Contrary to popular opinion, cold calling is still a viable way to get new leads. However, you need a good script to entice prospects and land sales deals. Read on for the best cold calling scripts that are sure to attract more prospects!
Cold calling is a sales method where reps make unsolicited calls to potential customers in hopes of selling a product or service. Generally, the people you cold call are completely new to your business, which means they’re more likely to reject your offers. However, cold calling offers a human touch not found in other marketing methods like email and text messages.
In addition to cold calling, there are other “cold” marketing methods, like cold emails and cold in-person visits. The main thing in common between these methods is that all of them are unsolicited and aimed at new prospects.
The ultimate purpose of cold calling is to sell your product to the prospect. However, that doesn’t mean you should aim to land a deal on the first contact – in fact, this rarely happens.
That said, cold calls also help you achieve other objectives that bring you closer to your ultimate sales goal:
Cold calls are still used these days mainly because they build genuine human connections. Here are other reasons why you should cold call:
One of the best things about cold calling is that it’s easy. You don’t need to spend hours writing and proofreading as you would with an email – you just need to pick up the phone and talk. A great salesperson can talk to dozens of prospects in the time it takes to make one email.
Cold calling also lets you gauge the prospect’s interest immediately. Instead of waiting days for an email reply that may never come, you can find out whether a prospect is interested in the same call.
With the Internet’s help, you can warm leads up before calling them. A quick check of the prospect’s social media profile can give you some common ground to connect with them on, whether it’s a shared hobby or a mutual acquaintance.
Listening is as important as talking when making cold calls. Asking your prospects in-depth questions about their issues is a great way to learn about their needs and the market at large. If you know how to address a common issue among your customers, you’ll have an edge over your competitors.
Cold calling still works as a lead generation method. In fact, cold calls are the second-best method for B2B sales teams after referrals. Below are other reasons why cold calling is still viable today:
Cold calls are a powerful sales tool, but you need to know how to deliver them properly. Here are some top cold calling tips to remember:
The salesperson’s tone of voice is one of the biggest determining factors of cold call success. Always adopt a friendly tone and don’t sound bored on the phone. If the customer thinks that you’re not enthusiastic about selling the product, why should they spend time hearing about it?
One of the main objectives of cold calling is to build connections, so making small talk helps. Ask simple questions like how has their day been or what they had for lunch. Once they’re more open and receptive, start delivering the pitch.
A common mistake when making cold calls is overly focusing on your product when you should be focusing on how you can address their issues. Talk about the value of your product in relation to their pain points or needs.
For example, instead of saying:
“Our laptops have won two design awards this year.”
Say:
“Our laptops are highly durable and won’t break, no matter how many times you drop them.”
Picking the right time for cold sales calls is important because you want to reach people, not voicemail inboxes. The “primetime” for cold calls differs by industry and target company, but best practices state that 10-11 a.m. and 4-5 p.m. are the best times to call because:
Best practices also show that Wednesdays and Thursdays are the best days to make calls since people have already settled into their working week.
Most cold calls only last two to three minutes, so you need to say the right things if you want to catch the potential buyer’s attention. Here are some phrases to use when cold calling potential customers:
This cold call opening is a great way to show prospects that you value their time. It also makes them feel appreciated and more receptive to your sales advances.
This is an open-ended question that shows you care about their problems and are interested in knowing more. It also gives you more insight into what problems the prospect is dealing with.
This line shows that you’re willing to help the prospect face their biggest challenges. It’s a gesture of goodwill that makes you come off as reliable to prospects.
If you say the wrong thing, you risk jeopardizing the entire call and losing the prospect. Here are a few things to avoid saying in cold calls:
This opening comes across as doubtful and nervous, two traits that don’t inspire confidence in prospects. They can simply answer “yes” and hang up before you say anything.
This opening is easy to shut down because you’re admitting that this call is bothering the prospect, and yet you’re still doing it. It also makes you come across as rude and inconsiderate.
Adding the word “just” to your sentences minimizes your request, making it seem unimportant. Always state your intentions clearly and assertively.
Preparation helps you make great sales phone calls. Here’s what you need to do before a cold call:
You need to know what you’re aiming for with every call. These objectives will help you determine what you need to say in the call itself.
Some common objectives for cold calls include:
Call mapping is the process of outlining what to say in a call to achieve a certain objective. Mapping out your calls helps you come up with responses to objections and answers to questions.
Generally, a call mapping outline contains:
Researching your customers helps your salespeople create connections and identify potential issues. You can learn more about your prospects through their:
Cold call scripts vary in content depending on who you’re calling. However, almost all scripts have these basic components:
A good cold call opening introduces yourself and confirms that you’re speaking with the right person. Intros can make or break your call, so be sure to speak clearly and make your intentions known as soon as possible.
A good example intro sounds like this:
“Hi John Smith, this is Arthur Bradley from ABC Solutions. I’ve been looking into DEF Electric, and I’d love to learn more about how you handle electrician work orders.”
Note how this introduces you and your company while giving context to your call, all within a few seconds.
Before going further into the pitch, build rapport by sparking conversation. This demonstrates that you’re familiar with the company and are interested in learning more about them. The objective is to get them talking, which will hopefully make them more receptive when you eventually make the sales pitch.
Here are a few example lines for your warm-up:
Your pitch doesn’t need to mention everything about your product, just the features or values that are most relevant to the prospect’s needs. Here’s an example pitch line:
“At ABC Solutions, we work with businesses like yours to reduce paperwork and track jobs easier. Is this something that could help you get more jobs done each day?”
A good closing line leaves a great final impression and tells the prospect what to do next. An example closing line might sound like this:
“After hearing your thoughts, I think our software is a great match for you. Are you available on Wednesday at 3 p.m. for a quick product demo? If so, I can schedule it for you.”
This closing line validates what the prospect is feeling and gives them a direct call to action. If they’re interested in knowing more, they simply need to answer “yes”.
Putting it all together, what do the best cold call scripts look like? Here are a few great cold call script examples for various industries:
“Hi Jeff, this is Arthur from ABC Solutions. How’s your day going?
We’re offering solutions for digital marketer recruitment and training. Would you like to hear more about it?
[The prospect says yes.]
Our company offers online training programs that teach your new marketers everything they need to know about digital marketing. They can learn anytime and anywhere, and they can stay productive even with minimal supervision. Would that be something you’re interested in?
[The prospect shows interest in your pitch.]
Great. Would you be open for a quick call on Thursday at 11 a.m.? I’d love to tell you more about our solutions.”
“Hi Jane, this is Arthur from ABC Solutions. How has your day been?
I was talking with Brad Jones from XYZ Corporation about marketing automation, and then your company name came up. Brad said you’d benefit from our marketing automation software, so I’d love to talk to you about it.
We helped XYZ double its lead acquisitions last year and we could do the same for your company. Would you be interested in a quick 30-minute call tomorrow?”
“Hi Jim, this is Arthur from ABC Solutions. I noticed that your company recently expanded to another location, would you happen to be looking for new employees? If yes, we can help you with that.
Our recruiting software can create job postings on multiple job boards automatically, so your recruiters only need to review and approve applications that come in. I was wondering if I could set up a quick 30-minute call tomorrow so we can have a better idea of how we can help you. Would you be open to that?”
Sometimes, it’s a good idea to send a cold sales email before calling the prospect. It provides a starting point for the conversation and makes you more recognizable when you do make the call.
Here’s an example follow-up call script you can use after you’ve already emailed the prospect:
“Hi Jenn, this is Arthur from ABC Solutions. I’m calling about the email I sent you on Monday, did you get a chance to read it?
[The prospect answers.]
I noticed your post on LinkedIn yesterday about needing better web design software. Our software can create and test out website mockups without having to host pages first.
Would you be available for a call this Friday at 1 p.m.? I’d love to show you what our web design software can do.”
This script is short and straight to the point. Chances are the prospect has already read the email, so there’s no need to reiterate the information you’ve sent. You save time by skipping the feature pitch and directly scheduling a call with the prospect. Because they’re already familiar with what you do, there’s a higher chance of them agreeing to a sales call.
It takes a lot of trial and error to create a cold-calling script that works. Thankfully, there are plenty of cold-calling script templates that are free to use and modify according to your needs. Below are two templates you can start using immediately:
This simple script sets expectations for how long the call will take. Setting time expectations upfront makes the prospect more agreeable to a call, but you need to stick to that time limit.
“Hi [Prospect name], I’m [Caller name] from [Company]. How’s your day going?
I’d like to take two minutes of your time to tell you why I called. If you have any questions at the end, I’d be happy to answer them. If not, then we can end the call. Would that be okay?
[The prospect says yes.]
Alright, great! I called because I heard that you’ve been trying to [Prospect’s goal]. We have years of experience helping customers in the [Industry] sector and I believe our [Product or service] can help your store [Prospect’s goal].
Do you have any questions about our product? If you want to learn more, I can schedule a call for you with one of my associates on [Date and time].”
This script template encourages the prospect to share their issues, which makes them feel heard. Moreover, it gives your sales rep a chance to explain how your product can solve their problem.
“Hi [Prospect’s name], I’m [Caller’s name] from [Company]. What would you say are the biggest challenges in [Prospect’s industry or niche]?
[The prospect shares their issues.]
I understand your frustration. From what you said, I think your team is [Prospect’s problem/issue] because [Reason for issue]. Would you like to hear about how our [Product or service] can help you [Benefit or value]?
If yes, I’d love to schedule a call so we can talk about it further. Are you available on [Date and time]?”
Cold calling is still one of the best sales methods because it builds human connections and is easy to prepare for. That said, you need to have a good script to get the most out of these calls. Good cold call scripts emphasize how you can help the prospect and include a clear CTA.
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A good cold calling script introduces your company and products in a way that’s informative, friendly, and fast. It should also build genuine human connections and emphasize how you can solve the prospect’s problems.
To nail the first 30 seconds of a cold call, introduce yourself and make some small talk to build rapport. This helps your prospect feel more comfortable before you go into the sales pitch.
The best way to practice cold calling is by making actual calls and analyzing the results. If you experience a lot of rejection, review the call records, identify the issues, and address them before making your next batch of calls.
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