The guide to a cold calling script that will not alienate your prospects

/ by

It can be tough to cold call someone. You’re putting yourself out there, and you don’t know how the other person will react. One of the biggest fears people have when cold calling is that they’ll say something that will alienate their prospects. This fear can keep people from making calls altogether, which is a shame because cold calling can be a great way to get more leads. In this blog post, we’ll give you a guide to creating a cold calling script that won’t scare your prospects away!

cold calling script that works

Shortcuts:

  1. Strategize and pitch to the right prospects
  2. Start by introducing yourself and your company in a friendly way
  3. Explain why you’re calling and what you’d like to discuss
  4. Have a problem-solving approach
  5. Build rapport
  6. Be clear about what you want from the conversation
  7. Ask questions and listen to the answers attentively
  8. Be Professional
  9. Don’t push too hard or come across as desperate
  10. Be prepared to answer any objections the prospect may have
  11. Be polite and professional, even if the prospect is not
  12. Always end the conversation on a positive note
  13. Follow up after the call

1. Strategize and pitch to the right prospects

When you’re making a cold call, you want to make sure that you’re pitching to the right person. This means doing your research ahead of time, doing competitive analysis and finding out as much as possible about the company and the individual you’ll be speaking to.

You should plan and think about what you’re going to say before making the call. Once you have all of this information, you can strategize your pitch. What is it about your product or service that will appeal to the person you’re speaking to? How can you solve their problem?

You should consider these aspects as you create your pitch. This way, you can make sure that your sales pitch is tailored to the person you’re speaking to and not saying anything that could potentially alienate them. This will help convert your prospects into loyal customers.

You can follow a script, but make sure that you sound natural and not like you’re reading from a script. Remember, your goal is to establish a rapport with the person on the other end of the line. You should sound like a human being, not a script-reading robot.

You should have an elevator pitch ready if you only have a few seconds to speak to your prospect. This shorter version of your pitch gets straight to the point. It should be no more than 30 seconds long and should be able to be delivered naturally.

2. Start by introducing yourself and your company in a friendly way.

Hi, my name is Jesse, and I work for ABC Company. We’re a company that specializes in XYZ. I’m calling today because we offer a service that I think can benefit you.

OR

Hello, this is Jesse from ABC Company. Are you familiar with our company? We specialize in XYZ. I’m calling because we offer a service that I think can benefit you.

Both of these introductions are friendly and non-threatening. They give the prospect some information about who you are and why you’re calling without putting them on the spot.

If the person you’re speaking to is familiar with your company, you can move on to the next step. If they’re not, you can give them a brief overview of what your company does before moving on.

Keep in mind that your goal is to build rapport with the prospect, not sell them your product or service right away.

3. Explain why you’re calling and what you’d like to discuss

You’re calling to discuss a problem that your prospect is likely facing. For example, if you’re a web designer, you might say something like, “I noticed that your website hasn’t been updated in a while. I wanted to see if you’d be interested in hearing about our web design services.”

This step is essential because it shows that you’re not just calling to sell something but calling to discuss a problem that the prospect is likely facing. Doing this builds trust and shows that you care about helping the prospect, not just making a sale.

Once you’ve explained why you’re calling, ask if there’s a good time to discuss what you’d like to talk about. Once again, you’re being friendly and non-threatening. You’re not trying to sell the prospect your service right away. You’re just trying to get them to agree to hear more about it.

If the prospect agrees to hear more about your service, you can move on to the next step. If they don’t, you can try asking if there’s a better time to call back or if there’s someone else you can speak to.

If the person you’re speaking to is interested in hearing more about your service, the next step is to explain your service and how it can benefit them. Be sure to keep your explanation clear and concise. You don’t want to overwhelm the prospect with too much information.

Once you’ve explained your service, you can ask the prospect if they’re interested in learning more. You can set up a meeting or send them additional information if they are. If they’re not interested, you can thank them for their time and move on to the next lead.

4. Have a problem-solving approach

A problem-solving approach is one of the best ways to build trust and rapport with a prospect. This approach will show that you’re more interested in helping the prospect than making a sale.

To take a problem-solving approach, start by asking the prospect about their goals. Once you know their goals, you can explain how your service can help them achieve those goals.

For example, if a prospect’s goal is to increase sales, you could explain how your web design services can help them achieve that goal by creating a more user-friendly website.

Once you’ve explained how your service can help the prospect, ask if they’re interested in learning more. You can set up a meeting or send them additional information if they are.

You can also direct them to your website with customer testimonials to build trust.

To make your website more appealing to your audience, make sure to use a professional website builder, which will simplify the process. If they’re not interested, you can thank them for their time and move on to the next lead.

5. Build rapport

One of the excellent ways to build rapport with someone is to find common ground. If you have anything in common with the prospect, mention it!

For example, if you went to the same college, are from the same town, or have similar interests, mention it. This will help connect with the prospect and make them more likely to trust you.

Although finding common ground is a great way to build rapport, it’s not always possible. If you can’t find anything in common with the prospect, don’t worry! There are plenty of other ways to build rapport.

6. Be clear about what you want from the conversation

At the beginning of the conversation, you should have a clear idea of what you want to achieve. Do you want to set up a meeting? Get the prospect’s contact information? Sell them on your service?

For example, if your goal is to set up a meeting, you might say something like this:

  • I’d like to schedule a meeting with you so that we can discuss your needs in more detail. Would that be possible?

If your goal is to get the prospect’s contact information, you might say something like this:

  • Can I have your email address so that I can send you more information about our service?

If your goal is to sell the prospect on your service, you might say something like this:

  • Based on what you’ve told me, I think our service would be an excellent fit for your needs. Would you be interested in signing up for a free trial?

Whatever your goal is, be sure to make it clear. This will help ensure that you’re both on the same page and don’t waste each other’s time. Remember to be friendly and non-threatening. You don’t want to come across as pushy or sales-y.

7. Ask questions and listen to the answers attentively.

Asking questions is a great way to get to know your prospect and their business. It’s also a great way to build rapport. However, you don’t want to ask too many personal questions. Stick to questions about their business, needs, and pain points.

Asking questions will also help you gather information about the prospect and their business. This information will be helpful when you’re trying to sell them on your service. For example, if you know that the prospect is struggling with a particular problem, you can pitch them your service as a solution.

Finally, asking questions shows that you’re interested in the prospect and their business. This can help in building trust and rapport.

When asking questions, be sure to listen attentively to the answers. Don’t just wait for your turn to speak. Listen to what the prospect is saying and use their answers to guide the conversation. You might be surprised at what you learn!

You should take the time to answer any questions the prospect has. This will help build trust and rapport and ensure that they have all the information they need to make a decision.

8. Be Professional

Even if you’re friendly and personable, it’s important to remember that this is a business call. You should always be professional. This means avoiding slang, profanity, and anything else that might be unprofessional.

You should also avoid getting too personal. It’s important to remember that you’re not calling to

make friends. You’re calling to sell your product or service.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that you can’t be friendly and personable. It’s essential to be both of these things. Always remember to keep it professional.

9. Don’t push too hard or come across as desperate

Desperate salespeople are a turn-off for most prospects. If you seem desperate, the prospect will be less likely to trust you or do business with you.

Instead, you want to come across as confident and knowledgeable. You should believe in your product or service and be able to confidently sell it to the prospect.

The goal of a cold call is to start a conversation, not to make a sale. If you try to push too hard, you’ll likely alienate the prospect. Just be friendly, helpful, and informative. If the prospect seems interested, you can try to schedule a meeting or get their contact information.

10. Be prepared to answer any objections the prospect may have.

Objections are a normal part of the sales process. Prospects will often have questions or concerns about your product or service. It’s essential to be prepared to answer these objections in a way that satisfies the prospect and helps them see the value in what you’re offering.

You should be prepared to address a few common objections, such as price, risk, and commitment. If you can anticipate the prospect’s objections, you’ll be able to address them more effectively.

11. Be polite and professional, even if the prospect is not.

It’s essential to be polite and professional, even if the prospect is not. You should maintain your composure and keep the conversation going. If the prospect is rude or hostile, stay calm and try to diffuse the situation.

You can do this by remaining friendly and helpful. If the prospect is still difficult, you can try to end the conversation politely. You can thank them for their time and let them know that you’ll be happy to answer any questions they have at a later date.

12. Always end the conversation on a positive note.

Even if the prospect isn’t interested in your product or service, you should always try to end the conversation positively. Thank them, and let them know that you’ll be available if they have any further questions. For example, you might say, “Thank you for your time. I’ll be happy to answer any questions you have in the future.”

This will leave the door open for future communication and help you build rapport with the prospect. Ending on a positive note is also essential if you’re trying to schedule a meeting or get the prospect’s contact information.

You might say, “I’ll follow up with you in a few days to see if you’re interested in scheduling a meeting.” You can also offer to send them additional information, such as a brochure or case study.

When you’re finished with the conversation, thank the prospect for their time. This is a courtesy that your prospect will appreciate, and it’s also good manners. You should also let them know that you’ll be available if they have any further questions.

13. Follow up after the call.

After you’ve had a conversation with the prospect, it’s essential to follow up. This will help build rapport with the prospect and stay top of mind.

You can follow up with an email, phone call, or meeting. If you’re going to follow up with an email, keep it short and sweet. Thank them for their time and include relevant information, such as a brochure or case study. Your email open rates will increase with a relevant subject line.

If you’re going to follow up with a phone call, schedule it in advance. This will give the prospect time to think about your product or service and decide if they’re interested.

Finally, if you’re going to follow up with a meeting, send a calendar invite with all the relevant information. This will help the prospect prepare for the meeting and make sure they’re available.

Final Thoughts

You can create a cold calling script that won’t alienate your prospects by following these cold calling tips. Remember to be polite and professional, anticipate objections, and always end the conversation positively. And don’t forget to follow up after the call!

About the author

Amrapali is a freelance SEO strategist and content writer who works with brands and SaaS companies to support their SEO and content strategy and blogs about technology and marketing at Bazaar Expert.