Business, Conversation
"Cold" sales - is that? Method and technology of "cold" sales
For any firm, the question of finding new customers is always relevant, which is connected with working in a "cold" market. What is the difference between "cold" sales and "warm" sales? How to make an unfamiliar skeptical person a "hot" client?
How do "cold" sales differ from "hot" sales?
Negotiations with customers without intermediaries are called direct sales. "Hot" and "cold" sales are carried out in different markets. The "hot" market is regular customers, shop attendees, that is, the target audience.
For any firm, the question of finding new customers is always relevant, which is connected with working in a "cold" market. As a rule, "cold" sales - this is business trips, telephone calls and an obligatory meeting with a potential client, a presentation of the product.
"Cold" calls are telephone conversations, the result of which should be a positive attitude, an agreement on a meeting or a concluded deal.
Specificity of work in the "cold" market
Work on the "cold" market has its pros and cons.
Positive sides | Negative sides |
Effective work provides a significant increase in sales and allows you to increase the competitiveness of the company, product, service. | Sellers who have not been taught to apply the technology of "cold" sales and calls get a lot of failures and lose enthusiasm. |
"Cold" sales are an unlimited number of potential customers. | The development of professionalism in this case takes time. |
Minimum financial costs and reduced advertising costs. |
Any department of "cold" sales needs technology that will help to work effectively with customers.
10 rules for successful "cold" sales
The rules of "cold" sales are recommendations collected from articles and books about the business of several well-known authors.
- Before the negotiations, release tension and relax. A successful seller is an energetic and confident person.
- Positive attitude. Self-motivation.
- Know thoroughly the product that is to be sold.
- Create a comfortable environment for the client, cause sympathy. "Hook" the buyer, just to interest, but do not "cram" the goods.
- Feel the customer. In what language, with what intonation does he say? You can use a similar vocabulary, tone of voice, style of speech.
- Create an interest in yourself, your product, service, firm with the help of the media and participation in meetings of customers, forums, fairs, exhibitions and other events. Creation of mailings, leaflets with useful information for potential customers.
- Record effective "cold" calls with arrangements for meetings.
- Constantly and daily update the base of new customers.
- Remember that every "no" is closer to closing a deal. In order to conclude a profitable deal, one must be prepared to hear many refusals.
- Be sure to prepare before calls and meetings, using the scenario of "cold" sales.
Ability to respond to failures
Business negotiations in the "cold" market are always connected with objections and excuses of potential consumers. A negative answer can be foreseen and used as a fulcrum to turn the negotiations on the right track. The first refusal is usually formulated as one of four options.
Form of failure | Approximate reaction manager (The desired result is to agree on a meeting) |
| It is very good that you already have this product. Representatives of many organizations (listed) said the same thing until they got acquainted with our product (service), especially with ... (interest in the unique feature of the product). They realized that our service helps ... We should meet. Will it be convenient for you on Wednesday, at three o'clock? |
| Many reacted the same way when we addressed them for the first time. But later they had a chance to understand what advantages they can get with the help of our proposal (include the example of the organization with which you worked in the phrase). |
| I approached you to arrange an appointment. |
| Maybe it's better we just meet and talk. Are you comfortable on Wednesday, at three o'clock? |
All the secrets of the "cold" sales boil down to the elementary rules, confidently address the interlocutor by name, speak the truth, interest, avoiding the template phrases. "Cold" sales are the result of a living dialogue, rather than the exchange of trivial phrases. Refusal is not a verdict, but an opportunity to "open the right door".
Technology of "cold" sales
The sale process can be divided into four stages. The main task at each stage is to provide the next step and accelerate the sale.
| An easy conversation. Without spectacular introductions, a simple acquaintance with the client as a person. Tell the product simply and in essence. |
| It takes up to 80% of the time and effort of the entire sales process. What information will help to conduct a presentation and conclude a deal? This information is not about the needs, but about the activities of the interlocutor. To get it you need to ask the right questions and use "cold" calls. As a result, there is an answer to the question of how a particular product (service) will help the client to do what he wants. |
| The presentation is the result of the previous process. Its goal is not to show the goods, but to convey to the consumer the rationale for his choice and conclude a deal. |
| Logical completion of the presentation. For example, contacting the customer: "What do you think about it?" "What do you think?" |
The method of "cold" sales is productive if you have collected enough information for the presentation.
Argumentation at the presentation
Arguments during the presentation must be submitted in a certain order. First it is worth talking about the strengths of the product. The first 2-3 arguments should affect the emotions and feelings of the interlocutor. In the middle, pay attention to 1-2 simple properties of the product, for example, utility. At the end, give the three strongest arguments that justify the purchase.
7 secrets of effective "cold" calls
"Cold" sales - this is the logical outcome of the chain: a call - a meeting - a presentation. Call a stranger and arrange an appointment is not so difficult as it seems, if you play by the rules.
- Negotiations on the phone are better to hold, not stooping sitting at the table, but standing up, as the voice will sound lively. Also a tall stool is suitable.
- The voice will be more pleasant if the muscles are relaxed. Smile! You can rehearse by placing a mirror in front of you to see your smile.
- The one who trains a lot, is doomed to success. Dialogue with the client can be repeated at home with a loved one. Training helps to remember the scenarios of "cold" sales, answers to possible questions and work out the technique.
- Record their talks on the recorder. Only after listening to the conversation from the side, you can hear your mistakes. Analysis of voice recordings improves call efficiency by 40%.
- Discipline and time frame. Productive negotiations with one client are held within two to three minutes. For example, 10-15 "cold" calls every day at the same time for 30 minutes.
- A simple "Call accounting" table will help you evaluate the effectiveness of your work. To enter in the table should be not just the number of dialed numbers, but the number of calls brought to the end, appointments and meetings held.
- Hear the interlocutor and do not interrupt. According to statistics, 99% of newcomers, having introduced themselves or asked a question, can not stand the pause and wait for an answer. A pause helps the interviewee switch to a conversation.
Psychology as the key to sales
Make the sale successful will help the application of psychology.
- The facial expression can tell a lot about the mood and thoughts of the interlocutor.
- Smile and eye contact - customer confidence.
- There are many open questions for maintaining conversation and collecting information: "What do you think about the product?", "Do you have any wishes?".
- Correct submission of information. First, a positive image of the product, a vivid image. Secondly, commercial materials. Thirdly, the cost, if there is interest and contact is established.
How to prepare a sales training?
Active forms of learning to gain knowledge, develop skills and consolidate skills are called training. Training sales on "cold" calls allows you to work out difficult moments of negotiations. Before the training, participants are told the theory of negotiations necessary to complete the tasks.
Subject | Contents of the exercise |
Segments of our market | Divide into groups of potential consumers. For each, formulate the main argument for purchasing a product. |
Product Presentation | The goal is to interest the interlocutor. To come up with a key phrase about the advantages of the product in three variants. |
Successful negotiations by phone | Listen to the recording of their telephone conversations, evaluate them using a special questionnaire. |
Determine the purpose (choose from the list) of negotiations by phone with the secretary, the manager of the sales department , the head of the department. | |
Formulation of a form (table) for entering information received during negotiations. | |
Work in pairs. Conversation with the manager, the head of the department and the director. The purpose is to make an appointment. | |
How to get around the Cerberus? | Choose a tactic and come up with a wording to get around an adamant secretary. |
Objections | Remember the options for answering common objections and working in pairs.
|
As the statistics show, almost 90% of the information received at trainings, seminars, is forgotten in a month. Trainings are useful in the event that the sales manager regularly trains, repeats and fixes the knowledge gained during training.
Conclusion
All the secrets of "cold" sales are to work constantly on themselves. Successful is the one who is capable of self-motivation. Faith and love for your work help resolve any difficult situation!
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