Leslie Venetz, corporate sales trainer and sales-led GTM consultant, shares her expertise on cold calling, emphasizing its relevance in sales. She provides tips on maximizing success, crafting a compelling cold call pitch, and effective questioning. The podcast also discusses preparation, objection handling, the importance of skill set and mindset in sales, and the art and science of sales.
Cold calling should be approached as a craft and part of a multi-channel outreach strategy.
Researching and creating a segmented and niche list is crucial before making cold calls.
Active listening, curiosity, and adaptability are important for handling objections and maximizing success in cold calling.
Deep dives
The Importance of Cold Calling
In this episode of the Revenue Builders Podcast, host John McMan interviews Leslie Venez, a corporate sales trainer and go-to-market consultant. They discuss the art and science of cold calling and its continued relevance in today's sales landscape. Leslie emphasizes that cold calling should be seen as a craft rather than a generic approach. She highlights the importance of conducting research and segmentation before making cold calls, as well as the value of using multiple channels of outreach. Leslie provides insights on creating compelling call pitches, handling objections with curiosity, and concluding cold calls with clear next steps. She stresses the significance of active listening and continuous improvement in objection handling. Leslie also emphasizes the need for repeatable processes and measurable sequences to maximize success in cold calling.
Effective Cold Calling Techniques
Leslie Venez advises sales professionals on effective cold calling techniques. She recommends layering cold calls with other channels, such as social media and email, to increase response rates. Leslie emphasizes the need for specific and relevant call openers and impact statements during cold calls to capture the prospect's attention. She suggests preparing questions that demonstrate curiosity and help uncover the prospect's needs and challenges. Leslie underscores the importance of treating objections as opportunities to learn and engage in conversation rather than trying to overcome them. She encourages salespeople to stay confident, flexible, and open-minded during objection handling, while keeping the conversation focused on the prospect's interests and goals.
Key Elements for Successful Cold Calls
In this episode, Leslie Venez shares key elements for successful cold calls. She emphasizes the importance of conducting pre-call research and segmenting the target audience to effectively personalize the conversation. Leslie advises sales professionals to avoid solely relying on cold calling and instead incorporate multiple channels of outreach for better results. She suggests using open-ended questions to foster engagement and active listening during cold calls. Leslie also provides strategies for handling objections, reiterating the value proposition, and asking for specific next steps. She emphasizes the need for confidence, curiosity, and adaptability in cold calling, treating it as a craft that requires continuous improvement and practice.
Overcoming Cold Calling Challenges
In this episode, Leslie Venez addresses challenges and objections faced in cold calling. She advises sales professionals to approach objections with curiosity rather than trying to overcome them immediately. Leslie highlights the importance of active listening and asking relevant discovery questions to understand the prospect's needs and challenges. She suggests that salespeople should be confident and show empathy to build trust with prospects. Leslie recommends using layered outreach techniques, such as voicemails and emails, to engage with prospects effectively. She also emphasizes the significance of having clear next steps and avoiding generic follow-up messages. Overall, Leslie encourages sales professionals to treat cold calling as a craft, constantly improving their skills and approaching it with a strategic mindset.
Best Practices for Cold Calling
Leslie Venez shares best practices to improve cold calling effectiveness. She emphasizes the need for researching and segmenting prospects' profiles to craft personalized call openers and impact statements. Leslie advises sales professionals to combine cold calling with other channels, such as social media and email, to increase success rates. She suggests using curiosity and active listening to uncover prospect needs and challenges during cold calls. Leslie advocates for clarity and specific next steps in conclusion to avoid wasting time and ensure progress. She also explains the importance of confidence, empathy, and continuous improvement in objection handling. Overall, Leslie promotes treating cold calling as a craft and leveraging repeatable processes to achieve better results.
Leslie Venetz is a corporate sales trainer and sales-led GTM consultant. She has made over 100,000 cold calls, was a 3x Head of Sales & is now the Founder of Sales Team Builder. Leslie uses her expertise to help teams talk WITH their prospects instead of AT them. She is an active content Creator with over 60,000 followers. She has posted daily on LinkedIn for over 1000 days & is a LinkedIn Top Voice. Leslie was also the first B2B sales creator on TikTok posting under @SalesTipsTok. Leslie co-authored the book Heels to Deals: How Women are Dominating in B2B Sales. She is passionate about transforming sales into an inclusive, respected profession.
Leslie shares her expertise on cold calling. She emphasizes the importance of treating cold calling as a craft and using it as part of a multi-channel outreach strategy. Leslie provides tips on how to maximize success before making a cold call, including creating a segmented and niche list and conducting research on the prospect's business challenges. She also discusses the elements of a compelling cold call pitch and the importance of curiosity, conversation, and conclusion in handling objections. Leslie advises on the best practices for follow-up calls and offers insights on the ideal time to make cold calls.
Tune in and learn more in this episode of The Revenue Builders.
HERE ARE SOME KEY SECTIONS TO CHECK OUT
[00:03:24] Definition of cold calling and its relevance in sales [00:07:25] Conducting research on ideal customers and their pain points [00:13:14] Creating ways to make it easy for customers to get value [00:24:59] Introduction to the topic of curiosity [00:27:00] The value of keeping the conversation going [00:30:10] Using curiosity to continue the conversation on cold calls [00:39:19] Using a game-changing question to increase close rates [00:46:06] Guidelines for follow-up calls and adding value [00:51:58] Asking for referral if not the right person [01:02:09] Conclusion
[00:14:44] "The number one most important thing about cold calling is confidence." [00:17:06] "The goal isn't to overcome the objection via email. The goal is to get curious and learn something." [00:25:27] "The number one most important thing that you can do when you hear an objection is just try to keep the conversation going." [00:49:27] "The reason for following up is never just to follow up and just to check in because that gives exactly no value to the person that we're speaking with."
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