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How to Build Great Relationships through Cold Calling Master the foundation for cold calling success
By Ari Galper
Sometimes the finest solutions are the simplest. Focusing on relationships
when making cold calls is one of them. It keeps us genuine, and eliminates
our dread of making cold calls. We¡¯re real people talking about real things.
We¡¯re interested in the conversation, and it shows.
Most of us dislike putting on our ¡°salesperson persona¡± when we make cold
calls. We think it¡¯s needed, however, because we¡¯ve been trained to make the
sale. And yet we¡¯re interacting with a live, breathing person without having any
real connection to him or her. It often feels fake, and it often is.
This artificial role puts a great stress on us, and sabotages our cold calling
conversations. When we aren¡¯t genuine, it¡¯s a red flag to the other person that
we have a sales agenda. This puts nearly everyone ¡°on guard.¡± They¡¯ve never
met us and are wary of possibly being manipulated.
Have you ever noticed that most cold calls break down the moment we try to
¡°move¡± things along towards a sale? It¡¯s as if we¡¯re getting ready for battle, and
the tension pushes us along.
But the person we¡¯ve called doesn¡¯t know us. The momentum we¡¯re trying to
impose puts him or her in a defensive position. They¡¯re protecting themselves
from a potential ¡°intruder¡± who might have a self-serving agenda.
So how can we to shift into something more positive? We begin by focusing
on the relationship rather than salesmanship. We call with the anticipation of
meeting someone new, and looking forward to a pleasant conversation to find
out whether we can be of service. This mindset is subtle but powerfully felt by
the other person.
Building relationships humanize our cold calling conversations -- and
ourselves. We are less artificial. Cold calling conversations become more
natural. And people tend to respond with more warmth and interest.
The point is not to use the ¡°technique of building relationship¡± to improve
sales. That¡¯s having a hidden agenda rather than a relationship. Our goal is to
see if we can provide something that will benefit the other person. If it doesn¡¯t,
then we prefer not to continue interrupting their day. That¡¯s a real relationship,
even if brief.
When we¡¯re being real people treating others as real people, the difference is
amazing. Both people are both more at ease. We anticipate talking with
someone who may possibly have an interest in what we have to offer. And if
they don¡¯t, we¡¯ve enjoyed our time with him or her.
When others feel this relaxed mindset from you, they are much more likely to
welcome you into their day. But if you rigidly follow a script or launch into a
mini-presentation, then your call is immediately pegged as something
initiated primarily for your own gain. And that puts most people into
resistance.
Here are 8 keys to building relationships in cold calling:
*Focus on the other person¡¯s needs rather than on securing a sale
*Surrender to the outcome of your cold call so you can connect with your
potential client at a human level
*View the human connection as an exciting journey in which you encounter
new and interesting people
*Speak graciously and naturally as you would with any new acquaintance
*Remember it¡¯s about how you come across, not about how many people you
call
*Allow the conversation to evolve naturally
*Invite both of you to decide together whether it¡¯s worth your time to pursue the
conversation further
*Use phrases that are non-aggressive yet very effective
So try this. Practice shifting your mental focus from salesmanship into a place
of relationship. You¡¯ll find that your genuine enjoyment of the conversation
rubs off on the other person. They¡¯ll be less defensive and more likely to share
with you truthfully.
One of the best ways to build relationship is by using phrases that carry the
human element very well. Start out by asking, ¡°Hi, could you help me out for a
minute?¡± The most common response will be, ¡°Sure. What do you need?¡±
Your next question might be to ask whether they are open to the idea of
looking at different ways to, for example, reduce their expenses. Most of the
time the reply will be something like, ¡°Well, sure, what kinds of expenses are
you talking about?¡±
Now you are able to open the conversation between the two of you and build
an initial relationship. It¡¯s easy and comfortable to continue from there.
When you do this, you¡¯ll experience so much success and satisfaction that it
will really change the way you do business. And it will bring sales success
beyond your imagination
About the Author
Ari Galper, founder of Unlock The Cold Calling Game, makes cold calling painless and simple. Learn his cold calling secrets even the sales gurus don't know. To receive your 10 free audio mini-lessons visit http://www.Unlock-The-Cold-Calling-Game.com
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