Whether you work on commission or on a small salary, everyone can attest to the fact that door-to-door sales is intimidating. When we near the door to an office or home, our heart begins to race, our palms sweat, and we often forget everything we had memorized.
Here are three simple tips on how to make a cold-call in person.
1. How to Make a Cold-Call: Don’t memorize your speech word-for-word. Think back to high school speech class, when each student had to stand and give their persuasive argument. Remember how bored you were when a student would fumble with index cards or speak practiced words without any passion? Words lose their power when they are overly-planned. Instead, only memorize the main points and key words or phrases. Perhaps envision a simple outline or bullet list. Then, when you begin your introduction, allow yourself to search for the right words in the moment. Those small pauses and inflections adds power and vulnerability to your presentation, which are key ingredients when seeking to connect with your potential buyer.
2. How to Make a Cold-Call: Use reverse psychology. Even if your rent payment is hanging on the line, and your door-to-door sales will make it or break-it, don’t give in to those feelings of urgent panic. Those feelings will kill a door-to-door sale. Instead, imagine you already made above and beyond your sales quota. This sale is just for fun. In fact, you might be looking to score a date, rather than make a sale. Whatever might jolt your psyche, use that to convince yourself that this sale doesn’t really matter. When the stress is off, you’ll come across more relaxed and at ease.
3. How to Make a Cold-Call: Be average. Blend in with your surroundings. In other words, think about the average person who would walk through this door. If it’s a dentist office, you know that people aren’t anxious to enter. If it’s 4:15 in the afternoon, most people are dragging their feet by now, ready for the day to be done. While it’s important to be authentic, sales also involves an element of drama. The role you play when you enter the door will make it or break it when you reach the front desk. The key is to keep suspicion low, stay under the radar, a play the part of an average customer who (lo and behold!) just happens to have this amazing product for sale.
In the end, door-to-door sales are rough. Words aside, how to make a cold-call effective depends on your mental state. Keep it authentic, re-train your nerves, and keep it on the down-low. Our greatest failures as sales-men and women is an excess of energy. Rather, train yourself to restrain yourself. And the sales will start rolling in.