Back to Basics Series Part 5 - The First 10 Seconds! | Donald Kelly - 1851
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The first ten seconds of a cold call matter more than any other part of the outreach. But what do you say to keep your prospect from hanging up? In this episode, I’ll tell you exactly how to get them into your sales pipeline and close the deal.  

1. Verify the Prospect

Before diving into your sales pitch, confirm that you’re speaking to the right person. This not only ensures your efforts are targeted but also gives you a moment to prepare your next move.  

2. Greet with Your Name and Company

After verifying the prospect, introduce yourself by stating your name and the company you represent. This helps the prospect visualize who you are and understand why you’re reaching out.  

3. POR: Point of Reference

There’s a reason I always recommend LinkedIn. Use it as a point of reference to remind your prospect where they might know you from. This simple step can turn a cold call into a warm conversation, increasing the chances they’ll stay on the line instead of hanging up.  

4. Relevance

Relevance is the icing on the cake—it’s where you show how you can help them. For example, if you noticed on LinkedIn that your prospect is new to their role as a hiring manager, mention that. This demonstrates that your outreach is tailored and thoughtful.  

5. Value Proposition

Your relevance should seamlessly lead into your value proposition. Using the hiring manager example, explain how you can help them find the right employees and ensure they’re well-trained to contribute effectively to the business.  

6. Confirm the Next Step

By this point, you’re about ten seconds into the call. If your prospect is still on the line, it’s a good sign! Use this opportunity to schedule an appointment for a more detailed conversation.  

*“Most prospects don’t want to talk to sellers and be sold to. But if you can get them to stay on the phone for 10 seconds, it buys you time to dive into the relevancy factor.” – Donald Kelly.  * Resources The Sales Evangelist Sales Planner) Cold Call Openers) The Sales Evangelizers Facebook Group) Sales Mastermind Group) Sponsorship Offers

This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot.

With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales). This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn.

Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse). This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation.

Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin). Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey).) We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast), Google Podcast), Stitcher), or Spotify). Audio provided by Free SFX,) Soundstripe), and Bensound). Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.