Tom Merriott

Answer: The most important part of the outbound cold call is a compelling offer. So, what’s a compelling offer?

It has to be something customers want and need. They need to believe you understand them — their challenges, problems, and goals. Consider the following:

• Who is your target? Having a specific audience in mind allows you to connect with issues impacting them, such as upcoming events, seasonal changes, or weather.

• What problem do you solve for them? You will see far better results if you act on a genuine need rather than a perceived one.

• How do you solve that problem better than anyone else? This does not need to be in-depth. Customers need to understand what you provide, so build trust by communicating your services clearly without jargon.

Customers need to clearly understand what’s in it for them. Your offer needs to grab attention and inspire action. Listen to customers for clues to what might be compelling to them.

Track your results to know what’s working and what’s not, and adjust your offer based on those results.

Tom Merriott is a call-center excellence coach at Nexstar and boasts years of call center and management experience from plumbing, HVAC, and electrical contractors. To learn more about Tom and the Nexstar Coaches, visit nexstarnetwork.com and click on Membership & Services to find our Coach link.

Publication date: 3/11/2013