Episode #413: Joe Pici
Meet
Joe Pici
Joe Pici, ranked #1 in the world for sales training and keynote speaking by Global Gurus, is a results-driven strategist specializing in Rapport Mastery™. Since 1992, he has spoken across four continents, empowering corporate teams and individuals. Co-founder of Pici & Pici Inc. and host of The Sales Edge podcast, Joe is also the author of the bestseller “Sell Naked on the Phone.”
Our Mission Is To Change The Negative Perception Of Sales People
Our Vision Is A World Where Selling Is A Profession To Be Proud Of
Joe Pici is direct. He believes you need to have great skills and an overall strategy with everything you’re doing related to cold-calling. In fact, Joe won’t put anyone on a phone until they’ve had 4–7 hours of in-depth strategy, skills, and scripting training.
His three-day sales bootcamp is ranked #1 in the world. The first day, they only focus on communication styles (and how to adapt). On day two, they focus on value proposition, target market, and scripting. On day three, they make two hours of cold calls.
They average a 77% conversion to appointments. They get 50–60 return phone calls the same day. So what does Joe do differently? Learn more in this episode of Sales Reinvented.
Outline of This Episode
- [1:01] What is cold calling? Is it still relevant?
- [1:30] The strategy and skill of cold calling
- [2:34] How Joe prepares for cold-calling
- [4:18] Joe’s most effective opening line
- [5:43] Why Joe scripts cold calls
- [7:23] Joe’s favorite tool: a Focus Board
- [12:11] Joe’s top cold-calling dos and don’ts
- [13:08] How Joe handles objections/rejections
- [16:00] Get a free cup of coffee
How Joe prepares for cold-calling
The last thing Joe does every day is make a list of people to call the next day. He writes them down somewhere he can take notes so when he walks into his office, he’s ready to go immediately. He doesn’t have to fumble around in his CRM to gather information.
He makes phone calls to book meetings, follow up on existing proposals, and calls existing clients to nurture them. As a business owner, if Joe isn’t in the right frame of mind, he won’t get any business. That’s why he blocks time and makes sure he has zero distractions and focuses on the task at hand.
He also scripts everything. The best actors in the world all used scripts. They’re just so good with the script that you don’t know they’re scripted. When you’re making a lot of calls, that script becomes part of you.
Joe’s effective opening line
When someone answers, Joe says, “We specialize in helping professional salespeople generate quality leads, book more appointments, and close more business. Would it be worth 15 minutes for me to show you how you can attract and retain quality clients?”
He’s politely direct and it works for him. If they say yes, he’ll schedule the appointment. The initial call is only to qualify the person to see if they merit a meeting. If they’re not interested, he doesn’t force them into a yes. Why? If you have to talk people into a meeting, they’ll be the same people who won’t show up.
Joe’s favorite tool: The Focus Board
Joe doesn’t love being bound to technology. Instead, he developed a focus board that he keeps on his desk. It qualifies the activities that you’re supposed to perform. It tracks things like:
- How many outbound calls did I make?
- How many inbound calls did I take?
- How many meetings did I book?
- How many follow-ups did I do?
Joe also tracks leads, phone calls, core stories, proposals, contracts, and more.
How Joe handles objections/rejections
Joe doesn’t turn objections into a meeting. He’s looking for people who are looking for what he produces. He doesn’t want cancellations. If he starts with a value proposition and they’re not interested and say, “no,” he asks one follow-up question:
“When it comes to your sales team and your sales process, is there anything you’re concerned about or would like to see improved?” Joe responds to what they say to refocus their attention on what’s important.
Resources & People Mentioned
- Get access to Joe’s FREE webinar
Connect with Joe Pici
- Connect on LinkedIn
- Follow on Twitter
- Call Joe at (407) 947-2590
- Pici & Pici Inc.
Connect With Paul Watts
Audio Production and Show notes by
PODCAST FAST TRACK
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Learn More About Joe Pici
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? The turning point for cold calling is when I got 56 NO’s and developed our system for cold calling.
Can you share a specific tactic or approach you’ve used in cold calling that significantly increased your success rate? The Tactic that has increased our and our client’s success is the power of value proposition based scripts.
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? We have a different approach to Objectives. We never talk people into an appointment. Game Changer.
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? We developed a three day sales training bootcamp that features live outbound phone calls in real time with real prospects…also we developed a focus board for activity tracking
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? Sales professionals need to keep their skills sharp!
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