V + E = RESULTS
by Daniel Francès
Some of you reading this blog may have an immediate recollection at the mention of the letters “V” and “E” because they have long been associated with V-E Day: Victory in Europe Day, hearkening back to World War II. A little before my time, granted, but the annual remembrance celebrations certainly did not escape my attention, especially growing up in Holland. However, I would like to take the liberty of making some new associations for “V” and “E”, with all due respect still accruing to VE Day and all it stands for!
VISUALIZE! EMPATHIZE! These two words, these two actions are imperative to Cold Calling success. Master the technique and use them together, and they will gift you with a Cold Call strategy that simply does not fail.
Man has been gifted with imagination. Cold callers need to use it! Creativity counts in so many ways when you are seeking to get beyond the gatekeeper and into the CEO or manager’s office. The truth is, it is uncanny how much of a difference it will make if you learn to use your imagination to Visualize your potential client in your mind before you pick up that phone.
If there is one trick, one surefire method I have learned through my own experience, it is this: Visualize the client before you call. I kid you not, I constantly practice and teach visualization. It has helped me become the Cold Call Expert.
You may be thinking, “What does this guy mean, visualize the client? Does it really matter what the guy looks like?” Not really in the big scheme of things, we all come in our own unique packages, but imagining what that potential client looks like is absolutely crucial to your Cold Calling success.
Try it. Sit back, close your eyes, and banish those nagging doubts. Is he a big guy or thin as a whip? Dark-haired or distinguished and grey? What’s he wearing today? Three-piece suit straight off the cover of GQ or khakis and an open-neck shirt? What’s his office look like? If he is drinking a cup of coffee, is it espresso or instant (poor guy)? When he talks to you on the phone, is he sitting back looking out the window too, or is he hunched over the desk, maybe just a tad impatient?
Now picture yourself sitting across the desk from him, looking around. What are you going to say to him to break the ice? This is where your investment in a little pre-Cold-Call research comes into play: What do you already know about his education, work history, family, or organizational affiliations? How are you going to connect?
Everyone responds differently when meeting someone in person as opposed to over the phone, especially on the first call. The interaction of meeting someone face to face is almost always warmer, friendlier, more open and receptive. Visualization helps you capture some of that warmth and transmit it to your potential client over the phone. The perceived distance between you will become tangibly “closer” if you visualize the person effectively. Even if your mental image ultimately proves to be totally off base, the genuine energy you convey to him will not be, and he will feel it and respond in kind.
Train yourself to visualize your potential client in your mind’s eye. Understand and embrace WHO he is. This is the bottom line of every Cold Call I have ever made. The effectiveness of your Cold Call will weigh heavily on how sincerely you can empathize with your potential client, and to empathize on a Cold Call, you need to be able to relate to him when you don’t actually know him. If you visualize and empathize before you call, the second your ears pick up any telltale inflection in the client’s voice, you will already be well on your way to knowing the best way to respond, what to ask, say, or offer.
I would never advise any aspiring Cold Callers to limit themselves to improvement in only one area, but if I had to choose, visualization and empathy is the winning combo, without question. When you feel you “already know him”, even if your mental image is totally inaccurate, the positive energy of the feeling of connection that you transmit in your voice and words over the phone will bring the results you seek, and do it amazingly fast.
Daniel Frances is CEO of The Cold Call Company and author of The Cold Call Bible.
