During a cold call, you are reaching out to someone who doesn’t know you and interrupting their day so you can tell them about your products and services. No one is going to be enthusiastic about having their day interrupted by a stranger.

Therefore, for your cold call to be successful, you need to make a good impression on your prospect right from the start. If you don’t do this, you are setting yourself up to fail even before you mention the product or service you are trying to sell.

Unfortunately, this is what happens to a lot of sales people. Without realizing – they sabotage their sales calls by asking the wrong questions.

DISCLAIMER: I have never done cold calls in my life.

However, when I asked what topics you want me to cover – ‘B2B cold calling’ came back again and again.

So, I spoke to a couple of sales experts and compiled their tips for you.

Here are their 10 ideas for questions to ask during cold calling:

1. When do you suppose your company will need…?

If your prospect mentions they may consider it in the future, you can mark that for future follow-up. You can also ask indirect questions about your prospect’s business priorities, challenges, problems, budget and current suppliers.

2. Would you be interested in a demo meeting…?

In most cases, you’ll find out your prospects haven’t heard about your product or service. So they probably don’t know how it works. A demonstration will show your product/service in action. This helps your prospects understand better its value or how it can solve their problem.

3. Is there any reason for us not to move forward with…?

If you realize you are losing the lead, make a point to know why the prospect is objecting to your offer. Don’t be pushy. Keep it casual and respectful, which can bring the prospect back on track. Another strategy for understanding their “no” is to ask about their ideal solution, such as “What kinds of terms would you prefer?”

4. Who else should we involve in this call?

You should ask this question when you notice you’re talking to the wrong person. Of course, a little bit of research in advance could avoid getting there. But in case it does, ask this question to help you connect with a decision-maker or other stakeholders.

5. Did you know that XX% of companies in your industry…?

If you had done your research about the business and their industry, you could use some valuable information. Share an insight that relates to their business and has a connection with what you are offering. This may get them interested, especially if it’s something they are not aware of. A question such as “did you know that XX% of companies in your industry changed to remote or hybrid meetings?”

6. Our customers report…, have you experienced something similar?
You already know from your research that your target customer has a special need, but you don’t want to sound like a desperate salesperson. Mentioning a pain point may help them give you the information you want. For example, “Our customers report experiencing such and such problem, have you experienced something similar?”

7. Has … affected your business?
Before focusing on what you can do for them, discuss something that is happening in the industry/world/economy and ask how this affected them. For example, “Because of COVID many businesses moved to work from home. Has this affected your business?”

8. What about this product isn’t working for your needs?
If your prospect is already using (or used in the past) a similar product/service – use this question to get more information about what your competitors are offering. And how to leverage their weaknesses to strengthen your pitch. Ask what they like the most about their current system. Is there anything they dislike? If they had a chance, would they want to change the product? Is the product they’re using working for them?

9. Is it alright if I send over some more information?

A prospect may not remember much of what you are offering after your cold call. It would be good to send over more information.

10. When can I call back to continue our discussion?

You may make a call when the prospect doesn’t have the time to have a discussion. Use the chance to ask what time would be best to call to share what you were offering. 

Now It’s YOUR Turn

For five minutes… come up with as many ideas as you can… what questions have YOU asked in the past (or should have asked) during more or less cold calling?