Every week, Volkart May callers make thousands of sales prospecting calls on behalf of our valued B2B and medtech clients. In 2021 alone, we made one million calls to generate leads, set appointments and help our clients fill their sales pipelines.
What does it all add up to?
We know what it takes to get a busy healthcare or B2B decision-maker talking. We understand how to engage potential buyers at all levels of an organization. We know how to gather information and ultimately, convert outbound calls to qualified leads and opportunities.
Before you call a prospect, know how you can solve their pain points
A great sales prospecting call starts with preparation.
We work with our medtech and B2B clients to understand:
- What are the buyer’s typical pain points?
- How do you solve those pain points?
- How do you differentiate from your competitors?
Once we’ve identified those elements, we get moving. Below are eight of the best practices we apply in our professional medtech and B2B contact center to maximize lead generation results.
Sales prospecting tips to generate more leads
1. Know your decision-maker
Every sales prospecting call should target a specific individual within the healthcare or B2B company. Who do you want to reach? What is their role within the organization? What job titles do they hold?
This information is essential for navigating through administrative assistants, receptionists and other gatekeepers. It’s also crucial so you don’t waste time speaking with someone too low in the organization or outside the buying process.
Keep in mind that your solution may appeal to multiple departments and industry segments. However, unless they have the same pain points and job duties, it’s best to focus on one type of decision-maker at a time. This lets you tailor your message and approach.
2. Identify your unique value
Why are sales prospecting calls—aka “cold calls”—so challenging? Usually, you have just a few seconds to introduce your company and your reason for calling. You need to build rapport, grab the prospect’s attention and convince them their valuable time is worth investing in further discussion with you. It can be a tall order.
Knowing your medtech or B2B company’s unique value proposition fills this gap. Once you have a compelling story that sets you apart in the marketplace, you can develop a short and snappy version that’s perfect for introducing your company and advancing more sales calls.
3. Describe the problem you solve
When it comes to successful sales prospecting calls, the most effective ones focus on the potential customer rather than your company or product. What are their biggest problems? Where do they have friction in their current processes? What keeps them up at night? Once you know these answers, you can build a bridge and deliver value by showing how you can solve their biggest challenges.
4. Pause and listen
This can be tricky for new and “old school” sales reps alike. Cold calling for sales prospecting can be uncomfortable; it’s natural to rush forward and fill the space with the sound of your own voice. Instead, make sure you’re allowing for a genuine two-way conversation; this back-and-forth interaction is the true power of inside sales calling compared to digital marketing alternatives.
5. Ask smart questions
Few sales prospecting calls move immediately to closed deals. That means part of the inside sales caller’s job is to gather information, build a relationship and outline the path forward. Questions are the way to do this.
Brainstorm a few lead generation questions that will help you qualify potential opportunities and spark future conversations. Avoid too many closed-ended and yes/no questions. Instead, try and get your prospect talking about what matters to them and the issues they’re encountering. Don’t be afraid to probe further when you hear an answer that your solution can solve.
6. Prepare for objections
Another challenge in medtech and B2B sales prospecting is overcoming the word “no.” Every sales cycle has objections. Strong outbound callers and sales reps know how to stay motivated and overcome these obstacles. It helps to consider common sales objections in advance and prepare a few responses. This way you won’t waste time or react inappropriately or defensively.
It’s also important to recognize legitimate objections that should disqualify a sales prospect or lead from future consideration. The more your sales team stays focused on the most qualified leads, the better ROI you’ll find in your sales prospecting efforts.
7. Take the next step
Sales prospecting calls should always begin with a clear objective. What will make the call a success? What do you want your potential buyer to say “yes” to? This will vary based on your medtech or B2B company’s sales cycle. What’s important is having a single goal that will keep your sales prospecting call on track.
Typical “asks” may include:
- Scheduling a follow-up call
- Booking an appointment with a field rep or product specialist
- Sending a product sample
- Emailing follow-up information
- Setting a meeting with others involved in the sale
8. Document your results
Whether your sales prospecting call generates a qualified lead, books an appointment, disqualifies the company as not a good fit, or simply leaves an inside sales voicemail, make sure to log your results in your sales database or CRM system. It can be tempting to rush on to the next call or skip this step, but there’s tremendous value in the insights and metrics generated from every contact with a potential buyer on a sales prospecting call.
Know when to outsource medtech and B2B sales prospecting
Deploying these proven sales prospecting tips in your outbound calling will boost your results with medtech and B2B buyers.
