In person or on the phone, support windows typically slam shut in less than 5 seconds.
This means you need to maximize the impact of every word, syllable, and pause in your opening statements. They need to be works of art… compelling. Minimizing the importance of preparing a strong opening statement is potentially short-circuiting the entire sales effort.
Fortunately, successful cold calling opening statements can be prepared and practiced before a sales opportunity is pursued.
Below are some guidelines and thoughts for creating your opening statements for successful cold calling, as well as some samples to get you back to working in your particular sales world.
Remember, the people you are trying to reach are probably finance directors email lists approached by many others every day (competitors of yours and not).
A powerful, compelling, practiced opening statement can launch many sales opportunities where a competitor's lack of preparation can give them pause, do your best Cold Calling successfully and become an expert on the subject.
How to Build an Opening Statement for Successful Cold Calling
The goal: Create immediate interest for further discussion. Engage the prospect.
The method: Review the following questions and tips using pencil on paper or fingers on keyboard.
What do I sell?
Answer this using as few words as possible. Avoid using words or phrases that mean nothing to outsiders (e.g., industry acronyms, fluffy corporate language).
How do my customers benefit when they purchase my product/service?
If you sell to consumers, include the potential added emotional benefits of being liked, respected, more attractive, etc. (if these benefits exist).
If you sell to businesses, be sure to include the emotional benefits to the buying customer (the decision maker) in addition to the more specific benefits realized by the company (a good purchase or implementation of the product may be the path to promotion or status within an organization). You're looking for multiple true benefits, not just features.
Get (and keep) everyone's attention at your next sales meeting by handling objections
Open your meeting with a motivating , ready-to-use PowerPoint ® presentation (the fundamentals behind better sales).
Now…
In your successful Cold Calls create several opening statements for the different scenarios you might face (e.g. catching a decision maker without a screener or gatekeeper, catching a decision maker “on the way out,” handing the opening statement to a screener or gatekeeper who insists on knowing “What do you mean?”, leaving a voicemail).
Address each of the following in the order that seems most appropriate for your particular sales world (just make sure you mention the benefit to your prospect within the first 10 seconds and it's real...not fluffy).
In your successful cold calls you clarify the following
Who are you
Where are you from (company name)
What you sell (in very simple terms)
How your potential customer will benefit from your product/service
A question to gauge potential customer interest
Please note…
Opening statements in successful Cold Calls are not meant to close a sale… they are meant to grab someone’s attention and engage them.
Maximize every word, syllable and pause.
Never leave a misleading or vague voicemail or email message.
Hit them with your full, prepared opening on your successful cold calling which (should be short enough). If it was worth dialing the phone or sending an email, your opening statement is worth leaving/delivering.
In your successful cold calls – Always keep this in mind.
You won't trick someone into buying something because you “got them.”
Never use industry jargon or fancy words.
Be specific. Don't be vague.
