| As an IT recruiter, sooner or later your network of | | | | call, and it shows that you have respect for them and |
| contacts is going to dry up. So it's in your best interest | | | | their limited time. |
| to develop the skills and confidence to cold call | | | | Tell them repeatedly that if they feel the discussion is |
| effectively -- what to do and say... and what to avoid. | | | | a waste of their time, they can end the phone call at |
| Your first priority is to change your mental view of | | | | any time. Of course, what you're doing is using reverse |
| cold calling. Don't approach your initial phone call with | | | | psychology. You're making them curious. You're saying |
| the goal of making a sale or scheduling a meeting. If | | | | the opposite of what the prospect expects you to |
| you do, you'll likely be destined to fail and find yourself | | | | say. Chances are, they'll be intrigued by your approach |
| in constant objection-handling mode. | | | | and want to continue the conversation. |
| Selling IT professional services requires relationship | | | | Prequalify your prospect |
| building based on shared values and your ability to | | | | One of the biggest mistakes recruiters make in selling |
| meet your prospect's specific needs. If you push too | | | | IT professional services is that they assume every |
| hard on your prospect during the initial contact, | | | | prospect is a good prospect, and that's not necessarily |
| chances are you're going to be rejected. Eliminating the | | | | true. So, before you start selling, determine with the |
| goal of landing a meeting or making a sale on a cold | | | | prospect if your two organizations are actually a good |
| call will free you from the fear of rejection. | | | | fit for one another. |
| Stop selling and start building trust | | | | Here's what you might ask: |
| Your customers and prospects receive calls from | | | | - Tell me about the scope of your role and |
| your competitors in the IT professional services | | | | responsibility in your company? |
| industry every week. Typically, the recipient is unable | | | | - Do you often use external consultants or contractors |
| to distinguish one vendor from the next -- they all | | | | to help you complete your projects? |
| sound pretty much alike. "Let me sell you something" is | | | | - What projects are you focused on right now? |
| the nub of their message and that's usually a turn-off | | | | And... |
| to just about any buyer. To be successful with cold | | | | - What are some of the technical challenges you're |
| calling, you must first learn to set yourself apart from | | | | trying to overcome? |
| the pack. | | | | Hear them out. Listen to what they're saying. Don't |
| Don't talk about your product or service. Instead, make | | | | assume you can help them until you understand |
| the customer the focus of the call... probing to find | | | | in-depth what their situation is. There's nothing buyers |
| what is important to him or her. | | | | hate more than sales professionals who try to impose |
| Your mission is simply to make the prospect feel | | | | their product or service on them without knowing |
| comfortable in talking with you so you can find out if | | | | anything about their business. |
| you're a good "fit." You want to create an environment | | | | The initial cold call is often not as long or as detailed of |
| where the customer opens up and shares information | | | | conversation as you would like. That's acceptable: the |
| with you. Building trust is the first step. To accomplish | | | | goal is to build trust and discover whether you can |
| that, start by displaying respect for their time and | | | | meet their needs. If you accomplish that, you will have |
| helping share in control of the phone call. First, ask the | | | | better success on follow-up calls. |
| prospect for permission to talk to you now. Explain | | | | Through experience, you'll discover that cold calling can |
| that you're calling just to determine if you're a good fit | | | | help you find the hottest prospects. So, while others |
| -- or not. | | | | dread making that call to someone outside their |
| Throughout the call, keep asking if it's o.k. that you | | | | comfort zone, you'll recognize that intelligent cold calling |
| continue. This makes them feel more in control of the | | | | can be your key to success. |