Here are some good reasons why ramping up cold calling efforts now, during a down economy, can get your salespeople in front of more prospects:
- Many salespeople deal with a recession by making fewer calls. One study showed salespeople reduce their cold calling efforts by 38% during tough times. That means the competition’s making fewer calls.
- It’s no longer business as usual for most customers. Customers are under pressure from management to find more value for their purchasing dollars. More prospects, especially those who’d always claimed to be satisfied with their present suppliers, are now looking for new suppliers who can help them get through this tough economic period.
Attitude is key
Salespeople who excel have the determination, perseverance, enthusiasm and positive attitudes that are the backbone of cold calling. One sales study found that optimistic salespeople sold 37% more products and services on average during cold calls than negative salespeople.
Here are five cold calling tips from sales consultant Ted Barrows worth sharing with your salespeople:
- View success in the long term and failure in the short term. You’re working diligently to stay afloat during a tough economy, and that’s your long-term goal. But there will be failures along the way, and it’s important to remember those failures are always short term.
- Reframe what you hear and see. Perception is how you choose to interpret events. If prospects tell you they’re happy with their present suppliers, do you place them in the “do not call” category? Or do you accept the statement as a challenge and vow to resume your efforts to show why they should do business with you?
- Remain focused. You may not be able to control the feelings and statements prospects make to you during a cold call, but you can control your reaction to them. You may not be able to control the outcome of your presentations, but you can control your input.
- Practice positive mental thinking. Does it really help you to obsess over negative news about your industry or the economy? Or is it better to stay positive and go out and increase your cold calling efforts?
- If a prospect seems unreceptive or even antagonistic, try to find out why. Maybe you made your call at the wrong time and the prospect is too busy to talk then and there. Try calling back at a time when the prospect may not have so much to do.