9 B2B Cold Calling Strategies That Help Grow Sales
Table of Contents
Few sales professionals enjoy B2B cold calling. It can have a low conversion rate, and not all prospects appreciate the outreach. Still, B2B cold calling remains one of the most effective ways to reach potential buyers.
We’ve put together proven strategies to help you master the art of cold calling and boost your success rate. Let’s dive in.
What Is B2B Cold Calling?
B2B cold calling is a type of outbound sales where a salesperson from one business calls another business with the aim of generating a sale. As with cold emails, the prospect has had no prior contact with your company.
Today, B2B cold calling is a more targeted approach. It involves researching your prospects beforehand, which makes it more effective.
Is B2B Cold Calling Still Relevant?
There’s debate about whether B2B cold calling is still relevant given the range of lead generation channels on offer. But, in our opinion, B2B cold calling still has a place in your outreach strategy, alongside your email marketing strategy.
According to research, phone calls remain a popular communication channel, particularly among C-level executives and VPs. Most B2B buyers are also open to cold callers, especially at the start of the sales process.
B2B sales calls are most effective when you contact targeted accounts. But, even if you don’t land a sale on your first call, it’s an opportunity to hone your skills and introduce your brand to potential customers. Technology is also improving the efficiency of cold calling, saving time and helping you reach more prospects.
For the rest of the article, we’ll take you through our best cold-calling tips. We’ve divided our list into what to do before, during, and after the call to hone your skills and boost sales.
What Should You Do Before The Call?
Before dialing the phone, you need to prepare. That means knowing the who, what, when, why, and how.
- Who are you calling, and why?
- When are you going to call them, and what will you say?
- How will you convince them that you’re the solution to their pain point?
To answer these questions, you first need to research your prospects. Then, you need to plan your sales call.
1. Research your prospects
Today’s buyers don’t want to feel like another phone number on your list—they want you to speak to them and their needs. That means research.
Familiarize yourself with the business you’re about to contact. Browse their website, read their blog, and find them on social media. Ask yourself the following questions:
- What does this business do?
- What products or services does it offer?
- How many employees does it have?
- Where does it fit in the competitive landscape?
- Who are the main decision-makers and gatekeepers?
- And, crucially: What are its pain points, and how can my company solve them?
Also, look up any articles your individual prospect has written and check out their LinkedIn profile. Have they won any awards recently, or secured a promotion? Do you have any mutual connections? Look for anything you can use to build a relationship with them.
2. Plan your sales call
You need to define your goals for the call. Are you trying to schedule an appointment? Close a sale? Or is it a discovery call? You don’t need the level of detail you would for setting company OKRs. Rather, you want to give yourself a focus for the call. After all, there’s no point in mentioning pricing if your goal is to schedule a demo.
Once you’ve established your goals, you can plan the call. This doesn’t have to be a line-by-line sales script, but a roadmap to help you stay on track. For example:
- Introduce yourself and the company.
- Explain why you’re calling, and ask questions to build a connection.
- Describe how your product or service can solve their pain point (this is your value proposition).
- Finish with a clear call to action, like scheduling a follow-up call or a demo.
What Should You Do During The Call?
Now that you’re prepared, it’s time to make the call. There are a few things you can do to improve your chances of moving the prospect forward. Below are our tips on how to do that.
3. Use software
Sales software like CRMs and VoIP can save time and provide valuable information to hone your technique. And, don’t worry: most businesses now accept VoIP callers (if you’re wondering “what is a VoIP caller?”, it’s someone who makes VoIP calls).
With the right VoIP solution or outbound call center service, you can place calls from your desktop or mobile and automatically record your calls. Plus, you can integrate your CRM so everyone in your sales team is working with the same data.
Some software comes with conversational intelligence to inform your calls in real-time. And you can save time with workflow automation, cold-calling script builders, templates, and sales dialers.
4. Be prepared for objections
Objections are a natural part of the cold-calling process. So, you need to prepare yourself to deal with them effectively.
The first step is changing how you think about them. Objections can actually suggest interest一your prospects may simply not understand your offering. To deal with objections, you need to validate them, then help them understand in an empathetic way.
For instance, if someone says, “Your product is too expensive”, start by saying, “I understand that it’s a big investment. But…” and go on to explain its benefits and how it could save them money in the long run.
Also, look at your pre-call research for clues about potential objections. For example, they might have a tight budget, or they might have had problems with a similar company in the past. You can then think about how to address them.
5. Ask open-ended questions
Successful cold calls are a two-way conversation. To keep your prospect’s attention and convince them to buy from you, you have to get them talking. Asking open-ended questions is the best way to do this.
Avoid questions that lead to a “yes” or a “no”, or you’ll risk hitting a dead end. Open-ended questions help you establish a connection with your prospect. They’re also a good way to learn about them. Here are some examples of open-ended questions you could ask:
- What are your current business goals?
- Which tools do you currently use?
- What do you like and dislike about your current providers?
- What does your sales funnel look like?
- How do you feel about working with a new company?
6. Don’t pitch too soon
A common mistake on cold calls is to deliver the pitch before you understand what the prospect needs and if you can help them. This not only wastes the prospect’s time but also your own.
Don’t be afraid to make small talk and ask questions to build rapport and gauge a prospect’s interest—you’re a human after all, and don’t want to sound like automated telemarketing calls.
Once you’ve made a connection, you can deliver a sales pitch that’s tailored to the needs you discussed with them. They’ll be less likely to hang up, and they’ll appreciate your time.
While it’s tempting to rush straight to the pitch so you can call more prospects, you’re more likely to get a sale if you take your time.
What Should You Do After The Call?
Your job isn’t over once you hang up the phone. To make the most of every call, there are a few more steps you can take.
Check out these sales tips to see how to review your performance, optimize your strategy, and follow up like a pro.
7. Review the call to see how it went
Your first step after the call is to review how it went. If it went badly, try to pinpoint where it went wrong so you can avoid that mistake in the future. If it went well, analyze the reasons why. By continuously learning and refining your technique, you should start to see fewer bad sales calls.
CCaaS (Contact Center as a Service) software comes with features like call recording and transcription, so you can review calls without having to take notes during them. Your sales manager can also create a library of calls一good and bad一to act as a training resource for the entire team.
8. Follow up after the call
However the call went, it’s good practice to send a follow-up email thanking them for their time and outlining any next steps. This not only gives the prospect your email address but also creates a positive impression of your company.
Also, try to include some valuable information in your follow-ups, such as a customer success story, a link to a webinar, or more information about your product and its features. This could help uncertain prospects make a decision, and even if they decide not to move ahead, this means you can focus your cold-calling efforts on other prospects.
9. Track your sales metrics to optimize your strategy
Our final B2B cold calling technique is to track your sales metrics. That means collecting as much data as possible from every call and storing it in your company’s CRM. Over time, you can build up a picture of your calls and answer questions like:
- When is the best time to call?
- How many calls does it take to reach a prospect?
- Which decision-makers should you ask for?
- How long does a call usually last?
- What are the most common objections?
- Which benefits generate the most interest?
You can then use these insights to optimize your sales strategy.
Cold Call Like A Pro And Grow Your Sales Today
B2B cold calling can be frustrating, but it’s an essential part of a sales rep’s job. Done well, it can form new connections and lead to opportunities that benefit both businesses. For that, though, you need the right strategy.
By following our B2B cold calling tips, you can cold call like a pro and grow your sales today. If you’d prefer to work with a professional call center service, check out our providers and their reviews.
Table of Contents
Few sales professionals enjoy B2B cold calling. It can have a low conversion rate, and not all prospects appreciate the outreach. Still, B2B cold calling remains one of the most effective ways to reach potential buyers.
We’ve put together proven strategies to help you master the art of cold calling and boost your success rate. Let’s dive in.
What Is B2B Cold Calling?
B2B cold calling is a type of outbound sales where a salesperson from one business calls another business with the aim of generating a sale. As with cold emails, the prospect has had no prior contact with your company.
Today, B2B cold calling is a more targeted approach. It involves researching your prospects beforehand, which makes it more effective.
Is B2B Cold Calling Still Relevant?
There’s debate about whether B2B cold calling is still relevant given the range of lead generation channels on offer. But, in our opinion, B2B cold calling still has a place in your outreach strategy, alongside your email marketing strategy.
According to research, phone calls remain a popular communication channel, particularly among C-level executives and VPs. Most B2B buyers are also open to cold callers, especially at the start of the sales process.
B2B sales calls are most effective when you contact targeted accounts. But, even if you don’t land a sale on your first call, it’s an opportunity to hone your skills and introduce your brand to potential customers. Technology is also improving the efficiency of cold calling, saving time and helping you reach more prospects.
For the rest of the article, we’ll take you through our best cold-calling tips. We’ve divided our list into what to do before, during, and after the call to hone your skills and boost sales.
What Should You Do Before The Call?
Before dialing the phone, you need to prepare. That means knowing the who, what, when, why, and how.
- Who are you calling, and why?
- When are you going to call them, and what will you say?
- How will you convince them that you’re the solution to their pain point?
To answer these questions, you first need to research your prospects. Then, you need to plan your sales call.
1. Research your prospects
Today’s buyers don’t want to feel like another phone number on your list—they want you to speak to them and their needs. That means research.
Familiarize yourself with the business you’re about to contact. Browse their website, read their blog, and find them on social media. Ask yourself the following questions:
- What does this business do?
- What products or services does it offer?
- How many employees does it have?
- Where does it fit in the competitive landscape?
- Who are the main decision-makers and gatekeepers?
- And, crucially: What are its pain points, and how can my company solve them?
Also, look up any articles your individual prospect has written and check out their LinkedIn profile. Have they won any awards recently, or secured a promotion? Do you have any mutual connections? Look for anything you can use to build a relationship with them.
2. Plan your sales call
You need to define your goals for the call. Are you trying to schedule an appointment? Close a sale? Or is it a discovery call? You don’t need the level of detail you would for setting company OKRs. Rather, you want to give yourself a focus for the call. After all, there’s no point in mentioning pricing if your goal is to schedule a demo.
Once you’ve established your goals, you can plan the call. This doesn’t have to be a line-by-line sales script, but a roadmap to help you stay on track. For example:
- Introduce yourself and the company.
- Explain why you’re calling, and ask questions to build a connection.
- Describe how your product or service can solve their pain point (this is your value proposition).
- Finish with a clear call to action, like scheduling a follow-up call or a demo.
What Should You Do During The Call?
Now that you’re prepared, it’s time to make the call. There are a few things you can do to improve your chances of moving the prospect forward. Below are our tips on how to do that.
3. Use software
Sales software like CRMs and VoIP can save time and provide valuable information to hone your technique. And, don’t worry: most businesses now accept VoIP callers (if you’re wondering “what is a VoIP caller?”, it’s someone who makes VoIP calls).
With the right VoIP solution or outbound call center service, you can place calls from your desktop or mobile and automatically record your calls. Plus, you can integrate your CRM so everyone in your sales team is working with the same data.
Some software comes with conversational intelligence to inform your calls in real-time. And you can save time with workflow automation, cold-calling script builders, templates, and sales dialers.
4. Be prepared for objections
Objections are a natural part of the cold-calling process. So, you need to prepare yourself to deal with them effectively.
The first step is changing how you think about them. Objections can actually suggest interest一your prospects may simply not understand your offering. To deal with objections, you need to validate them, then help them understand in an empathetic way.
For instance, if someone says, “Your product is too expensive”, start by saying, “I understand that it’s a big investment. But…” and go on to explain its benefits and how it could save them money in the long run.
Also, look at your pre-call research for clues about potential objections. For example, they might have a tight budget, or they might have had problems with a similar company in the past. You can then think about how to address them.
5. Ask open-ended questions
Successful cold calls are a two-way conversation. To keep your prospect’s attention and convince them to buy from you, you have to get them talking. Asking open-ended questions is the best way to do this.
Avoid questions that lead to a “yes” or a “no”, or you’ll risk hitting a dead end. Open-ended questions help you establish a connection with your prospect. They’re also a good way to learn about them. Here are some examples of open-ended questions you could ask:
- What are your current business goals?
- Which tools do you currently use?
- What do you like and dislike about your current providers?
- What does your sales funnel look like?
- How do you feel about working with a new company?
6. Don’t pitch too soon
A common mistake on cold calls is to deliver the pitch before you understand what the prospect needs and if you can help them. This not only wastes the prospect’s time but also your own.
Don’t be afraid to make small talk and ask questions to build rapport and gauge a prospect’s interest—you’re a human after all, and don’t want to sound like automated telemarketing calls.
Once you’ve made a connection, you can deliver a sales pitch that’s tailored to the needs you discussed with them. They’ll be less likely to hang up, and they’ll appreciate your time.
While it’s tempting to rush straight to the pitch so you can call more prospects, you’re more likely to get a sale if you take your time.
What Should You Do After The Call?
Your job isn’t over once you hang up the phone. To make the most of every call, there are a few more steps you can take.
Check out these sales tips to see how to review your performance, optimize your strategy, and follow up like a pro.
7. Review the call to see how it went
Your first step after the call is to review how it went. If it went badly, try to pinpoint where it went wrong so you can avoid that mistake in the future. If it went well, analyze the reasons why. By continuously learning and refining your technique, you should start to see fewer bad sales calls.
CCaaS (Contact Center as a Service) software comes with features like call recording and transcription, so you can review calls without having to take notes during them. Your sales manager can also create a library of calls一good and bad一to act as a training resource for the entire team.
8. Follow up after the call
However the call went, it’s good practice to send a follow-up email thanking them for their time and outlining any next steps. This not only gives the prospect your email address but also creates a positive impression of your company.
Also, try to include some valuable information in your follow-ups, such as a customer success story, a link to a webinar, or more information about your product and its features. This could help uncertain prospects make a decision, and even if they decide not to move ahead, this means you can focus your cold-calling efforts on other prospects.
9. Track your sales metrics to optimize your strategy
Our final B2B cold calling technique is to track your sales metrics. That means collecting as much data as possible from every call and storing it in your company’s CRM. Over time, you can build up a picture of your calls and answer questions like:
- When is the best time to call?
- How many calls does it take to reach a prospect?
- Which decision-makers should you ask for?
- How long does a call usually last?
- What are the most common objections?
- Which benefits generate the most interest?
You can then use these insights to optimize your sales strategy.
Cold Call Like A Pro And Grow Your Sales Today
B2B cold calling can be frustrating, but it’s an essential part of a sales rep’s job. Done well, it can form new connections and lead to opportunities that benefit both businesses. For that, though, you need the right strategy.
By following our B2B cold calling tips, you can cold call like a pro and grow your sales today. If you’d prefer to work with a professional call center service, check out our providers and their reviews.
