If you’re using the same outdated approach to cold calling as most sales reps, you’re doing it wrong... and you’re missing out on a lot of appointments. In this slideshow from our March session of Business Wise Insiders, you'll learn 5 new rules for cold calling that replace the old, outdated strategies most sales reps use; secrets to cold calling efficiency that lead to more appointments with better prospects in less phone time; how to avoid common cold calling mistakes that might be lowering your success rate.

1. The New Rules of Cold Calling:
How to Set More Appointments, Faster

2. COLD CALLING in 2017
Is cold calling worth
my TIME and
ENERGY?
Will prospects
TAKE MY CALLS
and be WILLING
TO TALK?
Is cold calling as
effective as other
channels, like
REFERRALS or EMAIL
MARKETING?
Does cold calling
REALLY STILL
WORK?
Increasingly, cold calling seems like an UPHILL BATTLE.
Today’s sales reps constantly ask themselves...

3. THE NEW RULES OF COLD CALLING
Master the art of
COLD CALL
EFFICIENCY!
Use strategies that
get your prospects
TALKING!
Make cold calling a
key component of a
ROBUST BIZ-DEV
STRATEGY!
Set MORE
APPOINTMENTS
(they’ll lead to
MORE SALES)!
The answer to all of those questions is a resounding YES, if
you UPDATE your cold calling strategy to...

4. Start With a Good Call List
RULE No. 1

5. Call as many
prospects as you can.
Take the time to create a
TARGETED LIST of your
HIGH VALUE prospects.
OLD RULE NEW RULE

6. LIST BUILDING 101
A strong list starts with the right DEMOGRAPHICS.
Use your CURRENT CLIENTS as a road map:
INDUSTRY SIZE SALES
LOCATIONSTRUCTURE REACH
◯ Banking
◯ Telecom
◯ Etc.
◯ Large
◯ Medium
◯ Small
◯ <$25M
◯ $25-100M
◯ >$100M
◯ Public
◯ Private
◯ Other
◯ Local
◯ National
◯ Global
◯ Office
◯ Industrial
◯ Retail

7. KEY POINTS
When you call “everyone,” you waste time on bad prospects
Time spent crafting your list = time saved on the phone
Focus on high value prospects = better success rate

8. In BWise, use the DESIGN QUERY feature to focus your target
market according to your ideal demographic criteria!
BWise User Tip

9. Research Wastes Time
RULE No. 2

10. Research your prospects
thoroughly before you
call them.
Profile your prospects
according to CATEGORIES to
maximize EFFICIENCY.
OLD RULE NEW RULE

11. When you cold call, you’re ON THE CLOCK. Your goal is to MAXIMIZE
the % of that time you spend talking to GOOD PROSPECTS.
THE COLD CALLING “CLOCK”
CALL TIME
(Maximize)
RESEARCH TIME
(Minimize)

12. KEY POINTS
Your cold calling time is finite; make the most of it
Research by category / industry = more efficient
Similar firms face common challenges / priorities

13. With the BWise ACTIVITY MANAGER, you can create
call queues, log call results, and schedule follow-ups.
BWise User Tip

14. Don’t Sell Your Product
RULE No. 3

15. Sell your prospect
on the benefits
of your product.
Focus on what YOUR
PROSPECT wants and needs,
and sell the benefits of an
APPOINTMENT.
OLD RULE NEW RULE

16. THE VALUE OF AN APPOINTMENT
FREE KNOWLEDGE
The opportunity to brainstorm
about problems and solutions,
and to gain NEW IDEAS.
NO STRINGS
You may not be the RIGHT
FIT—make clear there’s no
commitment beyond a meeting.
2-WAY STREET
Not just seller-buyer; BOTH
PARTIES BENEFIT from an
open and honest discussion.

17. KEY POINTS
Prospects are focused on their problems / priorities
You won’t close a complex B2B sale with a cold call
Climb the ladder: aim for the next step, not the final step

18. After you set an appointment, use the LINKS menu in any BWise
company profile to discover prospect-specific news and information!
BWise User Tip

19. Take “No” For An Answer
RULE No. 4

20. View every prospect as a
potential appointment,
and don’t give up.
Don’t focus on INDIVIDUAL
prospects; focus on TOTAL
APPOINTMENTS.
OLD RULE NEW RULE

21. GOOD PROSPECT / BAD PROSPECT
The more phone
time you use
trying to convince
a NO...
Not every prospect is a potential YES. Whatever the reason
(bad timing, no budget, not interested), they’re stuck on NO.
...the less phone
time you get with
each potential
YES.

22. KEY POINTS
Your goal: a higher total number of appointments
Learn to recognize a likely “no,” move on
Last resort: the 3-6-9 question

23. Scrap the Old Script
RULE No. 5

24. Develop a call script
and memorize it.
Be SITUATIONAL, FLEXIBLE,
and CONVERSATIONAL. Ask
questions, and LISTEN more
than you talk.
OLD RULE NEW RULE

25. COLD CALL SCRIPTS: MYTH vs. FACT
MYTH FACT
Use a FORMAL greeting (“Hello Mrs. Jones”)
Introduce YOURSELF and your COMPANY
First, THANK your prospect for their time
State the purpose of your call as a QUESTION:
“If I told you I could X, would you be interested?”
Offer TWO TIMES to choose from
Formality can be PANDERING
Unnecessary info = FRICTION
Get to the POINT
Smart prospects see through GIMMICKS
Avoid GIMMICKS (again)

26. KEY POINTS
Most scripts are outdated and ineffective
LISTEN: focus on what your prospect says
Regular role play sharpens your skills

27. INSIDERS

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