works best, so I agree with David, you can say the same script in a different tone...go with what feels good to you tone wise.

    It may take 100 calls to discover what inflections work best for you.

    I also use what Kanigan calls the "lazy executive approach" sometimes. Alot of "...Uhhhhh's...." Kind of real casual and matter of fact.
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    • Profile picture of the author David Miller
      JD, this could be a never ending back and forth. I think that being humble and asking for help need not necessarily go hand in hand when it comes to cold calling. This method has always been presented as though any other type of approach is brash and obnoxious.

      I've had occasion to receive thousands of sales calls over my professional life. Regardless of the approach, it's the person that makes the transaction effective. It's his attitude, his knowledge, his feelings about his prospect, and one hundred and one things that challenge definition.

      To me, these different approaches only serve to help a phone sales person pick up the phone, and engage a prospect.
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      The big lesson in life, baby, is never be scared of anyone or anything.
      -- FRANK SINATRA, quoted in The Way You Wear Your Hat
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      • Profile picture of the author John Durham
        Originally Posted by David Miller View Post

        JD, this could be a never ending back and forth. I think that being humble and asking for help need not necessarily go hand in hand when it comes to cold calling. This method has always been presented as though any other type of approach is brash and obnoxious.

        I've had occasion to receive thousands of sales calls over my professional life. Regardless of the approach, it's the person that makes the transaction effective. It's his attitude, his knowledge, his feelings about his prospect, and one hundred and one things that challenge definition.

        To me, these different approaches only serve to help a phone sales person pick up the phone, and engage a prospect.
        Agreed, you and I both know this. In twenty three years I have been through all kinds of approaches...and different ones on different days...Really what it comes down to is making the calls like you say "picking up the phone", and finding the frequency that gets you the kind of connection you are looking for, you will feel it and know you are in it once you are there.

        The big thing is to keep smilin and dialin. Dont put down the phone, go from one call to the next, stay in the rhythm... its all about the dialing, everything else stems from that.

        You are going to stumble, you are going to fumble...but dont put the phone down long enough to intellectualize it, just move on, dont get emotional about it and keep dialing. You will find your frequency. Dont expect to know what its going to be before you start dialing, just read your pitch or outline... and keep dialing, you will find that right tone and inflection from that, and you'll know when you hit your groove.

        I know ahead of time when I start dialing, I may get right in it, and it may take me 45 minutes to hit my groove.
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      • Profile picture of the author dunkinbbb
        I'm a fan of Ari Galper's - and David Miller's - LOL

        And David is exactly right - it's whatever gets you to pick up the phone - (or gets you through the night :-) ).

        That is the chasm to be crossed - until that happens, nothing is possible.

        Bill


        Originally Posted by David Miller View Post

        JD, this could be a never ending back and forth. I think that being humble and asking for help need not necessarily go hand in hand when it comes to cold calling. This method has always been presented as though any other type of approach is brash and obnoxious.

        I've had occasion to receive thousands of sales calls over my professional life. Regardless of the approach, it's the person that makes the transaction effective. It's his attitude, his knowledge, his feelings about his prospect, and one hundred and one things that challenge definition.

        To me, these different approaches only serve to help a phone sales person pick up the phone, and engage a prospect.
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Ten
    This is the only type of cold calling that I could ever get myself to do. I could only have an open conversation to see if the business arrangement might be a good fit.
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    • Profile picture of the author John Durham
      Originally Posted by Michael Ten View Post

      This is the only type of cold calling that I could ever get myself to do. I could only have an open conversation to see if the business arrangement might be a good fit.
      Thats why pro Telemarketers get sales every single day, even multiple ones, because they arent "open" like that. They have a pitch and they dont vary, even in the face of variables, they stay on course.

      If you dont know where you are going from the start, many times you end up nowhere.

      You arent calling to find out anything except whether they are interested in what you are offering, and its a steady course, your offer doesnt change with the wind.

      You dont worry about the people who want this and that... you are on a direct beeline to find people who want what you offer...and you find more because you are so focused.

      Big lesson here:

      The law of averages starts back over at zero everytime you quit repeating the same action.

      Not saying you are one Michael, but there are alot of proud "consultants" here, who dont even get 25% of the sales daily that a "monkey" telemarketer gets, and they cant even FATHOM it, despite their pride in being above a robot telemarketer.

      Casual people make weekly sales, or "monthly" sales...not daily. Robots who pitch like a machine, and rock the numbers make "daily" sales.

      -John
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      • Profile picture of the author Bruce NewMedia
        Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

        Thats why pro Telemarketers get sales every single day, even multiple ones, because they arent "open" like that. They have a pitch and they dont vary, even in the face of variables, they stay on course.

        Big lesson here:

        The law of averages starts back over at zero everytime you quit repeating the same action....-John
        Boy, is that the truth!...great take-away John!
        _____
        Bruce
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      • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
        Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

        You dont worry about the people who want this and that... you are on a direct beeline to find people who want what you offer...and you find more because you are so focused.

        The law of averages starts back over at zero every time you quit repeating the same action.
        -John
        Wow...Wow.....I'm stealing those two lines.

        The law of averages starts back over at zero every time you quit repeating the same action.. I can apply that about a dozen different ways. Thank you young wise man.
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        • Profile picture of the author John Durham
          Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

          Wow...Wow.....I'm stealing those two lines.

          The law of averages starts back over at zero every time you quit repeating the same action.. I can apply that about a dozen different ways. Thank you young wise man.
          Believe it or not, I came up with that theory myself after thousands of calls. I began to notice trends in my sessions that seemed to be consistently true. That was the best way I could define it, even though it seemed half crazy at the time to assert something like that. It even applied to tone variations. Thats why I say that it may take 45 minutes to find your groove, but once you are there "stay in it".

          Glad you like it.

          @ Bruce

          Good to see you my friend. I often wonder what you are up to.

          Ps. The first time that thought hit me Claude I thought "I am spending too much time in the headphones...Im going crazy" lol Thousands of calls later, testing the theory, it was still proven consistently true.

          I actually turned to a fellow telemarketer and told him that and he said "You are taking this stuff way too seriously"
          ... but I was telemarketer of the month for 10 out of twelve months that year so, what did he know?

          Later I was his manager.
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  • No matter the cold calling method, I think it was JD that said most people try to find suspects and try to "talk them into" becoming prospects, where they should be just spending time finding prospects and turning them into a sale.

    Or something like that.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    Joe, it was originally Zig that said it, but sure, I'll take the credit

    Wish he had that lesson on youtube but I havent been able to find it. "are you prospecting, or suspecting". man that was a good lesson. I forget what the name of the series is even, but I use to have trainees sit in the break room and listen to the whole two hour course before going out on the floor.

    Ps. You can use the "curious humble" approach and still pitch like a machine
    , its about sticking to the pitch no matter how you approach it tonally...finding your groove or "frequency", and riding it and staying on it.

    You can be nice and ingratiating, you dont have to overwhelm...but you have to be consistent...sometimes it will take 45 minutes to find the groove, but once you are in it, ride it like a wave and stay on it.

    Pitching like a machine isnt about being super hyper, its about moving steadily and surely, staying with the program, and not putting down the phone till breaktime.

    You can be gentle, or you can be authoritative, but the key is to be consistent and get into a consistent rhythm.

    Thats how telemarketers get a consistent daily result. Predictably based on a certain action repeated a certain number of times.

    You arent repeating the same action until you are in a consistent groove.
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    • Profile picture of the author bizgrower
      Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

      Joe, it was originally Zig that said it, but sure, I'll take the credit

      Wish he had that lesson on youtube but I havent been able to find it. "are you prospecting, or suspecting". man that was a good lesson. I forget what the name of the series is even, but I use to have trainees sit in the break room and listen to the whole two hour course before going out on the floor.

      Ps. You can use the "curious humble" approach and still pitch like a machine
      , its about sticking to the pitch no matter how you approach it tonally...finding your groove or "frequency", and riding it and staying on it.

      You can be nice and ingratiating, you dont have to overwhelm...but you have to be consistent...sometimes it will take 45 minutes to find the groove, but once you are in it, ride it like a wave and stay on it.

      Pitching like a machine isnt about being super hyper, its about moving steadily and surely, staying with the program, and not putting down the phone till breaktime.

      You can be gentle, or you can be authoritative, but the key is to be consistent and get into a consistent rhythm.

      Thats how telemarketers get a consistent daily result. Predictably based on a certain action repeated a certain number of times.

      You arent repeating the same action until you are in a consistent groove.
      I think this podcast:

      PodcastDirectory | Episode: Suspect or Prospect? Podcast
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      "If you think you're the smartest person in the room, then you're probably in the wrong room."

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      • Profile picture of the author John Durham
        Originally Posted by bizgrower View Post

        I believe that may be a part of the recording but not very far into it. He gets into some stuff about the difference between interrogating suspects and actually sifting for prospects.
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        • Profile picture of the author bizgrower
          Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

          I believe that may be a part of the recording but not very far into it. He gets into some stuff about the difference between interrogating suspects and actually sifting for prospects.
          I did google a little further, but have to get back to
          admin stuff for groups coming to my hotel. Did not find
          anything after looking a few pages deeper.

          I guess he was really before Youtube and
          it's up to his estate and business partners,
          or others, to put material out there.

          Dan
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          "If you think you're the smartest person in the room, then you're probably in the wrong room."

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  • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
    Originally Posted by Delta223 View Post

    Unlike the majority of cold callers who go in with the intention of peaking enough interest to get an appointment that leads to a sale, and controlling the conversation to lead to this result, Ari approaches the cold call as a curious fellow looking to see if there's a fit. And he keeps the dialogue wide open!

    What do you guys think of Ari's approach? I've never seen anyone else suggest not taking control of the conversation ("you are selling them on buying OR they are selling you on not buying" is what I've read on this point")
    Nothing wrong with looking for the right fit in a prospect.

    You need three things to make a sale, and agreement about them between the buyer and the seller is an absolute necessity:

    1. Need - the buyer must need what you're offering. Otherwise you will encounter buyer's remorse. Need may not be apparent at the start of the call, but should be uncovered within 2-4 minutes if it's there. Prospect must acknowledge, or it doesn't exist--no matter what you think.

    2. Budget - the buyer must be able to pay you for your expertise at the level you feel good about. Otherwise, you will be resentful after taking them on as a client. And whose fault is that?!

    3. Personality - the buyer must have a personality you can work with. Someone who argues with you all the time is simply not worth the trouble. This is the hardest to detect, but with experience you get the extra senses that something is up--and you must confront it.

    All three of these elements of fit must be present, or attempts to turn the prospect into a client or customer will be a bad idea. So sales is simply the process of finding these three things out with your prospect.

    You can be aggressive about this, or you can be "soft" in your approach. As others have said, the real key is continuing to dial and have conversations with people. You ain't gonna sell anything if you don't talk to anybody!
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    I agree with everything Jason said, except I think you should be able to make that determination in a minute or less and move on or not. If you are taking more than 30 seconds to a minute to disqualify someone, you are wasting my clock time sus-pecting people, and slowing down the dialer.

    The dialer will start predicting your time and not serving up calls back to back, taking one minute lags in between calls. It stacks up calls according to how long you are on the phone (average time), so I wouldnt want you staying on unless you had someone seriously pitchable.

    Dont suspect all day and interrogate. Find a prospect and save it for them.
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    • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
      Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

      I agree with everything Jason said, except I think you should be able to make that determination in a minute or less and move on or not. If you are taking more than 30 seconds to a minute to disqualify someone, you are wasting my clock time suspecting.
      It may take a little digging to get need out into daylight, but the faster the better. You definitely want to qualify people out as quickly as possible, so you can spend your time & energy on people who want to buy.

      If I don't get need on the table in the few minutes (an egg timer is great for this), here's what I say:

      "John, I appreciate everything you've had to share, but it just sounds to me like you don't need what we have to offer. Would you say that's true?"

      Answer #1: "Yeah, I guess you're right." Good! No further time wasted on this prospect. Moving on.

      Answer #2: "Wait, wait!" (See, it was a takeaway.) "I didn't say that. We have problems!" And they start sharing some of the truth.


      Remember: All Prospects Lie. Their initial knee-jerk "We got that covered" is probably baloney.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    There are different approaches, but thats exactly what Zig calls "suspecting" ie; interrogating not interested people... trying to turn suspects into prospects...

    You can get somewhere with that, but the faster you can just move on and not bang heads , the more laydown prospects you will find that are easy closes.

    The style you mention works, its more high conversion- rebuttals... Im talking more "high probability"... Depending on the callers skill level, either work.

    Dialing manually is a different ballgame, on a dialer though, it will lag up on you if you dont move fast.

    If one or two rebuttals dont work at the greeting, move on, and get them out faster than 60 seconds. Most rebuttals are going to happen in the greeting, and its quick to decide who is pitchable or not. A greeting should take 5 seconds... and you have 30 to sixty more to find out who is a prospect or not. When you count 30 seconds its longer than it seems in a phone pitch.

    Put it this way..., and it will make more sense: if you are taking 4 minutes per call, then you are only doing 15 calls per hour. If 90 percent are un pitchable, then you are only doing 1.5 pitches per hour..., and the rest of the time you are just interrogating "suspects".

    IMO, the only call that should take longer than 30-60 seconds is one where you are fully pitching a "prospect".
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  • Profile picture of the author AndrewCavanagh
    One advantage of Ari Galper's method is that it creates a
    more natural client/consultant relationship so if you're
    going to be the consultant it's a method I'd recommend.

    Ultimately whatever works for you is probably what you
    should be doing.

    I would say though that one of the huge weaknesses of
    most people doing a lot of cold calling is that there's a
    tendency to be too mindless in their approach.

    Cold callers rarely analyze if they're really targeting the
    best prospects and if they're setting up those prospects
    in a way that increases the chance they'll become high
    paying repeat clients over time.

    If you're an internet marketer with no cold calling experience
    you may seriously consider hiring a telemarketer to make
    calls for you on a modest retainer plus commission.

    That way you can be focused on the business side of things...
    making sure you're targeting high paying clients and doing the
    other key things in business that will make you serious money.

    Kindest regards,
    Andrew Cavanagh
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