Scared to Make Cold Calls? | Sales Tips with Jeremy Miner

Summary

This video script explores effective cold-calling strategies in the modern economy, addressing the common fear of rejection among salespeople. It contrasts traditional sales pitches, which focus on the seller's agenda, with a new approach that engages the gatekeeper by identifying and addressing the potential customer's problems. The script emphasizes the importance of building trust and a two-way dialogue, rather than resorting to scripted sales pitches that often lead to rejection. The goal is to make the sales process more customer-centric, increasing the likelihood of a successful call.

Takeaways

• 😨 Cold calling is often avoided due to the fear of rejection.
• 📉 Traditional sales approaches tend to focus on the salesperson's agenda, which can be off-putting to potential customers.
• 🔄 The problem with traditional cold calling is that it doesn't establish trust and can lead to rejection.
• 🤔 The script suggests considering whether the salesperson's energy is too focused on making the sale, which might not resonate with the customer.
• 📲 Customers receive numerous sales calls daily, making them oversensitive and skeptical of unsolicited calls.
• 📉 Traditional cold calling scripts often start with an introduction and benefits, which in the post-trust era, is less effective.
• 💡 An alternative approach is proposed to engage the gatekeeper and reach the decision-maker by focusing on the customer's problems.
• 🗣️ The new model emphasizes a conversational tone and asking for help, which is more likely to create a two-way dialogue.
• 🔑 The script provided shows how to start a call by asking if the person can help, which is a low-pressure way to begin a conversation.
• 🛑 It's important to avoid immediately diving into solutions and instead focus on identifying if the customer has relevant problems.
• 🔍 The seven-figure salesperson approach is about understanding the customer's issues and how they affect them, rather than just selling a product or service.

Q & A

Why do salespeople often avoid cold calling?

Salespeople often avoid cold calling due to the fear of rejection, as it is a common experience when trying to make an appointment or a sale with someone who does not know them.

What is the traditional mindset of salespeople when making a cold call?

The traditional mindset is to focus on the salesperson's own agenda, which is to make an appointment and a sale, rather than considering the needs or interests of the person being called.

What is the main problem with the traditional approach to cold calling?

The main problem is that the traditional approach is self-centered, focusing on the salesperson's agenda rather than building trust and understanding the potential customer's needs or problems.

How do potential customers typically react to traditional cold calls?

Potential customers have become oversensitive and skeptical, often rejecting calls from unknown numbers, especially if they receive such calls frequently.

What is an alternative approach to traditional cold calling suggested in the script?

The alternative approach is to get the gatekeeper on your side by focusing on the potential customer's problems and how you can help solve them, rather than just trying to make a sale.

What is the difference between a traditional cold call and a seven-figure salesperson's call?

A traditional cold call is focused on the salesperson's pitch and often lacks trust, while a seven-figure salesperson's call is focused on understanding and solving the potential customer's problems, building a connection and trust.

Why does the script suggest starting a cold call by asking for help?

Starting with a request for help is a way to create a two-way dialogue and establish rapport, as most people are inclined to offer help when asked.

What is the purpose of the problem statement in a seven-figure salesperson's cold call approach?

The problem statement is used to identify potential issues that the client might be facing and to see if the salesperson's solution can address those issues, without immediately pitching their product or service.

How should a salesperson respond when the person they are calling asks what their company does?

The salesperson should respond by explaining how their company helps other businesses overcome similar problems, focusing on the benefits and solutions rather than just describing the company.

What is the key difference between the traditional selling approach and the approach of a seven-figure salesperson?

The key difference is the focus: the traditional approach focuses on the salesperson making the sale, while the seven-figure salesperson's approach focuses on the potential customer's needs and how to solve their problems.

What is the next step suggested in the video for improving cold calling effectiveness?

The next step is to learn how to connect with leads at the beginning of the call, to prevent rejection and establish a conversation rather than having the call end prematurely.

Outlines

00:00

📞 Overcoming Cold Calling Fears and Traditional Approaches

This paragraph discusses the common apprehensions salespeople have towards cold calling, primarily due to the fear of rejection. It critiques the traditional sales approach, which is self-centered and focused on making a sale, rather than addressing the customer's needs. The speaker suggests that this method often leads to rejection because potential customers are overwhelmed by sales pitches and have become desensitized to them. The paragraph ends with a teaser about an alternative method to cold calling that could potentially win over the gatekeeper and reach the decision-maker.

05:00

🤝 The Art of Engaging in Cold Calls Effectively

The second paragraph provides a detailed comparison between the traditional cold calling script and a more effective approach used by high-performing salespeople. It emphasizes the importance of creating a two-way dialogue and focusing on the potential customer's problems rather than immediately pitching a product or service. The speaker provides a script example that starts with asking for help, which is likely to elicit a positive response, and then gently guides the conversation towards identifying the customer's needs and how the salesperson's solution could address them. The paragraph concludes by highlighting the importance of making the potential customer feel comfortable and understood, rather than pressured to make a sale.

Keywords

💡Cold-calling

Cold-calling refers to the act of making unsolicited phone calls to potential customers with the intent of selling a product or service. In the video, it is the primary method discussed for initiating sales in the new economy. The script highlights the challenges salespeople face with cold-calling, such as fear of rejection and the common practice of being perceived as intrusive or pushy.

💡Gatekeeper

A gatekeeper in the context of sales is an individual who controls access to the decision-maker, often a secretary or an assistant. The video emphasizes the importance of winning over the gatekeeper to reach the person with the authority to make purchasing decisions. It suggests that a successful cold call can pivot on how effectively the salesperson engages the gatekeeper.

💡Rejection

Rejection is the act of refusing or dismissing something, and in sales, it often means a potential customer declining an offer or proposal. The script discusses the fear of rejection as a primary reason why salespeople avoid cold-calling, and it provides insights into how traditional cold-calling methods can lead to increased rejection rates.

💡Traditional Selling Mindset

The traditional selling mindset is an approach where the salesperson focuses on their own agenda, such as making a sale or securing an appointment. The video contrasts this with a more modern approach, suggesting that the traditional method is self-centered and less effective in today's oversensitive market.

💡Agenda

In the sales context, an agenda refers to the salesperson's plan or objectives, such as closing a deal. The script points out that focusing solely on one's own agenda during a cold call can come across as insincere and may cause the potential customer to feel pressured, leading to a negative response.

💡Oversensitive Market

An oversensitive market is one where potential customers have become wary and resistant to sales pitches due to frequent unsolicited calls. The video describes how the oversensitive market has made traditional cold-calling techniques less effective, as customers are often skeptical and quick to reject salespeople.

💡Seven-Figure Salesperson

A seven-figure salesperson is a term used in the video to describe a highly successful salesperson who generates a million dollars or more in sales. The script contrasts the approach of an average salesperson with that of a seven-figure salesperson, highlighting the latter's ability to connect with potential customers and stand out from the competition.

💡Problem Statement

A problem statement in sales is a clear and concise description of the issues a potential customer may face that the salesperson's product or service can address. The video suggests using a problem statement to initiate a dialogue with the potential customer, rather than immediately pitching a solution.

💡Trust

Trust is a crucial element in sales, as it helps to establish credibility and rapport with potential customers. The script discusses the importance of building trust in a post-trust era where it is at an all-time low, and how traditional cold-calling methods may not foster trust effectively.

💡Two-Way Dialogue

A two-way dialogue is a conversation where both parties actively participate and exchange ideas. The video emphasizes the importance of creating a two-way dialogue during a cold call, as it helps to build rapport and understand the potential customer's needs, rather than delivering a one-sided sales pitch.

💡Leads

Leads in sales refer to potential customers who have shown interest in a product or service and could potentially make a purchase. The script uses the example of a salesperson selling advertising solutions, where identifying and addressing the problems of leads is crucial for converting them into actual customers.

Highlights

The video teaches how to effectively cold-call in the new economy.

Salespeople often avoid cold calling due to the fear of rejection.

Traditional selling mindset focuses on the salesperson's agenda to make a sale.

Problem with traditional approach is it's all about the salesperson, not the customer.

Potential customers are oversensitive to sales calls and become skeptical.

An alternative model is presented to get the gatekeeper on your side.

Traditional cold calls often start with introducing the company and its solutions.

99.9% of salespeople use traditional techniques that no longer work in a post-trust era.

The script of an average salesperson lacks trust and often leads to no sale.

When prospects hear a traditional pitch, they often respond with objections.

A relaxed, conversational tone is recommended to avoid triggering sales pressure.

Creating a two-way dialogue helps establish trust with potential clients.

The script should focus on the potential client's problems, not just the sales pitch.

A seven-figure salesperson's approach is to identify and solve the customer's problems.

The new model focuses on the person being called and their needs.

Potential customers are more likely to respond positively to problem-solving approaches.

The video promises to teach how to connect with leads at hello in the next video.

Transcripts

[Music]

now in this video you're going to learn

how to effectively cold-call in the new

economy and how you can win the

gatekeeper over to your side and have

them be open to getting you to the

decision-maker so the question is why do

salespeople avoid cold calling more than

anything else in selling well it's

because we all have the fear of getting

rejected right so according to the

traditional selling mindset when we

place that call

what is your expectation or your agenda

well it's to make an appointment and to

make a sale but what is a problem with

the traditional approach well it's all

about you and your own agenda of wanting

to make the sale now I hadn't I know I

understand that your intentions are good

and that you you want to help you want

to help your potential customers but I

would suggest you that if you're

directing all of your energy on the call

to focus on making the sale do you think

the person you're talking to can fill

that ask yourself do you feel that way

when a salesperson calls you and is

trying to make the sale on you how many

other calls from salespeople do you

think your potential customers get on a

weekly even daily basis sales people

call them daily pitching their products

their services as the best so our

potential customers have become

oversensitive when the phone rings and

it's someone they don't know your

potential customers are all

automatically skeptical about who's

calling

so you sound just like every other

salesperson that calls them on a daily

basis you just don't stand out and then

what happens

well they reject you and they turn you

down this is what you go up against

every day when you're a cold calling so

the question is is there an alternative

is there a new model they can actually

get the gatekeeper on your side and have

them get you to the decision maker now

let's take a look at the shocking

difference between a traditional cold

call and a

seven-figure salesperson called call let

me know your thoughts on how effective

they are

now here's an average salesperson Coco

I'm going to show you the script usually

something that starts out with hi my

name is I'm with XYZ company and we do

well this only offers their solution

doesn't really focus on whether there's

a sale to be made in the first place

there's no trust and that equals no sale

this approach is what 99.9% of all sales

people are trying to do by traditional

selling techniques the old introduce

yourself tell them what company you're

from and then tell them a few benefits

to your solution to build value the only

problem is in the post trust era with

trust at its lowest point in the history

of the world

this simply no longer works ask yourself

what usually happens when you call your

prospects with this approach what comes

out of their mouth when you say these

three opening lines hi my name is I'm

with we do oh here's what comes out of

their minds well we already have that or

we just don't need that or oh well

mister Johnson is not in today you'll

you'll have to call back maybe next week

or or next month or next year or you

know we don't really want that or you

know we don't need or we already have

that or we just can't afford it with our

budget when you place a call and hear

the other person say hello you're just

gonna reply in a very relaxed

conversational tone of voice let's look

at the script hi this is Jeremy I was I

was wondering if you could possibly help

me out for a moment now remember there's

absolutely no trust between the two yet

so it's very important for you to sound

and in your mind be low-key and relaxed

otherwise you will automatically trigger

sales pressure which almost always leads

to what - you getting rejected or

objections - on your face after you say

maybe you could help me out for a moment

the person you called will almost always

say sure how can I help you we all know

this when somebody ask us for help

what do we almost always do we almost

always offered as this is just a normal

humor in interaction this simple

exchange has helped you to create a

two-way dialogue with a potential client

that you've just called you're not like

all the other salesperson who call with

their can phrases like hi my name is I

am with and we do now once he asked you

how they can help you then you're going

to go into what I call your problem

statement that leads into how what you

do helps other people I'm gonna give you

an example let's talk about it maybe a

salesperson who sells advertising or

sell leads just kind of thrown off the

top of my head you would list here one

or two problems that your clients have

that your solution solves just

generalize problems that they would know

about now you won't talk about your

solutions yet only ask them to see if

they have problems and if they do

finding out if you can actually help

them now after they say how can I help

you you would then say let's go to the

script well I'm not sure you you could

yet but I was calling to see if you

would be open to looking at possible

hidden gaps in your advertising that

might be causing you to lose sales let's

say if you sold advertising solutions

now we would probably get more specific

about what your clients problems are

than this if you sold advertising this

is just off the top of my head but do

you think they might be interested in

not losing sales most of the time they

will reach with something like this so

say something like this now okay now who

is this or or what does your company do

exactly or some type of question for

them about what you do you would then

respond with how what you do helps other

people and let's go back to the script

well you know how a lot of businesses

nowadays are you know finding it harder

to advertise with the increasing cost of

ads and so many competitors to compete

with and all that really the changes

that go on in the advertising market all

the time well what we do is we help

businesses lower their cost of

advertising by targeting higher quality

leads

so they can start keeping more of their

profits rather than keep losing at an

advertising cost and you know before I

go into who we are and what we do and

all that kind of you know boring stuff

it it might be appropriate if we knew a

little bit more about your company and

what you do for advertising now to see

if we could even help you for example

what forms of advertising do you do now

to generate your leads all right now

notice the difference in these two

approaches the traditional selling

approach focuses on who well it focuses

on you the salesperson in you making the

sale right the seven-figure salesperson

approach focuses on who well it focuses

on the person you're talking to and what

their problems are that they might have

and what's causing those problems and

most importantly how it's affecting them

to see if you can help them which

approach do you think makes a potential

customer more relaxed and comfortable

the one that only focuses on the

salesperson making the sale or the one

that's focused on the potential customer

and solving their problems after all who

do you think your potential customers

care more about you and you making the

sale for them and what they're looking

for I think you probably know the answer

this is what a seven-figure salesperson

ask the gatekeeper on a cold call so I

want to thank you for watching this

video about how to effectively cold call

in the new economy so that you can win

the gatekeeper over to your side and

have them be open to getting you to the

decision maker now the next video you're

gonna learn how to call your leads and

automatically connect with them at hello

rather than them rejecting you and

hanging up the phone

[Music]