So you want to master cold calling?
There are a handful of strategies and tactics that will get you there. But to stay at the top, you have to understand this age-old sales principle. You have to play the long game. That’s right… the long game.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is your pipeline.
Think of it this way — you meet a girl and go out on a date. Dinner and a movie. You can rush in and kiss her at the restaurant, but if you do it could be your last supper, if you know what I mean. You have to let it marinate, incubate, simmer. You have to get to know her (like any gentleman would). You have to play the long game.
Same goes for B2B sales. When you’re working the phones, you should show your prospect that you genuinely care about them. That you’re there for them and will walk alongside them. That you desire for them to succeed.
And notice I didn’t say that you should say these things. Rather, you should show them. Do this and the deals will basically close themselves.
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Not only that, but playing the long game will net you a higher customer lifetime value, your referrals will skyrocket, your reputation will increase, you’ll gain repeat customers or clients, you name it. Don’t worry, today I’m going to cover everything you need to know about the long game in sales — and specifically cold calling.
Sales Tip: Don’t forget that 95% of sales are made downstream of the initial cold call. So do your best to provide as much value on every call and in every interaction.
Rookies Play the Short Game
I know you’re not a rookie, so we won’t linger here. But playing the short game is a deal killer. Short-term gains at the expense of long-term relationship-building is one of the worst things you can do in B2B sales. That’s like planting a crop and never watering it. You’re sure to go hungry with this approach.
You need sustainable growth over time. And a customer-centric approach will get you there. Remember, providing long-term value is a foolproof path to success in sales.
Cold Calling Doesn’t Come Naturally
You also have to play the long game if you feel like giving up on sales. Especially for early career SDRs and AEs, cold calling can feel like a drag at times. But just like anything, it becomes more fun as you build your skills and start tasting success.
Remember, you can’t jump ahead to being great at something. You have to pay your dues. And keep in mind that experience is the best teacher. I’ll say it again — experience is the best teacher. Put in the reps, day in and day out, and one day you’ll wake up and be amazed at the sales pro looking back at you in the mirror.
Again, you have to play the long game.
The Rule of Lag Time
OK – so you’re cold calling every day and starting to get the hang of it. But still no bites. What gives? Well, you must factor in “lag time.”
Think of lag time like a boomerang. You throw the boomerang away from you (the cold call) and eventually it comes back to you (in a deal closed/won). But note: not all boomerangs return to the thrower. You have to master the technique of throwing the thing. You also have to factor in the time it takes for the boomerang to go out and fulfill its flight path before it swings back around to you.
This is basically B2B sales in a nutshell. You might make 250 calls this week, have some great conversations, but hear nothing from any of these prospects for the next few weeks. Crickets! But then, out of the blue, you get a reply and eventually a closed deal. The “crickets” stage is the lag time. It’s part of playing the long game. And it’s why you never count anyone out from converting… and why you never count yourself out.
Sales Tip: When you’re spending your days smiling and dialing, it might not seem like things are happening. But sure enough the seeds are being planted and deals are germinating just beneath the surface, ready to sprout.
Thankfully, you’ll get into a rhythm where lag time no longer matters. It becomes just another part of the sales cycle. So what if the calls you make today won’t pay off for another month or two? The calls you made two months ago are paying off today! Get it? The trick is to have thousands of “boomerangs” in the air at any given time. This is the trick to sustainable pipeline growth.
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Final Words
To become great at cold calling and phone sales you have to focus on building relationships, networking, and commit to continuous learning. However, this isn’t to say you shouldn’t try to close prospects on the first or second touch. You absolutely should! You typically don’t want to leave a conversation without first asking for the sale.
But not every answer is “yes,” which is where the long game kicks in. And really, when we talk about the long game, we’re talking about your legacy here. It’s bigger than just a closed deal. After all, so much of life imitates sales. And if you learn to think long-term with your family, your friends, your health, your education — and everything else in life — you’ll rise to great heights. Trust me on this one.
The long game matters. So get out there and shift your focus to the horizon and beyond. You’ve got this.
Until next time…
Johnny-Lee Reinoso