PBefore You Make A Cold Call, Do You "gear Up" First? Do You Get Excited About Your Product Or Service, And Try To Anticipate Making The Sale?ppWell, If Youre Following The Old Traditional Cold Calling Mindset, Thats Probably What Youve Been Trained To Do. But What You Dont Know Is That Enthusiasm And Confidence Usually Backfire On You.ppWhy? Because Youre Talking With Someone Who Doesnt Know You. Think About How Youd Feel If Someone You Dont Know Approaches You With A Lot Of Zest And Enthusiasm.ppYoull Probably Take A Step Back. Youre A Little Suspicious And Somewhat On The Defensive In The Face Of All That Enthusiasm.ppIts The Same When You Make Cold Calls. People Dont Like The Feeling Of Being Pressured, And Thats Usually What Gets Triggered When You Approach Someone With Too Much Confidence. Its Called "positive Thinking" In The Old Sales Training Strategies, But Really, Its Overconfidence.ppHere Are Two Things For You To Consider The Next Time You Start To Dial The Phone:pp1. Artificial Sales Enthusiasm Is ArtificialppWhen Im Coaching Someone, Many Times I Like To Ask Them To Role-play With Me. And Often, Just As Soon As They Move Into Their Cold Call Presentation, Everything Changes.ppTheir Natural Voice Tone Shifts, And They Sound Like A Totally Different Person From The One Who Called And Talked So Naturally With Me About Their Sales Issues.ppYou See, Sometimes Just The Idea Of Making A Cold Call Causes You To Talk More Loudly, And With A Lot Of "forward Energy Momentum."ppBut Most Cold Calls Break Down The Moment The Other Person Feels All That Enthusiasm.ppWhy? Because With High Enthusiasm, Prospects Feel Sort Of Boxed In. They Feel The Pressure Of Your Expectations. They Feel Pushed By Someone They Dont Know, And Who Knows Nothing About Them.ppSo Its Much Better To Talk In A Natural, Conversational Way, Just As If You Were Talking With A Friend. When Youre Being A Relaxed And Natural, The Difference Is Amazing.pp2. Assumptions Feel Like PresumptionsppThe Old Cold Calling Approach Encourages You To Be Confident That The Person Youre Calling Should Seriously Consider Buying What You Have To Offer. Its A Taken-for-granted Assumption That If They Fit Your Profile, Your Product Or Service Should Be A "fit" For Them.ppBut Really, How Much Sense Does It Make To Have Assumptions About Someone You've Never Spoken With, Much Less Had A Conversation With? How Much Can You Possibly Know About Their Problems, Issues, Needs, Time Frame, Budget, Decision Making Process, Or Other Key Information?ppCan You Imagine How It Feels To The Person On The Other End Of The Phone When You Presume To Know Whats "best" For Them? They Dont Know You, And They Dont Trust You.ppSo People Naturally Move Into A Defensive Place.ppSo Its Best To Move Away From Making Any Assumptions When You Make Your Cold Calls.ppApproach Your Prospects From A Modest, Humble Position. Avoid Coming To The Conversation Already Convinced In Your Own Mind That They Should Be A Fit. This Way, You'll Eliminate Sales Pressure, Which Triggers That Defensive Reaction.ppCompletely Eliminating Assumptions And High Enthusiasm In Your Cold Calling Will Help People Relate To You As A Real Person Instead Of A Negative-type "pushy" Salesperson. And Youll Find That Theyll Usually Respond Much More Warmly And Naturally.p
