Traditional sales training instills a sort of “killer instinct” in us. It encourages us to strike at the weak moments. When potential clients seem uncertain, you’re supposed to push harder during your cold call.

But that only creates more resistance and fear. Whatever honest connection you’ve developed at this point completely disappears. Everyone dislikes the feeling of being pushed. And prospects respond by digging in their heels.

Sales pressure is a mighty saboteur. It comes in all shapes, sizes, and flavors. The last thing you want is to introduce this into your cold calling conversations. It doesn’t normally create good outcomes. It usually triggers pressure, resistance, and tension.

Until next time,

Keep calling and keep it conversational…

Ari Galper, founder of Unlock The Cold Calling Game, makes cold calling painless and simple. Learn his cold calling secrets even the sales gurus don’t know. To receive your 10 free audio mini-lessons visit http://www.UnlockTheGame.com

As you focus on problems within their world during your cold call, you attract people’s attention. You’re addressing a specific issue that’s of concern to them. You come across as relaxed and natural. And you don’t carry that negative “salesperson” edge.

You’ll find potential clients won’t look at you as just another “salesperson.” You’ll stand out because most people who sell are trained to just promote their service or product.

Focusing on the problems that your product solves makes it easy to move into cold calling conversations. When you set aside your own needs and focus 100 percent on your potential clients, trust grows and truth emerges.

Until next time,

Keep calling and keep it conversational…

Ari Galper, founder of Unlock The Cold Calling Game, makes cold calling painless and simple. Learn his cold calling secrets even the sales gurus don’t know. To receive your 10 free audio mini-lessons visit http://www.UnlockTheGame.com

Let yourself become a problem-solver instead of a “salesperson.” Speak to the problems that your solution solves, rather than pitching your solution. This is the most powerful shift that you can make when you cold call.

Here are some steps you can follow that will help:

1. Visualize potential clients working at the office or at home, and ask yourself:

What, if anything, are they experiencing that only your solution can solve? If you were working there, what would you become aware of that they’re dealing with? What specific, measurable, day-to-day problems are they facing?

2. Make a list of the problems that arise in your mind from this visualization.

3. Think about what these issues are truly costing your potential clients.

Or ask yourself these questions: What problem does your solution relieve? What will it cost your potential clients to not have the benefits of your product or service? What problems might they encounter, or continue to encounter, if they don’t have your product or service?

Until next time,

Keep calling and keep it conversational…

Ari Galper, founder of Unlock The Cold Calling Game, makes cold calling painless and simple. Learn his cold calling secrets even the sales gurus don’t know. To receive your 10 free audio mini-lessons visit http://www.UnlockTheGame.com

Well, the idea is to take your “benefits” and turn them into actual problems that potential clients can relate to from their perspective during your cold call.

At first this may feel awkward because you’ve never been taught to think from their perspective first. But you need to do your homework. Keep working on this until their problems become clear, and you’ll relate to them very well.

So what exactly are “problems?” Problems are day-to-day hassles, challenges, and business issues that potential clients face on an ongoing basis. They can be:

1. Issues and challenges of How do we…? or How to…?

Ask yourself what “how-to” issues your potential clients are struggling with that you can help them resolve. For example, “How can we attract and retain better employees?”

2. Problems, blockages, or annoyances in their business.

For example, “We continue to overstock our inventory and this wastes a lot of money.” Issues like this one can quickly get to be a substantial problem. Ask yourself what problems your potential clients are facing on a daily basis that you can help them eliminate.

If you’re having trouble identifying at least three specific problems, or if potential clients don’t respond when you bring them up, then this means you don’t know their world well enough yet.

Until next time,

Keep calling and keep it conversational…

Ari Galper, founder of Unlock The Cold Calling Game, makes cold calling painless and simple. Learn his cold calling secrets even the sales gurus don’t know. To receive your 10 free audio mini-lessons visit http://www.UnlockTheGame.com

Many of us think that enthusiasm is helpful in cold calling. But it often feels so overbearing to the other person that they immediately wish we would go away.

Enthusiasm with someone who doesn’t know you just doesn’t sound natural. It’s not the way we do conversations in regular life. And when we’re trying to carry a potential client along with our enthusiasm, this feels like manipulation to them.

So my suggestion is very simple. Just be yourself. Most folks respond well to another human being, being human. A normal speaking voice while cold calling is less off-putting to the other person and invites a real connection.

When you try these three ways of understanding the person you’re cold calling, the rewards will be significant. You’ll be less reluctant to make cold calls. And you’ll find that potential clients generally respond in a more positive way.

Until next time,

Keep calling and keep it conversational…

Ari Galper, founder of Unlock The Cold Calling Game, makes cold calling painless and simple. Learn his cold calling secrets even the sales gurus don’t know. To receive your 10 free audio mini-lessons visit http://www.UnlockTheGame.com

There are lots of ways a cold call can feel intrusive to the other person. The way you begin the conversation is a big one.

When you begin a cold call by immediately talking about yourself and what you have to offer, this forces the other person to step out of their world and relate to you in your world. And this feels like an intrusion, or at least an interruption.

So stop for a moment and think about how to begin your cold call in a way that invites a real conversation. You might use the phrase, “Maybe you can help me out for a moment?” The response is almost always is something like, “Sure, how can I help you?”

Now you’ve avoided the intrusive feeling of hearing an uninvited sales pitch. And now the rest of your cold call can relate directly to them.

Here’s a good example, “I’m just calling to see if you’re still having difficulties with unpaid invoices, and if you’d be open to exploring new ways to solve this problem.”

When you’re talking about them right at the beginning, it feels less demanding to them. You see, most people find it easy and natural to talk about themselves. When you’re relating to the other person and his or her issues, this is what you’re inviting.

Also people tend to respond well to genuine interest. You’re not just using phrases to convey an interest in them, you are interested in them and how you might be able to help them. So your cold call becomes less of an intrusion and more of a welcome conversation.

Until next time,

Keep calling and keep it conversational…

Ari Galper, founder of Unlock The Cold Calling Game, makes cold calling painless and simple. Learn his cold calling secrets even the sales gurus don’t know. To receive your 10 free audio mini-lessons visit http://www.UnlockTheGame.com

This new cold calling approach is tied to finding a specific, real problem that other people are experiencing. When you’re relevant to them and their world, they trust you more easily. This is needed for them to feel comfortable in having a conversation with you. They sense that you’re there to help them solve a problem – not sell a product.

So remove yourself for a moment from what you have to sell, and think about what problem you can solve for somebody.

For example, if you’re in the coaching industry you might say, “I’m just calling to see if your company’s open to the idea of using coaches to improve management performance.”

Focusing on how your product or service solves a problem for your potential client means you’re stepping into their world. You’re outside your own personal sales agenda, and this means less negative reaction on their part.

Until next time,

Keep calling and keep it conversational…

Ari Galper, founder of Unlock The Cold Calling Game, makes cold calling painless and simple. Learn his cold calling secrets even the sales gurus don’t know. To receive your 10 free audio mini-lessons visit http://www.UnlockTheGame.com

If you push things forward in your cold calling conversations, potential clients will feel pressured. And they’ll stop trusting you. Remember, loss of trust usually means loss of the sale. When they make themselves vulnerable by expressing hesitations, let them know that you’ll listen rather than attack. They’ll feel safer and they’ll start to relax.

So consider every objection, stepping back, or back-pedaling to be a gift of clarity. They’re either telling you the truth about their concerns, or sharing that they’re a little scared. They may have had some really bad experiences with salespeople in the past, and fear this may be another one.

This is an opportunity for you to stand out from the crowd. Let them talk about their issues without you trying to force things into a sale. When you do this, you win trust. It shows that you’re genuinely concerned about them and their issues.

Until next time,

Keep calling and keep it conversational…

Ari Galper, founder of Unlock The Cold Calling Game, makes cold calling painless and simple. Learn his cold calling secrets even the sales gurus don’t know. To receive your 10 free audio mini-lessons visit http://www.UnlockTheGame.com

When you “push forward” during your cold calls, prospects often won’t tell you the truth about their situation. They don’t know how to tell the truth and still stay in control. They may be convinced that if they do tell you the truth, you’ll only pressure them more.

If we continue moving blindly forward in our cold calling conversations, we’re in “chase mode.” And we may be chasing something very unrealistic for this particular prospect.

So when you stop pushing forward at the first sign of resistance, then you’ll stop triggering evasive responses. You’ll find people more comfortable sharing the truth about where they’re at, and you can more easily find out if your solution is really a fit for them.

Until next time,

Keep calling and keep it conversational…

Ari Galper, founder of Unlock The Cold Calling Game, makes cold calling painless and simple. Learn his cold calling secrets even the sales gurus don’t know. To receive your 10 free audio mini-lessons visit http://www.UnlockTheGame.com

If you push things forward in your cold calling conversations, potential clients will feel pressured. And they’ll stop trusting you. Remember, loss of trust usually means loss of the sale. When they make themselves vulnerable by expressing hesitations, let them know that you’ll listen rather than attack. They’ll feel safer and they’ll start to relax.

So consider every objection, stepping back, or back-pedaling to be a gift of clarity. They’re either telling you the truth about their concerns, or sharing that they’re a little scared. They may have had some really bad experiences with salespeople in the past, and fear this may be another one.

This is an opportunity for you to stand out from the crowd. Let them talk about their issues without you trying to force things into a sale. When you do this, you win trust. It shows that you’re genuinely concerned about them and their issues.

Until next time,

Keep calling and keep it conversational…

Ari Galper, founder of Unlock The Cold Calling Game, makes cold calling painless and simple. Learn his cold calling secrets even the sales gurus don’t know. To receive your 10 free audio mini-lessons visit http://www.UnlockTheGame.com