Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,000+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Start your free trial
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
Smart Calling summary
Art Sobczak
Eliminate the Fear, Failure, and Rejection from Cold Calling
15 mins
Brief summary
'Smart Calling' by Art Sobczak is a guide to improve sales calls by using techniques such as research, preparation, and focusing on the prospect's needs and preferences. It offers practical tips for effective communication and reducing rejection.
Topics
Table of Contents
Smart Calling
Summary of 7 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 7
Master cold calling and make your calls smart by planning well and avoiding common mistakes.
Cold calling tends to have a negative reputation: it calls to mind useless offers, robotic conversations or manipulative sales reps. But there’s really no reason for it to be so painful – cold calling is easier than it seems. In fact, you might be making some of the classic cold calling mistakes without even knowing it!
After all, cold calling is about more than just talking on the phone. Let’s go over some common errors people make when conducting cold calls.
First off, be sure to address people by their proper names, avoiding any nicknames. And don’t launch straight into asking the person on the line for something; instead, make them curious about what you have to say by bringing up an interesting idea.
Don’t focus on you at the beginning of the conversation. Rather, tell the other person how you might be able to help them out with something. And be specific! They’ll lose interest if you’re too vague.
A bad call, for example, sounds like this: “Hello Sander, this is George Barkley with Gold Insurance, a provider of health insurance products. I’d like to take 20 minutes to offer you a deal.” This is not a good start. It’s dry, impersonal and boring.
In general, it’s best to avoid cliches like “I’d like to introduce myself and my company.” This sentence is uncreative and it sounds like you’re apologizing for getting your prospect’s attention.
Also, be sure to avoid the word “just;” it makes you sound weaker and less confident about your offer. Don’t state obvious facts either, like “You sure were hard to reach!” That might be true, but it isn’t valuable information for your contact – and the last thing you want to do is waste their time.
Want to see all full key ideas from Smart Calling?
Key ideas in Smart Calling
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
What is Smart Calling about?
Smart Calling (2010) is all about the art of cold calling, an important business practice that even seasoned salespeople dread. Many of us tend to associate cold calling with call center cubicles, boredom or manipulative strategies – but it doesn’t have to be this way. These blinks explain how you can overcome the challenges of cold calling to create a more pleasant and fulfilling experience for both you and your prospective customer, funder or employer.
Smart Calling Review
Smart Calling (2010) by Art Sobczak is a book that will revolutionize your approach to sales calls. Here's why you should give it a read:
- Offers a wealth of practical techniques to improve your sales calls, from proper preparation to effective questioning and objection handling.
- Provides valuable tips for leveraging technology and social media in smart prospecting, helping you to connect with potential clients in a meaningful way.
- Combines insights from experienced salespeople and real-life examples to keep you engaged, making it a valuable resource for sales professionals looking to up their game.
Who should read Smart Calling?
- Sales representatives
- Anyone who works in fundraising
Categories with Smart Calling
Book summaries like Smart Calling
People ❤️ Blinkist
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
People also liked these summaries
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
31 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth
Smart Calling FAQs
What is the main message of Smart Calling?
Smart Calling teaches effective techniques for making successful sales calls and connecting with customers.
How long does it take to read Smart Calling?
The reading time for Smart Calling varies. However, the Blinkist summary can be read in just a few minutes.
Is Smart Calling a good book? Is it worth reading?
Smart Calling is worth reading for anyone interested in improving their sales skills and building better customer relationships.
Who is the author of Smart Calling?
The author of Smart Calling is Art Sobczak.
What to read after Smart Calling?
If you're wondering what to read next after Smart Calling, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- Fanatical Prospecting by Jeb Blount
- The New Strategic Selling by Robert B. Miller
- Objections by Jeb Blount
- SPIN Selling by Neil Rackham
- Agile Selling by Jill Konrath
- The Challenger Sale by Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson
- Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell
- New Sales. Simplified. by Mike Weinberg
- The Psychology of Selling by Brian Tracy
- How to Make People Like You in 90 Seconds or Less by Nicholas Boothman