Keeping with my theme of cold calling tips, I wanted to discuss some of the many things you should never say when contacting a prospect out of the blue.
1. Is this a good time to talk? Simply put, people are looking for a reason to hang up the phone. If you say this, you are giving the person an immediate out. They will almost always fire back with “not really, call me back later.”
Solution: don’t give the prospect a chance to tell you no. Instead, dive right in and start your pitch.
2. Do you have any time to meet in person in the near future? Once again, you are giving the prospect a chance to say no.
Solution: tell the person that you will be in their area on a couple of days (pick two) during the upcoming week. Then ask, “which one is best for you?” This will greatly improve your chance of landing an important face-to-face meeting.
3. Don’t call me when you change your mind. As crazy as this sounds, there are people – freelance writers included – who get upset when the prospect tells them they are not interested.
Solution: give your contact information and act as respectful as possible. The person is under no obligation to buy from you. Don’t be rude and pushy. You never know when they will change their mind and come back around.
By avoiding these three statements, you have a much better chance of achieving cold calling success.
Chris, I got such a kick out of tip number 3. I’d like to add other don’t-say’s to the list: You’ll be sorry! or It’s your loss!
-Diana
People actually say, “Don’t call me when you change your mind”?? Wow, talk about shooting yourself in the foot.