terrified to cold call

transam7410

transam7410

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good day,

i am absolutely terrified to cold call business owners selling my seo service. how did you guys deal with the initial fear? thanks for your time.
 
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practice in front of a mirror as much as you can, then just make some call and after a few calls you will be fine. Trust me own a offline business practice this every day.
 
Make sure you take to the phine a sheet of A4 with all your skills and service on it. Do it as a bullet pointed list.

This way which ever direction the conversation goes, you shall have immediate access to the information

i.e they ask you what previous work have you done - on your A4 sheet you have the examples etc
 
It doesn't hurt to pretend either... "act as if" is something I teach all the sales people that have ever worked for me. Act as if you have the best SEO skills and knowledge in the world... act as if you have been selling SEO services for ages, act as if you have more selling ability than anyone... act as if (insert what works for you).

Watch the movie Boiler Room and you'll get my drift.

Here's a snippet from youtube - www.youtube.com/watch?v=f14M5NQ3n5s
 
Good advice above about being prepared and practicing in front of a mirror or with a friend. Before you start you cold calls, get yourself in a bit of a chatty mood. Call a friend or relative and just talk for a bit, maybe even try to convince them of something. Sometimes its hard for your brain to make the switch from being in logical/math mode to persuasive/salesman mode. I know its cold calling, but if you have any leads you are more confident in, hit them up near the beginning. There's nothing like having up front success to boost your confidence and get the ball rolling. Your attitude directly influences your effectiveness. Do not let your fear turn into stagnation. What is the absolute worst that can happen? They can say no. Don't take it personally. Take action. Keep pressing forward. Good luck.
 
write down what you want to say. anytime the dude asks a question that makes you go "ummm...uh," etc. write it down so you answer quickly. If you can eliminated pauses and pausing tricks like repeating the question you will have a good shot.
 
Why dont you get dan kennedy books and courses to learn how to pass gatekeepers. Still if you want to cold call - get a script
 
It's easy... it's all mental.. right now you're terrified because... in your mind the business owner is an almighty creature and you're little peasant on the ground trying to suck up

FLIP THE SWITCH

Convince yourself that THEY NEED YOU more than YOU NEED THEM... you are the AUTHORITY because it's in their benefit to work with you to get them results, more business, more money.

What if they say NO!

Fuck them! Call their competitors until someone says yes! You honestly have nothing to lose by calling 20 different companies until someone says yes...

Sales pitch

It will get better, and better, with every phone call... just start calling and don't stop until you get a yes. Here the "ACT AS IF" comes in very handy :)
 
deemos said:
Having a script will do you no good, most people will hang up right away.
Ive owned telemarketing companies before i know what im talking about
Click to expand...

Dude - tell him what you told your employees when you had those telemarketing businesses... you must have some real strong ideas for this guy other than just give up.
 
Hey,

With time it gets easier I assure you. The person on the end of the phone will already have experienced many sales calls so they will just be used to it. If you can (I worked in sales for many years) just be direct about the intention of your call.

I found it best to mention the obvious, e.g I am phone because your site XYZ/ needs improving. Then explain that you are an expert in that sector and establish his/her needs through natural questions and answers. Try to build a rapport if possible. Conventional sales methods taught are in practise a pile of ****, it's the relationship that will get you going.

Also make sure you are talking to the decision maker rather than a bored member of staff - this won't get you anywhere. If you can't ask for the email ad and create a nice sounding email that asks when she/may be available for 10 minutes or so. Again, reinforce as to actually why you are contacting them.

If you can, place testimonials as to rival/ same sector companies you have worked for, outlining in a few words what has improved via your own input.

Hope this is a starter, will add more in due course (time limited atm).
 
I do a lot of cold calling. I was once like you, was afraid I would stumble and not know what to say and get told off.

Now I can call and strike up a conversation about anything IT related. My break through was I just started talking to them like a friend, making jokes and trying to feel out their personality.

How you want to start is by coming up with a good intro and practice that. The first few sentences is going to make or break the call. After you open with that, you need to understand where this call is going. Does he seem put off by your call? If he or she does offer to email them your offer. If they seem open to what you're saying then provide more information in detail on your service.

You just have to understand them, don't call them at lunch time or at the end of the day. Hit them up in the morning, I like to call at 9am. Now some people are going to be rude and tell you to fuck off, that's ok it happens. You have to understand that part and just move on. Your main goal should be to leave your information with these people so they can call you back.

After you get call backs, take them out to lunch. I like to go to panera bread, and it seems to be the industry standered for meetings in the IT field.

Anyways, if you have a good service it should sell itself after you make the first few cold call sales. Just ask them to do a press release on your service after you are done with them.

Hope that helps a bit, even though you're not selling IT solutions like myself.
 
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I have worked in businesses where we made 300 - 600 calls per day. Simply doing it, will get you over your fear. The worst thing that is going to happen, is the business owner will tell you 'NO'. Once you are not afraid of that happening...there is nothing left to be afraid of.
 
deemos said:
If you need help you can tell me exactly what your problem is or pm me your aim

How many businesses are there around the world ? You can focus on Canada/US for now , get skype credit and call 100 random businesses, don't make up a script , just go with the flow of the call and wait till you get comfortable talking on the phone before you move on and call your list of businesses. Just make sure you know your product inside out before doing anything.

I wouldn't recommend making jokes etc with business owners, if you owned a business and someone called you and was cracking jokes would you talk to him? If your talking with the person whos going to decide if hes going to spend money on your service don't do it. Cracking jokes would be good if your pitching homeowners or the average person but in this case your not so don't do it. This is coming from 8+ years of experience and owning many call centers with 70+ employees . You can take this info how you want i am just telling you how i think it should be done.

If you want sometime next week i can call a few random businesses and show you how its done. Can record the conversation on skype. and then upload them for everyone to hear . Then you can see how a real pro does it. I think it will be fun:D

Hope i helped.
Click to expand...

You can be funny at times with business owners. It's just one way I break the ice with them. But you have to know when to use it. I'm not saying to call them up and tell them knock knock jokes. You build trust your own ways based on your personality and the persons on the phone.

Making someone smile or laugh is never a bad thing if you can do it right, and within the scope of your call.
 
Some great tips earlier in this thread. Basically I suggest you identify your
value, and then go tell them about how this will benefit them. Establish the
first step you need to take and (although you clearly need to rehearse the
rest as you are nervous...) try to focus on that first step alone. This is the
only outcome you want at first and it is probably actually phoning and
managing to get the right person on the phone. Later on you can always
improve your closing but get practice with est. contact first.

Good luck. :cool:
 
DON'T COLD CALL!

Especially if you're apprehensive, although as people have pointed out it will get easier the more times you do it.

However, cold calling puts you in a position of weakness - you are asking them! It is better if they come to you. Having them call you also qualifies them as being an excellent prospect.

I use postcards. Direct mail WORKS!

You can find stuff on this forum about postcard marketing. Personalised postcards work well, but mass mailings can also be effective.

You just have to test to see what designs and copy converts. Also don't just send a card once - identify the businesses that you want to work with and send them a postcard every month.

Finally, remember to talk their language, not IM language! They understand "more leads", "more money", etc.

I use this method to sell SEO and auto-responder services.

Hope this helps.
 
londonscouse said:
DON'T COLD CALL!

Especially if you're apprehensive, although as people have pointed out it will get easier the more times you do it.

However, cold calling puts you in a position of weakness - you are asking them! It is better if they come to you. Having them call you also qualifies them as being an excellent prospect.

I use postcards. Direct mail WORKS!

You can find stuff on this forum about postcard marketing. Personalised postcards work well, but mass mailings can also be effective.

You just have to test to see what designs and copy converts. Also don't just send a card once - identify the businesses that you want to work with and send them a postcard every month.

Finally, remember to talk their language, not IM language! They understand "more leads", "more money", etc.

I use this method to sell SEO and auto-responder services.

Hope this helps.
Click to expand...

Good points. Having good marketing material is a must. A good opt in list with a call back number will go a long way also.
 
Something to get you pumped up by my favorite sales person, Ari Galper:

 "It's worth making a big effort to see cold calling in a different way because it is both a key to personal success and to business success.
 Why does cold calling hold so much potential?
 Cold calling uniquely:
  1. positions you in a crucial pivotal role - you are an interpreter, translator, controller
  2. is the key to new fresh opportunities - business and anything else
  3. and more generally the cold calling capability empowers you to define and determine and take control of your own future.
Cold calling by its nature opens business opportunities that are new, fresh, 'shape-able', free of baggage and history, and not weighed down by unhelpful patterns and expectations, etc.
 Also, cold calling situations can largely be of your own making.
You are in charge. You own it. You can define each situation as you want - even if apparently you are quite constrained.
 Believe it - people who are successful at cold calling can very quickly become extremely independent and powerful."
OWN IT AND BE IN CONTROL! Approach them as a friend - use consultative selling tactics. Tell them how you can HELP them make more money. Don't try to "sell" them. Remember, most small business owners are not high tech! You take for granted how much you know. It's not unusual to find someone who has never heard of PayPal or who thinks they actually already have a website because they have a Yellowpages.com listing!!! (Seriously, I hear it everyday!)

 It works, I have 7 meetings set up for SEO services and website design next week! Postcard marketing and newspaper ads for SEO in my area have been completely unsuccessful. Small business owners like the personal touch.
Good luck and Google Ari Galper or PM me or the other BHW members that offered their help if you need more advice. :hello:

Here's a free ebook you can dl too:
Code: 
http://www.mediafire.com/file/zwjxg5njmzt/Consultative_Selling_ebook.pdf
 
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I still dont like cold calling people and ive worked at call centres and sales offices.

If someone is interested then I love selling but otherwise I hate ringing up people, I hate getting cold calls myself so why they hell dont other people.

Theres nothing wrong with this, you can either just pluck up the courage and go for it or take a different approach. Dont think that you HAVE to be able to call people, dont make a big deal out of it, if you can do it well then thats great but you have to be that type of person.

How about going into their business in person? Or like someone mentioned just using mail, or even email.

I have got business before by searching easy keywords for local terms, going to the 2nd page of google and getting all the contact emails. Then make a decent email and personalise it to each business. 10 good emails is better than 100 spam anyday. Just say you are offering SEO and will get there website on the front page. Often these guys dont even know there on second page and think that what your offering is some sort of miracle service - if you want you can either charge them monthly or just a fee for getting them there. No calling needed.
 
deemos said:
I disagree. But hey everyone is entitled to there own opinion. And i deal in Petroleum as well, and i talk to people who are multi millionaires on a daily basis and cracking jokes with them would not cut it. But anyhow its up to you
Click to expand...

Well yeah your industry that you deal with is more cut throat and requires much more. I get that. I'm dealing with IT directors, small business owners people like that.

What works for one industry may not work for the other. I'm just showing what I do to sell successfully within the IT industry with the small business market.

It's my own touch, and it makes me money. If you can have fun cold calling sometimes, it makes it a lot easier. Well for me it does.
 
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