3 Effective Cold Call Scripts for Agents

Janna Pugh at Five9 explores three cold call script templates to help with your agent call scripting efforts.

Over the past few decades, how businesses sell has changed more than you might think. Sure, back in the 1950s, door-to-door salespeople roamed neighborhoods, hoping to catch someone at home to pitch the latest products, like new plastic storage solutions.

Today, it’s all digital. Social media, email, digital ads – you name it, it’s being used as a sales channel. However, the good ol’ phone call is still a great way to land new customers, discover opportunities, and at the very least, learn more about what does and doesn’t work for securing new business.

Template #1: Problem-Solution

The first type of template relies on presenting a problem or challenge that your company’s specific product or service can solve, gauging interest in that solution, and then offering expertise to solve it — with your company, of course.

“Hello! My name is [Your Name] from [Your Company]. I hope you’re doing well on this fine [Day]! I was wondering if you’ve ever experienced [Specific Problem That Your Product Helps With]?”

Depending on the customer’s response, you may need to ask qualifying questions, such as “Ok, and how often has this happened?” or “Do you have any challenges with [Second Problem Your Product Helps With]?” These types of probing questions help with gauging interest and relevance.

Next, see if your audience has the time to chat. “Well, [Your Company] specializes in solving [Mentioned Problem], and I’d love to learn what you’re struggling with and how we can help. Is now a good time?”

Here, you have two paths: if they respond positively, keep going. If not, offer to schedule a meeting or provide a callback number so they can have the conversation at their convenience.

If your customer stays on the phone, this is your moment to sell, and social proof is the easiest way to keep that door open.

Mention a publicly available customer with whom they may be familiar and how that customer benefited from your product. Follow that up with a probing question such as, “How are you currently solving [Specific Pain Point]?”

Asking questions that require more than a “Yes” or “No” answer helps you keep your contact engaged and lets you learn more, so you can tailor the conversation to that specific contact.

Template #2: Event Invitation

Sometimes, selling over the phone may not quite work for your industry. Physical products, especially those that must be used or experienced, often require in-person consultations or events to get the sales ball rolling.

That said, if your digital product excels during virtual demos, you can always alter this template to suit your company’s purpose.

“Hi there, I’m [Your Name], and [Your Company] is having an event on [Date] about [Your Product or Topic]. Since you’re in the area, I wanted to invite you to drop by and see how we [Specific Solution That Your Product Excels At].”

Again, depending on the customer’s response, you may need to ask a few questions or offer them supplemental information. “Have you ever experienced [Differentiating Feature Your Product Has]? Our event is the perfect opportunity to see how it works for yourself.”

Similar to our first template, have some social proof on hand, statistics, customer names, etc., to help solidify your position.

Ultimately, your goal is to initiate a conversation and reach a point where the customer is willing to obtain the event information or, even better, schedule a meeting.

Template #3: When It Goes to Voicemail

Of course, you won’t always get through to a person, so it’s a good idea to have a phone script handy in case the call goes to voicemail.

“Hello, I’m [Your Name] from [Your Company], and I was calling to discuss [Your Product or Service] and how it could help you with [Specific Challenge or Pain Point].

I’d love to have a chat to learn more about your situation. My number is [Number] and you can reach me [Times/Days When You’re Available]. I look forward to connecting!”

Cold Calling the Right Way

Building rapport with customers during a cold call relies on agents’ approach as much as the script. During the call, it’s imperative that agents actively listen to keep informing and personalizing their script while fostering a positive experience.

Just like any other type of interaction agents have with customers and prospects, personalization, and being personable, reigns supreme.

For more information about Five9 - visit the Five9 Website

Call Centre Helper is not responsible for the content of these guest blog posts. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of Call Centre Helper.

Author: Five9
Reviewed by: Rachael Trickey