Cold calling is surely losing effectiveness as a key strategy for lead generation. It can, however, be a useful part of an overall lead generation program if thoughtfully executed by the right individuals. In my experience, finding good lead generation staff comes down to three base characteristics:
1) Assess call reluctance – find the bounds of discomfort. Ask situational questions and assess the answers. “Would you call a “C” level executive on a cell phone late on a Friday night to get a lead?” “What would you do if an admin hung up on you? Would you call the executive back directly?” You are not trying to find staff that necessarily do these things, but trying to determine what makes them uncomfortable. Good ones will demonstrate a high level of comfort with just about anything inside the realm of professional business behavior, but a willingness to push close to the line. They should also demonstrate a high level of discomfort with unprofessional behavior.
2) Assess the key motivation of the individual. Good lead generating cold callers are typically motivated by progress toward a simple to identify goal (number of dials, number of contacts, number of leads, number of conversations, etc…). Task clarity is critical here, they should be able to demonstrate a strong motivation toward identifiable progress/achievement and a strong ability to focus on the tasks that result in achievement. Ask questions such as “What is the most rewarding aspect of lead generation?” or “How do you know when an inside sales rep is successful?”. Answers indicating a focus on simple to achieve outcomes are typically indicative of good motivation for lead generators. Answers focused on non-specific or high level outcomes are typically not the best.
3) Ability to prepare and plan. Aimless cold calling is not worth the time and money invested. Targeted, well prepared cold calling can be. I would be prepared with a few simulations. Present different situations and ask how would that person penetrate the account. Focus on the research they would do to prepare and script preparation skills. Ask the candidate to come up with a script on the fly.
Happy Selling!
Filed under: Sales Tactics, Staff Development | Tagged: Hiring sales, lead generation, leads, Marketing, prospecting, sales skills, sales staff, Sales Tactics, sales techniques
