I think it’s safe to say that nearly everyone in the sales game had humble beginnings. Some of you may have had the fake bravado on the outside when you started, but on the inside, like me, you were probably scared out of your mind.
I’ve found that many sales reps I’ve trained over the years experience call reluctance. They are hesitant to pick up the phone because, despite hours of sales training, they never feel fully prepared. We can put all the prep work in that we deem necessary, but from what I’ve seen, there is no better way to really learn something than getting knee-deep in the muddy cold calling trenches.
When we do eventually get on the phones, calls can go in a multitude of directions, so it can be difficult to prep for all the scenarios that play out. Obviously, this can confuse the greenhorn inside sales reps, who are trying to plan for every situation. What I typically tell them is that almost every call you make is going to be unique. Things aren’t always going to fall perfectly in place no matter how much we prepare.
Though it may never perfect when we cold call, there are a few things we can do to help the newer folks through the anxiety of not knowing exactly what to expect each time they get a prospect live on the phone.
Here are three tips I recommend junior b2b inside sales reps make a point to focus on to simplify things out of the gates:
1. You Need To Set The Agenda.
Let’s assume you have a couple of IT folks on the line throwing tough technical questions at you. This is the kind of scenario that can potentially throw a newer sales rep off and obviously can kill the flow of any sales conversation, assuming they don’t have all the answers. My recommendation is to be upfront with prospects about your role immediately. When you begin the call, let them know that you can review the service/technology at a high level with them, but it would be best to include a technical specialist if they are looking for more of a deep dive. This helps to make for more of a productive call by allowing you the opportunity to better command the call and qualify the prospect before getting your sales engineer involved.
2. Get to the point.
Any communication you have with a prospect has to be targeted and precise. If you have someone live on the phone, or you’re sending them an email or leaving a voicemail message – every second counts. Dictate the flow of the conversation by getting to the prospects’ pain points faster. Every executive is busy, so if you can’t speak to their pain or need within 30 seconds, there is a good chance you’ve lost them.
3. Don’t be afraid to talk the talk.
Fake it til you make it, right? If it means learning a few acronyms or reading up on a prospect’s background before making the call, by all means, do it! You can’t be intimidated by carrying a conversation with a C-level executive. If you’re stammering over words surprised by the fact that you’ve finally gotten your decision-maker live, you’ll most likely lose them . Although they’re most likely at a much higher pay grade, you have to speak to them with confidence as if you were communicating with a peer in the office.
One of the biggest challenges I see for my new hires is taking command of their sales calls. Think about having your team incorporate the tips above to empower them to take back control of the dreaded prospecting call. If your team embraces the cold calling “journey,” eventually the necessary amount of confidence will shine through.
