3 Ways to Create a Sense of Urgency on a Sales Call

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sense of urgency on a sales call

Creating a sense of urgency on a sales call can mean the difference between engaging in a conversation with a decision maker, or getting quickly ushered off the phone.

 

B2B cold calling remains a successful method for lead generation and is even more so if callers can gain the attention of a prospect early and then engage with them in a meaningful interaction. With more people working remotely, and fewer chances for in-person opportunities, sales teams will need to improve their calling skills to stay competitive.

 

If you or your team are finding it difficult to get to the conversation, it may be worth focusing on creating a sense of urgency at the outset of a phone call. The following are three ways that have proven successful for myself and my team:

3 Ways to Create a Sense of Urgency on A Sales Call

1. A Positive Attitude

Enthusiasm on a phone call should not be overrated. Whether it is your first call or your fiftieth, giving off the vibe that this will be a successful and productive call is very powerful.

 

If you can get the prospect to join you in that positive vibe while you convey that what you have to offer could work well for them, you have a good chance of keeping them on the phone to have a conversation.  

 

Conversely, if the caller feels your own lack of confidence, it will be reflected right back at you.

 

Keep the message straightforward and the tone confident and there is a good chance you will spark an interest.

2. Ask the Right Questions

A good question, one that is open-ended and requires some thought or reflection, is a great way to get a conversation going. Asking a yes or no question, one that gives a prospect the opportunity to say no thank you, is a great way to end the conversation.

 

Asking the right questions gets your prospect talking and can also increase their desire to learn more.

 

Simple modifications to a question to make it open-ended can create the sense of urgency needed to spark an interest.

 

For example, “Are you interested in learning how this product could cut production costs?” can be answered with a simple “no.” Change it to, “How would cutting production costs affect you? Your company?” and the answer requires a bit more thought and encourages follow-up questions from the prospect.

 

Look over your current questions. Would they spark your interest? Can they be answered easily?

 

A few modifications may change your success rate in a big way.

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3. Know the Product and Industry

Understanding the industry into which you are calling, as well as the common problems and pitfalls it faces, can be a refreshing change for your prospect, who has most likely experienced many calls from inexperienced sales reps.

 

Knowing possible competitors, current information about the industry, and specific terms and vocabulary that is used can help get a prospect interested and a conversation started.

 

Once you’ve managed to get your prospect to discuss their current situation and how they handle the business problem that you are addressing, it is imperative that you are able to answer back with real knowledge of the product, service, or solution that is offered.

 

If possible, also include information about how it has been successful for others in the same industry.

 

Conveying that others in the industry are using your product with success may compel your prospect to stay on the phone and learn more.

 

It’s important to note that this is not the same as knowing, or reading, a list of the features and benefits of what you are representing. That sort of information can likely be found through a quick internet search. Your phone call and knowledge are meant to offer much more than that.

 

Get to the Conversation

 

The benefit of cold calling for B2B lead generation is the ability to create a meaningful interaction and engage in a valuable conversation – something that prospects cannot get through other methods of marketing and sales.

 

Create a sense of urgency on a sales call and you will have a better chance at engaging in a real conversation and qualifying leads.

 

John

 

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in 2019, it has been updated for content in October 2020.

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