Cold Calling Ideas

If you'd like to see a full sample script, check out the related post ‘Cold Calling Script’.

In any cold call scenario our advice is to start with:

Advisor: "Hello, my name is _____ and I'm an Employee Benefits Advisor calling from ___. Did I catch you at a bad time?"

(Many people will respond intuitively, with 'No' and give you permission to continue. If they say 'Yes', perhaps they are going into a meeting, then ask when is a good time to call them back. Most will not be comfortable saying 'Never' and so you'll have your follow up to proceed.)

The Premise:

After getting permission to proceed (your first yes) you set the premise.  This must de-risk the remainder of the call.  You can't be calling to ‘discuss’ which will be perceived as a waste of the prospects time.  You must be calling to offer some type of ‘value’ which will de-risk them spending a few more minutes on the phone with you.  The goal is for them to agree to a meeting or secondary follow up call.

Here's some sample Cold Calling Ideas for Value

- A benchmarking study for a given industry "We're conducting a study for X Industry, X Region, X Group Size.  The more niche you make it the smaller the audience but the stronger the hook.

- A free sample benchmarking dashboard, using the lead generation tool

- A free sample benchmarking report/teaser.  Using a CloudAdvisors dashboard export, a full report or a custom made benchmarking one pager. 

- Offering the free full evaluation featuring the Bar Score and Insights.  “How does your benefit plan stack up?”

- A specific benchmark export like ‘Premium Splitting’.  "How are employers sharing the cost of employee benefit plans?"

- Based on a trigger event like a known M&A - How can you easily compare benefit plans between the two companies? OR Layoffs - What are some of the aspects of the plan that could be reduced without affecting the competitiveness of the plan?  OR Mass Hiring - "Where are you hiring from and is your plan competitive with those types of employers?

- Offering specific insights. "What are some of the most common plan design decisions that employers have made? For cost sharing? For managing drug costs? For adding flexibility?

- A specific benchmarking category like “How competitive is your long term disability?”  This would qualify only plans that have LTD, higher premiums and higher risks.

Comments

The reason why we've suggested so many niche areas is to make sure your call is unique, novel and designed to provide specific value.  Many brokers would instead try generic things like calling to “discuss your plan”, “quote your plan” or “evaluate your benefits”.