6 Things to Avoid When Cold Calling Industrial Companies

Cold calling remains one of the most popular B2B marketing and sales strategies for industrial contractors. Even with inbound strategies like content marketing, many industrial contractors prefer cold calling. It's a time-tested, effective tactic that can send countless new customers to your company. But there are a few things you should avoid doing when cold calling industrial prospects, including the following.

#1) Not Prioritizing Calls

Rather than randomly choosing a prospect from your list, start with the prospect who's most likely to buy your company's products or services first. By prioritizing your cold calls, you'll experience greater success with this sales tactic. This approach aligns with strategic prospecting and enhances your lead generation efforts.

#2) Forgetting to Mention Referrer

If someone referred a prospect to your company, mention the referrer's name when you cold call the prospect. This creates a stronger connection with the prospect while also conveying your company as a trustworthy, reputable figure in its industry. This is particularly important in industrial marketing, where trust and credibility are crucial.

#3) Hanging Up When You're Unable to Reach Someone

Don't hang up the phone just because no one answers it. Because your target audience is industrial businesses, you have to remember that plant managers, operations managers, and construction managers are often busy doing other things. If no one answers your cold call, leave a voicemail message with your name, number, and reason for calling. This is where SalesLeads’ Industrial Project Reports can be of value. Learn more about the project descriptions. Even if only one in 10 prospects calls back from your own list, it can still send new customers to your company. This method is effective for industrial lead generation and maintaining a steady flow of manufacturing leads.

#4) Too Short

Some sales reps keep their cold calls short, believing this will allow them to call more prospects and achieve greater success. However, studies have shown that cold calls lasting just two minutes or less offer minimal value. Therefore, you should try to keep your cold calls around three to five minutes long. This should be more than enough time to convey the value of your offer and enhance your industrial marketing services.

#5) Not Getting Past the Gatekeeper

The success of your cold calling campaigns is heavily influenced by your ability to get past the gatekeepers. Just because you call a prospect doesn't necessarily mean that he or she can buy your products or services. Many industrial businesses have gatekeepers like receptionists and administrative assistants who answer phones. As an industrial contractor, you must get past these gatekeepers to reach the decision-makers. This skill is essential for effective customer acquisition and driving manufacturing revenue growth.

#6) Not Upselling

Cold calling is the perfect opportunity to upsell prospects who are interested in buying your company's products or services. If an industrial prospect expresses interest in something that your company offers, upsell him or her with related products or services. This tactic can significantly boost your material handling sales and forklift sales, contributing to your overall sales strategy.

By seamlessly integrating these practices into your cold calling strategy, you can enhance your lead generation efforts, optimize your sales development, and drive substantial growth in the industrial and manufacturing sectors.