Five keys to cold calling success in 2024 for new sellers

Data from Orum’s upcoming 2024 State of Sales Development report reveals a promising trend: 81% of Sales Development Representatives are now choosing to stay and grow within their existing organizations, a significant increase from the 50% turnover reported in 2023. This positive shift indicates a more stable and promising future for the sales development industry.

Notably, these companies are retaining their talented sales professionals, ensuring that valuable institutional knowledge remains within the organization. This aligns with additional data from the survey, in which two-thirds of respondents express their intent to increase sales development headcount in the coming year, compared to only five percent who anticipate a decrease.

The challenging aspect connected to this data is something every sales leader understands all too well. There is a constant need to bring in new sales development talent and train them on proper outreach techniques.

At Orum, we’re huge believers in establishing a calling culture and leaning on the exceptional talent we have across our organization. So, with that in mind, we asked one of our former SDRs for five tips they would give to new sales reps who are just starting out in the business.

Skye Grace made a name for herself at Orum by going from SDR to AE in just eight months. Now, she’s helping teams across the organization sharpen their skills and improve our collective messaging.

Here are Skye’s top cold-calling tips for new sales reps.

Tips for successful cold calling

Whether manually dialing or using an AI dialer like Orum to power or parallel dial, you must be prepared when a prospect picks up the phone. This means knowing what to say, how to say it, and what questions to ask to maximize your opportunities.

Countless platforms are available to get you the necessary data to warm up your cold calls, but executing a successful conversation depends on how you proceed when they pick up. This is where Skye’s tips will help reps win the call more often.

Research your prospect

Know your audience: Dive into the prospect’s business, industry, and potential pain points. Use LinkedIn, company websites, and tools like Perplexity.ai for prep. Understand their needs and how your platform solves their challenges.

Personalize Your Approach: Tailor your opening line to show you’ve done your homework. Mention recent news about their company, a relevant industry trend, or companies connected to their space.

Craft a strong start

Start with a Hook: Open with an engaging line that grabs attention. Try, “Hi [Name], I noticed your recent post on LinkedIn about [pertinent topic] and how we’re addressing similar challenges at [related organization].”

Be Clear and Concise: Quickly state who you are, why you’re calling, and how you can help. Aim to do this in under 30 seconds – time is of the essence!

Focus on what matters

Highlight Benefits, Not Features: Focus on how your product or service can solve a problem or add value to their business rather than what it does.

Use Data and Case Studies: Share relevant statistics or success stories demonstrating your value. Use stories connected to their challenges and industry.

Prep for common objections

Prepare for Common Objections: Have responses ready for common objections like “We’re not interested” or “We don’t have the budget right now.” Overcoming these initial objections begins by creating interest.

Acknowledge and Address Concerns: Show that you understand their concerns and provide solutions or alternatives. For example, “Many of our clients felt the same way initially, but what they found that our solution helped them save money in the long run by [specific benefit].”