Cold calling is one of the most tedious and stressful forms of prospecting, but it’s necessary. To become a pro at cold calling, you’ll need to brush up on your phone etiquette, people skills and of course your charm. Cold calling can be a highly effective method of prospecting, as long as it’s done right. Make sure to avoid these five mistakes on the first cold call contact.
You Can’t Manage Objections
You will likely be faced with objections, but it’s how you handle these objections that truly matters. If you cold call a prospect and cannot handle their objections with solid responses, you will fail at cold calling. If necessary, write out a script of responses for common objections so that you aren’t drawing a blank when they come up in the conversation. If time is an issue – ask for another specific time and date for another call.
You Don’t Leave a Compelling Voicemail
If the prospect doesn’t answer, you have around 30 seconds to leave a compelling enough voicemail to entice them to call you back for more information. Keep your message short and to the point. Give them a way to reach you back and be sure to leave your email address in case they don’t have time to call you. Give them enough information to call you back, but not too much.
Poor Telephone Etiquette
Eating, chewing gum, listening to music or being in a crowded and noisy room will turn your prospect off immediately. Go into a quiet and private space where you can hear your prospect clearly. You will have a zero chance of having a productive cold call if you are distracted and practicing poor telephone etiquette. This will also show the prospect that you aren’t professional and prepared for the call.
Moving Too Quickly
One of the biggest mistakes an agent can make is asking for an appointment too early in the call. You have to build a relationship and a foundation during the call by laying out what you can offer to the prospect before ever seeking to make an appointment. Prove yourself and tell the prospect what you have to offer before asking them to commit to an appointment. Moving too quickly on a cold call will ultimately result in the prospect being turned off and you losing a potential sale.
Poor Preparation
Do you think any reputable professional would go into a meeting without preparing beforehand? Absolutely not. Before you dial the phone, do your homework and research what the prospective buyer wants and needs. The more information you can offer in the conversation that pertains to what the buyer is looking for, the more impressed they will be with you and the more likely they are to schedule an appointment with you.
Be prepared for a cold call by finding out as much information as you can about the prospect to prove that you are serious and willing to go the extra mile to find them the perfect property.
Help master your cold calling by having the right contact person’s information from the beginning. See what ProspectNow can do to put you in touch with the right people.