No other sales strategy gives you as many contacts for your time as traditional cold calling. Though we talk about the importance of a strong social media presence and a confident networking strategy, cold calling should still be a foundation of your sales schedule. Here are five tips for making your cold calls successful and beneficial as a final expense insurance agent.
Preen your Pre-Call Ritual
If cold calls give you cold sweats, it could be because you haven’t done your research beforehand. The more prepared you are for each call, the more at ease you will feel when that person answers the phone. Researching your prospect, especially if you’re calling a place of business or professional service, can be the difference between a sale and a hang up.
Scripts and Prompts
When speaking on the phone to prospective clients, your goal is to sound professional, knowledgeable, and at ease during the conversation. One strategy as a final expense insurance agent to do this well every time is to prepare a script beforehand, or use and adapt one you find online. It’s important to make your script sound natural, and we recommend having more than one at hand so the conversation can flow organically. Scripts are best when used as prompts, not followed exactly. It’s easy to detect when the person you are speaking to is reading everything they say. Use scripts to help you get past the awkward moments and to make your points efficiently, but talk to your prospect like you would anyone you meet in person.
Calculate your Calls
You may be underestimating how many cold calls it actually takes to hit your sales goals each month or quarter. Consider how much in revenue you are looking to make for the time period for which your goal is set, then we recommend calculating what percentage of cold calls result in sales based on your historical records. If you’re not making enough cold calls for this strategy to be successful, you may feel like cold calling is not worthwhile; dedicate the time and do the math, and your opinion may change!
Expect the Rejection
Embrace the fact that you will deal with a lot of rejection when cold calling. When you’ve cold called enough, the rejection doesn’t phase you at all. Until you are at that point, it can be challenging to continue to feel motivated when dealing with being hung up on or yelled at on the phone. Practice letting the rejection slide off your back and let your focus remain on the positive.
Practice makes Perfect
You will always hate cold calling if you avoid it. Cold calling cannot be successful if it is only done occasionally and without real planning. Practice your opening line—the most important part of the conversation. Practice dealing with rejection—the inevitable result of many of your attempts. Practice different scripts and see what feels natural and which are actually effective. The most important element of a successful cold call is the practice done beforehand!
