If cold calling hasn’t been going well for your sales team, maybe it’s time for a new cold calling script. When you speak with prospects on the phone for the first time, impression is everything. You have just a minute or two to capture their attention and win the right to actually sell to them. Therefore, your cold calling script is paramount. Be sure to remember the following points when building a better cold calling script.

Nix the Small Talk

When you cold call a prospect, you’re interrupting them. They might not be in a business meeting or talking with a client, but they’re working on something, even if it’s only straightening their desks. That’s why it’s important to nix the small talk. You didn’t call to shoot the breeze; you called with a specific purpose in mind. So don’t include any of the following phrases in your cold calling script:

• “How are you?”
• “How is your day going?”
• “I hope you’re well.”
• Instead, begin with a basic, “Good morning, Mr. Smith”, or “Good afternoon, Ms. Jones”.

Introduce Yourself Succinctly

Your prospect doesn’t need to hear your entire resume or how you have relatives in the town where his company is located. Be considerate by introducing yourself succinctly. Include your name, your position in your company, and the company you represent. 

Even if all of your sales reps use the same cold calling script, help them to write out succinct introductions that meet the above criteria. Because introductions come first, it’s important that they’re spot on.

Anticipate Objections

If you’ve done a fair amount of cold calling, you know what the typical objections are to the products and services you offer. Improve your cold calling script by anticipating these objections and resolving them before your prospect ever has a chance to bring them up. 

For example, if a typical objection is that it’s too big a hassle to switch to a new vendor, explain in your basic summary the services you include that make the switch seamless and easy for customers.

Ask a Qualifying Question

Maybe a prospect isn’t well suited for the products and services you offer. You can save yourself (and the prospect) precious time by not setting up a sales meeting if the business relationship is an ill fit from the start. Carefully think of a question or two that would help you to determine if a prospect is a good match for what you have to offer.

Set the Appointment

This is the purpose of your cold calling script: to set an appointment. Don’t use vague or open-ended questions in your quest to get an appointment with a prospect. Be concrete and specific. Say something like, “I think we should get together. How about Wednesday at 2 pm?” or “I’d like to stop by next Tuesday to tell you about the success other companies have found with our services.” Questions and statements like these make strong closers for your cold calling script. 

Review your cold calling script, and make sure you nix the small talk, introduce yourself succinctly, anticipate objections, as a qualifying question, and set an appointment. All of this can be done quickly, getting you to the goal: an in-person appointment where you can really use your selling skills.