6 Tips on how to do B2B cold calls to boost lead generation

In B2B marketing, cold calling is used to start business conversations with decision makers over a simple yet complex phone call.

The goal of cold calling used to be to close the deal. Today it is about raising awareness and eventually setting up an appointment or consultation with the individual on the other end of the line.

While the main principles of cold calling have not changed, the sales cycles, technology, supporting processes, goals, and communication channels have—which is why most people believe that cold calling is dead.

In this article, we will explain why cold calling is still very much alive and effective and provide you with time-tested tips for ultimate success.

Read on to learn more.

Why cold calling still works

Cold calling is far from dead. It has evolved. The reason why business leaders believe the practice to be finished is that it’s being done wrong.

Technology, especially in B2B, has changed how we buy stuff. Therefore, how B2B cold calling services are strategized must also change to fit the times.

According to ZoomInfo’s sales statistics, only about 50% of decision-makers get a second call. Additionally, only 50% of sales happen after the fifth call, and the same goes for setting up appointments and consultations.

Not knowing when to call or how many times to follow up are just some of the many things sales executives today are doing wrong.

Cold calling remains one of the top ways to connect with your audience, but only when done right.

Tips for doing B2B cold calling right

If you want your sales executive to get it right, make sure they’re following these tried and true techniques.

1. Align your marketing and sales goals

A big issue for B2B businesses is not having their marketing and sales teams on the same page. This usually leads to your sales team being inadequately prepared to pick out prospects and answer their burning questions correctly.

When your prospects are not getting the correct information, it reflects poorly on your company’s knowledge base, leaving a wrong impression and a roadblock in your sales funnel.

Therefore, you first need to ensure that everyone has access to the same information and that your sales team understands your marketing position, your company, and what the ideal buyer looks like.

2. Get to know your prospects

Your message to your prospects must be concise and intentional if you want to pique their interest. That means you’ll need to do your research and get to know who your targets are as best as possible.

Knowing the right people to call is the key to garnering more high-quality leads while increasing confidence.

3. Know the right time to call

If you are calling your prospects at the wrong time, you will never make any progress.

For example, Friday afternoons are one of the worst times to try and connect with a prospect. Why? Because at this point, most people have already mentally checked out for the rest of the week, they’re not looking to start any new business relationships.

The same goes for Mondays when everyone comes to work in a slight daze needing time to readjust from their weekends.

The best times to call are Wednesdays and Thursdays, either early or later in the afternoon. These days, everyone has officially settled into their workweek and has already taken care of more pressing matters, leaving an opening for new information and business relationships.

4. Ask the right questions

While presenting yourself properly and sticking to a script is essential, what’s even more critical is gathering information about your prospects so you can better tailor their solution.

The average cold call only lasts around two minutes, so you do not have time to waste talking your prospect’s ear off. This is why learning about your prospects beforehand is critical. It will allow you to position their pain points as questions and get them talking about their needs so you can get much-needed information to make your product or service more appealing.

5. Always follow up

You cannot leave everything up to your prospects. After all, they are not the ones selling anything, which means they have no obligation to you. Therefore, you must nurture and gently nudge them in the right direction.

That’s why following up is crucial. Of course, you will also want to ensure you get their permission to follow up in their preferred way. Once you have their permission, you can schedule another phone call or continue to call—or email—at the correct times on your own.

6. Don’t give up!

Talking to another human and having your questions answered directly is not something that can be done by scrolling through a website. This is why cold calling will always be an effective practice because it delivers essential information to your prospects.

As long as you implement the proper techniques, you’ll see an increase in your lead generation and your bottom line. 

How VoIP helps you to optimize cold calling

A VoIP phone system offers flexibility and reliability. Features like call forwarding, call transfer, visual voicemail, and others ensure that a salesperson will never miss calls. Nor will they waste time in hunting down client information as the phones will integrate with your CRM of choice. Some VoIP systems will attach notes or transcribed messages to the CRM record automatically, thus saving you even more time.

Many services will provide contact data and information on organizations. However, try looking for one that offers additional context, such as buying triggers and deep demographics. These tasks will usually take extra hours for your sales team.

Another thing most salespeople hate about cold calling is the process of calling contacts. Some calls will go to voicemail. Sometimes the salesperson has to wait on hold. Even if you’re not waiting for someone, you still have to navigate phone trees and talk to gatekeepers before reaching the person. 

Invest in a system that automates these manual tasks and allows salespeople to focus on the call and the person on the other end. If you want to increase the efficiency of your company’s cold calls with a VoIP telephony system, you can register now for VoIPstudio’s 30-day free trial.