Why
is it that when it's time to pick up the phone to introduce ourselves
to new prospects, the phone suddenly becomes 50 pounds, and instead we
busy ourselves with tedious tasks that aren't as important? For me,
that's just one simple thing: procrastination. Yet for most people,
it's a fear of not knowing what to say.
Now,
I'm not a "sales" expert, and I'm certainly not an expert on cold
calling. However, I recently had a big "ah-ha" moment when I realized
that I'd much rather do almost any other task that get on the phone.
My problem was, I didn't want to feel like I was "bothering" anyone by
calling them out of the clear blue. Yet, when I put more thought into
it and discussed it with other friends of mine who have the same
responsibility I do in growing their business by making new contacts, I
realized it isn't a bother to let people know that I can help them with a struggle that they might be having. In fact, it's my duty to let people know I'm here to help.
The
other important thing I realized was that I needed to make a
distinction between a "cold call" and an "introduction". Personally,
just the term "cold call" scares me. Maybe that's because I've
received a few high-pressure sales calls in my day. It was important
to me to remember that I'm not calling people to "sell" them anything,
I'm just calling to introduce myself and let them know what I do should they have a need for my services now...or in the future.
Keeping that in mind, I no longer call them "cold calls", I call them "introduction calls". And boy does that take the pressure off.
Here
is an example of my process and how I call to introduce myself to
someone I've never met before. See if you find anything useful in it
to make introducing yourself by phone easier.
1. Have a plan for who you are going to call.
I tend to start off by calling people I have some sort of
association/affiliation with. For example, I'm a member of three local
Chambers of Commerce, so I might call from a membership directory. Important: I scan the directory for people in my target market/niche; not
calling on every business listed - just the people I think might best
need my service, such as entrepreneurs and small business owners. Know who your target market/niche is
- don't just open a book and call the first number listed. You'll
have much better results if you're not defeated by businesses that
aren't interested because they aren't in your niche.
Another example would be calling people in which we have a common friend/colleague, such as a referral.
2. Start by opening with that association. Starting with the common association, be it a friend or actual affiliation, will break the ice and make your introduction easier. So, I might say:
"Hi,
Sally, this is Barbara with Brightfarm Introductions. I understand
you're a fellow member of the ABC Chamber of Commerce, and I don't
think I've had the pleasure of meeting you yet. I just thought I'd
call and introduce myself."
3. Start with the "pain point" you address.
Depending on the response I get from that opening, sometimes I'll ask
them first what they do. If they're quiet as if waiting for me to go
through with my introduction (since I just said I was calling to
introduce myself) or they don't open up immediately, I'll give them a
mini version of my elevator pitch - starting with the "pain point". I
usually position this as a question about a struggle that they might
have that I can either ease or solve for them. So, I might say:
(asking
a question that will open to pain point) "Do you attend a lot of
networking functions to meet people and promote your business?
(pause for reply)
(pain point) I was wondering if you're comfortable with your 30-second networking commercial or the way you introduce yourself?
Fortunately
for me, regardless of whether or not they attend networking functions on a
regular basis, they're certainly introducing themselves to people on a
daily basis, so I'm able to ask that question regardless. The key
is to be as general as possible with your pain point - identify a
problem that your product or service solves for most common business
professionals or consumers. This will allow you to have a better chance of opening up the conversation past just the elevator pitch.
4. Use the "mini version" of your elevator pitch. Even
though you may have a well crafted 30-second elevator pitch, when it
comes to the telephone, it is wise to get straight to the point and in
this scenario 30-seconds can seem like an eternity to a busy
professional who just took your call but is debating from the very
start of the call whether or not to continue the conversation. They
are very busy after all, and you may be distracting them from something
important that they were doing before taking your call. By being as concise as possible, you're showing respect for their time.
So, I might say:
The
reason I ask is, I'm known as The Elevator Pitch Coach and I help
business professionals introduce themselves with an effective 30-second
networking commercial or elevator pitch, so that they're more effective
at networking functions as well as while out and about introducing
themselves to prospective customers."
5. Decide where to go from there. If
the person I'm speaking to DOES have that pain point (not comfortable
with their 30-second elevator pitch or the way they introduce
themselves) and they know they need help in this area, the conversation
will continue. If I've piqued their interest, they will naturally ask me (and this does happen most of the time) how I help people in that area.
Now there is an opening for me to tell them how I answer that problem
as well as the results they would receive by working with me.
What
works best for me is to listen to whether or not they want to know
more, and address the call either way. I'm not big on going on and on
about myself if there's no interest there, and I like to keep the call
as friendly and laid back as possible.
6. Treat the telephone introduction with the respect you would give an in-person introduction.
Just as you wouldn't back someone into a corner to introduce
yourself and tell them everything there is to know about you and your
business, don't do it on the telephone. A telephone introduction is
just like a in-person introduction or the delivery of your networking
commercial in the sense that this is a "mini audition" of who you are -
and first impressions mean everything. The goals for your telephone introduction should be the same as if you were delivering it in a networking situation. Whether
or not this telephone introduction leads to a relationship doesn't
matter, you still want to make the best impression you possibly can.
After all, you never know when they might have the pain point you
addressed or if they know someone who does, sometime in the future. If
you made a good impression in that first introduction call (whether it
was for 30-seconds or 15 minutes), they will be more likely to call you
when the problem arises.
Again,
the example I've shown is just my own style and preference, but I've
had wonderful success with it. Using the suggestions I've provided,
map out your own call and give it a try. Remember to be yourself, be
friendly, and take the pressure of the "sale" off of yourself. Don't
consider it a "cold call", instead consider it an opportunity to meet
new people. With that as your number one priority, you're sure to be
successful.
© 2009 Brightfarm Introductions
Would you like to use this fresh tip for your newsletter or website? You absolutely can, as long as you use this complete blurb along with it:
Barbara Lopez, "The Elevator Pitch Coach" with Brightfarm Introductions, helps business professionals introduce themselves with
high impact. Everything in business starts with an introduction. If
you're ready to learn how to introduce yourself and your business
professionally and comfortably, visit Barbara at www.brightfarm.com.
