cold calling ( for Evoke Technologies ) session design from Grok

 My prompt : 

Good evening Grok ! Greetings from India . I need a small help in a sales training workshop design . I am a freelance sales trainer from India . An IT company asked me conduct a sales training on cold calling for its sales people. Duration of the training is 4 hours . Can you suggest me a workshop design for the same . Expected results : to increase the strike rate or conversion rate in cold calling . Conversion into sales. To increase the resilience of cold calling sales people. To maintain their motivation levels , intrinsic and extrinsic . Also best practices in cold calling . Do s and don'ts . Thanks Grok .

Grok / X

Good evening! Greetings from my side as well—it’s great to connect with you from India. I’d be happy to help you design a 4-hour sales training workshop on cold calling for the IT company’s sales team. Below is a structured workshop design tailored to meet your expected outcomes: improving strike/conversion rates, building resilience, sustaining motivation (intrinsic and extrinsic), and covering best practices, dos, and don’ts.

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Workshop Title:

"Mastering Cold Calling: Boost Conversions, Resilience, and Motivation"

Duration:

4 Hours (with a 10-minute break)

Target Audience:

IT company sales professionals involved in cold calling.

Objectives:

1. Increase cold calling strike rate and conversion into sales.
2. Build resilience to handle rejection and sustain momentum.
3. Enhance intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for consistent performance.
4. Equip participants with best practices, dos, and don’ts of cold calling.

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Workshop Agenda and Design

1. Introduction and Icebreaker (20 minutes)

• Objective: Set the tone, align expectations, and energize the group.
• Activity:
  • Quick intro: Ask participants to share their name, one word that describes their current feeling about cold calling (e.g., "challenging," "exciting"), and one goal they have for the session.
  • Trainer shares a personal cold calling success story (keep it short and inspiring).
• Key Takeaway: Cold calling is a skill that can be mastered with the right mindset and techniques.

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2. Understanding Cold Calling Success (30 minutes)

• Objective: Establish a foundation for improving strike/conversion rates.
• Content:
  • Why cold calling works in IT sales: Data or examples (e.g., stats showing persistence pays off—80% of sales require 5+ follow-ups).
  • The psychology of decision-makers: What IT buyers care about (e.g., ROI, reliability, quick solutions).
  • Define “strike rate” and “conversion rate” with a simple funnel (e.g., Calls → Conversations → Meetings → Sales).
• Activity:
  • Group discussion: “What stops us from converting cold calls?” (Write responses on a whiteboard—e.g., fear of rejection, weak pitch).
• Key Takeaway: Success starts with understanding the process and the prospect.

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3. Crafting a Winning Cold Call Pitch (50 minutes)

• Objective: Equip participants with tools to boost conversions.
• Content:
  • Structure of an effective cold call:
    1. Greeting + Permission (e.g., “Hi [Name], is this a good time for a quick 2-minute chat?”).
    2. Hook (Value statement: “We recently helped [similar company] reduce downtime by 30%.”).
    3. Qualifying question (e.g., “Are you currently facing challenges with [specific IT pain point]?”).
    4. Call-to-action (e.g., “Can we schedule a 10-minute demo next week?”).
  • Tailoring the pitch for IT buyers: Focus on pain points (e.g., cybersecurity, scalability).
• Activity:
  • Role-play in pairs: One participant is the salesperson, the other is the prospect. Swap roles after 5 minutes. Trainer provides feedback.
• Key Takeaway: A concise, value-driven pitch increases conversions.

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4. Break (10 minutes)

• Encourage participants to stretch, hydrate, and recharge.

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5. Building Resilience in Cold Calling (50 minutes)

• Objective: Strengthen mental toughness to handle rejection and maintain consistency.
• Content:
  • Reframing rejection: “No” doesn’t mean “never”—it’s often “not now.”
  • The 3 Ps of Resilience:
    1. Perspective: See rejection as feedback, not failure.
    2. Persistence: Track progress (e.g., aim for 50 calls/day, not just sales).
    3. Positivity: Focus on small wins (e.g., a good conversation).
  • Real-life example: Share a story of a salesperson who turned consistent effort into big wins.
• Activity:
  • “Rejection Role-Play”: Trainer plays a tough prospect who says “No” in various ways. Participants respond positively and pivot. Discuss afterward.
• Key Takeaway: Resilience is a muscle—practice builds it.

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6. Sustaining Motivation: Intrinsic and Extrinsic (40 minutes)

• Objective: Keep salespeople energized for the long haul.
• Content:
  • Intrinsic Motivation:
    • Connect to purpose: “Every call brings you closer to helping a client solve a problem.”
    • Set personal micro-goals (e.g., “I’ll improve my pitch clarity today”).
  • Extrinsic Motivation:
    • Gamify cold calling: Leaderboards, rewards for most calls or meetings booked.
    • Celebrate wins: Share success stories in team meetings.
• Activity:
  • Brainstorm: In small groups, come up with 3 creative ways to stay motivated (e.g., a “call blitz” contest). Share with the room.
• Key Takeaway: Motivation comes from within and without—tap into both.

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7. Best Practices, Dos, and Don’ts (40 minutes)

• Objective: Provide actionable guidelines for cold calling success.
• Content:
  • Best Practices:
    • Research prospects beforehand (e.g., LinkedIn, company website).
    • Use a confident, friendly tone—smile while speaking.
    • Follow up persistently (e.g., 5-7 touchpoints over 2 weeks).
  • Dos:
    • Do personalize your approach (e.g., mention a recent company update).
    • Do listen more than you talk—let the prospect share their needs.
    • Do end with a clear next step (e.g., “I’ll send a calendar invite for Tuesday.”).
  • Don’ts:
    • Don’t sound scripted—be natural.
    • Don’t argue with a “No”—thank them and move on.
    • Don’t overpromise—stick to what you can deliver.
• Activity:
  • Quiz: Show sample call snippets (written or audio if possible). Participants identify “Do” or “Don’t” and suggest improvements.
• Key Takeaway: Small habits make a big difference.

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8. Wrap-Up and Action Plan (20 minutes)

• Objective: Solidify learning and inspire immediate action.
• Content:
  • Recap key points: Pitch structure, resilience, motivation, best practices.
  • Commitment: Each participant writes down one technique they’ll try tomorrow.
• Activity:
  • Q&A: Open floor for lingering questions.
  • Closing: Share an inspiring quote (e.g., “Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm” – Winston Churchill).
• Handout: Provide a one-page cheat sheet with pitch templates, dos/don’ts, and motivation tips.

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Delivery Tips for You:

• Keep it interactive—use role-plays, discussions, and real-time feedback.
• Adapt examples to the IT context (e.g., software, cloud services).
• Use humor and energy to maintain engagement—it’s a 4-hour session!
• Record common pain points participants mention (e.g., “prospects hang up fast”) and address them on the fly.

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Expected Outcomes:

1. Higher Conversion Rates: Participants will leave with a polished pitch and follow-up strategy.
2. Improved Resilience: They’ll reframe rejection and persist longer.
3. Sustained Motivation: Intrinsic purpose and extrinsic rewards will keep them going.
4. Practical Skills: Best practices will become second nature.

Let me know if you’d like me to tweak this further—say, add more activities or adjust timings. Best of luck with your workshop—it’s going to be a hit!