For cold calling, should you use a script?

"What will I say?"

That's the most-asked question I hear from my Marketing Mentor clients when we get to the part in this process when it's time to call the companies they want to work with. Many books suggest using a script, but I don't agree.

Whether you're making warm or cold calls, it helps to start with a script as you prepare for the call. But I don't think it's helpful when actually making a call. It's easy to get lost in the script and freeze when they don't follow along, which is likely, since the other person doesn't have a copy of your script.

What works better is to have a list of talking points -- the 3-5 things (max) that you don't want to forget to ask or say. Then just be awake during the call and respond to what they say. And if you get flustered, it doesn't matter. Just keep going. So use your talking points as a prompt, but don't get too attached to them.

NJ-based client, Tracy Ivie, of Words and Ideas, suggests keeping a cheat sheet of your best qualities and success stories by the phone, in case none come readily to mind.

And practice, practice, practice.

Comments

[Sherri Loomis]

"Now for homework, Sherri, complete your first cold calls", Ilise of the velvet voice says calmly. "It will get easier; you'll do fine."

I knew the inevitable results before she finished the last honey-dripping word: failure big time.

I delayed the failure for days. Made time to do any tedious task rather than pick up the phone and give my script, even resorting to backing up my year-end data, a sign of desperation.

I was trapped in the corner by the fear of knowing I would utterly fail when I impulsively made my first call. My heart was racing and when I heard a beep and left my message. Hey, I survived that. Wow!

Better, now I can tell Ilise I did something. I did another one, quickly. And I felt a gathering confidence growing, replacing the fear with real experience, leaving messages, feeling the blood return to my head.

Somewhere along the way, I lost my fear and got excited at finding that my fear was MUCH bigger that making the cold calls!

And Ilise says "I told you it would get easier." But how could she know that it would work for me, the shy, I-don't-want-to-bother-you-with-a-telemarketing-goon-call designer?

She was right. And now I have a new feeling of self-confidence because I challenged my fear, and created new patterns that worked. Brain templates for the timid.

Thanks, Ilise, see, I finally posted this! Fearlessly (for the moment), Sherri