I'm Calling Because. . .

by Paul Donehue

Most people agree that when making outbound prospecting calls we only have a few seconds to make an impression on our prospects... and hopefully it will be a good one!

Consider the fact that, when receiving such a call, prospects quickly wonder, "Why are you calling me?"

It follows, therefore, that to maximize the effectiveness of outbound prospecting calls we should be prepared with a strong introductory statement that quickly and concisely addresses this oh-so-common question.

Common Pitfall

And along those lines, there is one oh-so-common pitfall to avoid, which is beginning these conversations with an introduction that is all about us!

Here's a simple exercise that can help us avoid this mistake. When preparing to make a prospecting call, craft an opening statement that begins with the following ten words: "Hello, my name is __________, and I'm calling because..."

Now, here's the challenge... the next word we say -- that is, the word following "because" -- can NOT be one of the following: "I," "we," or "our."

While this might sound simple, in practice it is not easy. If after the ten-word opening the next word we use is "you" or "your," we stand a much better chance of gaining our prospect's attention or consideration.

A Few Examples

Put yourself in the position of receiving such a phone call. Now, which approach is more appealing:

1. "Hello, my name is John Doe, and I'm calling because we're the largest supplier of widgets in North America. Might you have a few minutes to speak with me?"



2. "Hello, my name is John Doe, and I'm calling because you are a frequent user of widgets; many of our customers prefer our approach to streamlining widget management. Might you have a few minutes to speak with me?"

Starting each outbound prospecting call with a statement about our prospect is one sure way of getting up to bat more often.

Of course, after that, we must have a value-added message and, hopefully, a suggestion for logical next steps.

But it's a lot easier to deliver that message if the prospect is listening!

Paul Donehue is President, Paul Charles & Associates, a sales management consulting firm. He can be contacted at pdonehue@paulcharles.com or call (603) 537-1190. His blog: www.salescallsblog.com and website: www.paulcharles.com