25 cold calling script templates and cold calling tips
Cold calling is a sales technique where a salesperson makes first-time calls to leads who have not expressed interest in their product or service before. Even though the lead might not be aware of the salesperson’s brand, a good cold call is made to someone who is likely to have an interest in or benefit from the product – specifically a lead who fits the rep’s ideal buyer persona.
1. Provide your prospect with options
There are two ways companies work with us. We can either help them find salespeople for a percentage of the base salary, or help them train new salespeople with our online, on-demand, virtual sales training programs that teach them how to take prospects from curious to client. Which one would you want to hear most about?
2. Working with gatekeepers
Hello, my name is James. I was wondering if you could help me. I looked on the [COMPANY] LinkedIn page but I couldn’t find your name. Are you usually the person who answers the phone? I’d feel much better if I knew your name before I asked for a favor.
3. “A friend sent me”
4. Leaving a voicemail
The reason for my call is I have an idea on how to possibly help you improve the troublesome process of recruiting employees, especially nurses. I wanted to see if it would make sense for us to have a quick conversation to find out more about it.
5. Use a hyper-personalized opener
6. “I don’t have time”
I understand this may not be a top priority right now, or perhaps you don’t see the value. Several people have said the same, but once we had a brief discussion they were thrilled to learn more. Give me two minutes of your time and I promise you’ll be clear on whether or not this is a good use of your time.
Here, you’re acknowledging their time is valuable while explaining the next step takes only a little investment. The two minutes it takes to make an informed decision is usually worth it.
7. Ask leading questions
8. Becoming a familiar name
These days, a multi-channel approach can help you build familiarity and turn a cold call into a warm call which will eventually become a prospect who moves through your sales funnel.
9. Voicemail follow-up
10. The detail-oriented follow-up
Great! As I mentioned, we help [PERSONAS] like you generate [RESULT]. As agreed, this is a quick two-minute call to see if we might be a good fit. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions to understand more about your needs and see how we might be a fit to work together?
This isn’t a full discovery call. You’re simply resuming the beginning of the sales process. You adapt to your prospect’s schedule while adding as much value as possible.
9. Family/medical leave
Hi, you’ve reached [staff member name]. I’m/They’re currently out on leave. Please connect with [other staff member name] who is filling in while I’m/[staff member] is out. Their number is [other staff member’s number]. Thanks.
Hello, you’ve reached the voicemail for [staff member name]. I’m/They’re out of the office and will return on [return date]. If you need to reach someone before then, please call our main office line at [office phone number].
Hello, you’ve reached the voicemail for [staff member name]. I’m/They’re out of the office. If you need to reach someone before I/They return, please call our main office line at [office phone number]. Thank you and have a great day.
Every business voicemail greeting should be tailored to fit your needs. The examples above can easily be modified and tweaked to align with your office. It is a good practice to have consistency among greetings so providing a template for your team members is helpful.
Reduce the amount of time you and your team spend on the phone (and fretting about your business voicemail greeting) by working with HBW Leads. Their insurance and technology experts will deliver exclusive, double-verified leads to help grow your business.
Test and refresh your greeting
If callers frequently fail to provide the required information, adjust your message to ask for it more clearly. And listen to the feedback you asked for. This is a perfect opportunity to hear firsthand what callers think of your message. Make adjustments to get your greeting right.
It’s also a good idea to periodically check your voicemail message and make sure it still aligns with your business goals and clientele. You may also listen back after a few months and enhance your greeting so customers can leave a voicemail that aligns with any changes your business has undergone. For example, if someone has left the company, you could remove their name from the voicemail greeting.
Follow up on your messages
Surveys indicate only 33% of respondents listen to voicemails left by business contacts—these people are leaving a lot of opportunity on the table, and you’d be surprised at the impact that simply staying on top of voicemail can have on your business.
Take time to listen to messages, call back if necessary, use your cell phone if you’re out of office, and take care of anything actionable mentioned in the messages rather than letting your mailbox fill up. This sort of attention to detail can go a long way toward building a good reputation and company image.
Voicemail services may be a dying tradition for big companies, but that just means your small business has even more opportunity to own the space. Consider your audience and brand voice, record a short and professional message that covers all the bases, and watch your reputation for responsiveness skyrocket.
If you need a powerful and flexible phone system that includes great voice mail and answer service features, take a look at the Frontier Business phone service . Frontier offers advanced, scalable phone solutions and a VoIP service for small-business owners that takes customer service seriously.
Sources:
https://www.pipedrive.com/en/blog/cold-calling-scripts
https://www.hbwleads.com/blog/business-voicemail-greeting-scripts-you-can-copy-and-use-today/
https://go.frontier.com/business/guides/business-voicemail/
