What does a regular cold call typically sound like in sales?
“Prospect: Hello?
Rep: Good Morning, I am X from ABC
(1.5-second pause)
How are you? Ummm... I called because… uhhh … [loses train of thought]... Umm… I know I reached you at a bad time but I would like to talk to you about XYZ.
“Prospect”: Take me off your list!
(Dial tone….)
Does this sound familiar? If you are a sales rep, you have faced the above situation at least once in your life. Let’s be honest, a majority of your calls will sound like this without a good cold call script or outline. No matter how much your sales manager uplifts your spirits for The Dial, things happen and people don’t like to be sold! If you are in B2B sales, you know how your work revolves around cold calls. In order to break from this mold, we need to talk about the key to success for your cold calling strategy- a cold calling script! But the bell won't ring with any old cold call script! You need the best cold calling script.
Cold Calling Scripts: Why do we need them?
Cold calling is no longer considered a 'spray and pray' tactic! Why? Because cold calling now acts as a unique process to engage clients further in the buying process. The Good News? Unlike in the past, nowadays it’s common practice for sales reps to research their clients thoroughly before contacting their prospecting. This helps to know who their suitable clients are. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean you can compel them from blurting out redundant words. You need a script for an organized, effective, and detailed conversation.
The success rate of cold calling depends on how you design your script. A terribly written script is not only inefficient, but also damaging to a brand image. You don't want your clients to think of your company as the Stuttering Company with Bad Sales Reps!
On the other hand, a well-written cold calling script can help close more deals in the blink of an eye. Further, a good cold calling script assists in tackling the biggest challenges a B2B sales department will face.
Researching Cold Calling Script | Why Use it for a B2B company?
After you are done preparing your Ideal Customer Profile, you step up for the hunting process. It's alright to be uncertain about the services your potential clients use! However, you can change it with a cold call. Just have a little conversation with the decision-makers about their use case and pain points to yield outstanding results.
Not only does cold calling determine if a target company could use your services, but it also aids you to cross off the companies that are not interested in any of your offerings. In other words, cold calling allows the B2B sales team to spend time more effectively on clients who have the most chances of conversion into your pipeline.
But the catch? Awkward, irrelevant conversations will only scare prospects away! Therefore, thorough research is essential for crafting a killer script for all your cold calls. You don't want to sound stupid in front of the people who write the future of your company! Test the sequence, determine clients' needs, do whatever it takes to create that perfect call script to close more deals! And that's how you will be captivating prospects - through researched and well written cold calling script.
How Do I Create a Cold Calling Script?
We know the internet is bustling with the tragedies of bad cold calls! However, at Darwinian Ventures, we believe cold calling can be a piece of cake with a great cold calling script! Let's begin!
- Identify a few Verticals:
First, you need to cherry-pick your target market (not by random industries). Well, your time is valuable for B2B marketing. It's not very clever to spend it on prospects who aren't a good fit for your services.
Before you start, think of the customers who had a notable contribution to your sales pipeline—Hunt for the ones having the common attributes.
Then proceed further to identify your verticals like hospitality, retailing, banking, etc. Once you are finished picking up your verticals, step forward for the second step. However, make sure the number of verticals doesn't cross two or three.
- Pinpointing 20 suitable prospects:
By now, you should find it easy to figure out specific people or companies for your business. Did you know LinkedIn is a good tool for this purpose?
Let's say you are looking for companies who might benefit from your surfing agency. Search "People who work at the beach" and "General Manager" with the "Leisure, travel, and tourism" filter!
And that's it! A whole bunch of potential clients are flashing on your screen, waiting to be sold!! But if you are looking for instant results, chase the local or regional companies. Geographical boundaries do matter!
- Research the Prospects:
At this stage, you might be feeling we are blabbering. You would just prefer to pick up the phone and begin your cold calls. But like we always say, there's a reason behind every small thing. Spending a few moments on research makes you more confident, comfortable, and consistent!
Since you are already on LinkedIn, it's easier for you to learn more about your clients. We know stalking feels unethical, but your business calls for it. You need to personalize the conversation for your clients. Here is a list of things you have to know:
● What the prospect does
● Facts about them
● What the company provides
● What services will make their businesses better
● Whether you dealt with a similar company in the past
For a personalized conversation, you really need to pick up how to pronounce the client's name, especially if he is Asian. Nothing hurts more than a butchered name, and you know it too!
We are done rounding up the criteria for an effective cold calling script. See them as your homework for creating a cold-calling script.
Now, let's move back to the script creation!
- Introduce Yourself:
Start the cold call by stating your name and the company you work for. Your calls should give off energy and positivity.
Most of the cold calls begin with 'Hi...umm..this is A….from umm XYZ. I wanted umm to talk about…..!' At this, the prospect goes like 'Who?' 'Why am I receiving this?'And boom! The client hung up. Let's try reversing the table.
After you show your confidence with 'Hi! It is A from XYZ'- pause for a while. We know this is hard because most cold callers like to jump straight into their pitch. But we urge you to relax and halt for eight whole seconds. Why? Because when you pause, the client scans his brain to figure out who the caller might be. Is it a coworker or someone I know? Who is the mystery caller?
- Establish Rapport:
With the pause effect, the cold call is already deviating from a general sales call. Then it's the moment to establish some rapport among the clients. So how do you bridge the gap?
Simply ask questions to get the prospects talking. Even if the client is on a sabbatical, ask him how the holiday is going! Don't try to build conversations with 'I will be taking only 10 minutes of your time for brand promotion.'
Here are some sample questions to hit them right:
● How did you get started here?
● How do you like it here?
● How is your new role in the company?
But wait, don't forget to add a bit of flattery with the questions. If the receiver seems interested, proceed with follow-up questions.
Use every element possible to spice up the conversation. Show that you are having a blast while talking! Shadow all your lines with a dint of humor. Eventually, they will start enjoying the conversation too!
- Go with Positioning Statement:
Unless you understand the work and challenges of your prospects, you cannot design a cold calling script. A positioning statement shows you care about the client's needs instead of yours.
Here's a hypothetical positioning statement, 'I work with sales managers having 6-8 reps on their team. My clients are constantly searching for opportunities to heighten reps' productivity. Do you fall under the same category?'
Since you've already pre-qualified your leads, their answers will be affirmative.
In the next step, simply ask about their expectations.
At this stage, your client owns the call. You simply have to handle their pain points and demands to start structuring your pitch.
Cold Calling Script Variation:
As a growth advisory firm for B2B lead generation, we love helping the new reps of the industry. Naturally, we call out to the sales leaders to help out the newbies walk through the process. After all, you have been in their shoes once, and you know how to turn the tables. For this reason, we offer using an altered process with a spicy script.
So how do we begin? Introduce a team culture of 'just ask' into the company. Ensure that the junior leaders can actively reach out to the sales leaders for their upcoming cold calling script. It's the responsibility of the sales leader to induce variations in their cold calling scripts. The usual website URL, CRM, and LinkedIn profile can be great boosters for the process.
It's time for the phone to ring. Brace yourselves because we are going to hear the script for life!
Ding..ding. The client picks up. 'Hi, I am X from ABC,' pause.
When you call an executive of a large venture, you probably have to get past the gatekeeper. Whenever you rattle, 'It's X- the sales director of ABC'- you automatically get past the gatekeeper. A senior title can sometimes really help.
Now that you've reached your potential client: keep them up for a suspense bit longer. Ask questions like:
● What's your favorite food?
● What's your favorite holiday season?
At this point, the conversation turns to why did you call. Simply answer you wanted to help and pass the phone to your sales rep! Let SDRs state the proposal, and voila, the client wants to hear more!
Fix a date, prepare a demonstration, do whatever it takes to bag that client. Show clients that your products mean something in the world and will work great against their pain points.
How do I Tackle the Cold Calling Script Problems?
The B2B sales land ends with robotic speech.
Some SDRs need to work on their voice and pronunciation. You cannot impress a client with a dull and monotonous approach. Let's explore some of the ways to battle the issue:
● Role-play conversations
● Record and find your mistakes
● Practice theatrical improvisation
About the cold calling script? Here's how copywriters can tackle the robotic or 'scripted' complaints!
- Make shorter sentences:
A good sentence for a blog is never more than two lines. For scripts, it bottoms down to twice as short. It's true since people prefer shorter sentences for speaking.
- The right choice of words:
Did you know an average person can process 125 words per minute? But when it comes to Daedalian words and phrases, the human brain just goes blank. Poof! A complex wordplay doesn't convey your message. Simplicity is forever lasting and adored.
- Stop using too many modifiers or adverbs:
Guys, you don't want your prospects to have a dull conversation. We all know how that can end. You don't need a marketing language to crack buyers.
- Informal words are 'Cool':
Copywriters! Don't hold back using words like prolly (probably), btw( by the way), and slang. They sound human and fun.
- Talk to a friend:
It is a mental exercise. Whenever you talk to a friend, you don't care about what to say next. Similarly, when you use the same strategy for your cold calling script, it brings stunning results. Maybe a joke or two can turn you guys into bracelet buddies?
- The power of mistakes:
Automation tools made the B2B business a perfection. That's why nothing looks more beautiful than an honest mistake. So leverage the power of errors, even if it's intentional. It's pretty enjoyable.
And boom! You got the clients wrapped around your finger with your cold calling scripts.
Benefits of Cold Calling Scripts:
- Facilitates Easier Training:
The algorithm formation of a cold calling script provides role-playing options for sales reps. It becomes easier for SDRs to deliver messages, ask questions, and form connections with prospects. They even learn to negotiate with customer objections.
- Prepares SDRs for The Call:
Like we always say, scripts are the skeleton for your marketing conversation. In the B2B business, sometimes SDRs have to prospect clients on the spot. A well-written cold calling script becomes most handy then.
- Builds Confidence:
Sometimes cold calling can lower your confidence. But with a cold calling script, SDRs feel they are ready to face the dark side of the conversation without interruption.
Conclusion:
But wait, let us tell you something. The scripting work doesn't end with the above tactics. The best cold calling script also contains:
● Maximum ten canned responses
● Objection handling answers
● Voice note for the script
Cold calling is the promise to close more deals. By piquing their interests and solving their problems, you can achieve your B2B lead generation dreams! It doesn't matter if the conversation started as an icy cold talk. Stick to the cold calling script, and don't forget to thank the prospects for their time. Ready to tailor a cold calling script with your style?
