We are going to focus on the sell and be absolutely certain that what you’re giving is something the other person should buy in the traditional cold calling attitude.

Mistake #1: Focus the discussion on yourself and what you have to give.

You introduce yourself, tell them what you do, and recommend an advantage or feature of your product in the traditional method. Then you close your eyes and hope the other person is intrigued.

Unfortunately, when you stop talking, you frequently get the response, “Sorry, I’m busy,” or “Sorry, I’m not interested.”

You see, you began your cold call by discussing what you have to offer. However, most people aren’t very interested in you.

To them, talking about your company and your product is just another advertising. Because you haven’t engaged them, they frequently “turn the page.“

Prospects are much more interested in themselves and what’s important to them. So if you start the conversation by focusing on their world, they’re more likely to interact with you.

So instead, talk about an issue or problem they may need solving. Focus on them rather than on what you have to offer. And see where it takes you. When you talk about an issue that’s important to your prospect, they’re more likely to listen.

You’ve engaged them by showing them how what you have to offer can solve their problem or challenge. And once they see that, they want more information.

So instead of talking about your product or service right away (which is often experienced as salesy), focus on the problem and how you can help solve it. If you can help them, they’ll appreciate it. If not, they’ll move on to someone who can.

This is the first step in building a relationship with your prospect. You need to build trust.

If you can do that, then they’re more likely to listen to what you have to say. And if they’re listening, they’ll be much more interested in hearing about the products or services you offer.

Mistake #2: Be certain that they will purchase your goods or service.

You’re trained to focus on the sell and be absolutely certain that what you’re giving is something the other person should buy.

The issue with this method is that you haven’t asked them to make this decision with you. So think about it: with the old attitude, you’re determining what’s best for someone else. I realise it’s not your intention, but this is precisely how your prospects perceive you.

Others really can distinguish the difference. You’re inviting them to see if you might be able to help them solve a problem.

This makes for a much better connection right at the beginning, and you’ll get that immediate rejection reaction much less. The best way to approach this is to simply ask your prospect if they have any challenges or needs that need addressing.

If you can help them, great! If not, then you’ve just saved yourself a lot of time and effort by not wasting it on someone who isn’t interested in what you have to offer.

The next time you feel yourself getting ready to launch into a sales pitch, try the “icebreaker” approach instead. You’ll be surprised at how much more effective it is in establishing rapport and building trust with your prospects.

In many cases, you won’t even get to the point where you ask for a commitment. The other person will just say “no thanks, not interested.” That’s fine! You can move on and try again with someone else.

Mistake #3: If someone raises an issue, strive to overcome it.

One of the reasons cold calling is so challenging is that you may not be familiar with the other individual or their company. You don’t know much about their difficulties, challenges, finances, or time limits when you make that initial contact.

Your product or service will most likely not benefit everyone.

So realistically, your company or product isn’t going to be a match for everyone. And yet, when someone brings up an objection “we don’t have the budget for that,” etc., the old cold calling mindset trains you to “overcome,” “bypass,” or “override.”

But when you do that, you put the other person on the defensive. Something they’ve said is being dismissed. And here’s where rejection can happen very suddenly.

So it’s much better to listen to their concerns and continue to explore whether what you’re offering makes sense for them. There are some wonderful phrases you can use that validate their viewpoint without closing the conversation.

So now you’ve discovered the 3 major cold calling mistakes people often make. See if you can shift away from those old self-sabotaging mindsets. When you do, you’ll notice that people will engage you much more, and the immediate rejection you’ve grown so accustomed to will happen much less.

And if you are still receiving rejections, take heart! They’re only temporary.

The more people you talk to, the better your chances of finding someone who is willing to hear what you have to say. This is because you’re listening, validating and asking questions that help people to see the value in what you offer.

Conclusion

If you want to learn more about cold calling, check out my free video training. It’s called “How To Overcome Fear Of Calling People You Don’t Know” and it can be found here.

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