Monday morning cold calls, anyone?
Part 2 of the cold calling I did last week at MySalesCoach.
In part 1,I booked a meeting on my second call. 🤯
Then things… went a bit squiff.
7 dials
4 custard creams
2 conversations
1 meeting booked
1 call screening
1 terrible voicemail left
This experiment proved too me two things:
Cold calling is NOT dead but that it is BLOODY challenging.
#MySalesCoach #coldcalls
Analyzing a Cold Call: A Breakdown of Tom from MySalesCoach’s Approach
Table of Contents
This analysis dissects a series of cold calls made by Tom Boston of MySalesCoach, as transcribed in the provided text. We’ll examine his techniques, identify strengths and weaknesses, and discuss the overall effectiveness of his approach.The goal is to provide insights into modern sales prospecting and highlight areas for advancement.
Introduction: The Modern Cold Call Landscape
Cold calling remains a staple of many sales strategies, despite its challenges. Success hinges on quickly establishing rapport, demonstrating value, and overcoming initial resistance. Tom’s calls reveal a blend of conventional and more contemporary techniques, including leveraging LinkedIn and acknowledging the “cold” nature of the outreach. However, the calls also demonstrate areas where his approach could be refined for greater impact.
Initial Attempts & Handling Rejection
Tom’s first attempt encounters a disconnected number. His subsequent voicemail demonstrates a proactive approach – he confirms he actually left a message, addressing a common complaint about automated dialers. This is a positive start, showing a commitment to genuine connection.
His initial pitch is direct: “Confidence is built.” While intriguing, it lacks immediate context.He quickly pivots to acknowledging the cold call (“Cards on the table. I’m cold calling today…”) which is a refreshing level of transparency.
The first prospect’s questioning about MySalesCoach being a “one man band” is handled with a lighthearted response (“Gets tiring though playing all those instruments?”).While attempting humor, this could be perceived as dismissive. He recovers by offering a LinkedIn connection and suggesting a future conversation, a good tactic for nurturing a lead.
Key Techniques Employed
* Transparency: Acknowledging the cold call upfront builds trust.
* LinkedIn Leverage: Offering a LinkedIn connection provides a low-pressure way to continue the conversation.
* Questioning (limited): He asks if the prospect has heard of mysalescoach, but doesn’t delve deeper into their needs.
* Brief & Direct: The calls are relatively short, respecting the prospect’s time.
* Seeking Permission: Asking if it’s okay to mention the prospect’s name to a colleague (“I’ll call [beep] and I might mention your name if that’s OK.”) is a polite and professional touch.
Areas for Improvement
* Value Proposition Clarity: The initial “Confidence is built” statement is vague. Tom needs to quickly articulate how MySalesCoach builds confidence and the specific benefits for sales leaders. He should lead with a problem statement the prospect likely faces.
* Needs Assessment: Tom doesn’t actively probe the prospect’s challenges. Instead of promptly pitching, he should ask questions like: “What are your biggest challenges in developing your sales team?” or “What are your current sales coaching initiatives?”
* Handling Objections: The “one man band” comment is an objection. While his response is light, a more direct address of concerns about scalability or resources would be more effective.
* Call to Action: while offering a LinkedIn connection is good, a more specific call to action (e.g., “Would you be open to a 15-minute discovery call next week?”) could yield better results.
* Personalization: The calls feel somewhat generic.Researching the prospect’s company and role beforehand could allow for a more tailored approach.
The “Sweating Less” Comment & Final Call
Tom’s aside (“I’m definitely sweating less”) suggests he’s aware of the stress associated with cold calling. This self-awareness is positive, but unprofessional to verbalize during a call.
The final call is very brief, relying heavily on seeking permission to mention the prospect’s name. This lacks substance and doesn’t create a compelling reason for follow-up.
Conclusion: Refining the Approach for Greater Success
Tom from MySalesCoach demonstrates a willingness to adapt and utilize modern tools like LinkedIn. However,his cold calling approach could be substantially improved by focusing on delivering a clear value proposition,actively listening to prospect needs,and crafting more compelling calls to action.
The future of accomplished cold outreach lies in moving beyond simply making calls to starting conversations – conversations that are personalized, valuable, and focused on solving the prospect’s specific challenges. Investing in deeper prospect research and refining his questioning techniques will be crucial for Tom to convert more cold calls into qualified leads.
Resources:
* HubSpot – Cold Calling: https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/cold-calling-tips
* Sales Hacker – Cold Calling: https://www.saleshacker.com/cold-calling/
* LinkedIn Sales Navigator: https://www.linkedin.com/sales/sales-navigator/ (for prospect research)