A lot of people consider cold calling to be frightening, pointless, or both. But believe it or not, cold calling remains a cost effective way of generating revenue, even in the cutting edge mobile tech world.

For those that are scared to get started, it’s usually a matter of not knowing how to make cold calling work. If this is you, we’ve got a few tips that can make the cold calling process a lot easier. Follow these tips, and you’ll be able to find an increasing number of sales amid all of those depressing hang-ups.

How to open

One of the most effective ways to start is to ask people if they have a moment to chat. Small business owners are incredibly pressed for time, and you need to respect that. If they say they don’t have time to talk, ask what part of the day is usually quieter. Don’t do what most unsuccessful salespeople do and try to “bowl over” the prospect:

“Hi there my name is Jack Jackson I’m calling about APPS you wouldn’t believe how great they are you can do EVERYTHING they’re going to take your business into the future and generate a million dollars$$$ in sales right away can I put your purchase through on a major credit card right now?”

…

*click*

Desperation is a very unpleasant cologne. Don’t be so hungry for a sale that you make it all about you. Instead, the call is all about your prospect, and his or her needs.

“What? The goal isn’t to make a sale?”

Nope.

So, what’s the goal?

To learn about the prospect. You need to get them talking about their problems. You’re trying to see what their issues are so that you can figure out if your offering can help them. Thus, the goal is to ask a few questions that quickly get prospects talking about the things that matter to them the most. Then, you can find the fit between the benefits of your product and the problems that the prospect is having.

Use a flexible style

To figure out how to get a prospect to open up, you need to be very attentive and try to figure out your prospect’s preferred style. Some people are laid back, some are serious; some are rushed, and others want to take things slowly. Match your prospect’s preferred style, so that they’re comfortable continuing the conversation and become more receptive to the interaction.

Ask for the appointment

If you’ve had a brief chat and the prospect has some interest in hearing more, ask for an appointment. It’s that simple. Try to schedule it for a time of day and day of week that is fairly quiet, so that your prospect isn’t inconvenienced by the meeting, and might even look forward to a little break.

Confirming or canceling?

Don’t call to confirm – too often, it comes off as an invitation for a cancellation. Instead, leave a voicemail after the close of business, or send a confirmation message. If they want to put off the meeting, suggest a video call as a compromise.

Always improve

Hone your script based on what is effective in your experience – don’t just repeat the same thing forever. A continually evolving script is a continually improving script, and the results will show in your conversion rate.

Good luck out there!