If you're like me, it's not so much the fact of cold calling that you hate, it's the results(or lack of) that has you filled with despise. If eight out of10 cold calls resulted in a sale, I'm sure you would have adifferent view of making those cold calls.

So let's fix the problem.

Why your cold calls are failing

If we are going to come up with a solution, we first need toidentify the problem. And when it comes to cold call failures,there's a whole list of possible culprits.

Here are a few…

You're calling the wrongprospects.

What makes the lead you are about to call at least“pre-qualified” to be considered a suspect? Leads should meet atleast two to three specific criteria for your industry before beingcalled. No, more dials won't lead to more sales. If you're callingthe wrong prospects, calling more of them will not get you betterresults.

Right prospects, wrongmessage.

Assuming your leads match the specific criteria needed to beconsidered a suspect but you're getting shut down right out of thegate, your message or OVS (opening value statement) is most likelythe problem. Instead of piquing interest, you're creatingresistance. That needs to change.

Right prospects, right message, wrongstrategy.

So you've got the right prospects and the right opening valuestatement message, but sales are still not increasing. Yourstrategy may be off. There are usually three factors that come intoplay here.

Continue reading…

1. Timing

It's possible that if you are cold calling, that even with theright prospect and the right message, that your prospect's timingmight not fit with your need to close by end of month/quarter/etc.This is why it's important to make sure you keep your dials up atall times. Top sales people are “farmers” and they are alwaysplanting their crops.

2. Trust

Maybe you're hitting the right prospects with the right messageand timing is right, however they don't trust you! So my questionis this: What have YOU done to build yourself up as a trustedadvisor or SME (subject matter expert) in the field you are sellingin? Sales are a lot easier when your prospects get to “know you”from a distance and see that you know what you are talking aboutand can help them get what they want.

3. Need

There's a reason why top BRANDS advertise over and over again.Just pick up your favorite magazine and you will see the samecompanies advertising month after month. Why?

Because they know that not everyone who sees that ad in aparticular month will have a need right then and there. But if theykeep advertising, they know eventually the masses, on their owntime, will have a need, and when they do, they will remember who tocall.

So how does this knowledge help inside sales people? Well,hopefully it changes one's mindset from win/loss sales calls to abroader timing period. Just because you got a “No” now doesn't meanthat “No” is forever.

So when you use tools like LinkedIn, newsletters, webinars, etc.to constantly “touch” or get on your prospect's radar, not onlywill you build trust, they will know whom to call when the timingis right and they have a need, thus turning that one time cold callinto a hot inbound lead.

Related: Prospecting 101: 6 ways to acquire newclients