I love making cold calls. As a matter of fact, I love it so much that I used to teach a workshop on it.
No matter how prepared, connected, organized, or networked you are, sometimes you get thrown into a situation where you need to make a cold call.
Knowing how to make the cold call can sometimes mean the difference between a successful fundraising effort and an average one.
Here are some tips:
1. First of all, get it into your mind that you are going to help the person you are calling more than they are going to help you. They need and want new customers and relationships more than anything else in the world and you can help them with that.
2. Get a contact name and a direct number, if possible, before you make the call. Don't call a business and ask to speak to "the person who handles" whatever it is you are calling about. I usually get names/contact information by posting a status update on Facebook that is as simple as "I'm looking for a good contact in community relations at ________." Usually, within an hour of posting that, I get two or three leads.
3. If you are cold calling someone and they aren't in or don't answer their phone, don't leave a message! You don't want that person to be on the lookout for your future call. If they think you are only calling for a handout, they may avoid you!
4. When you get the person on the phone, the only thing you are asking them for at that time is ten minutes of their time in person in the next week to tell them about a community project you are working on and that you think they will be very interested in and you also want to know what you can do to help drive new customers into their store. Anybody will give you ten minutes of their time. Anybody.
5. Avoid getting into the specifics of your project on the phone. You don't want an answer on the phone. You want to build a relationship. The best way to do that is in person.
6. If they say no or they are busy with other projects, reiterate in two different ways - politely - that you are only asking for ten minutes of their time. For example, "I know you are swamped, but I've got this amazing project that I'm working on that I think is a great fit for your company. I promise I'll be in and out in ten minutes." Or, "If you can just give me ten minutes, you can kick me out after that and never talk to me again!" Usually, if you rephrase your request for ten minutes of their time two times, they will agree to meet with you.
7. If they want you to send them some information, don't do it! Odds are they will never look at it and will avoid your future calls. A better response would be, "From what I've heard, you are the type of person I want to establish a relationship with and it's tough to do that by sending an email!"
8. When you get the appointment, keep it to ten minutes or less, as you promised. Start off the conversation by noticing something on their wall or desk that is of interest and that can get the person talking about themself. Not only will you learn something about that person, but it will help you develop a relationship with that person.
9. ALWAYS ask what the person's goals and objectives are, specifically, and how, specifically, you might be able to help with those. For example, I work with a community relations person at one of those membership-based big box stores. Because I asked, I know her ultimate goal is to put as many free 30-day membership cards in as many hands as possible. It's important because it lets me know how I can help her in exchange for her helping me.
10. Ask what you can do to help bring new customers into your new friend's business. Your person will be shocked because most people just come in and ask for something while telling how worthy their charity is. If you follow through on whatever it is this person tells you, this will do more to establish your relationship than anything else. More than logos on websites, and names in programs, businesses want new customers. Period.
Cold calls can be extremely successful.
A few years ago, I placed a cold call over the holidays to a specific person who handles community relations for a large grocery chain based in another state.
That call led to an event sponsorship and that almost led to a multi-year, multi-million facility sponsorship.
