It’s easy to make some common blunders when cold calling. When you’re trying to make the most of every second, you might make the mistake of pitching too soon or ending the call with a vague, “let’s stay in touch.” Even the most experienced promo pros can sometimes get it wrong when it comes to cold calling. Their habits, like relying on scripts or talking too much about a product’s features, can quietly sabotage their efforts.
Diego Mangabeira, a sales expert who contributes to the HubSpot blog, says cold calling isn’t dead — it’s just misunderstood. He says you can make the most of your cold calling efforts by watching out for some common mistakes. We outline his thoughts in this issue of PromoPro Daily.
1. Giving up too soon. Mangabeira understands the frustration of hearing a “not interested.” It can feel like a wall, and you may want to hang up and move on. Instead, he recommends treating every call, good and bad, as data. Track your tone, timing and opener. You’ll start noticing patterns, and you can begin testing new angles and refining your script.
2. Pitching too early. People don’t want to be sold to — they want to be understood. They want to know why you’re calling them, Mangabeira says, and whether it’s worth their time to hear you out. Stop trying to impress your prospects and start trying to engage them. Open the call with context. Show that you know what’s going on in their world. Then, ask a smart question. People will stop bracing for the pitch and listen for value.
3. Over-relying on the script. Remember that your script is there to keep you on track, not to read word for word. Mangabeira advises using a script for structure but still going with the flow of the conversation. You’ll end up sounding more natural, confident and in control.
4. Mistaking politeness as real interest. Just because you reach a nice person on the other end of the line doesn’t mean they’re a good fit. Always qualify by asking questions like, “When you say interesting, what stood out to you?” or “Is this something you’re actively exploring or just a general interest?” When you qualify early, Mangabeira says you stop wasting time.
5. Letting objections scare you. Mangabeira admits that early in his career, objections like “we already have a provider” or “we’re not interested” would totally throw him off. Then he realized that objections aren’t rejection but engagement. He started tracking objections and studying them. That allowed him to respond more thoughtfully.
6. Talking more than listening. You don’t have to dominate the entire call. Instead, use open-ended questions and mirroring techniques to get prospects to open up. Listen to their words and tone, Mangabeira says, and you can have a real conversation built on curiosity.
Cold calling is one of those activities that can disrupt your efforts if you’re not mindful. Pay attention to your approach and watch for the errors above. When you spot patterns that may not be serving you, you can adjust course.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Diego Mangabeira is an accomplished sales professional with extensive international experience spanning multiple continents and industries. He’s ranked in the top 1% of LinkedIn’s Social Selling Index in sales and marketing services.
