Human nature controls our choices when it comes to choosing how we use our time. Tough jobs always come last, right? But after we do them, we feel really good. Let’s address COLD CALLING…… Breaking out in a cold sweat? Join the crowd!
Give them a new name, say OPPORTUNITY CALLING or JUST DO IT CALLS.
Without cold calling, we are playing roulette with our future business and probably our commissions.
Know why the thought of cold calling makes us queasy; BECAUSE WE DON’T HAVE A PLAN OF ATTACK.
THE COLD CALLING PLAN:
>This is non-negotiable, no interruptions, lock the door, “I don’t care if the building is burning down”, the boss will have to wait, scheduled time.
If you inform your boss that you are not to be bothered during these hours because it is your cold calling time, think he or she will mind?
Start with just two days a week for an hour to get going. If you have the time, expand the days and hours some weeks….BUT NO LESS THAN 2 HOURS PER WEEK, AND NO EXCUSES! (think about how good you’re going to feel!)
Dr James Oldroyd, a Professor at Sung Kyun Kwan Graduate School of Business conducted a study in 2007 with the Kellogg School of Management to study cold calling success and came up with some surprising information.
The absolute best times to cold call are between the hours of 8-9am and 4-5pm, with the lunchtime period of 1-2pm being the absolute worst.
For instance, the 8-9am slot probably works because it’s before “normal work hours” (if they still exist) and so your decision maker’s gate keeper may not be at their desk yet, or simply that your decision maker’s day may officially start at 9am with rounds of meetings, hence why they are at their desk a little earlier to get ahead of the day. (Don’t forget to adjust for differences in time zones).
With the 4-5pm slot, there are not usually as many meetings scheduled for this time of the day compared to the rest of the day and so your decision maker again may be at their desk. Many meetings are scheduled over the lunch period, and lunch itself takes place eliminating the lunch period as a good time at all.
The research also says that the very best day to cold call is Thursday, and the very worst day is Friday, go figure why on that. Having spoken to others about their own best days, it boils down to wherever you get the most success yourself, stick with that.
Ok, you have scheduled your cold calls, and time of day to make them, now what happens if you get a live person! Uh oh! No it’s OH YES!
It may sound corny, but write down your opening:
Here is how I would open…