The fail-your-way-to-success method of cold calling
Here’s how to get great at selling by failing at cold calling: Identify the skills you want to practice. Dedicate an hour or two a day to learn, and understand that it’s not about making a sale; it’s about learning how to sell. With that mindset, you don’t mind rejection because it’s part of the learning process. You’ll improve, and occasionally you’ll get paid for learning.
Below is a list of the 12.5 lifetime sales skills you can develop through the fail-your-way-to-success method of cold calling:
1. Develop a fast opening that grabs attention and gets you to the next step. What can you invent that gets you in the door every time and gives you that 30-second opportunity with Mr. Big? Long-term benefit: Teaches you to get to the point faster in your face-to-face presentations.
2. Build instant rapport. How fast can you put the other person at ease? Long-term benefit: Teaches you that rapport is the jumping-off point to begin the sale.
3. Gain acceptance. Be real; speak words that can be believed. Long-term benefit: Teaches you that rapport leads to acceptance. The cold call leaves very little time to gain acceptance.
4. Find the decider. Too many salespeople give a great sales presentation to the wrong person. Long-term benefit: Teaches you that selling the non-decision-maker leads to a non-sale.
5. Qualify the decider. Find out if the decider has the need and or money to buy what you sell. Long-term benefit: Teaches you to be certain you’re speaking to someone who can buy and spend. (Caution: “Qualify” is not to be mistaken for its evil twin, “pre-judge.”)
6. The power of questioning. Ask questions that make the prospect think and evaluate new information. Long-term benefit: Teaches you that questions about them leads to answers about you – and that leads to sales.
7. Gain prospect’s interest. Have useful information and ideas about the market and your ability to make your prospect’s business grow and profit. Long-term benefit: Teaches you that the ability to gain the prospect’s interest in your product or service stems from your interest in theirs.
8. Fast persuasion. Getting others to say “yes” in a short time takes talent that can only be developed by practice. Long-term benefit: Teaches you to practice at, and be effective at, presenting a compelling message.
9. Persistence, the breakfast of winners. The cold call usually will not generate a sale, but often will generate a follow-up opportunity. Long-term benefit: Teaches you that most sales are made after the seventh follow-up call. Your level of success is in direct proportion to your persistence.
10. Think on your feet. Cold calls are not about fast talking; they’re about fast thinking. Long-term benefit: Teaches you to “think solution” and “think question.”
11. The value of creativity. Cold calls are all about creativity. The cool part about creativity is that it can be studied and learned. Long-term benefit: Teaches you that creativity (which leads to memorability) is at the core of your sales success.
12. The joy of rejection. Think of rejection as “the pathway to yes.” Try this: Add a dose of humor to rejection. Tell the prospect that only one out of four people buy, then ask if there’s anyone else who might not be interested, because you still need three more rejections before someone says “yes.” It’ll blow them away, and it’ll make them laugh. Make me laugh and you can make me buy. Long-term benefit: Teaches you that rejection is part of success in selling. The more you can learn why they rejected you, the easier it is to avoid the next rejection.
12.5. It tells you if sales is for you. If you can find the fun in cold calling, and view it as the fail-your-way-to-success method to sales mastery, you will ultimately succeed at sales. If you can’t, sales may not be your best career choice. Long-term benefit: Teaches you to do something you love, have the attitude to have fun at it and dedicate yourself to be the best at it by learning something new every day.
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Jeffrey Gitomer, president of Charlotte, N.C.-based Buy Gitomer, gives seminars, runs annual sales meetings, and conducts training programs on selling and customer service. He can be reached at (704) 333-1112 or by e-mail at salesman@gitomer.com.