EDITORIAL FEATURE
Your Next Step
How to Take the CHILL Out of Cold Calls (Part 6)
By Jack Warkenthien, CEO of NextStep Solutions
A
s we round the final turn in our
recent journey on the topic of
cold calling, you probably realize by now that as unproductive
as most cold calling efforts are, they’re
here to stay and we are always going to
make them. Since that’s the case, I’m
going to share a few thoughts with you
that will hopefully make you more efficient and effective in your cold calling
activities:
Your reason for the call should always
fall into one of four buckets:
1. INFORMATION
This is where you share something that’s
especially relevant to the other party.
2. EDUCATION
You may want to invite them to an upcoming Lunch & Learn to educate them
on what’s new with your firm.
3. RECOGNITION
You congratulate them on being quoted
on the news, recognized by a philanthropic organization, etc.
4. ENTERTAINMENT
You have something in common and
you thought of them when your favorite
team made a trade.
and get back with you”. You ask, “What
do you need to think about and when’s
a convenient day/time you’d like me to
call you back?”
Everyone’s Favorite Radio Stations
For those of you who know me, you know
I came to Houston ten years ago to host
the live, daily, business talk radio show,
“Where Wall Street Meets Main Street”
on the BizRadio Network. If you listened,
I “drove” you to work every morning and
Everyone has their preferred
tried to help you make sense out of what
method of communication.
was happening on Wall Street and how it
For some, it is email, for others, they
impacted us on Main Street. As good a
may like the framework of LinkedIn,
show as it was (speaking objectively), my
Facebook, or other social media outlisteners already had a favorite FM stalets. For most, their favorite option
tion: WII/FM or “What’s in it, for me?” If
most likely includes the use of their
you can’t help your Candidates tune into
Smart Phone which now gives them
their favorite station while you’re on the
two options: text or voicemail. For
phone with them, they’re going to tune
maximum effectiveness, call first and Remember the main reason
you out right away. Always keep that
leave a message, if you cannot engage you’re making the phone call at all.
in a dialogue.
The ONLY thing you’re selling on the in mind. Oh, and while we’re at it, they
phone is the NEXT conversation! That also have a favorite AM station: MMFG/
Embrace pre-call planning research.
may be a face-to-face appointment, a AM or “Make me feel good about myself ”
Separate yourself from the other smilin’ conference call with a third party, or even Every time you connect on a call, find a
and dialin’ sales reps out there by do