Question

Topic: Advertising/PR

Need Script Help For Cold Calling- Data Backup/it

Posted by Anonymous on 8/5/2010 at 2:30 AM ET 250 Points
I have created a list of our prospects which we want to target. I want to introduce myself and company and setup an appt with a decision maker. I am having problems getting past the gatekeeper and tackling the "Im already set" rebuttal. Any advice:
Here's my general script:

Hi- this is ____. Im calling from ABC Corp. We help many companies to make sure they have a solid data backup system in place that can help them against any type of failure or data loss.

We have worked with over 200 companies in the Sacramento area and more than 50% of the backup systems are either not setup properly or not backing up any data at all.

I have no idea what type of backup you are using at this point, but If you are backing your data to Tape, USB hard drives or CDs, I can defiantly tell you that there are cheaper and more reliable options available.

I would like the opportunity to introduce myself, share some information and strategies our clients have used to reduce their backup costs and better protect their business data.

Do you have any time in the next week or two?
To continue reading this question and the solution, sign up ... it's free!
SUBSCRIBE
Or, SIGN IN

RESPONSES

  • Posted by telemoxie on 8/5/2010 at 7:14 AM Accepted
    what important information, if any, do you have which would be important to a CEO?

    Why are you trying to bypass the CEOs secretary? After all, she is typically the one who manages his appointment book.

    Have you read any books to give you hints, such as, "selling to VITO”?

    By the way, there are several things which a CEO is personally liable for. The corporate structure protects CEOs from many lawsuits, but they can be personally financially liable and/or may even face jail time for a limited number of things. I'm curious... do you know what those things are?
  • Posted by michael on 8/5/2010 at 8:13 AM Accepted
    Ouch....
    Honestly you lost me and your prospect after your company name.

    Can I ask where you're located? You might mean definitely instead of defiantly but never tell the prospect you know something for sure when you've admitted upfront that you don't know anything about their current situation.

    Nobody wants to meet you to share information. They want answers to pain but you haven't even identified that they are having any pain.

    If this sound harsh it's because once you blow the cold call you can't call back. You need to fix this before you make another call.

    Michael
  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 8/5/2010 at 9:13 AM Accepted
    A good book is Smart Calling, by Art Sobczak. In fact google him and get on his free ezine list.

    At the first call, sell the appointment and the appointment only. And, if you blow the cold call you most certainly can call back. Expect to call back. Expect to make several call backs to get a return call. I read somewhere the average is 4. I have 4 separate voice messages that each spell out a specific benefit- so I'm not repeating myself.

    Ok, so you can say, "We help many companies to make sure they have a solid data backup system in place that can help them against any type of failure or data loss--" but that is about you, vs the company. Feature vs benefit.

    This is not a gatekeeper message. Instead ask who handles whatever you are selling, and to be connected to that person.

    When they say "I'm set", prepare a comment to spin them- "A lot of people tell me that, but after our meeting they realize how we can compliment your present system..."

    Repeat your successes. You have 200 clients-- how did you get those clients. Repeat that process.
  • Posted by Markitek on 8/5/2010 at 11:20 AM Accepted
    I think you're in the wrong forum. We're marketing folks, but this is really a question of sales techniques and tactics. No matter how you alter the script, which we can help you do, you're still confronted with a person-to-person interaction that takes serious sales skills to master.

    I have to spend a day recovering from PTSD for every cold call I make, so I never do them and I can't help.

    Does anyone know of forums like this that focus on Sales?
  • Posted on 8/5/2010 at 9:20 PM Accepted
    Instead of calling 100 people and getting nowhere, why not focus on one, and research that prospect thoroughly so you know what they need, what their hot buttons are, and how they make decisions. Then call the right person at that company and offer them the exact solution to their biggest problem.

    If that doesn't work, you need to figure out why. What did you miss? What didn't you understand? What should you do differently for the next prospect?

    If it does work, you've cracked the code. You have your appointment. Now you can start on the next prospect the same way.

    At least this way you'll either get the appointment or learn how to do it better each time. A much better approach than calling 100 prospects, getting 100 turn-downs, and never knowing why.
  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 8/6/2010 at 6:34 AM Member
    Goodman makes a great point. Less is more. And you can evaluate your message. In the book I mentioned, the way to make a smart cold call is knowing your prospect. And it's so much easier now with the internet. Then you can leave a specific targeted message that will more likely get a call back.
  • Posted on 8/7/2010 at 5:17 PM Moderator
    CarolBlaha has lived this stuff and knows. I'm always amazed at how many salespeople walk into cold calls ... well, cold. They have no clue what the client needs, what the decision-making process is, or whether the prospect is even remotely interested in what the salesperson is selling. It's not surprising that the closing ratio is in low single digits, if that.

    And I'm also pleasantly surprised at how easy it has become to research the prospect, talk with THEIR customers, look at their website, talk to people who know them, check out their annual report, etc. and walk into the cold call sizzling hot, with information the prospect really wants -- even pictures, store check reports, competitive information, etc.

    And suddenly the closing ratio goes from almost zero to something greater than 50% ... just because you've invested some time to learn about the prospect before you walk in the door.

    Finally, that first call should focus on the client's needs, not on whatever it is you're selling. Save that until you KNOW that you have the right solution for the client. They'll appreciate it, and you'll be more successful.
  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 8/9/2010 at 8:23 AM Member
    Goodman is right. BTW, I don't use a script. Tried it and I found myself focussin on the script vs listening to the prospect. But I have bullet items that I want to make sure I want to get across. Especially when its a new line who's benefits don't yet roll off my tongue.

    And at the end of the day, review the day. Think of what went wrong and what went right. And don't end the day negative. If someone was especially defeating, pick up the phone again and keep calling (even if you have to call a warm existing loving client) to end the day on a high note.
  • Posted on 8/10/2010 at 11:43 AM Author
    Can you give me some examples I can use as benefits. I know there are a lot of them such as protecting their data in case of s system crash, virus, etc. How can I word that. Im not using the script word per word- but just as a guideline.

    The company name is a generic name I used to protect my company.

    I got the structure of this script from a sales "guru" Scott Channell. So thats why I wanted to get some advice on it before I used it.

    We have never done cold calling and get a lot of our clients through referrals. So this is the first time I will be testing calling clients.
  • Posted on 8/10/2010 at 11:43 AM Author
    telemoxie- sorry but I have no clue what you're talking about.
    We have filtered our list according to the do not call list.. and i dont know what else u're message is about
    thanks
BACK TO TOP

Post a Comment

Related Discussions

Community Info

Top 25 Experts
(Advertising/PR)