The 10 Rules of Cold Call Openers

Ah, the age old question in sales development.

What’s the best cold caller opener?

Some camps will tell you you should be jailed if you say “How are you”

Some are up front with “This is a cold call, got 27 seconds?”

And others will and others just exhale a nervous “Jim?” and hope for the best.

The fact of the matter is there are a few “Rules” we recommend you follow and none of them have to do with the words you say.

Examples we recommend at the end!

Rule #1 - Show up with energy

Before the words even land, prospects are listening to your tone. Get up. Walk around. Eat something. Reset between sessions. Have some energy. Get excited!

Rule #2 - If you're calling, just call

Don't be on LinkedIn. Don't be on your phone. Don't be half-responding to an email while you're dialing. All of that can wait. This is the part of the day where you make money. Focus!

Rule #3 - Use context when you have it

Old closed lost, Conversation 3 months ago, you know what tech they're using. Reference it! This immediately answers “Who are you and why are you calling me”

Rule #4 - Keep it tight

No prospect has ever said "I wish that sales rep’s opener was longer." Tell them who you are, why you're calling, and get out of your own way. If your opener is more than 20 seconds, it's probably too long.

Rule #5 - Slow down and speak clearly

Cold calling isn’t a race. Execs speak slow. You should too. Speak about half as slow as you are now. You are probably still speaking too fast. Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.

Rule #6 - Master one opener, then own it

You don’t need a million openers. You need one that works. Use the same one over and over and over again until you master each syllable inflection. HOW you say an opener is as important as the WHAT you say. Two reps with the same words but different tones will get different results.

Rule #7 - But know when to ditch it

If you've run 200 dials with the same opener and you're hitting your head against the wall, something's off. You’re allowed to tweak. Ask the best rep what they do. Give it 25-30 connects and see how it feels.

Rule #8 - Match your style to the persona

Calling a CISO is not the same as calling an SDR manager. A CFO is not the same as a VP of Sales. The opener that makes one person laugh will make another hang up. Know who's on the other end before you dial.

Rule #9 - Match their energy in the first 5 seconds

If they pick up fast and clipped, they're busy - get to the point immediately. If they pick up slow and relaxed, you have a little more room. Be a chameleon. Adapt and mirror your prospects style of communication.

Rule #10 - Don’t take rejection personally

You're going to get hung up on for no reason. You're going to get belittled by someone having a bad day. Take it on the chin and move on. It’s not because of you. People have bad days and it’s not your fault!

Examples we love:

1. Simple Starter "Bill, this is Drew from [Company] Happy Wednesday/Good Afternoon"

2. The Disarm "Bill, this is Drew from [Company] - would this ruin your day if I said this was a cold call?"

3. Context Opener "Bill, this is Drew from [Company] - I spoke with [Name] and they mentioned I should give you a ring. Have a second?"

4. Help me out "Bill, this is Drew from [Company] - I'm not sure you're the right person for this, but I was hoping you could help me out."

5. Honest "Bill, this is Drew from [Company] - this is a cold call, but it's a well researched one. Mind if I share 30 seconds why I'm reaching out?"

Now go make some calls!