Summary: Additional Info: 9 Cold Calling Tips for Introverts 1. Don’t Ignore your Anxiety It’s OK to be nervous and feel uncomfortable with making a cold call. Lots of people do. Ignoring that feeling with only make your call more challenging. Instead, acknowledge your fear and ask yourself what’s the worst thing that could happen. The worst thing is probably that you’ll be rejected. Although this might be uncomfortable, you would still live through it. Addressing these feelings instead of simply brushing them off will give you the power to conquer your anxiety about cold calling and start with a more relaxed approach. 2. Do your Research Just because it’s a cold call doesn’t mean it has to be a blind call. Do your research before jumping in. Know your target audience as well as you can. Know what they have purchased on the past, what they’re looking for, and what’s important to them. Having insight into this information will help you to be a more convincing sales person. But even more than that, it will help you to mentally prepare for the call. By knowing your target inside and out, you’ll encounter fewer surprises and be better prepared for how to handle their questions. So remember, not only will doing your research help increase your likelihood of making a sale, it’ll also help you feel better about having to make the cold call in the first place. 3. Build your Script For introverts, scripts are everything. Sure, you definitely don’t want to read directly from a script, but it is nice to have one laid out to help guide you if you get nervous or stuck. When building a script, here are a few tips to keep in mind: Don’t write it out word-for-word. Writing out a script word for word is never a good idea. When you’re nervous you’ll use it as a crutch and read it verbatim, leading you to sound somewhat robotic. Instead, stick to main points and lists, rather than full paragraphs. Keep it short. You can always elaborate on points as you see fit or as the prospect asks you questions. It’s better to keep your initial script short and to-the point. Grab their attention. Much like writing a story, you need to get the prospect’s attention right off the bat. They’ll start to tune you out after a few seconds if you don’t, so make sure you really open with a bang. Keep it personal. Take a moment to ask the prospect about themselves and what they’re looking for and then customize your approach accordingly. 4. Practice Makes Perfect If you’re uncomfortable with cold calling, practicing will help you perfect your approach. Get front of a mirror, or even pick up your phone and pretend you’re speaking to someone. Once you get comfortable, then pick up the phone and contact your first prospect. 5. Don’t Try to Be an Extrovert You’re not an extrovert, so mimicking one won’t sound natural, and therefore likely won’t result in any sales. Instead of trying to be outgoing, which will come off as insincere, be yourself. 6. Focus the Attention on the Caller Introverts are usually uncomfortable talking about themselves. Luckily, when it comes to sales, there’s no need to. You can focus all of your attention on the caller. Once you’ve got their attention, focus on what they’re looking for and how your product or service can fit their needs. Additionally, people tend to be friendlier when they’re talking about themselves, so getting the prospect to open up a bit will help both your sales and make you feel more at ease during your cold call. 7. Use Referrals and Common Connections One way to improve your odds of making a sale is to find some sort of common connection to mention. With LinkedIn and other social networking sites, this process of finding a common connection is simple for introverts. Mentioning a reference or name dropping can go a long way, especially when you’re not very comfortable making the call. 8. Leave Voicemails More often than not, you’ll be reaching someone’s voicemail. When this h(continued)
