Cold calls can be a crucial first step in the buyer-sales rep relationship and are a valuable element in any outbound sales strategy. When they go right, cold calls generate new leads and build new connections with prospects who may go on to become loyal customers. 

But many sales reps dread making them. One survey reported that 63% of reps say that cold calls are the worst part of their job. The good news is that with interactive sales training and plenty of practice, your organization can overcome that statistic. Read on to discover actionable insights for mastering cold calling, and how AI-powered sales training can equip every sales rep to ace their cold calls. 

Cold Calling Challenges and How to Overcome Them

Here are some of the common challenges that undermine effective discovery calls:

• Lack of confidence. It can be discouraging to face frequent “no’s.” Sales reps can lose heart and avoid cold calls. When they do get through, they struggle to sound positive.
• Poor soft skills. Cold-call prospects often cut the call short. Sales reps don’t always know how to grab the prospect’s attention and make a connection before they hang up. 
• Lack of personalization. Many sales reps aren’t sure how to make calls sound relevant and personal, causing their call to sound scripted and put off the prospect. 
• Dropping the follow-up. Sales reps can forget to follow up on cold calls, due to poor data management or uncertainty about how to be persistent without sounding pushy. 

Practicing cold calling with a role play partner – human or AI – can help build confidence, teach soft skills, and amble practicing with personalization. Follow-up is a learned skill and becoming more organized, or using reminder tools can help a great deal. 

Cold Calling Tips: Do’s and Don’ts for Effective Conversations

Winning cold calls requires solid preparation and strong soft skills. Effective sales reps are confident and able to connect with prospects very quickly. Here are the top tactics that set up cold calls for success. 

The Path to Success: Do:

• Research. Find out who to call in your target company, their pain points, and budgeting cycle. For example, you saw from their LinkedIn profile that the company recently expanded into new markets, so you can call and ask how the transition is going. 
• Gain confidence. Sales reps should sound positive and upbeat when they call, making it clear that they are reaching out because they believe they have a solution that adds value for the prospect. 
• Build rapport. Put yourself in the prospect’s shoes to understand their needs and challenges, and validate the problem they’re facing before pitching a solution.
• Engage the prospect. Just like discovery calls, cold calls should involve open-ended questions and active listening that build a relationship. For example, reps can ask “What challenges are you facing with your current process?”
• Follow up. Consistent, positive follow-up is crucial for cold calls. It’s vital for sales reps to send a polite email or text message like “Thank you for taking the time to talk. I’d love to reconnect when it’s convenient for you.”

Avoid These Pitfalls: Don’t:

• Rush the call. Even in cold calls, reps should build rapport before jumping into their pitch. 
• Talk too much. Sales reps need to focus on the prospect instead of dominating the call.
• Take rejection personally. When a prospect shuts down the call, reps should accept it gracefully and stay positive
• Forget to track calls. The details of every call should be logged in your CRM, even if it didn’t result in a conversion. 

How AI Sales Training Improves Cold Calling Confidence

Sales training using AI-powered tools, such as AI role plays, enables sales reps to strengthen the soft skills they need for successful cold calls. Non-judgmental role play personas are always available, so reps can rehearse cold call conversations until they sound natural. 

Instant scores provide the positive feedback that encourages more practice and builds confidence, and timely feedback guides reps in soft skills like active listening and creating rapport. 

How Second Nature Helps Sales Reps Ace Cold Calls

Second Nature’s AI-powered role play training solution invites sales reps to rehearse realistic cold calls at any time and as often as they like, tailored to your organization’s common cold call scenarios. Some of its leading features include: 

• Authentic cold call conversations. Select the language, cultural context, and personality type to adjust role play avatars according to your target audience, so that sales reps are ready for anything. 
• User-friendly role play builder. Input your existing training resources to generate customized role play sessions in minutes and a full library in days. 
• On-demand training. Knowledgeable and attentive role play personas are available anytime, anywhere, so reps can practice in a safe space whenever it’s convenient. 
• Timely, actionable feedback. Objective evaluations including overall score, skills analysis, and recommendations for ways to enhance cold call performance.  
• Strengthen cold call muscles. Reps rehearse real-life situations to overcome their hesitation and improve their confidence. 
• Personalized coaching. Sales reps receive individualized feedback about elements like tone of voice, pace, eye contact, and engagement levels, allowing them to polish soft skills like active listening. 

Key Takeaways 

• Cold call success demands strong soft skills and confidence
• Sales training can help sales reps develop confidence and learn how to build rapport quickly
• AI role plays are the best way for sales reps to strengthen soft skills and gain confidence 

Ready to take your reps’ sales performance to the next level? Try Second Nature’s AI-powered sales training software today. 

FAQs

How can sales reps overcome the fear of cold calling?

The best way for sales reps to overcome their fear of cold calling is to practice as much as possible. Realistic role plays that mirror awkward or uncomfortable real-life circumstances enable sales reps to gain confidence and master the ability to quickly build rapport and make an engaging and concise pitch. 

What are the key elements of a successful cold call?

The key elements of a successful cold call are:

• A strong opening
• A clear value proposition
• Active listening
• A confident but conversational tone
• Personalized questions
• A focus on solving the prospect’s pain points

How does AI-powered sales training improve cold call success?

AI-powered sales training improves cold call success by offering sales reps a judgment-free space to practice their skills. AI sales coaches are always available 24/7, enabling reps to practice more, and deliver timely, targeted feedback that strengthens soft skills and breaks bad habits.