Understanding how your tone or natural flow of conversation effects those you cold call is a important key in sales techniques. We have already talked about ways that you can change your overall tone and voice in your cold calling scripts to help you feel more like yourself. Below are 3 more ways to be yourself in your cold calling techniques.

Create openings rather than forcing a "yes"

Selling scripts are designed to be linear and step by step so you can move cold calls in the direction you want them to go. From the traditional cold calling point of view, that direction is toward a "yes." Because if you don't get a "yes" at the beginning of the cold call, you're not "selling." But that's the biggest problem with scripts. They give you only one path to follow.

If you can start a conversation that triggers a "What do you mean?" response from your potential client, then you'll find you can explain yourself in a natural way. It creates a two-way dialogue, which in turn lets you learn what you need to find out. You flow with the conversation without feeling you're getting off-track.

Tape-record yourself talking with someone you know. Then record yourself reading your script.

Have you ever heard yourself calling a potential client and reading your script? Probably not. That's why most people who use scripts think they sound natural. They've never heard themselves. But if you do this simple exercise, you'll hear the same kinds of differences I hear when people role-play with me.

In our day-to-day relationships, we simply want to get to know and communicate with others. But when we go into cold calling using scripts, we have an agenda, which is to make the sale. People sense this immediately and put up their guard. Between our hidden agenda and their reaction, there's no chance to build trust through communication.

Set a new goal for your cold calls

Focus on simply opening the conversation rather than trying to control it, so that potential clients feel comfortable telling you the truth about their situation. We've been taught for too long that we have to control the process. We never stop to think that scripts make it impossible for us to be flexible in how we communicate.

Does surrendering your use of a script seem scary? But when you are able do this, you can begin to engage total strangers on the phone in ways that feel as comfortable as calling a friend. Yes, it's possible, and don't let anyone tell you it's not.