“Connect More”: Three ideas to build your network & sales pipeline PART 2

In PART 1 we looked at how Linkedin and old connections could be useful ways to build a sales pipeline for 2013. Now, in PART 2 we focus more attention on smart cold calling and offer insight into how to develop that all-important issue statement…

What does your product solve? This is the first question you need to answer, because with this you can develop a truly targeted group of prospects for cold calling. If you can identify those that face the problems that you and your product or service can solve, you have a smart cold calling campaign to execute. Otherwise you’re simply shooting in the dark.

Then, develop an issue statement. This is a line or two that very succinctly shows how you can help a prospect overcome their challenge. Target the area of pain that your client suffering from and make sure you deliver a short, sharp, targeted and personalised pitch that shows the prospect that they’re not just one in a million cold calls.

Here’s a great example of cold calling v smart cold calling:

My mobile phone network provider calls me up on a regular basis with the clear objective of upselling various add-ons and new products. Here is how the conversation tends to go:

Seller: (monotonous voice) Hello, as a valued customer we would like to offer you exclusive access to our range of new products and services. We believe we can save you money on your next bill.

Me: Busy at the moment, call me back.

Why not actually assess the data they have on me and find out some information about me and my personality. I’ve bought tickets to the football before through a network provider offer, I always use up my calls to office numbers and rarely send texts. That’s just for starters, they must have loads more on me – this is the information they need be tapping into in order to have conversations like this:

Seller: (Enthusiastic voice, because people actually want to talk to him today) Hi, it’s John calling from XYZ. I want to offer you a new package with THREE services that I know you will personally value. This package will give you more access to football tickets, cheaper office calling and less texting – I can see these are three things that will make your life easier.

Me: OK, sounds interesting.
Connections are the life blood of sales. You need to build a connection to sell, and that doesn’t necessarily mean face-to-face. We buy online from brands we trust and we buy face-to-face from people we like.

How will you kick-start your connection strategy in February?

Here at Natural Training we’d love to talk to you about our sales training and your selling plans for 2013. We have developed sales techniques for blue chip companies across the world and would be happy to talk with you about the importance of ‘connections’, as well as the overall contents of our results-driven selling strategies.

Call the team on 0207 043 1582 or email hello@NaturalTraining.com to find out more.

We finally have our new book, The Natural Sales Evolution in stock with Amazon!  If you ordered some previously, please accept our apologies, but you are REALLY welcome to go online and do so again – you will have your new books in a day or two, just CLICK HERE.