Episode #411: Giulio Segantini

Cold-calling may not be the cornerstone of sales like it used to be but it’s still relevant, according to Giulio Segantini. But we must adapt it to today’s world. He believes that it comes down to science. 

There is psychological evidence to backup the best way to cold-call. It’s obvious what you should and shouldn’t do. You have to listen and ask the right questions and let the person sell to themselves. 

So how does Giulio do it? He shares his cold-calling techniques in this episode of Sales Reinvented.

Outline of This Episode

• [0:45] What is cold-calling? Is it relevant today?
• [1:19] The science of cold-calling
• [2:25] How Giulio prepares for cold-calling
• [3:34] Giulio’s effective opening techniques
• [4:32] How to keep a cold call engaging
• [6:55] The ideal length of a cold-call
• [7:55] Tools and technology to leverage
• [10:26] Giulio’s top cold-calling dos and don’ts
• [12:45] How Giulio handles objections/rejections

Giulio’s effective opening techniques

Giulio emphasizes that you can’t sound like everyone else. Everyone says “Hi, my name is…I’m calling from…we do…” Giulio believes you’ll stand out with any other approach.

Giulio tailors his openers to his prospect. If he’s talking to a sales leader, he’ll employ humor. If he’s talking to CTOs, CFOs, etc. he’ll aim for something that strokes their ego instead.

Giulio doesn’t believe scripts are necessary (other than the opener and pitch, because you’re repeating very similar concepts) but that a framework is useful. He starts with the opener and pitch and employs a negative frame. He’ll say something like, “You might tell me the complete opposite.” Why? To get them to contradict him and say, “No, I do have that problem.

Secondly, make sure you choose the issue that’s most relevant to them. Then, find an example of what that looks like in their world. It makes the problem more real and gives you something to refer to.

If they get emotional enough, you can go for the close (or keep asking questions as long as they allow you to). Once you feel like they want to do something to solve their problem, you secure the next meeting.

Stay focused on the prospect and their problems, and ask them relevant questions.

What metrics are important to track?

• Pickup rate: How many people pick up the phone on average? He shoots for 8–15%. If you’re below that, your tech may be screwing up your number reputation.
• Opener acceptance: Use a permission-based opener. You want 80% of people who answer to say, “Yes, let me pitch.”
• Conversion rate: Look for a 30% conversion rate to get the next meeting.
• Meeting booked: 10% is the gold standard for most industries. Some clients who are very targeted get 25–30%.
• Sitting the meeting: If less than 85% of your booked meetings show, you’re doing something wrong.

Listen to learn Giulio’s favorite tech to use!

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

There are a few dos and don’ts that Giulio lives by: 

• Don’t vomit at prospects by starting with a monologue. 
• Don’t speak too fast or slow. You have to mirror the person’s tone immediately (the same volume and cadence). 
• Don’t take it personally. Don’t allow the rejection to sink in. The best cold-callers still get rejected 90% of the time.
• Be consistent. Cold call every day. Don’t break your streak! 
• Listen to your calls to learn from them.
• Take on new feedback. You can always learn and improve your calls.

How Giulio handles objections/rejections

Giulio has a three-step process to handle objections:

1. Accept and welcome the objection, no matter what it is: “That’s great that you already have a supplier, I’d be surprised if you didn’t.” 
2. Ask permission to ask a question: “Do you mind if I ask you a question about your suppliers?”
3. Challenge their objection with a question that focuses them on their problems. “Do you face problems A and B?”

That gives you the chance to talk about what you do differently. The only rejection is a hang-up, in which case Giulio makes the next call. 

Finding the people you can actually help is far more effective than pushing someone into a sale. It saves you time and energy from chasing prospects that won’t go anywhere. You don’t want to put sales in the pipeline that won’t go anywhere.

Resources & People Mentioned

• Trellus

Connect with Giulio Segantini

• Connect on LinkedIn
• Follow on Twitter

Connect With Paul Watts

• LinkedIn
• Twitter

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Learn More About Giulio Segantini

What was a pivotal moment or experience in your career that shaped your approach to cold calling, and how did it change your perspective or strategy?

For me it all changed when I went to “intern” for a week with Zac and Jack at We Have a Meeting. I started to understand the real value of psychological approach to cold calling.

Can you share a specific tactic or approach you’ve used in cold calling that significantly increased your success rate? Please provide a brief example or case study.

Starting to shift from me to them was the biggest game changer. I play a game with myself to talk as little as possible about me and my solution and instead focusing on problems. Since then I barely ever have awkward conversations.

Cold calling often comes with its set of challenges and rejections. Can you share a particularly tough challenge you faced while cold calling and how you overcame it?

It’s all about practice and discipline. I’m on a road to collect 3,000 Cold Call Rejections and just over 60% – schedule it in your calendar and make it happen daily.

What are the top three tools or resources (e.g., software, books, training programs) you consider essential for someone looking to improve their cold calling skills and outcomes?

You need a good list of mobiles, a power dialler and practice daily on something like SecondBody.

How do you foresee the practice of cold calling evolving in the next few years with advancements in technology and changes in buyer behavior? What advice would you give to sales professionals to stay ahead of the curve?

You’ve got to get your tech stack in order and learn how to have emotionally and psychologically driven conversation. Until you’ll be able to challenge prospects beliefs you will be easily replaceable.