Episode #426: Wendy Weiss

Because so many competitors are hiding behind digital tools, far fewer are calling prospects. That’s why cold-calling is amazingly relevant. But you have to practice your craft. Wendy Weiss has been training salespeople for 24 years. When most people learn a simple scripted system, know it inside and out, and practice it consistently, picking up the phone is easy. She shares why she believes scripting is so important in this episode of Sales Reinvented. 

Outline of This Episode

• [1:01] What is cold-calling? Is it still relevant?
• [2:42] Is cold-calling an art and a science?
• [3:32] How Wendy prepares for cold-calling 
• [5:59] Wendy’s effective opening lines and techniques 
• [7:01] To script or not to script?
• [8:46] Tools, technology, and metrics Wendy uses
• [11:58] Wendy’s top cold-calling dos and don’ts
• [15:01] How Wendy handles objections and rejections

How Wendy prepares for cold-calling 

Prospecting is something you do to grow a business. It’s an everyday activity. The way you prepare is to do your homework, know your market, and have a script ready. Know what your goal is. Know what you’ll say in response to objections. If you’ve done those things before calling, all you have to do is execute. 

Wendy’s effective opening lines and techniques 

Wendy points out that her beliefs on opening lines are controversial. She emphasizes that there are no opening lines or techniques that are effective. Instead, you have to do your homework and figure out the challenge your prospect has. How do they talk about it? How can you craft your introduction from there? There are no canned opening lines or techniques that will work across the board. 

Wendy’s top cold-calling dos and don’ts

If you are prospecting, you’re looking to set up an appointment. You’re on the phone to set up an appointment to have a later conversation. How do you get the appointment? 

• Know the target. Everyone is not a prospect. The more narrowly focused you can be, the more relevant what you say is, and the better your results. 
• Write your script the way that you talk, not the way you write marketing copy. It helps you prepare. Don’t neglect to write down how you’ll ask for the appointment.
• Make calls every day. If you’re prepared—and have answers to questions and objections—it will be easy to do every single day. 
• Don’t wing it. It’s too hard to get people on the phone to talk to people who say, “I’m not interested” and hang up.
• Don’t talk too much. You’re on the phone to make an appointment—not to have an extended conversation. 
• Don’t give up. This process takes time. It isn’t magic. It’s something you need to do every day and track over time. 

Her last piece of advice? Use a script. Using a script means you’re prepared. You don’t have to worry about what they’ll say. When you get it right, prospects listen and book an appointment. 

How Wendy handles objections and rejections

Wendy advises you to remove the word “rejection” from your vocabulary. If someone says no, it’s data. Figure out why they said no and fix your script so no one else says no. 

The best way to handle objections is not to hear them in the first place (which means you need a good script). When you have a good script, prospects will book. 

If someone doesn’t immediately say yes, they’ll often say that they’re busy, they’re already working with someone, etc. You know this. So be prepared. Don’t say, “But…have you thought about this?” It comes across as argumentative. Eliminate the word “But” from your vocabulary.

Agree with their objection. They are right. Reframe the objection to help them see it in a different light. Then ask for the appointment again. 

Resources & People Mentioned

• Contact Science 
• Get Wendy’s FREE Sales Prospecting Toolkit

Connect with Wendy Weiss

• Connect on LinkedIn
• Follow on X

Connect With Paul Watts

• LinkedIn
• Twitter

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