The Best Cold Calling Script That Actually Works

Summary

This video script offers a comprehensive guide to mastering cold calls. It shares insights on overcoming objections, engaging prospects, and securing meetings. The speaker, with experience from a large software company, provides a step-by-step approach, including what not to say, how to captivate attention, and a 'meta cheat code' call to action. The script also addresses common objections with logical rebuttals, aiming to reassure viewers that cold calling can be mastered with the right strategy.

Takeaways

• 📞 The importance of having a solid cold call script to overcome objections and set meetings effectively.
• 🔢 The speaker has made 60,000 outbound cold calls, which informs their expertise in the subject.
• 🎯 The goal of the video is to share knowledge that can immediately improve the viewer's cold calling success rate.
• 🤔 The script emphasizes the need to handle doubt, stress, uncertainty, and fear during cold calls.
• 🈲 Three key questions to avoid when opening a cold call to prevent getting hung up on.
• 📝 The necessity of understanding the prospect's needs and being clear about who you are, why you're calling, and what you want.
• 🗣️ The script suggests using the prospect's name to create a personal connection and to show genuine interest in their well-being.
• 📈 The importance of having a clear call to action and the objective of selling time, not just products or services.
• 💡 The strategy of using 'do you have 30 seconds' as a rebuttal to an objection rather than an opening line.
• 👍 The speaker shares their 'meta cheat code' call to action to increase the likelihood of securing a meeting.
• 🛑 The approach to handling objections by acknowledging them and then pivoting to set up a meeting, showing understanding and partnership.

Q & A

What is the ultimate goal of the cold call script discussed in the video?

The ultimate goal of the cold call script is to overcome objections, set meetings, and increase the likelihood of getting the prospect to agree to a meeting by using proven strategies and techniques based on real-world selling experience.

How many outbound cold calls has the speaker made according to the script?

The speaker has made 60,000 outbound cold calls.

What is the speaker's background in selling that they draw upon for their script?

The speaker's background is in selling for a large software company, which provides them with real-world experience and insights into effective cold calling strategies.

What is the 'meta cheat code call to action' mentioned in the script?

The 'meta cheat code call to action' is a strategy shared by the speaker to increase the chances of getting a prospect to agree to a meeting, although the specific details of this strategy are not provided in the script.

Why did the speaker coach a rep from a small company in Canada?

The speaker coached the rep because the rep was struggling on the phone, not knowing what to say, and needed guidance on improving their cold calling approach.

What is the first mistake made by reps when opening a cold call according to the script?

The first mistake is asking three questions in a row, which can overwhelm the prospect and lead to them hanging up.

What should a rep never ask when opening a cold call?

A rep should never ask if the person on the other end wants to hang up on them, as it is counterproductive and can make the call seem gimmicky.

Why is it important to ask for the prospect's time during a cold call?

Asking for the prospect's time is crucial because the objective of a cold call is to sell time and set up a meeting, not to close the deal immediately.

What is the strategy for handling objections when they arise during a cold call?

The strategy involves acknowledging the objection, validating the prospect's position, and then using it as an opportunity to set up an introductory meeting to discuss their needs and how the product or service might be of value to them.

What should a rep do after the prospect agrees to a meeting in the script?

After the prospect agrees to a meeting, the rep should validate the agenda for the meeting, confirm the email address for sending the calendar invite, and ensure the prospect is clear on what will be discussed during the meeting.

How does the speaker suggest handling the objection of a prospect saying they don't have any budget?

The speaker suggests acknowledging that they understand the budget constraints and that they are not expecting the prospect to make a change immediately. Instead, the focus should be on setting up an introductory meeting to make the prospect aware of what's available for future considerations.

Outlines

00:00

📞 Mastering Cold Call Techniques

The speaker shares their expertise in cold calling, having made 60,000 outbound calls while working for a large software company. They aim to provide a comprehensive guide to overcome objections, captivate prospects, and secure meetings. The summary includes avoiding common opening mistakes, such as asking if the person is available to talk or if they have a moment, and instead suggests personalized greetings and direct value propositions. The speaker also emphasizes the importance of a strong call to action and provides a 'meta cheat code' for increasing the likelihood of a meeting agreement.

05:02

🎯 Crafting an Effective Call to Action

This paragraph focuses on the necessity of having a clear and assertive call to action during sales calls. The speaker advises against being passive and emphasizes the importance of confidently asking for the prospect's time. They discuss the goal of selling time rather than trying to close a deal immediately, especially for larger B2B sales. The speaker provides a script for making the ask, including validating the prospect's priorities, offering value, and suggesting a specific time for a meeting. They also discuss handling objections by acknowledging them and using them as opportunities to further the conversation towards a meeting.

10:03

🛡️ Overcoming Objections with Expertise

The final paragraph delves into strategies for handling objections that may arise during a cold call. The speaker suggests embracing the prospect's objections and using them to build a relationship rather than trying to force a sale. They stress the importance of positioning oneself as a partner and subject matter expert, offering insights and best practices to the prospect. The speaker provides a script for responding to common objections, such as budget constraints or current use of a competitor's product, and encourages setting up an introductory meeting to discuss mutual interests and potential collaboration.

Keywords

💡Cold Call Script

A 'Cold Call Script' refers to a pre-planned conversation guide used by salespeople to initiate contact with potential customers who have not previously expressed interest. In the video, the speaker claims to have an 'ultimate cold call script' that helps overcome objections and set meetings, emphasizing its effectiveness based on real-world selling experience.

💡Objection Handling

Objection handling is a sales technique where a salesperson addresses potential customer concerns to keep the sales conversation going and move towards a sale. The video script discusses strategies for responding to objections with logic and rationality to either convince the prospect or end the call if they hang up.

💡Call to Action (CTA)

A 'Call to Action' is a prompt designed to elicit a response, often used in marketing and sales to guide the next step a customer should take. The script mentions a 'meta cheat code call to action' to increase the likelihood of getting a prospect to agree to a meeting, highlighting the importance of a clear and compelling CTA in sales calls.

💡Prospect

In sales, a 'Prospect' is a potential customer or client who might be interested in the product or service being offered. The video emphasizes the importance of capturing a prospect's attention and tailoring the sales pitch to their needs and interests.

💡Value Proposition

A 'Value Proposition' is a statement that communicates the unique value a product or service provides to customers. The speaker in the video discusses the importance of quickly getting to the value proposition to show the prospect how the product or service can benefit them.

💡Rejection

Rejection in sales refers to the situation where a prospect decides not to proceed with a product or service. The video script acknowledges the inevitability of rejection and offers strategies for dealing with it to maintain confidence and effectiveness in cold calling.

💡Role Play

A 'Role Play' is a method of training where participants act out roles to simulate real-life situations. The script includes an example of role play where the speaker coaches a sales rep by acting as a director of marketing to demonstrate effective sales techniques.

💡Gatekeeper

In sales, a 'Gatekeeper' is someone who controls access to a decision-maker, such as a secretary or an assistant. The video mentions that even when calling a general number, one should act as if they are calling their prospect directly, bypassing the need to deal with a gatekeeper.

💡Meeting Setup

Setting up a 'Meeting' in sales is the process of arranging a time and place to discuss the product or service in more detail. The script provides strategies for effectively setting up meetings, emphasizing the importance of asking for the prospect's time during the call.

💡Sales Cycle

A 'Sales Cycle' refers to the stages a sales process goes through, from initial contact to closing the sale. The video script discusses the purpose of cold calls as part of the sales cycle, which is to introduce oneself and secure a follow-up meeting rather than closing the sale immediately.

💡Subject-Matter Expert

A 'Subject-Matter Expert' (SME) is someone with deep knowledge or proficiency in a particular area. The speaker mentions the importance of approaching the call as an SME, implying that the salesperson should demonstrate expertise in their field to build credibility with the prospect.

Highlights

The speaker has made 60,000 outbound cold calls and offers a comprehensive script based on real-world selling experience.

The video aims to share knowledge to help viewers feel more successful in cold calling and setting meetings.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of not making common mistakes that lead to getting 'body bagged' on the phone.

Provides a strategy for captivating a prospect's attention and moving into a call to action.

Introduces a 'meta cheat code' call to action to increase the likelihood of getting a meeting agreed upon.

Shares exact lines and responses for handling objections faced during cold calls.

The speaker recounts a coaching session with a rep to illustrate common issues and solutions in cold calling.

Advises against asking three questions in a row at the start of a call, as it can lead to the prospect hanging up.

Discusses the importance of stating who you are, why you are calling, and what you want at the beginning of the call.

Provides tips on how to handle the objection 'do you have 30 seconds' and repurpose it effectively.

Stresses the need to sell time and get to the point of asking for a meeting as quickly as possible in the call.

Details the importance of validating the prospect's priorities early in the call to set the stage for a value proposition.

Outlines a method for dealing with objections by acknowledging them and continuing to push for a meeting.

Suggests using the prospect's priorities against them to set up a meeting for future consideration or partnership.

The speaker emphasizes the role of a salesperson as a partner, not just a seller, in the sales process.

Provides a strategy for objection handling that involves accepting the prospect's situation and offering future value.

The video concludes with a summary of the cold call opening, value proposition insertion, call to action, and objection handling.

Encourages viewers to like, subscribe, and stay tuned for future videos on similar topics.

Transcripts

what if I told you I have the ultimate

cold call script to overcome any

objection and set every meeting I've

made 60 000 outbound cold calls so I

know exactly what to do what not to do

what's gonna work what's going to get

you body bagged on the phone based on

proven experience in the real world

selling for a large software company so

I wanted to put together a comprehensive

video sharing everything I know so that

you can come away from this video

immediately and feel like you can be

more successful and set a meeting today

or that whenever you're facing doubt

stress uncertainty fear you've just got

a lot of rejection you can come back to

this video and reassure yourself well

hey at least I know how to cold call I

can do cold Outreach everything's gonna

be okay I'm gonna break down exactly

what not to say to open the call if you

want to get hung up on you can say these

questions and then what to say to

Captivate your prospect's attention so

they hear you out and then you can get

into your call to action I'm then going

to share my meta cheat code call to

action so that you can increase your

likelihood of getting the prospect to

agree to another they're meeting with

you believe me it works and then finally

my exact lines and responses to the

objections that you're inevitably gonna

face so that you can continue to

rebuttal them to the point where they

either hang up on you or they agree to

your meeting because you have defeated

them by pure logic and rationality I was

coaching a rep last week he sells

advertising services for a small company

in Canada and he told me hey Trent I'm

really struggling on the phone I'm doing

a lot of research for before these calls

I don't quite know what to say so I said

okay well let's let's do a role play

let's see where you're at right now act

like I'm the director of marketing at a

non-profit because that's who you sell

to and let's do it ring ring ring ring

hey is is this Trent hey how are you

today hey do you have 30 seconds he hit

me with a triple barrel question to

answer the phone and I immediately had

to end it and say look your prospect is

incredibly busy put yourself in their

shoes for a moment their director of

marketing they just missed their

fundraising Target so their job's

already on the line they've got a big

meeting with their boss tomorrow that

they have to prep for they have 78

unopened emails a member of their team

just quit they're giving a big

presentation to the entire board later

this week they've received seven phone

calls throughout the day have not

answered any of them they have three

voice message and then all of a sudden

when they're finally getting in their

Flow State they get another phone call

from you because you want to interrupt

their day and all of a sudden you open

the call and you ask them three

questions in a row they're gonna hang up

on you and this is a big mistake reps

make because they don't understand what

prospects need prospects need to know

who you are why are you calling them

specifically and ultimately what do you

want so when you open the call the three

questions never to say is this insert

name is this Trent if you don't know who

you're calling then ask yourself why are

you making the call in the first place

and this is a pro tip even if you

believe it's a gatekeeper number a

general number always call as if you are

calling your prospect you are never

asking is this hey can I speak with you

assume you are already speaking with

that person because if you do not assume

that then you're already going to be

behind the second question to never ask

hey do you have 30 seconds this is

incredibly passive and I believe this

line can be repurposed as a rebuttal to

an objection and I'm going to share how

to use that when we get to the objection

handling and then the worst question you

can open the phone call with is hey this

is a cold call do you want to hang up on

me it's so gimmicky put your clown mask

on they're not going to want to work

with you let alone give you any money if

you ask that question so never do it

here's what you say to nail the first 15

seconds and to at least get yourself in

the gate you say Hey Jake this is Trent

from my company how are you oh great hey

there Jake the reason I'm giving you a

call today is insert XYZ give them the

reason hey the reason I was giving you a

call is I'm following up on the recent

email I sent you does my company name

ring a bell Hey Jake I noticed that you

oversee marketing for XYZ non-profit is

advertising important to you today oh I

figured it was a priority boom let's

immediately get into the value prop you

see what we did there hey you open up by

saying hey their name their favorite

word in the dictionary is their name hey

this is Trent from insert company name

have you ever heard the Jake from State

Farm commercial the insurance super

catchy and they say Jake from State Farm

for a reason always say hey this is

Trent from and then enter your company

name how are you they know that you

probably don't care how they are so you

gotta sound like you really do care

about how they are so that you can then

get into the reason I'm calling you

specifically is insert XYZ and it's up

to you to figure out what is that reason

to calling and then you can get into the

actual call early on when I first

started call calling I did a lot of call

reviews with my manager he would say hey

send me calls that you set meetings on

send me calls that you didn't set

meetings on and there was one thing all

of the meetings that I did not set had

in common I would get into the call my

manager would say Hey you sound really

good you're doing everything right but

you're not asking them for their time if

you do not ask it is impossible for you

to proceed so if you find yourself

having a lot of live conversations and

not actually setting meetings are you

making your call to action you need to

have an ironclad call to action in an

agreement with yourself no matter what

I'm going to get to a point in this call

where I make the ask for their time you

are not there to over qualify you are

not there to feature dump you are not

there to necessarily be their friend you

are not there to close them in most

cases for the majority of B2B sales

where it's larger ticket higher deal

size value I was selling 5K 10K 15K

upwards of six figures software sales

deals so we were not closing them on

that phone call we are calling them to

try and introduce ourselves and get them

to agree to another meeting so that we

can start a sales cycle you are there to

sell time that is your objective so you

need to get to that point in the call as

fast as possible even if it seems like

there's no chance of them taking a

meeting you got to at least get to a

point where you make the ask for their

time and try and progress forward to

another meeting that is the entire

purpose of it in so long as you're very

clear in your intentions you'll find

more confidence knowing that that is

your objective and you're going to do it

whatever it takes so when you get into

the call this is what I say no matter

what every time Hey Jake this is Trent

from non-profit how are you great hey

the reason I was giving you a call is

advertising a priority for your team

today and they're going to be like of

course well hey we work for the leading

Advertiser in Canada we work with these

three other non-profits and we help them

increase their funding rounds we help

them whatever business outcome you help

with we help them make more money

acquire more customers insert your value

prop we help them

okay you validated that they care about

advertising so you're going to say well

being that advertising is a priority for

you and your team today I'd love to set

up a meeting so that we can talk about

what's top of mind for you and allow me

to introduce how we might be able to

help does Wednesday afternoon at 3 pm

work for you boom very simple what you

have done is early in the call you

validated why you're reaching out you've

given them some value and you've gotten

them to say yes because they've

confirmed yes advertising import is

important to us yes customer feedback is

important to us yes whatever you're

selling is important to them because

you're opening up with that very generic

question boom being that XYZ is

important to you and your team today

being that it's a priority let's set up

a time to talk about what's top of mind

for you what you care about I'm here to

listen so that we ultimately can

mutually explore if there's value we can

offer to your team today hey the only

way we can do that is by setting up a

meeting to discuss and then when you get

to the point when you start to face

objections this is when this line really

comes into play be because you're going

to face objections either at the

beginning of the call or after you make

that call to action I'm going to start

at the beginning of the call and then

we're going to get to right and you get

to that call to action that's when

you'll probably face the majority of

objections the first category of

objections is once you make the call and

get them on the phone in the first five

seconds they're gonna they're gonna try

and brush you off they're gonna try and

speed up the pace hey who are you how

did you get my number why are you

calling what do you want do we know each

other hey I'm running into a meeting

they're going to give you a plethora of

excuses and what you do is you never

sound rushed if the call feels rushed

it's you who are rushing the call so if

they're Pace their speed increases you

stay the same control the pace at all

times and what you do is you do not go

away easy so if I get any of those

objections I I acknowledge I validate

yeah I know I'm calling you out of the

blue may I have 30 seconds for me to

tell you the reason why I'm calling you

you say it's super straightforward and

that's why you don't open the call with

do you have 30 seconds you don't need to

get Mission you just get into it if they

give you the objection that is when you

need to ask for permission to continue

forward and more often times than not

they're going to say okay yes go ahead

or hey I've started my timer because if

they say no I don't have 30 seconds you

say okay well I'm going to give you a

call back later today hey better yet let

me send you a counter invite so you know

when to expect my call and maybe you can

get some cheap meetings that way but 99

of the time they're gonna say okay yes

go ahead you get into your pitch you get

into your value prop you make the ads

for their time hey being that this is a

priority for you and your team let's set

up a meeting to discuss they're then

going to say hey we don't have any

budget we're using competitor we're good

now's not a good time keep in mind

metapoint if they're already doing what

you were trying to sell them meaning

they're using one of your competitors

they have an in-house solution this is

really good because it validates that

they are willing to spend on what you

are trying to sell them this is perfect

so whenever they give you one of those

objections hey we uh we've already

provisioned our entire budget for the

year in the first 10 days so it wouldn't

even make sense to me I I didn't expect

you to have any budget I know you don't

have any money that's okay I don't

expect you to change anytime soon the

reason I'm reaching out is because we're

one of the best vendors in the

marketplace and I simply want to help

make you aware of what's out there so

that when you are in a situation to

renew or reevaluate you're fully aware

of what's out there hey I know now is

not a good time I'm not expecting you to

start doing this today I'm not expecting

you to change the way you're doing

things today I simply wanted to set up

an introductory meeting so that we can

get introduced so that I can listen what

you care about and I can share what

other organizations in your space are

doing hey I can show up prepare to the

meeting to deliver comprehensive best

practices because I am the subject

matter expert you don't need to tell

them the expert but you need to show up

with the altitude acting as if you were

the expert think about you being a 27

year old account executive like me at

the time you're speaking with mid 40 mid

50 year old Executives who get paid five

accidents out money you're making the

reason they're taking the time with you

is because they believe you're you have

specialized knowledge on this unique

category this objective that they are

trying to achieve they are going to get

promoted they're going to be more

successful they're going to be less

likely to lose their job as a result of

working with you so you are not there to

sell them you were there to build a

relationship hey the only way we I can

earn the right to partner with you is if

I really understand what you care about

and I'm able to share how we might be

able to help with that maybe we can't do

that but I really believe we can't and

that's why I believe an introductory

meeting would be a great use of your

time you see what we've done here any

objection you face this strategy will

work with because you're not there to

change it you accept whatever they give

you you acknowledge it hey I know you

guys are using that vendor they're

fantastic but there will come a time

when you consider renewal and you you

evaluate how the program works I want to

make sure you're full aware of how other

companies are doing it so at the very

least you can Implement those new ways

those new strategies to get the most out

of the program or best case hey you

realize that it would be foolish not to

move with us I wouldn't probably say

that but you see what I'm saying here

it's we're looking to partner I'm not

here to sell you I'm here to partner I'm

here to work with you so any objection

you get that's what you're going to say

okay well great well I know that since

this is in Portland set up a meeting at

this time in Pro tip after they've

agreed to your meeting make sure to

validate hey I have Trent google.com as

your email is that still the best email

to read you okay great well I'm going to

be sending you a calendar event right

now there's going to be a video Zoom

Link in there and what we're going to

talk about is we're going to talk about

your priorities I'm going to introduce

how we can help and if we both agree

there's alignment I'd like to continue

the conversation

if not we can part ways how does that

sound boom once you've validated the

agenda for the meeting they are even

more likely to attend and be excited to

want to speak with you in today's video

we covered how to open the cold call

what not to say what to say how to

insert your value prop and ultimately

get to the call to action which is the

most important part and then finally the

objection handling strategy to overcome

any objection and to set every meeting

just like we said at the beginning of

this video if you found value today hit

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