As someone who gets a different answer every time I add the same stack of numbers, I am fascinated by the magic of statistics and the stats I heard at a recent seminar impressed me no end. According to cold calling expert Susan Aldridge almost half of all salespeople out there never follow up with their prospects…yet 80% of all sales are made after the fifth contact.

Light bulb moment?

Successful salespeople know it takes consistency and ingenuity to connect with busy people and since almost everything we do in life has a sales and marketing element, we should all take note. Need a sponsor for an upcoming event? Want the chance to demonstrate your product? Hoping to score three new contracts for next quarter’s success?

Keep plugging!

Aldridge’s company, Outspoken1, specializes in outsourcing cold calls for companies that prefer to spend internal resources on other important tasks. And she says that while it’s important to work from a great script, it’s important to be real. How do you do that?

Start with a juicy bit. Hers is “Hi, I’m Susan Aldridge from Outspoken1 and we bring you people.”

Say what?

Exactly!

The juicy bit immediately grabs the prospect’s attention and pulls them into a conversation that is only possible because they are intrigued by your comment. They become engaged.

Other tips Aldridge offered to help steer through the cold sweats of cold calling include:

• Always tell prospects what they will gain from their connection with you
• Know your own personality style, know how to assess that of your prospect and make room for both in your conversation
• Gracefully distinguish yourself from your competition
• Don’t give up unless you hear a “no”

How you do all of the above, however, is key.

Aldridge has had years of success in a tough business and she brings a wealth of valuable detail to bear on the challenge of generating success. She gives a fab seminar and it’s not surprising to know that while the numbers are key, the words make the difference!

If you want more information on how Outspoken1 can drive results on your behalf email Susan Aldridge directly at susan@outspoken1.com

And, if you’d like to put the power of language to work on behalf of your organizational goals, contact me directly at susan@crossmancommunications.com or check me out on Twitter.