Research each prospect.
I know, I know, you’d rather just pick up the phone and call. But trust me, spending just a minute upfront will make you wildly more successful. So do it!
Check out each prospect’s LinkedIn or Google profile to personalize your approach. You’ll want to know:
- What the company does
- What the prospect does specifically
- If you’ve helped a similar company in the past
- One “fun fact” about them
Here’s one thing I never fail to do: I look up how to pronounce the prospect’s name.
Nothing makes people more annoyed and less likely to listen than hearing their name butchered by some fast-talking rep, so this step is crucial.
Some people add how they pronounce their name on Facebook and LinkedIn. If your prospect hasn’t added this feature to their profile, try using PronounceNames to get an idea.
And if you’re still out of luck? Simply ask, “I want to be sure I’m saying your name correctly. How do you pronounce it?”
The Best Cold Calling Script Ever To Warm Up Leads
If you’re having trouble coming up with a cold call script of your own, try this one. Here, the sales rep keeps it simple by focusing on introducing themselves, establishing rapport with the prospect, and using a positioning statement.
Sample Script
Hi [prospect’s name], this is [your name] from [your company name].
I’ve been doing some research on [prospect’s company name] and I’d love to learn more about [challenge you’ve discovered in your research].
At [your company name] we work with people like you to help with [value proposition 1, value proposition 2, and value proposition 3.]
Is this something you think could help with [common challenges/pain points]?
Option 1: Yes, tell me more.
Great! [This is where you’re going to ask them to attend a demo, or continue the conversation with an Account Executive, or take whatever next steps are part of your sales process.]
Option 2: Objection
I understand. Is it ok if I send you a follow-up email to review at your convenience? Then I can follow up with you tomorrow.
If yes, send the email and set a reminder to follow up. If not, thank them for their time and ask if there’s another point of contact they can connect you with. Make sure to include resources that clearly explain what your company does and ask to continue the conversation.
You may have noticed you’re not really cold calling anymore, as you’ve already winnowed down your list and done some homework all before picking up the phone. I promise you, my friend, this extra work will be worth it.
Now let’s get to the script.
1. Introduce yourself.
First, say your name and which company you work for. You need to sound confident and energetic. I can’t tell you how many cold calls I listen to that begin with, “This is mlkjdkfj from mnxcmvn.”
The prospect goes, “What? Who??” Right from the start, the call is going poorly.
You don’t need to yell your greeting, but you do need to articulate the words.
After you say, “This is [name] from [company],” pause.
This is hard for cold callers. They want to jump straight into their pitch. But I want you to take a deep breath and say nothing for eight whole seconds.
While you’re pausing, your prospect is searching their brain for who you could be. It sounds like you know them — are you a client? A former coworker? A current one?
2. Establish rapport.
Now that the call is already deviating from the standard cold call, ask them a question to establish some rapport. Your goal here is to get them talking and prove you’re familiar with them and their company.
Here are some sample questions:
- So, [prospect name], I see you went to [university]. How did you like it?
- Wow, you’ve been at [company] for [X years]. How did you get started there?
- Congrats on your recent promotion. How is the new role?
A good question is topical and makes someone smile. If they seem receptive to chatting, ask them a follow-up question.
For instance, if they say, “I loved going to Cal Poly; the English department was fantastic,” you can respond, “That’s great. Should I recommend it to my niece who wants to be a writer?”
Eventually, they’ll say, “Alright, why are you calling?”
I cackle. Seriously.
They’ll laugh because you’re clearly having fun.
Answer, “Sometimes I forget.” Laugh again.
Trust me, this always lightens the mood. (Unless your prospect is in a major hurry, in which case, you should get to the point.)
3. Use a positioning statement.
A positioning statement shows your prospect that you work with similar companies and understand their challenges. You’re not talking about yourself, which is what most cold callers do.
Here’s a hypothetical positioning statement:
“I work with sales managers in hospitality with five to eight reps on their team. My customers are typically looking to increase rep productivity. Does that sound like you?”
Since you’ve pre-qualified them, they’ll always say “yes.”
Simply say, “Tell me more about that.”
Now, it’s all about them! They’ll explain their pain points and objectives, which is valuable information you can use to build your sales pitch.
Cold Calling Script Variation
As a sales leader at HubSpot, I love assisting newer reps close big deals, because I’ve been in their shoes. It’s good for the company and the reps’ careers. And to do that, I use a slightly altered process and script.
We have a team culture of “just ask,” encouraging junior reps to request help from sales leaders when they want to get meetings with CEOs or prospects at Fortune 500 companies. Once a rep asks for my help, I ask for something in return: The website URL, the LinkedIn profile of the person and company I’m speaking with, and their HubSpot CRM record.
This allows me to quickly familiarize myself with the person and company I’m about to call. Once the phone rings and the prospect answers, I use the greeting from above, “This is [name] from [company],” then pause.
If you’re calling a C-level executive or even a mid-level employee at a large organization, it’s likely you had to get past an assistant or front desk, which is where your senior title helped. Gatekeepers are more likely to pass along “Dan Tyre, Director of Sales at HubSpot” than “[Name], sales rep at HubSpot.”
They’ll know who you are, but they’ll still be curious why you called. Keep them in suspense a bit longer. As in the script above, I’ll spend a few minutes asking about them. Here are a few more questions I turn to:
- “Are you a cat or a dog person?”
- “What’s your favorite breakfast?”
- “What’s the hottest restaurant in [Prospect’s city]?”
When the conversation turns to why I called, I say, “I called to help.” This line usually stops the prospect in their tracks.
Then, I follow up with, “My sales rep asked me to start a conversation with you.” This allows me to easily hand the conversation off to the rep if the conversation goes well.
From there, I use a positioning statement like the one above:
“I work with sales managers in hospitality with five to eight reps on their team. My customers are typically looking to increase rep productivity. Does that sound like you?”
The pre-qualified prospect will answer “Yes,” and that’s when my active listening turns on, and I say, “Tell me more about that.” Once they’ve finished explaining their pain points, I repeat what I’ve heard back to them: “So, what I’m hearing is …” and offer to set up a discovery call.
Usually, the prospect agrees and throws out a time weeks or months in the future. I often reply with, “How about tomorrow?” Most of the time, prospects respond with, “Sure, what time?”
I’ll then check the junior rep’s calendar and schedule the discovery call.
Everyone wants to have a better day. By making your prospects smile or laugh, giving them a chance to talk about their problems, and showing them you might have a solution, you’ll improve their day. That means stronger relationships and, ultimately, more sales.