Outbound calling — the name itself is enough to send shivers down the spine of any call centre agent. Generally, people are scared of making sales calls as there are hardly any instances wherein this turns out to be a pleasant experience. If your agents are also struggling with the same issue, then here are five effective ways of mastering the art of making a successful outbound call.
- Align the cold calling campaigns with other marketing promotions:
Usually, companies run ads on various platforms, use a series of mails or perform other marketing tactics to promote their offerings. By timing sales calls in a manner which integrates it with other marketing campaigns, you’ll be able to maximise the results of both. When the person at other end of the call has already seen your ad somewhere, striking a conversation becomes an easier task to accomplish. - Don’t forget the greeting:
When you’re talking to someone for the first time, greeting them is the most important step. This helps build a favourable image in the mind of the person at the other end. Don’t directly jump into your sales pitch but give sufficient time to greeting the person and introducing yourself. - Work on the script and keep it handy:
Customers dread listening to the same old and boring sales pitch. Your excellent outbound calling agents maybe say it a hundred times and the customers hear it for a thousand times! Refrain from following the dull pitch, in fact, create a unique sales script. Include important aspects and try to personalise it as much as you can. Once it’s ready, keep it in front of your eyes while making a call to ensure that you stick to the point and follow a logical path. - Schedule a follow-up:
This is extremely important for a sales call. If the prospect says he’s busy, then ask when can you possibly connect or if he mentions that he’ll think about it, then schedule a time for the meeting. Based on the situation, always look for ways when you can establish a dialogue in the future and contact on that time. This will help you gain the trust of your prospects. - Courtesy wins:
A simple ‘thank you for your precious time’ can be immensely helpful in gaining favourable results out of the outbound call. Courtesy never fails to impress and it shows the prospect that you respect his/her time.
Aforementioned are five of the most effective, yet ignored, tips that have the capacity of turning any outbound calling campaign into a success.