Business Development Representatives making B2B cold calls have a difficult enough job without having to compete with all the telemarketers, robocallers, and spammers infiltrating the phone lines these days.
According to robocaller.com, Americans received 3.34 billion robocalls in December 2023—or 1,249 robocalls per second. That’s a lot of unsolicited calls regarding extended warranties, debt relief, car insurance, solar panels, and the like—not to mention all the fraudulent operators trying to scam people out of their hard-earned money with false promises and bogus threats.
No wonder people are wary about accepting calls from unfamiliar phone numbers, especially on their cellphones.
Which is why when you’re lucky enough to actually get a decision-maker on the line, it’s imperative to immediately let them know that this isn’t just some random telemarketing call, and that there could be genuine value in them staying on the phone long enough to hear what you have to say.
It’s not easy. You’ve interrupted their day, and their natural tendency is to say, “not interested” or “no thanks,” or even just to immediately hang up the phone. (We’ve all done that to telemarketers ourselves, no doubt).
So how do the best B2B cold callers separate themselves from the crowded pack and keep prospects on the phone long enough to actually listen? Here are five ways to make that happen:
1. Avoid trite or insincere greetings
Nothing screams “sales call” like opening the conversation with a clichéd question such as “How are you doing today” or “Did I catch you at a bad time?”
Sure, they seem like pleasant enough greetings. But not for a second will a cynical prospect believe that a stranger on the telephone really cares how they’re doing. At best, it’s a wasted opportunity to grab their attention in the first few seconds of the call; at worst, it’s an invitation to a quick hang-up.
As for “Did I catch you at a bad time,” well, of course you did. You’re interrupting their busy day! Nine times out of 10, the answer to that question is “yes,” which gives the prospect a built-in excuse to jump off the phone.
2. Show the prospect genuine respect
The alternative to the above trite openers is to immediately acknowledge that you’re an interruption (if you’re bold enough, maybe even come out and admit it’s a cold call), and ask the prospect for “permission” to continue the conversation: “I know I’m catching you out the blue; do you have about 30 seconds for me to tell you the reason for my call?”
This accomplishes three key things in the first few seconds of the call: 1) It allows the prospect to feel like they’re in control of the conversation; 2) it shows them you’re respectful of their time; 3) it’s a chance for you to prove you are trustworthy.
3. Make the conversation meaningful
That means avoiding any sort of robotic-sounding sales pitch—you’re not trying to sell your product or service during a cold call; instead, you’re trying to sell the value of a subsequent meeting for the prospect to learn about your offering at their convenience.
Describe possible pain points your prospect might be facing. Share examples of how you’ve helped similar companies. Ask them questions about their most pressing business challenges. Talk with them, not at them. Try to build a rapport by establishing relevance. Show them you’ve done at least a tiny bit of research. React to what they have to say. Don’t be afraid to laugh (if warranted).
All of this lets the prospect know they’re having an actual conversation with an actual fellow human who genuinely wants to help, and not just listening to a telemarketer droning through an impersonal script while trying to get through their workday. Make it abundantly clear that’s not who you are, or what this call is about.
4. Be articulate and coherent
Perhaps the only thing more annoying than receiving an unwanted telemarketer’s call is taking that call and not being able to understand a word the person is saying, either because they’re mumbling or they have a thick accent, or they’re speaking a mile a minute.
One of the best ways for Business Development Representative to distinguish themselves from typical telemarketers and robocallers is to speak clearly, slowly, and authoritatively. Most prospects will be much more likely to remain on the phone if the caller addresses them with confidence and clarity.
5. Know who to call, how often to call, and when to stop calling
Most telemarketers’ calls are bad enough, but telemarketers’ calls with zero relevance to your work or personal life are the absolute worst. The best telephone lead generation programs are highly targeted campaigns that focus on buyers who are most likely to have a need for your goods or services, or at least will be in position to offer viable referrals. Calling the right people at the right times based on extensive list research can go a long way toward mitigating telemarketer fatigue.
It’s also crucial to establish a calling cadence that doesn’t overwhelm a prospect or gatekeeper. Too many calls over a short period of time or calls on successive days could result in your number being blocked or a stern admonishment to quit calling. Ditto with leaving too many voicemails.
B2B cold callers shouldn’t take “no” for an answer easily, but at a certain point, a “no” does become final—especially if a prospect provides a legitimate reason for lack of interest. Beyond that, callers are no longer resilient; they’re just irritating.
Conclusion
Even the best cold callers are still often treated as unwanted interruptions. Many prospects, especially those who are inundated with unsolicited calls, aren’t going to distinguish the “good” cold callers from the “bad” telemarketers.
Still, having a team of experienced cold callers to represent your brand professionally and confidently, while treating prospects with the right amount of respect, can absolutely lead to productive conversations and help your company’s telephone lead generation efforts stand out amidst the barrage of telemarketers, robocallers, and spammers.
If you’re looking for a lead gen and appointment-setting partner to relieve your sales team of this task while helping you fill your sales funnel, give VSA a call. This is one conversation we promise everybody will enjoy.