How the Messenger’s Tone Can Affect Cold Calling Results

Sometimes it doesn’t matter how well prepared or eloquent a caller is if they don’t have a cheerful, positive tone of voice while on the phone. Even when all other elements of a successful cold calling program are in place, a caller’s voice can make the difference between an appointment and a missed opportunity.

For example, take “Jane”, a cold caller who is smart, focused, and calling a very targeted and highly qualified list. This would seem to be an obvious success, however Jane has a voice that is a bit irritating on the phone; she often sounds high-pitched and uptight, even though she doesn’t mean to sound that way. Often she sounds as though she is frowning and comes across as somewhat hostile if she doesn’t get the response she is hoping for from the prospect.

On the other end of the spectrum, we have “Joan”, equally qualified and calling the same list as Jane. Joan’s voice is lower in pitch, slower, and generally more open and friendly. She sounds as though is smiling when she makes calls. The difference between these two voices is clear, but what’s even more interesting is the difference in the results. In general, we see a much higher appointment rate in our “Joans” than in our “Janes.”  A cold caller’s tone of voice can significantly impact the prospect’s response.

Even though Jane and Joan are equal cold callers in all objective measures, Jane’s voice has the unwanted effect of turning prospects away while Joan’s voice is more engaging to the prospect. When making cold calls, after all of the effort put in to writing a compelling script and developing a great list, it can still come down to something as basic as the sound of the caller’s voice.

This is not to say that you should immediately write off any callers whom you fear might have an unpleasant voice—this can be changed with coaching and practice. Encourage callers to actually smile while on the phone and to practice speaking in a slow, friendly tone. It’s true that some people just naturally have a more engaging telephone voice but, like any skill, this too can be learned. This kind of attention to detail might be a deciding factor between a mediocre and successful cold calling program.