If cold calling businesses is a part of your sales model, chances are you’ve reached problems with reaching the decision-maker within a company. The company gatekeepers are trained to identify sales calls, and more often than not they’re going to deflect your attempts or direct you to a voicemail inbox. Fortunately, there are ways to successfully navigate these points of contact to make the most out of your B2B cold calling strategy.

Pre-Call Research Equals Smart Cold Calling

The first step of making it through to a decision-maker is knowing who you should be

speaking with. Do some research before you make the call, and learn the names and job titles of the major players in the company. To accomplish this, you can:

• Use the internet, including the company’s website and networking platforms like LinkedIn
• Call to ask who’s responsible for purchasing
• Research news articles featuring the company

You can also use networking to your advantage by attending trade shows and other events to get to know the staff of that particular company.

Improve Telephone First Impressions

When you first reach the gatekeeper, they’re more than likely going to try to get you off of the phone. You can work through their natural defenses by treating them with kindness and respect. They likely deal with pushy and inconsiderate salespeople on a daily basis, so set yourself apart from the crowd by providing value from the very beginning.

You should always:

• Show that you understand their unique business model and that you have a product or service that can help them
• Be persistent (but not aggressive)
• Use the cold call to gather information, even if you’re refused

Practice Model Responses to Cold Call Objections

Ideally, you’ll have your entire sales pitch planned out ahead of time, but sometimes the gatekeeper can throw you a curve ball. Plan for some common rebuffs by offering to send an email or call back at a better time. If you get a clear-cut refusal, you might politely try to find out why they aren’t interested in your service or product.

Schedule Multiple B2B Cold Calls

Sometimes switching up the time you place your call can prove more successful. You might get a different gatekeeper who’s more open to your services, or earlier or later in the day might prove to be a better time for the decision maker’s schedule. In fact, cold calling business outside of traditional work hours may increase your chances of reaching an executive directly.

Once you get through to the right person, be sure to make a good first impression and show them the true value of your product. If they need to think about it or would like more information, offer to send an email or follow up with them at a later date.

B2B cold calling can be frustrating and time-consuming, but with the right technique, you can improve your success rate and build a valuable relationship with your customers. Practice these tips while cold calling businesses to make the most of your sales strategy.