How To Cold Call with Confidence

Sales people who master how to cold call with confidence know they have the power to command the income they desire. Success tends to breed success. Peace of mind comes after experiencing the benefits of a consistent income stream. Whether you work on commission or receive a salary plus performance bonus, cold calling is a tool that produces positive results.

Two of the most important qualities needed to cold call with confidence are:

1. The ability to listen to customer needs 

2. The ability to ask qualifying questions

Sometimes sales training covers everything about product features and benefits and fails to address the salesperson’s state of mind. If you’ve never made cold calls there’s a fair probability you could experience some form of call resistance. The old way was to ignore this very real issue and pretend the solution was to ‘power through’. Old fashioned thinking is one reason why there’s a huge turnover in the sales profession.

If you balk at the idea of making 100 calls a day, perhaps there’s an underlying issue to deal with first. Two incredibly positive techniques that will eliminate any maddening self-sabotaging actions are EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques or tapping) and ‘The Healing Codes’.

The truth is when one sits down to dial most of the people you try to reach will not answer the phone. In terms of production numbers I can tell you in recruiting, talking with 4 – 5 people an hour is a healthy target. If you call for 3 – 4 hours a day, odds are you’ll find a solid candidate. In the recruiting world, sending 4 – 5 candidates to interviews a week will equal 6 – 12 placements a month. Some industries are easier to recruit in than others however; top producers who cold call see the best results.

I’ve never met a recruiter who suggests they make cold calls eight hours a day. There’s no need. The activity generated from consistently calling three or four days a week for a few hours each time is massive. Consistency builds confidence and results create peace of mind. Early in a sales career it’s important for sales folks to understand sales calls are a necessary task.

We all have tasks. Mine include grocery shopping, picking up the dry cleaning, and a host of other not so glamorous jobs. Tasks become part of the routine and we do them without much fuss.

Calling with confidence may not come easy. If you’ve experienced call resistance then you know it’s both uncomfortable and can trigger anxious feelings that make no sense at all. Honor those feelings because they are authentic. The best solutions to call resistance I’ve come across in over twenty years of sales and having call resistance myself is Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) &. ‘The Healing Codes’.

Both EFT & ‘The Healing Codes’ help the body and mind/heart release images and emotions from the past that may have wounded us in some way. They are both energy therapies. Tapping specific acupoints on the body sends vibrations throughout our system and blockages disappear creating a healthier free flow of energy. Old traumas impact our behavior today. As these dissolve through DIY energy therapies, we can re-pattern our brains and hearts for conditions we face today.

Consider this: If our parents advised us not to talk to strangers to keep us safe when we were small, we have that message within us 30 years later. If we internalized a message, “Talking to strangers is dangerous” that message remains within us. While it does not apply to our sales position the feeling lives on. Try a few solutions to dissolve inhibiting feelings. Emotional freedom is liberating.

One does not need to connect a cause to the feeling in order for it to dissolve. Both processes can be tailored to your needs.

If it’s important to your career to know how to cold call with confidence here are two solutions. As consistency increases, peace of mind follows. My personal transformation was subtle but my confidence (and sales) soared. Those receiving your calls will feel the power of conviction in your voice. When call reluctance dissolves you will truly be in command of your sales future.

by Kimberly Schenk, Executive Recruiter, Trainer, Author

Dissolve Call Reluctance

For a successful career in sales expect cold calling to be part of your life. At some point it’s common to encounter ‘call reluctance’. No one likes to think they’re afraid to pick up the phone. The mental and emotional pain one experiences can be miserable when call resistance strikes. The feelings related to this malady can be complex; the underlying source, mysterious.

It’s disturbing to discover one has a common weakness. Furthermore, a fear of calling is not a typical conversation that’s discussed with friends, family, or business associates. If one experienced perceived rejection in childhood those feelings may still be present in adulthood. Heal old feelings and perceptions and change your life forever.

Choosing to to buckle down and through determination make cold calls anyway is not a positive solution. Even if the rewards prove to be so great the misery of cold calling is forgotten, progress will be temporarily.

While the problem is obvious, logic won’t eliminate deep-seated emotional and mental issues. Anyone who has avoided cold calling can recite a dozen motivating reasons to make their calls. Anxiety can be unreasonable. We know it does not make sense, yet this ‘cold calling weakness’ follows us around like a plague of despair.

A simple treatment to banish call reluctance is ‘tapping’. Tapping is also known as Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT). It’s like emotional acupuncture. Tapping produces results by re-patterning our thoughts while dissolving negative past emotions.

Here’s a mini-summary of how EFT works. There are specific points on our body that when tapped with two fingers, coupled with focused thoughts about a troubling issue, send signals throughout the body to release long standing negative emotions. Those negative images block the free flow of supportive self-talk and actions. As the tapping process unfolds, layer after layer of blockages fall away, never to return.

EFT is an energy therapy. The tapping sends energy throughout a system of meridians, and alters messages in your brain. There is plenty of study and science behind EFT. I’m a successful person in business who, along with millions of others, can testify to astounding personal results.

Erase outdated messages holding you back from achieving your sales goals. More importantly, EFT can address countless other issues in our life and truly, transform any situation for a desirable outcome. EFT will change your life.

  

Self-healing on a more profound level is available through ‘The Healing Codes’ method. Energy healing is a DYI (Do It Yourself), which heals outdated beliefs inhibiting optimal performance and enjoyment of life today.

The human body is designed to heal itself from within. If we learned this technique as kids we could avoid mental, emotional, physical distress, illness and pain. Scientists believe stress to be at the core of all disease. When stress is not released, but reinforced continually by long standing negative images and belief patterns, the healing mechanism in our cells become overloaded and shut down.

‘The Healing Code’ is a transformative self-treatment with measurable results.

I personally have used the codes and highly recommend it to everyone. If you hate cold calling, try EFT or ‘The Healing Code’ today. You’ll be glad you did.

by Kimberly Schenk, Executive Recruiter, Trainer, Author

PS: The Healing Code book is about $27 for a hard copy. There are various packages on the Healing Code website, but not the book. The book is great and explains additional resources if needed.

Sales Call Scripts: Craft A Dynamite Phone Script

A great sales script increases sales. When people want to talk with you cold calling becomes fun. Working with a high quality script saves time. It’s worth taking time to develop a powerful script. You’ll spend more time in conversation with decision makers (& candidates if you recruit) and ultimately close more sales by working smarter.

An increase in sales depends on perceived value. Strike a chord by framing your offer in a way that solves problems. Sell to the right market. Use words that appeal to what matters to your customer. Talk about benefits. Differentiate between teaching and informing. Offer complimentary services where possible.

You have less than 40 seconds for your prospect to decide if he wants to have a conversation with you and whether he likes you. To improve your success rate follow this format:

Your prospect must understand: (see video below)

·         1. Who you are

·         2. Why you’re calling

·         3. 'What’s in it for me?' Address WIIFM for the prospect in a very few words.

When I recruit I use one of two openings consistently. The vast majority of people are willing to talk with me and my job becomes rejecting unqualified candidates respectfully.

One cold call opening I use is: “Hi. My name is Kimberly and I’m an Executive Recruiter, or Headhunter if you will. Your name has come to me on a confidential basis (if it did) as someone who is very good at what you do. I do have a position to discuss with you, can you talk privately?” They’re engaged or we set a time to talk later. This is only the beginning. 

Some candidates get a lot of recruiter calls and try to dominate the conversation because they’re busy people. They push for my client’s name or the salary range. I give them tiny morsels. My job requires I interview and qualify before I reveal anything about my client. I tell candidates all their questions will be answered if they are a good fit for the position. I’m selective.

The next step is critical because it sets the tone of the relationship. “In order to make a move and feel like you’re taking a step up in your career what would need to be in place?”

That question immediately gets the candidate to think. They understand no one’s pushing them to do anything they don’t want to do. Candidates like talking about themselves. They recognize a pro (you) and feel validated when someone asks what matters to them. There's no need to push. Manage the recruiting process with questions. This first question demands they disclose what they need and want in their career to advance. More often than not I hear, “No one has ever asked me that’ or ‘Let me think”. Or, “Hm. I’ve not thought about it but I guess…” And off we go.

By focusing on what the other person needs and wants you establish rapport quickly. Your sales script questions demonstrate your expertise. You are a consultant. Speak slowly and clearly. Speak with authority. Expect people to sit up, take notice and pay attention. Pretend you’re the CEO of some giant corporation. CEOs do not call someone and chatter like a squirrel or talk so fast no one could understand them. Slowing down is a subtle way to demonstrate your power.

People buy from people they like and who make them feel comfortable. We’re impulsive. The “Do you want fries with that” upsell close has made McDonald’s billions of dollars.

Know the difference between a feature and a benefit. Here’s a video on script writing I found on YouTube that demonstrates my point in a tutorial. I agree with everything said on the video.

“Cold Calling, Nail the First 20 Seconds’.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlVBwasfc78&feature=related

Watch this video. Take the time to craft your own killer script. Tailor it to your target prospects and your closing ratio will soar. You’ll cold call less because your conversations will last longer. You’ll make more sales in less time. As a business owner, recruiter training will help grow your business.

by Kimberly Schenk, Recruiter, Trainer, and Author

Where Do I Find Loan Officers To Recruit?

Help! Sourcing is the term for finding names and phone numbers of prospective candidates to recruit and hire. When you’re ready to start recruiting loan officers how do you build your list of potential candidates?

Here are 10 ways to source candidates. Call everyone. Be prepared with a script that’s effective. Don’t start out by talking about how great your opportunity or company is because that’s a sure fire way to turn off a candidate.

DO take the time to memorize and practice your first 30-second introduction. If you don’t have a good script, get some training! You want to screen and be in charge of each call. Recruiting calls are simple and fun when done correctly.

     1.   Dig up old resumes of current employees or candidates who applied to your company in the past.        Where are they now? Call them; if they don’t qualify ask for names.

     
      2.     Current employees. Ask: Each One to Refer One (or three). Get names & numbers.

  
      3.    Realtors (my favorite). Call Realtors in the area and just ask, “Can you recommend a loan officer?” (Don’t let them you’re a recruiter, they may be protective of ‘their’ LOs. There’s no need to lie, just ask for the name of a loan officer they trust.

  
      4.     Local and national professional associations.

  
      5.    On-line directories. (Entire company directories complete with a roster of positions and numbers are online). Learn a few search engine sourcing tricks if need be; it’s easier than you think.

   
      6.    The NMLS database for consumers. Put in a zip code and all licensed Loan Officers in that zip code are listed.

  
      7.     Do a local search on google for mortgage companies in your area. Local mortgage company websites often have pictures, names, and phone numbers.

   
      8.    Speak with your local Library Reference Desk Pro. This person will help you to fine-tune your skills. You can then access the database from your home or office. I like the ‘A-Z’ database because they allow one to download 1000 names, phone numbers, addresses, etc. by any demographic desired. If you don’t have the sic code(s) on hand, there’s a tool within the database to help find the sic codes that apply to your search.

      9.     LinkedIn. Join several mortgage banking groups. Check in daily and soon you’ll see the value of discussions. Then look up participants to grow your contact list. A few minutes a day viewing what’s going on and commenting on items that appeal to you is both productive and time well spent.

     10.  Ask anyone you speak with in the industry for names of loan officers. This easy task should become part of every conversation! For best results memorize 7 – 10 ways to ask for names. In my experience it usually takes 2, 3, even 6 times asking for referrals (in varied ways of course) for the person you’re speaking with to get serious and put their brain to the task. Don’t feel you’re intruding because you’re not! You’re behaving like a serious professional and people are glad to help. The trick is to get your self in the correct mindset. Once you expect answers, you’ll get them.

 There you have it. Before you start calling I suggest you compile a list of 100 names. You'll go through the list quickly because in many cases you'll go directly to voice mail. Don't leave messages. Typically if one sets aside three hours to call and they talk with 4 candidates an hour, that's a successful call session.

Happy Recruiting!

by Kimberly Schenk, Executive Recruiter (20 years) and now full-time Trainer, Author