How do you write a cold calling script for B2B sales?
Write it as an outline of five parts that you can glance at while you talk. The parts are: your name and company, the reason you are calling this person, one question, a request for a specific meeting, and short replies to common objections.
Start by fixing the goal of the call. For a first call to a stranger, make the goal a short meeting, with the length and the day decided before you dial. Leave the sale and the long product explanation for that meeting. Everything in the script should serve that one request.
Then write down who you are calling. A script for finance managers at firms with 10 to 50 staff should read differently from one for operations heads at larger companies. If you cannot describe the person and the problem they probably have in one sentence, the script is not ready.
What should the opening of a cold call say?
The opening should say who you are, why you chose this person, and what you want, in about two sentences. Say it plainly enough that the listener can decide in a few seconds whether to carry on.
A workable shape is: "Good morning, this is Wei Ling from [company]. I am calling finance managers at Singapore firms that file their own GST returns, because we help with that. Do you have a minute for me to say why I called?" Adjust the details, but keep the name, the reason and the question.
Avoid asking "How are you today?" and avoid opening with a list of your services. Both tell the listener the call is a pitch before they know whether it is relevant to them.
Say the reason for calling truthfully and specifically. A vague reason invites a quick refusal, and an inflated one damages trust at the first meeting.
How do you handle objections and gatekeepers?
Prepare one short reply for each objection you expect, and make each reply end with a smaller request. The usual objections are "send me an email", "we already have a supplier", "not interested" and "call back later".
For "send me an email", agree, ask what they would want it to cover, and offer a time to talk it through. For "we already have a supplier", ask whether they review it periodically, and offer a short conversation when they next do. For "call back later", ask for a day and a time, then write it down and call at that time.
If a receptionist answers, say your name and company, ask for the person by name and role, and give the same honest reason you would give them. Do not invent a personal connection. If the answer is no, ask when the person is usually available and call then.
Accept a clear refusal politely. Note it, and do not call that person again.
Do Singapore's Do Not Call rules matter for B2B cold calls?
They can. Organisations that send telemarketing messages to Singapore telephone numbers must check the Do Not Call Registry first, and the checking is done through the portal at dnc.gov.sg.
The PDPC publishes Advisory Guidelines on the Do Not Call Provisions, which explain how the rules apply.
This is general information only. If your list mixes company lines with personal mobile numbers, or your offer touches the person's own needs, read the PDPC guidelines and ask a lawyer about your case.
How do you test and improve the script?
Read it aloud, then make 20 calls and change one thing at a time. Record what people say in their first reply, because that tells you which line to fix. If many people ask "what is this about?", your reason for calling is too vague. If many say "not now", the meeting request may be too large.
Keep a simple log with the date, the number, the outcome and the objection given. A list of 100 or more calls with notes will show you more than any template.
Do not read the script word for word. Use it to remember the order and the key phrases, and let the conversation run in your own voice.
When does it make sense to have someone else make the calls?
It makes sense when you have a good list and a clear offer but not the hours to call.
Greetsby is an appointment-setting service in Singapore. It calls the people on your own list and books meetings into your calendar. You approve the opening and the reason for the call before calls start, and Greetsby books meetings only, with no product advice. Each person gets up to 4 attempts on different days between 9.30am and 6.00pm, and every call is recorded so you can play it back.
You check your list against the Do Not Call Registry before sending it and confirm that you have when you upload it. Greetsby does not run that check for you, and anyone who asks not to be called again is not called again.
Pricing is one flat price for each batch of numbers: S$1,800 for 1,000 numbers, S$3,600 for 2,000 and S$5,400 for 3,000, which is S$1.80 a number covering up to 4 attempts. It is paid before calls start, with no contract and no monthly fee. Greetsby does not promise a number of meetings. The first batch shows what your own list produces. You can write to hello@greetsby.com.
Questions
How long should a B2B cold calling script be?
The opening should be two or three sentences. The full outline should fit on one page, with the meeting request and a few objection replies, so you can use it without reading it out.
Should I use the same script for every prospect?
Use one script per type of prospect, such as one job title in one kind of company. Change the reason for calling for each group, because that is the part the listener judges first.
Do I need to check the Do Not Call Registry before calling businesses?
Organisations must check the Registry before sending telemarketing messages to Singapore numbers, and checks are made through dnc.gov.sg. For how the rules apply to your own calls, read the PDPC Advisory Guidelines and ask a lawyer about your case.
What should I do when someone asks not to be called again?
Stop calling that number and record the request straight away. Remove it from your list so no one else on your team calls it.
Sources
- PDPC: Advisory Guidelines on the Do Not Call Provisions
- PDPC: Do Not Call Registry and Your Business
- DNC Registry: Do Not Call Registry portal
General information for businesses in Singapore, not legal advice.