After two years at home services marketplace HomeAdvisor, Nicholas Moretti has heard every objection imaginable to his sales pitches. And he’s come out on the other side with a mantra of sorts.
“Before going into a cold call, I always remind myself that I am here to help service professionals,” Moretti said.
He tries to put any interpersonal worries aside and instead focus on the purpose of his role: Listen to common objections and understand the root of the problem. That way, he and his fellow senior sales representatives Deanna Munem and Gorgeous Frazier can provide appropriate solutions to repetitive pain points.
But of course, that’s only an effective strategy if they can get a decision-maker on the other end of the line.
“You can figure out if you have the right person on the phone within the first 10 seconds of the call,” Munem said.
Hint: It has to do with how they answer the phone.
Identifying and Talking to the Right People
Cold calling sales is an art form. It requires proper coaching and appropriate mindset training. At HomeAdvisor, our sales team is trained to call individuals with whom we have no previous relationship or communication and sell them on how and why they will benefit from our service.
You can figure out if you have the right person on the phone within the first 10 seconds of the call. If the person answers with a scripted introduction to the business or company, most of the time that is not a decision-maker. A decision-maker or business partner will answer the phone with an unscripted introduction like, “Hello, this is John.” Their introduction will not be as rehearsed because they are busy running the show.
Confidence is the most important asset to any sales role. To get around any gatekeeper, call with a purpose. Sales representatives must call with the impression that a relationship has already been established. For instance, if I know the owner’s name, I will approach the conversation like so: “Is John around?” or “Is John in the office today?”
Preparing for a Cold Call
I prospect a lot from websites. I always make sure I know exactly where the potential customer is located and align my talking points with the services listed on their website.
I try to locate any pain points as well. For example, if I see they are traveling 50 miles for work, I let them know how many requests we have within about 10 miles to peak interest.
I’ve been at HomeAdvisor for over two years. I’ve heard every objection you can think of. So before going into a cold call, I always remind myself that I am here to help service professionals. Stop worrying so much about selling people on your service and listen to common objections.
Turning a Stranger Into a Customer
My strategies for keeping someone on the phone change based on who I am speaking with. Being a chameleon is one of the most important tactics. It allows me to be quick on my feet and relate to each individual.
Every time I pick up the phone, I try to make the other person feel as if theirs is the only business I am reaching out to. I like to personalize each conversation and provide a little information about myself. I drop a seed of knowledge about the company and my intention and always follow up with multiple questions about them and their business. I validate their feelings, match their tone and add a piece of information about the product itself that they may have not heard about to peak their interest and see what entices them.
