Cold Call

A cold call is a sales activity where sales professionals contact (usually via telephone) people who have not expressed any interest in their product, in the hopes of making a sale.

Sure, and swimming with piranhas is a refreshing dip.

In reality, a cold call is as delightful as a cold shower in freezing weather while simultaneously being punched in the face.

Oh, and if that’s not how you feel, ask a colleague. Seriously, just do it. According to a study, 48% of salespeople are afraid of making cold calls.

Not “doesn’t like making cold calls”

Not “really hates cold calls”

Afraid.

And why not? Nine times out of ten, a cold call leads to a cold shoulder, at best. At worst, it can get oh so much worse. Seriously, the fact that SDRs don’t show up to work drunk half the time is a testament to how tough you guys are.

But being tough doesn’t mean it does not impact your mental health. So while there will always be bad days, for the sake of your health and happiness, do your best to warm up those cold calls. How, you ask?

The answer is research. A bit of social media stalking never hurt anybody (in a strictly professional sense), so scour LinkedIn, use Google and do a bit of Crunchbase snooping to see if the prospect actually needs what you’re selling. Just a little bit of familiarity makes a huge difference. We discuss this in a lot more detail right here.

So yeah, it's not too much of a stretch to say that cold calls are terrifying, but they are also a core part of the job. So warm them up with research, with prep, with a solid calling strategy and don't worry, it'll be a ...well not a breeze exactly, but no worse than a stiff wind.

TL:DR - Arguably one of the toughest parts of an SDR's existence. Calling up people who don't know you and aren't expecting you to call will never be easy, and rejections will never not be disheartening, but take heart. It can get better.

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