Cold Calling Scripts and Opening Lines
Last week your colleagues really answered the call!
I asked for anyone who was interested to send in cold calling scripts and we'd take a few weeks to study them on the blog.
Next thing I knew my Inbox was full of cold calling scripts from a variety of businesses. Big, BIG Kudos to all of you who responded. Putting "your stuff" out there for everyone to see can feel like risky business... but did you know taking that kind of risk is the very stuff that outrageous success is built upon? Well, it is ... and I want you to know that.
If you've been sitting on the fence, know that the answer is "Yes," you may still send in your cold call scripts if you want to get in on the fun ... and most profitable learning! We'll keep the scripts anonymous ... so you can focus on skill building rather than on how your words look in print.
After sorting the scripts into piles, I could see that opening lines of these scripts loosely clustered into seven groups ... that you will see in the "opening lines" listed below:
* Hello, this is Cold Caller with ABC Inc. based here in the area. We're in the business of helping companies maintain and monitor their widgets 24/7. Are you the person responsible for the performance of widgets?
* Hi, Mr. Prospect, my name is Cold Caller from widget Solutions. Did I catch you at a good time? Do you have a moment?
* Hi, Mr. Prospect I know you're busy, so I'll be brief. I'm calling you today because we specialize in "widget excellence" and as a follow-up to my letter to you whereby I indicated that if you were to run a "widget diagnostic & execution survey" you can benefit in three ways ....
* Hi, Mr. Prospect, this is Cold Caller, Chief Widget Master of The Supreme Widget Group We specialize in getting results for organizations before The Grand Poobahs. I'm calling because I did some research on your business and it seems you may be concerned about issues ...
* Good Day, Mr. Prospect, my name is Cold Caller and I am calling from "Widget Solutions". I am directly responsible for the success of the relationship between our two organizations ...
* Hi Mr. Prospect, my name is Cold Caller with Widget Associates. I was hoping you could help me out for a minute. I specialize in ..
* My name is Cold Caller and I am with Widget Associates. I'm not sure if it makes a lot of sense for you and me to talk in great detail. Maybe if I give you a 20-second abstract of what we do and then you tell me if it makes sense to talk further, are you OK with that?
OK, now, roll up your sleeves and let me know via post to the blog or your "reply" to the email ...
1) What do you like about these opening lines ...
2) What bothers you about these opening lines ...
3) How are they different from the one word opening line that highly successful cold callers use that's listed below ...
* Mary?
The more interaction the greater the learning ... so let us hear your thoughts!
Best,
Leslie Buterin (like butterin' bread)
Visit: www.coldcallingexecutives.com
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posted by Leslie Buterin (like butterin' bread) @ 4:56 PM
6 Comments
6 Comments:
These scripts detail what the Widget company DOES, not how it can HELP the prospect. The last one is better because it asks permission, but it doesn't give a reason why the person should say "Yes".
Hi Leslie,
The example you use as the cold calling expert "Mary?" is exactly what makes you the expert.
In just one word you're able to abruptly both interrupt and engage the person you're calling.
It's no different than a good headline that speaks directly to you getting your attention long enough to get you to stop and pay attention.
Excellent!
Cheryl
http://increasesalescoach.com
The one word opening seems a bit presumptious to me. I've actually received cold calls with this approach and it turned me off immediately. My friends call me by my first name, not someone that wants me to spend thousands of dollars on their product or service.
The scripts are short and to the point, which is important. They identify who's calling and who is represented. The problem is they all sound like the gazillion calls this prospect gets on a daily/weekly basis. This is because they are all general in nature, and target a specific issue or how the prospect could benefit. The challenge is... you may not know if specific issues to address, which is one of the reasons you are requesting the meeting in the first place. This is the issue I struggle with. You can't address what you don't know, and the prospect doesn't know either because they haven'y been asked and are happy with the status quo. I have read so many books that recommend addressing a specific issue the prospect is facing and how you can help... DUH! I would love to, but I need to meet with them to LEARN the specific issues they may be facing... thus we have the chicken and egg situation. I can't wait to see Leslie's solution.
I too am a bit uncomfortable with the concept of addressing a prospect by their first name, although the older I get the more I'm comfortable with that. A bit obsequious yet confident is a good blend if you use that approach. the line might then be,
Mary? , I'm bob with xyz widget and I'm wondering if you could help me out ?. curious to see what the gurus say about it.
In my humble opinion, these scripts seem to be standard fare...nothing special that seasoned sales people don't already know or say. I think the #1 challenge is that EVERYBODY who calls the Exec is selling a "solution" that "helps Grand Poobahs improve efficiency, productivity and quality"...whether you are selling floor wax or multi-million dollar IT systems. The executives and admins are seasoned enough that we need to get quickly to the point, but at the same time keeping the "it" (our product) out of the value-driven discussion until absolutely necessary.
Regarding "Mary?". I have no problem using the "Mary" approach for several reasons, and encourage all my colleagues to stand up tall and be confident in this approach because:
1-I am a professional on par with whoever is answering that phone on the other end...
2-I don't call anyone by Mr. or Mrs. in the professional world, nor does anyone I know. I only hear it used sarcastically these days...so why not use a first name as the standard approach? This approach has worked for me even when calling on CFOs of Fortune 100companies.
I certainly understand the comment about being offended by this sales tactic, though. It can be annoying, especially when you receive the call at home and you can hear the hum of a call center in the background, and the person is clearly "reading" from a script.
BUT, what sales approach avoids the risk of annoyance? This is just a risk in our business and we are all here trying to mitigate it to get more appointments...
Glad to find this discussion, and looking forward to the tools I ordered on this topic...
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