Sales is such an important part of running a business and it is crazy how many people aren’t aware of this. (I too used to be in that category.) I was so deluded, thinking that customers would find me. I wasted so much time waiting, pleading, and hoping that people would somehow see my work or that I would get referred to potential clients.
However, once I found that being a sales agent will make you a successful businessman (thanks to Claude, Rob O’Rourke, and Patrick Pat David), I never looked back. But learning how to become a sales agent was the hardest thing that I had to do. It was such a struggle in the beginning, apart from my very first call with the dealership, which, now that I think about it, was just beginners’ luck.
I can’t tell you how many NOs I have received over the phone. I remember how hurt and depressed I used to get after every call. And there was a time when I almost gave up. Actually, I did give up but only for a week or so. However, after I weighed all my options, I realized that the best way to gain money, or rather, the one task that I could do every day that would bring me money, was cold calling.
Now, looking back, I think I know what was causing the frustration or rather, why I was getting such negative results from the cold calls I was making. I was watching YouTube videos and podcasts about sales calls. I was following and listening to a lot of sales coaches and I tried to emulate them.
But I am in South Africa and most of these sales coaches were in America and Europe. So, I was calling South African companies but using American and European sales pitches and scripts. I found out the hard way that the two were not congruent. Many of these sales coaches and their cold-calling strategies just didn’t work for the companies in South Africa.
I think what is more important is that it also didn’t work for me. I felt out of my skin and every call was awkward. Back then, I was unaware of this fact, and I didn’t even realize that this was the issue. I wasn’t being myself. I was simply trying to copy someone else’s style, tone, and pitch without adding my own sauce.
After I had taken my hiatus, I came back even more determined (I just really needed to make money). But this time around, I wasn’t going to use any fancy sales script. I was going to be myself—strong, polite, and to the point. One of the biggest lessons I learned, at least when dealing with South African companies, is that you need to be careful with the tone you use with the person answering the call.
See, many of the sales coaches will teach you how to beat the gatekeeper; they will tell you to be direct and speak like you’re a big shot. News flash: South African gatekeepers like to feel special. If you make them feel disregarded or belittled, they will bite back. They will give you an attitude and find ways to make your life difficult.
Furthermore, and this is a very important point that should not be overlooked, many of the phone numbers on company websites and Google business pages actually belong to the owner of the company. Yes, that’s absolutely correct. Businesses will have a business phone number but the owner answers on the other end. So, you have to be careful with the tone you use every time you make a cold call because you never know who is going to answer. And trust me, you do not want to piss off the boss.
I am more of a sweet talker. I am calm, charming, and witty with my words. I had to learn how to incorporate these attributes into my cold calls. I also make sure to be super respectful to whoever I am speaking to over the phone. This way, if it’s the owner, I win; if it’s not the owner, then the beauty of being kind is that the other person feels obliged to reciprocate. And that’s where you win. Countless times I’ve seen the receptionist or assistant go above and beyond to get me to the right person to talk to just because I was nice to them.
These little lessons come in handy big time, and they shape the way we work and the joy we get from doing our work. Now, I try to make at least 100 calls a week. I don’t always reach my goal but I am having so much more fun now. I do not get as hurt anymore when I hear a no and I feel super comfortable speaking to people over the phone. Most importantly, I am booking more meetings and closing more deals.
I might write an example script or make a video of me making a cold call but that’s something for the future. However, my advice to those making cold calls, especially in South Africa, is to be kind and respectful. Respect is a big thing in this country, so greet the person who answers, introduce yourself, and then politely request to be directed to the relevant person who can handle your concerns. You’ll either be redirected or told to just go on and speak.
You need to refine your pitch and be able to deliver it within 30 seconds (but this doesn’t mean you need to do a Buster Rhyme). These guys are busy so don’t be too long. The calls usually last for 2 minutes. (You will generally get more Nos than Yeses.) But the ones who are interested will definitely want to know a bit more so you might be on the call for longer.
Now I am not claiming that I have the best cold-calling strategy or that this would work for everyone. But it works for me, and I have had the best results following this method. Furthermore, it just feels more comfortable, and I don’t get super anxious and I’m true to myself. I am always learning and trying to refine it and get better so that I can book even more calls and close more deals.
Take my advice with a grain of salt, try it, and try other methods as well. But do not forget to add your own personality to it. Blindly copying from others will not yield the results you want. You have to make adjustments and come up with your own creation; that’s where true progress lies.
