Cold Calling Ideas and Tips

I kinda got into this a little bit in introducing myself to this forum and got some good feedback. Rainmaker linked to a thread that was helpful as well. I wanted to start this thread though to get more feedback. I'll try and keep this as short as I can.

I am a freight broker and I work from my home. For those who don't know, a freight broker finds carriers to haul their customers' freight. I am an agent for a carrier/broker company who does my billing and such and in doing so take 40% off of my profit for each load I cover. The company I work for is based in Alabama and I am in Iowa, their only agent in Iowa. I have a small customer base from previous contacts, as I have been in the warehouse/trucking business for about 15 years. I have only been brokering freight for 2 years and just over a year on my own. I started on my own with no formal sales training. I figured I knew enough about the business it should be a snap. I went to Barnes and Noble and purchased 3 books on sales, since the last sales pitch I had given was a proposal for marriage, I wanted to read up on sales and wanted find out what I was about to get into. By the way, I wish I had bought some books on the whole marriage thing to, but that is off the topic. I bought the Sales Bible, How To Become a Rainmaker, and Solution Selling. I should also say the company I am an agent for has been really no help as far as developing leads or any kind of training whatsoever, let alone support, but that is extremely normal for what I have found in this business. Other than that they are a good company to be aligned with, they have a good rep in the industry.

I poured through those 3 books and thought I had a pretty good grasp. Now, I do recieve freight from customers on a daily basis, for the most part it is tough freight to deal with as far as what I can make off each load and as far as how difficult it is to find trucks for certain loads. So I knew right off that my main source for new and possibly better business and customers would entail cold calling by phone. By phone because there are only so many manufacturers in my area that I could meet face to face. I had a number of contacts from previous business and I had purchased a manufacturers directory that I went through and seperated out several thousand factories I could call, all out of state.

It started out fairly well, the motivation part anyway. I was making about 60-80 phone calls a day to places I had never called before and I would say 95% were straight out rejections, whether it be they didn't use brokers or didn't want to make a change, or they were customer routed, never rejected because of who I was as a person which was nice.

I got some leads out of this but most were companies that ship on a sporadic basis, and as I got busier working loads for other customers the calls got fewer on those busy days. But I never got busy enough to not have to make calls though. Now, a year later, I may make about 20 calls a day, if I feel fired up for some reason.

What I have found, other than the problems I listed above, is that it is almost impossible to establish a rapport with someone over the phone and within enough time before they tell me they aren't interested. I have tweeked my script as time has gone by and think I have it about as good as I can get it, or as good as my self taught training could get me, but I just don't see enough opportunity to "wedge my foot in the door" so to speak.

I think a huge part of my motivation problem now has come from just feeling "battle weary" from making so many calls with so little results. I guess I am looking for any ideas or tips as to how to do better or how to get over feeling "battle weary". Anything at all would be a help. Thanks in advance!

Jason, maybe your cold call offering (script) could use a tune up? I work with real estate agents who are cold calling all day long. Much of what you describe I hvae heard from these agents too. Would you be willing to post your CCO script?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ogre131

It started out fairly well, the motivation part anyway. I was making about 60-80 phone calls a day to places I had never called before and I would say 95% were straight out rejections, whether it be they didn't use brokers or didn't want to make a change, or they were customer routed, never rejected because of who I was as a person which was nice.

...

I think a huge part of my motivation problem now has come from just feeling "battle weary" from making so many calls with so little results. I guess I am looking for any ideas or tips as to how to do better or how to get over feeling "battle weary". Anything at all would be a help. Thanks in advance!

ogre131,

I agree with AZBroker. If you absolutely have to make COLD cold calls, where you have no idea who the person is, take a close look at what you're saying to try to secure an appointment.

If you're winging it, well, you're not going to get anywhere and your hatred for calling is going to swell. The rejection will kill you as you try to manufacture what to say on the fly.

If you've got a script, try a two-call approach. Now, I'm not selling anything, so don't feel like I'm leading you somewhere only to say "gotcha," but if you go to my site at http://www.salesteamtools.com/?p=28. This link is a post on approaching your phone cold calls in a totally different way.

Also, buy "Earning What You're Worth?" by Dudley and Goodson. Money VERY well spent on a variety of call reluctance types and how to deal with them. And a funny book. Also, read "Never Eat Alone" by Ferrazzi. It's a great guide to building a network of professional friends in a professional way. As you build that network, you rely less and less on cold calling (not that it ever goes away entirely).

Don't get down on yourself, you're not unique here. Very few salespeople DON'T face this at some point. Just build a step-by-step, easy-to-achieve system to pull yourself out and you will.

Here it is-

Hi. My name is Jason and I'm with (my company name).

(they respond)

I'd like to introduce myself and (company name) to you and tell you about what we do and what we can offer you. Are you looking to add any new carriers at this time?

(if they respond no)

So your current carrier is working out ok for you, on time, right equipment, etc etc.

(if they respond yes)

If I could I'd like to leave my number and fax you some info on us to you in case you ever need some additional help or if something happens to change your current situation.

If I get voice mail the message I leave is this-

My name is Jason and I'm with (company name) and I'd like to talk to you about (company name) and how we can help you with your shipping needs. You can reach me at 877-***-****, and that is my direct line. Again that's 877-***-****. Thanks and I hope to talk to you soon.
What does everyone think?

thanks for that link Brandon. I like what I see there, some different things to try. I know my current script works but I have always felt it could be better but wasn't sure what to change.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ogre131

What does everyone think?

Jason, kudos for posting your script. Not everyone is willing to put themself on the line like that.

From my viewpoint your script didn't state what you do.

Here is bare bones example:

Quote:

This is Jason (Last Name) with (Company Name). We help shippers by finding reliable motor carriers and coordinating shipping needs. Is this a service you would use?

The offer could probably use some tweaking but I think the structure would work. Your thoughts?

I think that looks really good too AZ. I am getting to a point already where I am getting excited to write up some new stuff and try it out. I honestly was at a loss as to why I wasn't getting more response and I am so glad I found this forum already. And to be honest, posting my script made me real nervous. After reading some of the other posts I've seen here I felt really under-educated about sales, however, after reading those same posts I felt if there was a place where people would be helpful, it was here. None the less, I was frightened to post it.

And don't take that last post as I don't want anymore tips. Please keep them coming!

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZBroker

Jason, kudos for posting your script. Not everyone is willing to put themself on the line like that.

That does take a lot of guts. Good effort Jason.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZBroker

The offer could probably use some tweaking but I think the structure would work. Your thoughts?

Assuming that "finding reliable motor carriers and coordinating shipping" is something clients want, the script looks like it would be effective.

Jason, what are clients wanting? From a different direction... why do clients typically use your service?

Jason,

Following AZ's script outline, focus on the fact that he says:

We help companies ______ (insert short benefit statement) while also ______ (second short benefit statement
So, what that means is you need to clarify your company's competitive advantage and what you do that benefits the customer.

For example, if you were selling men's cologne, you wouldn't say we help you smell better while also covering up any embarassing body odor.

You'd say we help you make a statement the moment you walk into a room while also turning you into a babe-magnet.

So, figure out what the equivalent of babe magnet is to your business. And, the first call, IMHO, is to sell the appointment. If you're not making on site sales calls, then sell the next phone call, for example: I'd like to schedule some time next week when we could discuss how XXX Company can reduce your freight costs (or whatever).

It also sounds like you need a better prospect list. If you're only talking to people who do a small bit of business with your company, consider how you could get a list of the big users in the industry.

Hope this helps.

AZ - I really like your site - great stuff.

Kathleen

	#1
ogre131	Cold Calling Ideas and Tips I kinda got into this a little bit in introducing myself to this forum and got some good feedback. Rainmaker linked to a thread that was helpful as well. I wanted to start this thread though to get more feedback. I'll try and keep this as short as I can. I am a freight broker and I work from my home. For those who don't know, a freight broker finds carriers to haul their customers' freight. I am an agent for a carrier/broker company who does my billing and such and in doing so take 40% off of my profit for each load I cover. The company I work for is based in Alabama and I am in Iowa, their only agent in Iowa. I have a small customer base from previous contacts, as I have been in the warehouse/trucking business for about 15 years. I have only been brokering freight for 2 years and just over a year on my own. I started on my own with no formal sales training. I figured I knew enough about the business it should be a snap. I went to Barnes and Noble and purchased 3 books on sales, since the last sales pitch I had given was a proposal for marriage, I wanted to read up on sales and wanted find out what I was about to get into. By the way, I wish I had bought some books on the whole marriage thing to, but that is off the topic. I bought the Sales Bible, How To Become a Rainmaker, and Solution Selling. I should also say the company I am an agent for has been really no help as far as developing leads or any kind of training whatsoever, let alone support, but that is extremely normal for what I have found in this business. Other than that they are a good company to be aligned with, they have a good rep in the industry. I poured through those 3 books and thought I had a pretty good grasp. Now, I do recieve freight from customers on a daily basis, for the most part it is tough freight to deal with as far as what I can make off each load and as far as how difficult it is to find trucks for certain loads. So I knew right off that my main source for new and possibly better business and customers would entail cold calling by phone. By phone because there are only so many manufacturers in my area that I could meet face to face. I had a number of contacts from previous business and I had purchased a manufacturers directory that I went through and seperated out several thousand factories I could call, all out of state. It started out fairly well, the motivation part anyway. I was making about 60-80 phone calls a day to places I had never called before and I would say 95% were straight out rejections, whether it be they didn't use brokers or didn't want to make a change, or they were customer routed, never rejected because of who I was as a person which was nice. I got some leads out of this but most were companies that ship on a sporadic basis, and as I got busier working loads for other customers the calls got fewer on those busy days. But I never got busy enough to not have to make calls though. Now, a year later, I may make about 20 calls a day, if I feel fired up for some reason. What I have found, other than the problems I listed above, is that it is almost impossible to establish a rapport with someone over the phone and within enough time before they tell me they aren't interested. I have tweeked my script as time has gone by and think I have it about as good as I can get it, or as good as my self taught training could get me, but I just don't see enough opportunity to "wedge my foot in the door" so to speak. I think a huge part of my motivation problem now has come from just feeling "battle weary" from making so many calls with so little results. I guess I am looking for any ideas or tips as to how to do better or how to get over feeling "battle weary". Anything at all would be a help. Thanks in advance!

	#2
AZBroker	Re: Cold Calling Jason, maybe your cold call offering (script) could use a tune up? I work with real estate agents who are cold calling all day long. Much of what you describe I hvae heard from these agents too. Would you be willing to post your CCO script?

	#4
ogre131	Re: Cold Calling Here it is- Hi. My name is Jason and I'm with (my company name). (they respond) I'd like to introduce myself and (company name) to you and tell you about what we do and what we can offer you. Are you looking to add any new carriers at this time? (if they respond no) So your current carrier is working out ok for you, on time, right equipment, etc etc. (if they respond yes) If I could I'd like to leave my number and fax you some info on us to you in case you ever need some additional help or if something happens to change your current situation. If I get voice mail the message I leave is this- My name is Jason and I'm with (company name) and I'd like to talk to you about (company name) and how we can help you with your shipping needs. You can reach me at 877-*-, and that is my direct line. Again that's 877--***. Thanks and I hope to talk to you soon. What does everyone think?

	#5
ogre131	Re: Cold Calling thanks for that link Brandon. I like what I see there, some different things to try. I know my current script works but I have always felt it could be better but wasn't sure what to change.

	#7
ogre131	Re: Cold Calling I think that looks really good too AZ. I am getting to a point already where I am getting excited to write up some new stuff and try it out. I honestly was at a loss as to why I wasn't getting more response and I am so glad I found this forum already. And to be honest, posting my script made me real nervous. After reading some of the other posts I've seen here I felt really under-educated about sales, however, after reading those same posts I felt if there was a place where people would be helpful, it was here. None the less, I was frightened to post it.

	#8
ogre131	Re: Cold Calling And don't take that last post as I don't want anymore tips. Please keep them coming!

	#10
KSA-Mktg	Re: Cold Calling Jason, Following AZ's script outline, focus on the fact that he says: We help companies ______ (insert short benefit statement) while also ______ (second short benefit statement So, what that means is you need to clarify your company's competitive advantage and what you do that benefits the customer. For example, if you were selling men's cologne, you wouldn't say we help you smell better while also covering up any embarassing body odor. You'd say we help you make a statement the moment you walk into a room while also turning you into a babe-magnet. So, figure out what the equivalent of babe magnet is to your business. And, the first call, IMHO, is to sell the appointment. If you're not making on site sales calls, then sell the next phone call, for example: I'd like to schedule some time next week when we could discuss how XXX Company can reduce your freight costs (or whatever). It also sounds like you need a better prospect list. If you're only talking to people who do a small bit of business with your company, consider how you could get a list of the big users in the industry. Hope this helps. AZ - I really like your site - great stuff. Kathleen __________________ Build Real Estate Results!