Cold calling remains a formidable task for sales professionals, often regarded as the most challenging aspect of their job. The sheer volume of calls required to meet targets can turn cold calling into a tedious and demotivating activity. According to Harvard Business Review, a staggering 48% of B2B salespeople admit to being fearful of cold calling, and research indicates that 90% of these calls are ineffective.
What sets apart successful cold calls from the rest? More often than not, it boils down to the effectiveness of the cold calling scripts used. In our quest to enhance your cold calling endeavors, we’ve compiled the best practices and scripts to make your cold calls not only bearable but successful.
The Ideal Length of a Cold Call Script
Unlike other forms of writing, there is no set word count for a cold call script. The general rule of thumb is to keep your sales scripts concise and captivating from the outset. You have a very short window to capture the prospect’s interest, so shorter scripts, typically ranging from 40 to 140 words, tend to be more effective. Consider G2’s sales cold calling template, which comprises 131 words and excels due to its well-crafted social proof:
“Hey there! [SALES REP NAME] from [COMPANY NAME] here. You’re hearing from me today because it looks like your organization loves to focus on honest, superior customer service. At [COMPANY NAME], we’re all about that, too. We’re backed by awesome customers like [Customer 1] and [Customer 2], and [Social media proof]. These organizations typically see [Results] within [Time] after implementing with us. [Prospect’s first name], I would love to connect with you about your specific needs and what your resources currently look like. I also have a suggestion for how to [Result]. Give me a call back at [Number] if it’s convenient for you, or feel free to reply to the email that I will be following up with. Thanks!”
Timing is crucial in cold calling success. Organize your calls during specific hours, such as 8 am – 10 am, 11 am – 12 pm, or 4 pm – 5 pm, to potentially increase your connect rate by up to 15%.
The Structure of an Effective Cold Calling Script
The structure of a cold calling script acts as the foundation for a successful call. While providing guidance, it shouldn’t be overly rigid; after all, you’re engaged in a conversation. Your primary goals are to gain the prospect’s trust, address their specific business needs, and deliver maximum value in minimal time. The structure of the best B2B sales cold call scripts can be broken down into:
- Research
- Opener
- Questions
- Conversation
- Pitch
- Close
Research:
Before diving into the cold call, conduct a background check on your prospect. Remember, you’re not just talking to a potential sale but to a person. Leverage social media to familiarize yourself with your prospect before picking up the phone. This preliminary research builds confidence and enhances your pitch.
Opener:
Similar to crafting a compelling subject line for an email, initiate your cold call with a human and empathetic touch. Surprisingly, a simple opener like “Hey, how are you?” can result in 3.4X more booked meetings. Explore various B2B cold calling openers for a captivating start.
Questions & Conversation:
The questions you pose should align with your prospect’s willingness to share information. The more they talk, the better you can lead the conversation and ask relevant questions tailored to their specific needs at that moment.
Pitch:
If you’ve listened intently to your prospect’s challenges and pains, your pitch should seamlessly move the deal forward. Your sales call script needs to be agile and personalized, addressing your prospect’s pain points. For instance, if your prospect is a recruiter struggling to fill vacancies, explain how your solution can resolve this efficiently. Present relevant success stories or testimonials to illustrate how they can also succeed with your offering.
Close:
Before going in for the close, ensure your prospect is on the same page. If you’ve addressed all their concerns and they’re interested in learning more about your solution, the next step is to qualify them and schedule a demo.
Keep in mind that these are key considerations for effective cold calling scripts, but there’s much more to it. To simplify and provide you with best practices, we’ve summarized the essential elements for your next sales cold calling script below:
The Best Cold Call Script Ever Written
The most impactful cold call scripts are personal and make the prospect feel at ease, encouraging them to respond openly. Gong’s personalization script hits all the right spots:
The Personalization Cold Call Script
I know I’m calling out of the blue, but I was researching [COMPANY NAME] and noticed [3X3 RESEARCH]. As an outsider looking in, it seems like a big challenge right now is [PAIN POINT]. Is this something your team is focused on?
Why does this sales cold calling script work so well? The tactical apology of “I know I’m calling out of the blue” helps you earn more time from your prospect. Successful cold calls are approximately 2X longer than poor cold calls: 5:50 for booked meetings versus 3:14 for no meeting booked.
The 3X3 research approach involves spending three minutes finding three relevant pieces of information about a prospect. Tools like Bruxt provide you with the company and contact info you need on the prospect you’re reaching out to, like their title, the company’s revenue growth, and employee count to customize your pitch to their pain points.
The simple yes/no question instantly pushes the conversation forward and lets you know where you stand without wasting more time: “Is this something your team is focused on?”
B2B Cold Calling Templates
At Bruxt, we rely on Gong for sales calls due to their excellence in revenue intelligence and objection handling. Here are some favorite picks from their cold calling templates:
The Opener
Hi [FIRST NAME], this is [YOUR FULL NAME] with [YOUR COMPANY]. How’ve you been?
What: Start with your full name and company name.
Why: Stating your name and your company’s name up front helps you control the conversation and avoids the dreaded “who is this?” question.
Impact: “How’ve you been?” performs 6.6X better because it uses a pattern interrupt.
The Reason
The reason for my call is …
What: Start by providing an answer right away.
Why: Satisfy curiosity right away and eradicate any suspicion of “who is this? Why are you calling me?”
Impact: 2.1X higher success rate for sales reps who state their reason for calling.
The Value Proposition
At [YOUR COMPANY], we help customers like [SIMILAR COMPANY] solve [PAIN POINT] by [HIGH-LEVEL VALUE PROP]. Does it make sense for me to give you more detail about how we do that?
What: Make it personal and provide social proof.
Why: Boost credibility and reassure them that you can address their pains.
Impact: Follow up with a cold email that includes the CTA – Interest and double your chances of converting the prospect.
Closing
It sounds like it might be worth scheduling a call so we can provide more context on how we can support your team to achieve [DESIRED STATE/OUTCOME/RESULTS]. How does [DATE/TIME] work for you?
What: Turn your question into an offer.
Why: The direct approach removes any friction.
Impact: The precise date and time seal the deal.
Create Your Winning Cold Call Script
Armed with the tips above, you have the tools to create a script that keeps prospects engaged and guides them through the pipeline. For additional guidance on formulating a robust sales formula, explore our free sales script generator.
In Conclusion
As we conclude, here are some essential tips to follow when crafting your cold calling script:
- Always use open-ended questions to lead a dialog
- Focus on the prospect and their interests to encourage openness
- Incorporate social proof points to build trust
- Adjust your tone to fit the situation
- Ask follow-up questions based on the conversation