Genesis 101: 8 Facts To Help Strategize Your Cold Phone Calls

One of the most difficult things to do in sales is make the initial phone call or cold call. We all have been there and know the dread of this call. It’s a numbers game and you have to expect to be rejected 90% of the time. While no one likes getting rejected 90% of the time, it’s something that must be done. Almost every successful business owner, sales person and entrepreneur will tell you this was a necessary business practice at the beginning of their career. But like any other business practice you can always put yourself in favor to come out on top. While I can’t guarantee by following these you’re going to magically create a lead or customer on every single cold call. But you can strategically put yourself in a better position with the prospect when you make call. It then comes to you to make the sale.

1. 80% of sales are made on the fifth to twelfth contact. This means one or two follow ups won’t cut it!
2. The best time to cold call is between either 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM or 4:00PM and 5:00PM. Plan your sales calls around these two time frames.
3. The worst time is between 11AM and 2 PM. Use this time to meet with leads, research prospects and plan your afternoon sales calls.
4. Thursday is the best day to call. Get on the phone!
5. Tuesday is the worst day. Use this day as a day to research your prospects and schedule meetings.
6. 50% of the time prospects go with the first salesperson to contact them. While this might come down to luck, the more you call the more likely you will be this person when they answer.
7. The first 10 seconds determine the response you will get to your cold call. Quickly grab their attention within this time frame and keep it the rest of the phone call.
8. You are 6 times more likely to close a web lead if you contact them 1 hour of them submitting a form. Call quick and use the information strategically that they gave you in the form. If they give your certain details focus on these and address what they need/want.

Cold calling can be quite difficult and a bit nerve wrecking. But the more you plan your approach with what you’re saying, when your calling and how much your calling, you will substantially increase your success rate. Use these statistics and warm up your cold calls.

For more Genesis 101 articles visit our blog.

Also make sure to read our whitepaper “Small Business Guide to Unified Communications“.