Hi Community members,

Earlier this week, we shared how to warm yourself up in an InMail message, especially if you’re sending it to someone you don’t know. Today’s focus will be on the dials. Cold calling may have gotten a bad rep historically, but that doesn’t mean it’s no longer in practice. Sometimes, it may even be necessary and the missing step to the start of a new relationship (and future deals).

There is a smart way to go about cold calling, though. Like the warm-up checklist in the InMail messages post, a great “cold call” also requires a few key steps before you start dialing on the phone. We’ve coined this concept “warm calling,” made possible by the data available on LinkedIn and insights and alerts powered by Sales Navigator.

1. Start with your own LinkedIn profile first — Make sure to optimize your LinkedIn profile as a sales professional, but don’t stop there. Natasha also recommends having a third party audit your LinkedIn profile and have them give feedback on whether your message is clear and strong.
2. Create a list of people you’d normally cold call — Luckily, with Sales Navigator, you can easily create Custom Lists for your prospecting and cold (warm) calling efforts. Once a lead is saved, Sales Navigator will alert you of recent updates or any buyer intent on your Homepage.
3. Find a warm path in —After gathering additional insights from Sales Navigator, your next step is to find out what your warmest path is. Fortunately, LinkedIn and Sales Navigator will also surface any mutual connections or your colleagues who are connected to those leads through TeamLink*.  With sales spotlights, you can also discover shared interests or more context on the lead, such as what they’re sharing on LinkedIn.

*TeamLink is available to Advanced and Advanced Plus plans.

Here's a bonus: While on the phone, don’t forget to demonstrate the work you’ve already done. By the time of the initial conversation, you know much more about your prospect and are no longer a stranger to the company. In your research, your name may have popped up when engaging with the prospect’s content or be passed around at the company, especially if you have connections or interactions with the prospect’s colleagues.

From there, it’s about being friendly and approachable. “When they realize that you’ve put in the time to research them, that you understand their business and the problems they’re most likely having, that you’ve already spoken to people in their structure, they’re more likely to be receptive to you on the phone,” Natasha said.

Her final tip is, despite how warm the call now is, to avoid selling during these calls. Instead, she recommends having a goal of securing a meeting to continue the conversation and form a relationship. If you’d like to learn more about these tips and Natasha’s warm calling tactics, check out the full blog post and her video.

Thank you,

Eva C.