The Halloween season offers plenty of opportunities for people to face their fears. From late-night horror movies to haunted houses to spooky hayrides through dark cornfields, there are always seasonal scares to be found.
But some scares exist year-round … and are much more consequential than a few actors in creepy costumes.
What if, for example, you feared doing a critical part of your job? Sounds crazy, but when it comes to B2B cold calling, it’s a very real problem.
According to a recent study by a leading sales training company, 48 percent of B2B sales reps are “afraid” to make cold calls. No wonder the average rep makes only two cold call attempts to a prospect before giving up.
There are a lot of valid reasons for cold calling anxiety: the inherent fear of rejection, discomfort speaking with strangers, the challenges of getting past gatekeepers, and the overall unpredictability, to name a few.
But for all its difficulties, cold calling remains an effective means of generating leads, setting sales appointments, and building relationships with potential customers. Imagine how many future sales have been lost over the years because hesitant reps put off making calls until it was too late, or perhaps never made the calls at all.
Fortunately, there are ways to overcome cold calling anxiety, boost confidence, and achieve better results. Here are five of them:
1. Remind yourself that the person you’re calling is human too
It’s natural to fear the unknown, and that’s exactly what you’re facing when you make a cold call. You don’t know if your target prospect will be available to talk, and if they are, you have no idea how they’ll react to your call or what direction the conversation will take. No wonder people are afraid to make cold calls!
But assuming you get them on the phone, it’s important to remember that they’re human too—a real person with real problems facing a lot of the same daily pressures that you are. Sounding friendly, professional, and conversational (as opposed to reading robotically from your script) can go a long way toward breaking down barriers and building trust. Most people respond positively if they sense you’re trying to connect with them, and if a prospect doesn’t want to hear what you have to say, there’s always the next call.
2. Be prepared
It’s much easier to be comfortable making a cold call if you’re confident in the message you’re delivering. That means having a script and knowing it inside-and-out, but also being equipped to deviate from the script when necessary, such as when a prospect asks a specific question or reveals a certain need. You don’t necessarily need to demonstrate technical expertise during a cold call (that conversation comes later), but you do need to be knowledgeable enough to speak confidently about the value of your company’s offering.
You should also be able to anticipate the most common objections and be ready with rebuttals. While some pushbacks are just an excuse to get off the phone, others can be easily countered if you’ve prepared for them beforehand. Knowing exactly how to respond can help keep the conversation alive and significantly improve your conversion rate.
3. Think positive
Easier said than done, right? Cold calling can feel like a thankless task sometimes; there’s a reason that 63% of sales reps call it the worst part of their job, according to recent statistics.
But you’d be surprised how much difference a positive attitude can make during the call. Multiple studies have shown that both smiles and frowns can be “heard” over the telephone and can directly impact the tone of your voice.
A smile obviously doesn’t guarantee a successful cold call, but a scowl almost certainly guarantees failure. A positive attitude helps you sound much more upbeat and confident, and that alone could be enough to extend the conversation past the initial greeting. Even if the call doesn’t end with an appointment, a pleasant conversation can make subsequent calls seem less intimidating and help ease your anxiety.
4. Listen to your calls
It’s crucial for reps to receive regular coaching and feedback on their calls. While hearing a recording of yourself can be almost as stressful as the call itself, it’s also a great method for honing your phone skills, hearing where you can improve, and feeling less uptight the next time you dial.
Maybe you said “um” or “uh” too many times. Maybe you spoke in too monotone a voice. Maybe you rushed through the script or didn’t enunciate a certain word. Or maybe you noticed something much more subtle, such as an awkward change in vocal inflection.
Whether listening to your own calls or a colleague’s, there are always lessons to be learned, and each lesson brings more confidence and less anxiety.
5. Learn to not take “no” personally
A lot of people are reluctant to make cold calls because they fear rejection, but to paraphrase The Godfather: “It’s not personal, it’s just business.” Your prospect doesn’t know you, and their lack of interest isn’t a reflection on you personally. Sure, there are always ways to improve your cold calling techniques, but the truth is, even the most experienced and engaging cold callers hear “no” far more often than they hear “yes.”
Besides, what’s the worst that can happen? You get hung up on? They yell at you? In those cases, the prospect probably wasn’t worth your company’s time in the first place. Just know that there’s always somebody out there who can benefit from your company’s goods or services, and that prospect might just be one phone call away.
Conclusion
There’s a sixth way to overcome cold calling anxiety, and that’s to keep doing it. Each conversation with a prospect is a learning experience that can benefit you down the road. Unfortunately, many companies don’t have the resources to give cold calling the time and attention it deserves.
That’s where an outsourced lead generation and appointment-setting firm like VSA can help. We’ve been making cold calls for more than 22 years and have experienced it all—the appointments scheduled, the hang-ups, and everything in between. Our Business Development Representatives are trained extensively in cold calling best practices.
If you’re looking to outsource your cold calling needs, give us a ring. We promise there’s no reason to feel anxious about getting on the phone with us.