New technology has given us a myriad of ways to reach prospects: social media, email, text messages, and instant messaging, to name a few. But the most effective way to connect with prospects is through 130-year-old technology.
It’s called the telephone.
Make that Connection!
Telecom veterans refer to phones as P.O.T.S.: Plain Old Telephone Sets. ( Yeah, yeah, I know we have cell phones now.)
Why is the phone more effective than other communications tools? You can actually create a human connection voice-to-voice.
Can you use email effectively to ask questions, handle objections, build rapport, grasp nuances, and agree on next steps? I doubt it.
Email and other tools are great for creating awareness BEFORE a phone call and for follow up AFTER a call. But nothing can replace a phone call for establishing a connection.
In a Rain Today survey of 700 companies, respondents ranked the phone as the most effective lead generation tool. Of course, they generally use the phone in combination with other tools such as email or direct mail.
Don’t Sell. Qualify.
Remember, the goal of a prospecting call is not to make a sale. It’s to qualify the lead.
Is this person a good fit for your services and does she have a need that you can fill? Once you’ve determined that, you can begin selling (in a subsequent phone call or meeting).
A traditional approach to lead qualification is B.A.N.T. : Budget, Authority, Need, Timing. You probably won’t determine all four criteria in the first phone call. The “N” and the “A” are the most important.
Does the prospect have a need and does he have the authority to purchase your services. If there is a need but he does not have ultimate purchasing authority, find out who does (it may be a committee).
Rules of the Road
Here are some “tele-prospecting” do’s and don’t’s. They apply to cold calls and what I call “luke-warm” calls, a referral with whom you’ve not spoken before.
DO
- Be Prepared – Research the prospect’s site and have a set of talking points/questions ready
- Observe the 80/20 Rule – Do 20% of the talking and let the prospect do the rest
- Ask Open Ended Questions – How do you handle this; how much does that cost you?
- Probe – Get beyond responses such as “we’re all set”
- Agree on Next Steps – If there is an interest, agree on Who, What, and When. Who’s responsible? What will happen next? When will it happen?
DON’T
- Ramble On – Give your elevator speech and shut up. Get the prospect to start talking
- Be Pushy – Come across as a business professional, not a fast talking huckster
- Ask Closed Ended Questions – Get the prospect to elaborate, not answer with a “yes” or no”
- Be a Prosecutor – Ask questions in a relaxed conversational manner.
- End without a Resolution – The call ends with either “no interest” or agreed upon next steps. Period.
Sending an email may be easier than cold calling. But you could end up in the junk mail “box.” A phone call can put you in the batter’s box.
