How to Make a Cold Call
We’ve all been on the receiving end of the call: the intrusion you grumpily field at work or in the middle of dinner. Here’s how to craft your opener when you’re on the other end of the line.
“First, know who you are talking to, what their issues are and what they need from you,” says Wendy Weiss, a New York-based sales trainer. “Don’t say ‘Hi, I’m Sue, and I sell insurance,’ Try ‘Hi, I’m Sue. I work with a lot of people in your neighborhood, and my expertise is helping people make sure their families are taken care of.’” This also works if you’re fund-raising for a charity; in 1991 Weiss started an AIDS-education dance project. Her phone lead was “We’re the only dance company that saves the lives of children.” If you’re asking for an informational interview, introduce yourself, then say “I’m thinking of switching fields, and I was wondering if you could help me learn more about your industry.” Most people, Weiss says, really do like to help.
And the ones who don’t are probably just in the middle of dinner.