When you work in a call center, it’s your job to cold-call customers. This can be daunting for many people, even those who’ve been working in call centers for years. Don’t let your anxiety about cold calling stop you from reaching your potential as a sales agent. Here are a few tips for getting over your fear of cold calling customers.
Know What You’re Talking About
This tip should be a no-brainer. If you know what you’re talking about, you’ll feel more confident. If you feel confident, you won’t be afraid of rejection or of any questions the customer might throw your way. Do your research on your product and be prepared for anything the customer could ask you. You might even want to run through potential scenarios in your head or with a coworker before calling. If you’ve prepared for any situation or question, you’ll have every answer at the ready. Knowing what you’re selling as well as why you’re selling it will help you feel confident and unstoppable.
Have a Plan
A good cold calling plan often involves a script. If you’re expected to write your own script, make it short and sweet. When the caller picks up the phone, introduce yourself and let them know that you’ll only take up a minute of their time. Keep your pitch short and to the point, and make sure you include something memorable and unique in your pitch. You only have a few seconds to grab the customer’s attention, so let them know what makes you different. Rehearse what you’re going to say and try to stay as natural sounding as possible. The more confident you feel in your pitch and your skills, the less fear you’ll feel.
Know Who You’re Calling
There are few things worse than calling someone and having them say they’ve already spoken to someone else. Thankfully, virtual contact center software helps you avoid this awkward situation. With this software, agents have an easy-to-read record of who they are calling. Whether someone has spoken with this customer five times or zero times, you’ll know every detail and what to address in this conversation. Knowing what your coworkers have discussed with customers is extremely helpful and can save an enormous amount of time. Having information about your clients is the best way to feel confident and prepared, and when you have all the necessary information at your fingertips it’s impossible to feel fear.
Try a Different Method
If you’re still too afraid to make cold calls, don’t panic. You can still have a successful career in sales. An excellent way to avoid cold calling is by sending unlimited SMS. With unlimited text messages, you pay one low price with no hidden fees. You can upload your phone list, write your perfect message, and set your sending speed. Sit back and watch as the system sends your pitch to everyone on your list. This is the perfect replacement for cold calling because it helps the agent avoid making a call and reaches more people since millennials almost never make or take phone calls. Calls are time-consuming and phone conversations don’t leave you any time to think. If you send a millennial the right text message, he or she will be more likely to respond. Unlimited SMS helps you reach more customers and make a connection without having to place a traditional call.
Most likely, if you’re afraid of cold calling it’s because you’re afraid of failure. Lessen your chances of failure by preparing for each call and staying positive. But if you do fail to secure a sale, remind yourself that failure is expected. You can’t win over every customer. All you can do is continue to try and stay confident in your skills and yourself.
