In 2017 the assignments unfortunately don’t just fall into your lap!

The call for new business is of our time and bigger than ever. Cold telephone acquisition is one of the sales methods to warm the relationship with your potential client, which improves the chance that they will award you an assignment!

In my earlier weblog I mentioned that in some advisory professions, such as in particular lawyers, tax advisers and coaches, it is better to do the telephone acquisition yourself. Nobody can word and explain your expertise to the potential client better than you. Especially when specific questions are asked about your area of expertise, you as professional can give the right answers. 

Advantages of telephone acquisition
Pick up the phone yourself and you immediately make contact with your future client. By having a personal telephone conversation, you will soon find out whether there is interest in your service or product. Of course, there are also other advantages to do telephone acquisition yourself:

• You can more quickly make an appointment with the correct decider at your potential client.
• You can get to know important information regarding the developments in your new client’s industry.
• It is the fastest way to get feedback and a direct reply.
• You build a good relationship with your existing and new clients. This keeps your sales funnel healthy.
• It is one of the cheapest ways to find new clients.
• It helps the continuity of your revenue.

Well begun is half done
When you decide to do telephone acquisition yourself, it is important to get to know as much as possible about your potential clients. Gather that information by answering the following questions: 

• How am I going to do this and in which way will I present myself?
• Who are my clients?
• How am I going to connect them to my company, product.
• What is their biggest problem?
• What does the market look like? Is there a lot of competition or not? How do my products and services differ from those of the competition?
• Do I want regional, national or international?

In short: it is very important that you describe as clearly as possible who your potential clients are and for which problems that they encounter, you can offer solutions.

Telephone acquisition in practice
Calling yourself helps you to build a relationship with your potential clients. In my experience, when you have prepared properly, you can share lots of knowledge during the call and you immediately get feedback from your conversation partner.

Call script
Preparation is and remains a requirement in order to have a good acquisition call. After all, you want to make an appointment to have a ?face-to-face conversation with your potential client! Something that can help you prepare for the call is writing a call script. Write in your call script the greeting, the conversation opening, the company’s problem, the solution you offer, your proposal to make an appointment and the way in which you will close the call. This script can guide you in the calls you are having. By doing this exercise, you create a clear conversation structure for yourself.

The gate keepers: your new best friends
It happens on a regular basis that you must reach your goal, the for you correct conversation partner within the company or organisation, via a detour. The gate keeper, in most cases the receptionist, secretary or telephonist, cannot or does not want to connect you. My advice: make sure you become friends with them. The gate keeper determines whether or not she will put you through to the person you wish to speak to!

No monologues
Never hold a monologue during the acquisition call, but start a dialogue with your potential client. Ask questions. And do not forget to process the notes of your call immediately. Before you put down the phone, it is important that you have written down the follow-up steps resulting from the conversation in your agenda, such as sending information you promised your client and its follow-up or a specific time at which you can call back.

Focus of your conversation: what does your conversation partner need?
Finally: focus on what the client really wants and needs. Before making the call, do not assume that you will immediately score a deal or an appointment, or you will be very disappointed! Not only can this expectation disappoint you, but it increases the chance of rejection. Realise that you are approaching your potential client unsolicited! It is therefore not realistic to expect that they will say ‘Yes’ at each of your calls. This is why in this process rejection is very common. Telephone acquisition is sometimes also being blown off.

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