Critique my Cold Calling Script-

Actually about the first half (the opening) is my content.

The rest is something else.

I don't like these kinds of questions because:

a) you are creating a Frankenstein monster of a script, and mixing different approaches doesn't work

and

b) other people are going to jump in with their own points of view, and if they don't understand or agree with this opening they're just going to shred it up.

So what's the point. Find one mentor you like and stick with them and their approach.


Other than that...

say "quick minute" not "30 seconds"

improve your 30-second commercial...it needs work. You are shooting benefits at your prospect, not solving a problem

you need more bonding & rapport than this to have a real conversation and set an appointment

if you are charging for appointments/consulting sessions, charge for them. Don't say you usually do, but right now you aren't. I don't believe it.

However, jump out there and try this out. That'll give you the feedback you want.

Thanks very much! Also, Sorry. I thought most of that was your content I must of got the main part of the script elsewhere.

My little experience is that it takes more than nice words to do a good cold call. I have a friend that hardly speaks well. He has some sort of disability and sometimes he gets stuck on a words and he starts blowing air through his lips. He is a top notch salesperson. Why? I think that people like him because he is funny and friendly and different.
When he cold calls he starts with "How are you? This is...Angel" as Eddie Murphy would say it, high pitch , funny, and friendly. Very seldom he can't get passed the keeper. "May ask you a question? Are you the ffffffff (blowing air) right person to talk to about engravings...?" - "That would be Mr. Johnson". "You mean the manager? (tone of the voice pretending to know him)", "Yes, he is the manager", "May I ffffffff talk to him?" " I'll try to transfer you."
"Hi Mr. Johnson, this is Angel with Engraving Unlimited, how are you ffffffff doing? (high pitch, make them wonder if he smoked something)" - "I am fine, what can I help you with?"
"Just checking if your company needs engraving, we are local, new, energetic and would like to fffffff work with you. Maybe I can send you a quote for your next job."
"Yes we do, from time to time. We are already using a local engraver that so far has been very reliable". "I am sure we can do better, cheaper, and faster. How would like to fffffff save money and we have developed a website that makes it super easy to order. What about if I send you a sample? By ffffff the way, did you here the airplane that went down in SF? One of our guy was on that airplane and made it with fffffffff only a few scratches, amazing. Anyway, now I am digressing. I will send you a sample and call you in a few days. Thanks a lot and have a nice day. I really appreciate your time. And this is fffffff Angel."

This stuff works if you can get to act it. The airplane is a lie, just make up something big that sticks.

What was the point of the airplane??? I don't get it, was it to make the company more sympathetic or something?

Some of that is Jason's stuff, the rest I think is mine.

Jason has already pointed out that it doesn't solve any problems, and if you ran with that script for a few calls you'll notice the conversation doesn't really go anywhere. It needs to flow and sound natural.

I personally don't like or use the little unsure technique because I think it makes you look incompetent. Also in some markets where they get 30-40 calls a day from TMs it isn't always realistic to solicit help from the gatekeeper.

No matter how you phrase the question, asking for the KDMs info off the bat to me is bad sequencing, and is an unreliable way of getting to a conversation with a decision maker.

You should make a research call first to identify the quality of the lead before you speak to the DM. This could be the GK or a user of the product. You ask for the DMs name at the end, of the research call, (along with their DDI) and take down the GKs/user's name.

You bring this up in conversation during the call letting them know you've contacted them before. This builds credibility and makes them take the call seriously.

By virtue of the fact that no one talks about this or does this, it makes your professionalism stand out and they will start viewing you as the oh so elusive 'consultant' rather than someone else trying to sell them shit.

The biggest area where your script is lacking is your '30 second commercial'. Remember you are telling them a story to get them curious, you want them to ask 'What is it?'; at the end of your spiel.

Mention your advantages and benefits, tell them what you did for a client similar to them and what the emotional outcomes were of your proposed changes. Get permission to ask a few questions to see if it makes sense for you both to meet in person.

But don't talk about your features, don't mention it's about SEO, a website, mobile site.. this satisfies their curiosity before they can begin to move from the curiosity to interested to wanting to buy your product.

At the start of the call you are creating the need, you don't go into the call LOOKING for one. You give them information that changes the perception to their current situation, information that makes them WANT what you are describing to them.

Consultative selling is all about 'find the need, sell to the need'. Which is fine in itself, but there are some major limitations of this style.

You can't sell unless you find a need. What if there isn't any? What if there is no problem your product can solve? You move on to the next prospect. That's a lot of calls, and it's pretty boring.

I'm not saying I'm the best or I'm a guru, teacher, mentor. I don't like those labels. I consider myself to be a salesperson and just write about what I hear on the phones on the daily basis.

You should check out my forums if you want me to have a look at your script.

If you're cold calling, you've got at most 10 seconds to make an impression that is going to hook the person you're talking to...
but you just ramble your way through that time and sound like you have no idea.

Your first words need to command attention. If you're truly cold calling (i.e. you haven't done any homework whatsoever about who you're calling) then you need to introduce yourself and demonstrate why the conversation is important. You need to command attention now, not try and set up an opportunity to try and impress someone a week later.

"Hi [FIRST_NAME], I'm [FULL_NAME]. Last week [Business_Name] heard from [Number] more customers because of a 30 minute consultation I had with [Manager's_Name]. I saw your listing on Manta and think I can increase your customer base by [X%]. What's your biggest problem with generating new customers?"

(just off the top of my head)

Then you talk about the problem just enough to make sure your contact is hooked... then set up your paid appointment. It will be hard for someone to say no to you once they've already laid out their problem for you and you've demonstrated that you can solve it.

I can't say I've done a lot of cold calling, so I may be way off the mark, but my business is dependent on getting people to opt-in to a newsletter from a webpage they might spend 3 seconds looking at before they decide whether or not to hit the back button. I've learned that to do that I have to persuade people to pay attention to me RIGHT NOW - in the time it takes to blink.

IMHO, marketing is a lot like fly fishing - you have to put a great looking lure right in front of a trout's eyes to get them to pay attention, then you have to reel him in carefully until he doesn't even know he's in the net.

See, what did I tell you?

Have any of you USED the Little Unsure technique? Funny how hundreds have from this very forum, and it worked for them. I coach students live and they use this technique, I hear their calls as they are doing them, and every single one of them has succeeded with it.

It works on a psychological level and the gatekeepers RUN to help you most of the time.

Newbies are nervous already. The technique makes use of that.

You don't sound incompetent if you just SAY the words, not embellish them with emotion.

Your job at the start of the call is to get the listener out of what they were doing and onto the call--unless they are having a bad moment, in which case you do not want to talk to them right now. But newbies are desperate for sales, so they push.

Prospects are far more forgiving than you think, especially when you don't push.

I hate these kinds of threads. If you're going to talk smack about my methods, a) use them first, and b) have respect for someone who's helped thousands of people for free here.

I just do not like this part. Do you really need to say that you are charging these consultations? This will make them hesitate your offer, they might think that you will charge them in the future. Since it's free no need to say that. I do not think it adds value.

Cold calling is not easy. Be prepared to get a lot of negative replies and declines. Good luck!

While I think Jason has great ideas and some methods...I agree that the little unsure one is unprofessional. I also have wondered (since coming on WF) why you feel it's "your method" - it's been used since the beginning of TM/cold calling. I never brought it up because I didn't want to get bashed lol.

It would be like me saying that making a cold call and getting an email address before I got off the phone was "the Melissa method." Then making posts, articles and videos on how to accomplish it.

Anyways, to answer OP...this:

...is horrible. Like someone else smart said - you sound like you have no business on the phone or making a call and that you have no training, confidence or idea what you are doing. Once you are passed to the person that the GK/reception sends you to, you start talking. If they aren't the right person, they'll let you know.

Tell me this, if you walked in to a new doctor, and he said "well, I'm glad you're here, not sure why you're here, I'm a doctor and all, and I think, maybe, you are at the right place, I have seen your condition once before, but maybe, I can't treat it, but possibly I can help you live." Would you stick around?

Ditch that script...write 2-3 lines (short) to get your point across, then write some qualifications that people need for them to be your ideal client, then build your service/product to what you can do for them, get an email and close with an appt or a sale. If you don't know how to do that, hire someone to do it for you and you'll be much better off.

I like this for starting cold calling whilst Im still not that confident. I think this is something I will use as the minute intro after the "bad time to talk" line.

This is a good thread, some great info on here.

I think your script is great! However I would omit "is this a bad time to talk?" It gives them the opportunity to say "Yes it is a bad time!"