So what do you say first on a cold call which gets you the next 30 seconds?
A very clear introduction of who I am and what company I am from followed with;
"Have I caught you at a bad time?"
Impact is the COST of the problem, not just the problem itself. This is a critical distinction. Too many salespeople view the fact that the customer has a problem that "must be costing them something" as a sufficient foundation for the customer to base a purchase decision upon...
Many salespeople need to re-read that line before it begins to sink in.
What is the cost of the problem that your solution removes?
Having a problem is not enough—the prospect must have a cost associated with not having your solution that is considerably larger than the price associated with acquiring it for them to even consider talking with you. Being able to ascertain that your solution will remove enough cost—in hard dollars, soft dollars, in efficiency, productivity, safety, morale and however else they measure it—is essential to being able to demonstrate the value of your solution...
Slow Down
You are an important person with an important message, right? The prospect has a real benefit to gain by hearing you out, right? Now might not be the best time to talk with the prospect as he has just said he cannot talk to you at the moment, but he has said to call back and you are under obligation to believe he actually means it.
