Think about the last time you received a cold call … or any phone call from a stranger.
You’re naturally leery, and very possibly annoyed. Unless the person on the other end of the line says something to establish and build trust during the first few seconds of the call, you’re unlikely to pay serious attention, or even let the conversation continue at all.
That’s the challenge cold callers face dozens of times daily, especially when making B2B calls to busy, upper-level executives. Sure, their ultimate goal is to book an appointment, but before they can get there, before they can engage in any sort of meaningful dialogue, they have to give their target prospect a reason to want to stay on the phone and listen.
And it needs to happen within the first seven seconds of the call.
Chris Beall, CEO of ConnectAndSell, frequently cites the seven-second rule, based on a conversation he once had with former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss. Beall recounted his conversation with Voss during an episode of the Sales Bluebird podcast last year:
“I asked him, ‘How long do we have to get trust in a cold call?’ He said, ‘Seven seconds.’ And by that he meant, after seven seconds, you don’t have a chance, you’re done. If you didn’t get someone to trust you as a human being in seven seconds, you’re toast.”
Establishing trust with a stranger in seven seconds might seem like an impossible task, but it really isn’t. Here are four keys to making it happen:
1. Don’t get caught up in pleasantries
Starting a call with questions such as “How are you today” or “Is this a good time” might seem like you’re being cordial, but it could also come off as disingenuous. After all, how much does anybody really care about somebody they’ve never met or talked to before?
It’s understandable why some sales reps might want to ease into a cold call with a friendly inquiry vs. a clear sense of urgency, but doing so gives the prospect an easy out if they’re looking for an excuse to cut the conversation short and jump off the phone: “Sorry, I’m really busy and can’t talk” or “No, this is not a good time.” Click.
This isn’t to say a question like “how are you today” never works; it often depends on the individual style of the cold caller and what they’re most comfortable with. And depending on your target buyer, some prospects probably appreciate being asked how they’re doing. In general, though, it’s best to avoid the fluff and dive right into the call.
2. Show them you respect their time
Avoiding clichéd pleasantries at the start of the call obviously doesn’t mean you should be gruff or impolite. Just the opposite: You still need to show your prospect empathy and that you respect their time. That’s why immediately after identifying yourself, it’s beneficial to thank them for taking your call and acknowledge that you’re interrupting their day. At this point of the call, you’re still an inconvenience, and by owning up to that fact, you show them you’re not trying to hide from the truth.
Some sales experts even suggest taking it a step further and admitting right off the bat that it’s a cold call. That strategy is not for everybody, but there is something to be said for full disclosure and it can further serve to build rapport.
From there, you should almost always ask your prospect’s permission to continue the call, further demonstrating that you respect their time and allowing them to feel like they’re the ones in control of the conversation. Remember, no matter how strong your offer, you still called them out of the blue, so it’s a bit arrogant to just assume they want to listen to you without first asking permission.
3. Sound confident
There’s a statistic floating around the internet that claims 93% of the success of a cold call is based on the tone of the rep’s voice. We’re not quite sure who arrived at that number and how, but it makes perfect sense that the right tonality and pacing is key to making a good first impression and getting a prospect to listen.
What you say is obviously extremely important, but how you say it matters just as much, if not more. Stumbling over your words, not speaking clearly or loudly enough, rushing through your opener are all recipes for disaster during a cold call and lowers credibility.
There are numerous ways to improve your confidence, from practicing your delivery, to listening to previous calls (your own and others), to familiarizing yourself with your script. But you don’t want to sound too perfect, which brings us to …
4. Sound human
Whether you read from your script verbatim or are comfortable ad-libbing a few words here and there, it’s imperative to sound like a person, not a robot. This is true from the very start of the call. If your prospect greets you by saying something you weren’t expecting, you need to be able to react, rather than continuing with the script as if nothing was said. It’s possible to be fully prepared for the call and still sound spontaneous; a chuckle here, a change in voice inflection there can go a long way toward gaining a prospect’s trust.
That’s one of the reasons VSA Business Development Representatives frequently ask for “27 seconds” to tell a prospect why we’re calling. It’s a seemingly random number that, ideally, catches a prospect’s attention and helps to humanize the conversation.
In an age when automated calls are increasingly common, it never hurts to quickly assure your prospect that they’re talking to another person, not a robot.
Conclusion
Cold calls are an effective strategy for any lead generation and appointment-setting campaign, but only if you can establish trust in the first few seconds of the conversation. Even then, you’re going to get shut down by decision-makers far more often than you’re going to succeed.
Still, the right level of sincerity, respect, confidence, and humanity can make a huge impact on a prospect’s willingness to continue the conversation and your overall conversion rate. The sales process is about building relationships, and a well-executed cold call is a great way to start that relationship.
VSA has been making these types of successful cold outreach calls to prospects for 22 years. If you’d like to learn more about how we help companies grow their business, please contact us. We promise you can always trust us.