Win over your prospects in 20 seconds

Permission-based Openers and Problem-Centric Pitches

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Welcome to the highly competitive world of cold calling where you are battling for every second of your prospect’s time. It's a world ruled by strategies and tactics to keep the listener on the line. Two essential strategies to consider for increasing your chances of booking a meeting are permission-based openers and problem-centric pitches.

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Let’s dive in!

Strategy One: Utilize Permission-Based Openers

A permission based opener is as simple as it sounds. It's you asking the prospect permission to pitch. It could sounds something like this:

"Hey Miranda, I can appreciate I'm catching you out of the blue today. Did you have 20 seconds for me to share the reason why I called?"

You could even take a more humorous approach if you believe the prospect would accept it.

"Hey Miranda, full transparency this is a cold call. I know I am catching you out of the blue. Did you want to roll the dice or hand up?"

Permission-based openers aren't just polite; they’re essential to establishing a rapport. Here's why:

• 1. Establishing Trust: Permission-based openers are a gesture of respect for the prospect's time. By asking for their consent to continue the conversation, you convey a clear message: their preferences matter to you.

• 2. Increase Engagement: When prospects give their “green light” for the conversation to proceed, they are now actively listening and involved. The only way to increase the chances of a successful cold call is to get the prospect engaged as soon as possible. If you can not grab their attention in the first 30 seconds you’re a risk of losing the conversation.

Strategy Two: Lead with the Problem, Not the Product

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Remember this - no one cares about your product. Yes, you read that right. Your opening pitch shouldn't highlight product features or how wonderful your business is—if it does, you've already lost the battle. Instead, be problem-centric.
Begin your pitch by outlining the challenges your prospects are potentially facing, providing valuable context. Follow up on this point by inviting them to share how they're currently tackling these challenges to not only further qualify the prospect but also to dig into their current state.

Here is a easy framework to follow when pitching:

"So Miranda, I noticed you're <insert role>, I've actually been noticing that many <role> leaders in the space are experiencing <insert problem you solve for> and it's resulting in <insert pain metric>. Curious, if you've ever thought about using <your product or service> to tackle this?"

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By focusing on their challenges, rather than pushing your product first, you not only demonstrate empathy but also indicate your solutions are tailored to resolve their challenge; an approach that is sure to pique their interest.

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Combining the power of permission-based openers with a compelling, problem-centric pitch can dramatically elevate your cold call game.

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