Cold calling has been around since the beginning of the United States as a way for individuals to make personal contact with other individuals for business purposes. Originally, it was simply known as “routine calling.” It quickly evolved into a personal selling method that became quite popular in the sales industry. In recent years, however, cold calling has been used by many marketers in the sales field as a way to generate a list of potential clients or customers. Although many people consider cold calling a “pushy” sales tactic, the reality is that cold calling can be a very effective marketing tool when it is used properly.
One of the benefits of cold calling is that it allows you to put yourself in a position of being very present and engaged with the conversation with the prospect. Often times, prospects will have many questions that they need answered before they are ready to decide if they want to do business with a certain company. By being prepared and asking questions, you put yourself in the position of being able to answer those questions immediately and therefore making a great impression on the prospect. The other benefit of this type of conversation is that you will be able to ask a number of specific questions that will help you to determine if the prospect is a good fit for your new business.
When cold calling you should always prepare your script for the interaction as well as your script for the follow up conversation. Your script is essentially your guide to ensuring that every question you have asked fits within the guidelines of the script. You want to always make sure that you leave a little room in your script for the follow up questions, which is basically an extension of your script. The follow up questions should relate to what was discussed in the initial conversation and what the prospect may have left out or could have unclear understandings of.
Another benefit of cold calling is that it gives you a chance to bond with your prospects. Often times you will be working with prospects on a one on one basis. This can be very difficult when it comes to cold calling because you are dealing with people on one level. By giving them a chance to know you and understand you on a personal level you are creating a bond that can lead to a much stronger relationship down the road.
Now, let’s say you did not get the job you were hoping for because your prospect turned you down due to something like: your last five years of employment, your credit score, your location, your finances or anything else. Well, I can tell you that this is a major mistake that anyone can make if they are going to go into a major remodeling project. These are very specific types of people who are looking to make a positive change in their lives. There is nothing wrong with having bad credit. It just means that you are going to need a very specific type of approach when it comes to qualifying for a loan or getting your financing arranged.
So, to recap; if you are applying for a loan for your major remodeling project remember that you should always include a personal script that you can read and rehearse before you call. Make sure your script is simple, clear and complete. If you have any questions about your prospect ask questions in an open-ended manner. And always include a personal script before you begin your cold calling.