When youre calling prospects, you only have about 30 seconds to grab their attention. You have one chance to make a first impression when the prospect picks up the phone, so make sure those 30 seconds count.

We live in a world in which were bombarded with e-mails and phone calls. We dont have a lot of time to read or listen to every word. In those first few seconds with the prospect, its up to you to capture their attention right away.

Sales professionals and business owners sometimes make cold calls without planning what theyre going to say. They wing it, hoping for the best. Being unprepared when you are making calls is a sure-fire way to fail.

The key to getting the appointment is to (1) craft a compelling statement that is clear and concise, (2) practice your compelling statement until the words flow easily, and (3) stimulate just enough curiosity to get the appointment.

Here are some steps to help you craft your 30-second grabber statement.

1. Identify yourself and your company.
2. Say what you do (this is your sound bite).
3. Position you and your company as the expert.
4. State the reason for your call.
5. Ask qualifying questions.
6. Close for the meeting.

An Example of the Grabber Statement:

1. Identify yourself and your company.
   Hello my name isand Im with

2. Say what you doyour sound bite.
   Were a major sales training company in the tri-state area

3. Position you and your company as the expert.
   Specializing in sales training for salespeople and professionals in the magazine publishing industry. (Use phrases like We specialize in or Our reputation is or We are known for)

4. State the reason for your call.
   The reason Im calling you today is specifically so I can come by and tell you about our new sales training program and show you how it can increase the productivity of your sales force.

5. Ask some qualifying questions.
   Im sure you, like other magazine publishing companies Ive worked with, are interested in having a more effective sales force. Would you agree?

6. Close for the meetingif prospect responds with Yes.
   Thats great, Mr. Jones, then we should get together and Ill show you how we can do the same for you. How about _________ at ____P.M.?

(OPTIONAL STEP: Mention a client success story before you close for the meeting. State the problem, how you helped with the solution and the outcome.) You may be interested to know that I recently worked with a client who had the same needs as you. They came to me becauseI helped them toand the results wereId like to show you how I can do the same for you.

Assignment:

• Craft your Grabber statement using the 6 steps described. Write it out in your own words and practice it until you have it memorized. Rehearse it with a colleague or a friend until you can say it easily.

• Write 2 success stories and practice saying them until you have them memorized.

• Test it out by calling the prospects on your list. Once youve made the first call, youve broken the ice and youll see its easier than you think.

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