From worrying about being rejected to wondering if you’ll ever get someone on the phone, cold calling can be a daunting experience. A big part of the stress comes down to a lack of preparation. One study shows that 40% of salespeople feel unprepared when they make cold calls. This can lead to increased stress and make the whole process more nerve-wracking than it needs to be.
What can you do? Kelly Fanthorpe, a content manager for Lusha, has a few strategies that can help you kick that anxiety to the curb. Keep reading this issue of PromoPro Daily for her best tips.
Don’t procrastinate. If you keep putting off cold calling, you’ll only feel more dread. Fanthorpe recommends doing the hard part first and cold calling as soon as possible in the day. Cross that task off your list and then move on to your other action items.
Envision chatting with a friend. If you focus too much on sounding “professional,” you’ll end up stressing yourself out. Instead, Fanthorpe says it’s best to picture yourself calling a friend. This can help put you at ease and take some of the pressure off.
Remember why you’re calling. This seems like a given, but when you forget your purpose for calling, you’re more likely to feel frazzled. Instead of thinking like you’re a nuisance interrupting someone, reframe your thoughts. Remember that you have something valuable to offer.
Create a process. Fanthorpe says that when you lack motivation, you may just need a process. Build a structure around how you cold call. For example, you might begin by creating a quick list of prospects. Then, you could find relevant background information on them and schedule time to conduct X number of calls.
Make the calls. The more you cold call, the easier it becomes. Fanthorpe says that “just do it” might not feel like solid advice, but it’s true. When you’re building a muscle, it’s not just the exercise that matters but the number of reps.
Listen to your cold calls. Some of them may not be enjoyable, but you should always take time to listen to cold calls so you can learn the dos and don’ts when making them. You may also want to listen to your colleagues’ calls, Fanthorpe says. Take good notes and see if your fellow sales reps use any phrases or techniques you could borrow.
Keep the big picture in mind. When it comes down to it, making some cold calls isn’t as big of a deal as you think. We are small in the context of the universe, Fanthorpe says, so whether a cold call goes well or not is irrelevant compared to everything else. This shift in perspective may help you feel more comfortable making mistakes.
Try some of the ideas above to shake those cold-call jitters. With some preparation, practice and a positive mindset, you can learn to cold call fearlessly.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Kelly Fanthorpe is Lusha’s content manager and a writer with over 5 years of experience in the B2B marketing space.
