Cold Calling for Web Design - My Current Process and Questions

[PRT]

EDIT: I've just had a mindset shift after speaking with Andy Black and some others, please read the edit below. Thanks!

Hello all! I'm currently pursuing Web Design. I've taken a bit of action, but now I'm quite confused as to what I should adjust and I have a lot of questions. I've detailed what I'm doing right now along with my questions.

------------------------What I'm Doing Right Now------------------------

I know that I have the skills to build a website and add value to businesses and I want to leverage this. Right now, I'm trying to reach out to local landscaping businesses (landscaping because it's blue collar, service-based, and they serve high-value customers) and do one website for free, so then I have the social proof and experience to help other landscaping businesses. I've already made one website for a friend who's doing SAT tutoring, he hasn't made it live yet but you can see it here.

Here's my process:

I go onto google maps and look up "landscaping", I go down the search results and open all of the websites. Then I page through each website and see if I could improve their website significantly.

Once I have some websites that I can improve upon, I grab a phone number & email from the website and grab the owner's name from reviews on Google or somewhere else (I get the owner's name so I can get through gatekeepers and also be more personal on the phone).

Now that I have a list of prospects who I know I can provide value to, I call them. And here is where I could use some help (and also more experience, which will come with time). I will say, I SUCK at this, like REALLY BAD. I'm stumbling over my words, my voice has no confidence over the phone, and quite frankly I have no idea what the F*ck I'm doing. However, this is to be expected, this is just the beginning of my cold calling and it's the first thing I've ever done that is remotely close to sales, and I'm sure that I will get better with time.

So far I've only called 7 businesses, 4 of which didn't respond (it went to voicemail) and 3 said they weren't interested. Here are the three (embarrassing) calls I made where the businesses said they weren't interested.

Call 1 - They said that their current website was good (it wasn't), but I didn't know what to say
View attachment Call 1.mp3

Call 2 - The guy said he's planning to retire (LOL)
View attachment Call 2.mp3

Call 3 - I switched to pitching the website for free, the guy said he flat out wasn't interested and I didn't know what to say
View attachment Call 3.mp3

Here are two scripts that I have made, I've been following the first one so far (but not very well bc I have great anxiety on the phone) but I wrote the second one today. I think the second will be more compelling for business owners:

Script #1:

Hi it’s Prady (abbreviation of my name) can I speak to [Owner]

Hi [Owner], [My name is Prady] I just wanted to give a quick call about your website

I do web design and I noticed that your website seems [Problem 1] & [Problem 2] and customers might [lose trust / click off / be confused] which might lead to losing sales. I have experience designing websites and I can build a custom professional website for you that solves these problems and gets you more sales.

Right now I’m building my portfolio, so I will build you a new website for free if you’re interested.

I’ll send you an email with more information, does that sound good to you?

Script #2:

Hi it’s Prady can I speak to [Owner]

Hi [Owner], [My name is Prady] I was going to send an email but I just wanted to give a quick call first

I noticed that your website is a little outdated and is losing you potential customers. I can build you a customized website for free since I’m building my portfolio right now.

I’ll send you an email with more information, does that sound good to you?
After this call, I will send an email with more information about what exactly I will do for them, how it will benefit their business, why I'm doing it for free, and finally, a calendly link (or something) to schedule a proper sales call (but I'm not sure if I will do a sales call until I start charging for my services). I stole this process from one of Fox's videos.

Honoring the process principle (& Kaizen principle), I'm making calls every day. I started with 3 yesterday, today I will make 4, tomorrow 5, etc.

------------------------My Questions------------------------

Here are some questions that I have. I'm really inexperienced and I'd appreciate any advice.

Cold Calling:

What times are good to call these businesses? Is any day of the week fine or only weekdays? What time frame during each day?

If the call goes to voicemail, should I leave a voicemail? Should I send an email instead? Or should I call them again later?

About my script, I'm not really sure what I should be saying on the phone. Should I even mention the problems that I see with their website? What can I say instead to be less sales-y?

When the business owner objects, should I continue to try to convince them? Or should I only do so if I think there is a chance that they might change their minds?

Other Questions:

Should I deliver any other services besides web design? I read $100M Offers by Alex Hormozi and I created this value offer:

Core offer: Custom, Professional website that will get you more sales

Bonuses: Pain-free website deployment, Free website maintenance for 2 months (I may change the time period), Email funnel setup, Conversion analytics and streamlining during the 2 months of maintenance, SEO, Online listing optimization (google businesses and other listings)

Guarantee (which I will use when I start charging): I will take 50% upfront but I won't take the other 50% until I make you $X, Or I may just not do a guarantee

Should I even cold call? Should I cold email instead? I'm not very confident on the phone, but I think that I will get better over time.

Should I target local businesses in my selected niche or just any businesses in the niche?

I just did 3 calls yesterday, but I'm going to continue to do more every day. Today I will do 4, the next 5, etc. How many calls per day would be a good target?

Thank you for reading, I greatly appreciate any advice you guys can give. Cheers!

EDIT: I was just on a call with Andy Black and some other awesome folks. After getting some feedback from them, I'm going to change my approach.

Andy pointed out that cold calls, messaging, emails, etc. disappear after they happen. Meaning that other people can't see your interaction and the value you are bringing.

Andy then brought up Facebook groups and how I could possibly help people in Facebook communities: help people, be seen helping people, and then get invited into groups by people as "the guy who does web design".

I'm going to join some facebook groups tomorrow and start trying to help people. Maybe after a week or so I will offer a free website as well, and see where that goes. Maybe after having some social proof I can do cold calling. After I have a good project and testimonial I can call more effectively by pointing at work I've already done, not to mention that I will have more conviction in myself.

 

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[Guest050x2]

Xjev vonit esi huuf vu demm vjiti catopittit? Ot epz fez ug vji xiil gopi us upmz xiilfezt? Xjev voni gseni fasoph iedj fez?

Demm og vjiz'si uqip.

Og vji demm huit vu wuodineom, tjuamf O miewi e wuodineom? Tjuamf O tipf ep ineom optvief? Us tjuamf O demm vjin eheop mevis?

Zit. Epf ineom vjin tvomm.

Ecuav nz tdsoqv, O'n puv siemmz tasi xjev O tjuamf ci tezoph up vji qjupi. Tjuamf O iwip nipvoup vji qsucmint vjev O tii xovj vjios xictovi? Xjev dep O tez optvief vu ci mitt temit-z?

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Xjip vji catopitt uxpis uckidvt, tjuamf O dupvopai vu vsz vu dupwopdi vjin? Us tjuamf O upmz fu tu og O vjopl vjisi ot e djepdi vjev vjiz nohjv djephi vjios nopft?

Figopi "uckidvt." O'wi velip qiuqmi gsun tezoph, "gadl zua, Utu" vu vjev teni qistup cihhoph gus nz tiswodit. Amvonevimz, vji eptxis vu vjot raitvoup moit op zuas qiuqmi tlommt epf zuas dupgofipdi op vjin.

Tjuamf O fimowis epz uvjis tiswodit citofit xic fitohp? O sief $100N Uggist cz Emiy Jusnubo epf O dsievif vjot wemai uggis:

Dusi uggis: Datvun, Qsugittoupem xictovi vjev xomm hiv zua nusi temit

Cupatit: Qeop-gsii xictovi fiqmuznipv, Gsii xictovi neopvipepdi gus 2 nupvjt (O nez djephi vji voni qisouf), Ineom gappim tivaq, Dupwistoup epemzvodt epf tvsienmopoph fasoph vji 2 nupvjt ug neopvipepdi, TIU, Upmopi motvoph uqvonobevoup (huuhmi catopittit epf uvjis motvopht)

Cigusi timmoph nz ehipdz, O uggisif ~3 tiswodit. Vji teni ~3 tiswodit vjev iwisz neslivoph ehipdz uggist. Vji eptxis vu vjot ot aq vu zua epf zuas ehipdz. Dep zua uwisfimowis ev emm vonit, sihesfmitt ug vji tiswodi cioph uggisif? Og zit, uggis nusi, og pu, uggis mitt.

Haesepvii (xjodj O xomm ati xjip O tvesv djeshoph): O xomm veli 50% aqgsupv cav O xup'v veli vji uvjis 50% apvom O neli zua $Y, Us O nez katv puv fu e haesepvii

Fu vjot vji nunipv zua tvesv veloph qeznipv.

Tjuamf O iwip dumf demm? Tjuamf O dumf ineom optvief? O'n puv wisz dupgofipv up vji qjupi, cav O vjopl vjev O xomm hiv civvis uwis voni.

Vji feve tezt ov otp'v xusvj ov. O tez ov otp'v xusvj ov. O fof ov gus e jepfgam ug fezt cigusi tvuqqoph. O josif e temit vien, qeof vjin woe dunnottoup, epf piwis muulif cedl.

Tjuamf O veshiv mudem catopittit op nz timidvif podji us katv epz catopittit op vji podji?

Catopittit op vji podji.

O katv fof 3 demmt zitvisfez, cav O'n huoph vu dupvopai vu fu nusi iwisz fez. Vufez O xomm fu 4, vji piyv 5, ivd. Jux nepz demmt qis fez xuamf ci e huuf veshiv?

Gus vji jepfgam ug fezt O dumf demmif, nz veshiv xet 50 demmt/fez. Liiq op nopf O'n piyv vu upi ug vji meshitv AT dovoit.

Vjepl zua gus siefoph, O hsievmz eqqsidoevi epz efwodi zua hazt dep howi. Djiist!

IFOV: O xet katv up e demm xovj Epfz Cmedl epf tuni uvjis exituni gumlt. Egvis hivvoph tuni giifcedl gsun vjin, O'n huoph vu djephi nz eqqsuedj.

Epfz quopvif uav vjev dumf demmt, nittehoph, ineomt, ivd. foteqqies egvis vjiz jeqqip. Niepoph vjev uvjis qiuqmi dep'v tii zuas opvisedvoup epf vji wemai zua esi csophoph.

Epfz vjip csuahjv aq Gedicuul hsuaqt epf jux O duamf quttocmz jimq qiuqmi op Gedicuul dunnapovoit: jimq qiuqmi, ci tiip jimqoph qiuqmi, epf vjip hiv opwovif opvu hsuaqt cz qiuqmi et "vji haz xju fuit xic fitohp".

O'n huoph vu kuop tuni gedicuul hsuaqt vunussux epf tvesv vszoph vu jimq qiuqmi. Nezci egvis e xiil us tu O xomm uggis e gsii xictovi et ximm, epf tii xjisi vjev huit. Nezci egvis jewoph tuni tudoem qsuug O dep fu dumf demmoph. Egvis O jewi e huuf qsukidv epf vitvonupoem O dep demm nusi iggidvowimz cz quopvoph ev xusl O'wi emsiefz fupi, puv vu nipvoup vjev O xomm jewi nusi dupwodvoup op nztimg.

Epfz ot 100% sohjv jisi. Cav O ipduasehi zua vu cuvj kuop Gedicuul hsuaqt EPF siedj uav vu qiuqmi.

Zua xepv vu ci tiip xjomi cioph tiip.

Djiist.

 

[Scott Millner]

Demm og vjiz'si uqip.

Zit. Epf ineom vjin tvomm.

Zit. Onnifoevimz quopvoph uav tacvmi ottait - xovjuav dunoph ugg et uwisciesoph epf/us dupfitdipfoph - ot nettowimz cipigodoem. Ov efft vu zuas dsifocomovz xjomi tonamvepiuatmz "hivvoph vu vji quopv." Vu fovdj temit tqiel, tonqmz vsiev vji dupwistevoup moli e qistupem dupwistevoup. Ov't ietz vu timm vu qiuqmi xjip zua tvuq edvowimz vszoph vu timm vjin tunivjoph.

Figopi "uckidvt." O'wi velip qiuqmi gsun tezoph, "G*dl zua, Utu" vu vjev teni qistup cihhoph gus nz tiswodit. Amvonevimz, vji eptxis vu vjot raitvoup moit op zuas qiuqmi tlommt epf zuas dupgofipdi op vjin.

Cigusi timmoph nz ehipdz, O uggisif ~3 tiswodit. Vji teni ~3 tiswodit vjev iwisz neslivoph ehipdz uggist. Vji eptxis vu vjot ot aq vu zua epf zuas ehipdz. Dep zua uwisfimowis ev emm vonit, sihesfmitt ug vji tiswodi cioph uggisif? Og zit, uggis nusi, og pu, uggis mitt.

Fu vjot vji nunipv zua tvesv veloph qeznipv.

Vji feve tezt ov otp'v xusvj ov. O tez ov otp'v xusvj ov. O fof ov gus e jepfgam ug fezt cigusi tvuqqoph. O josif e temit vien, qeof vjin woe dunnottoup, epf piwis muulif cedl.

Catopittit op vji podji.

Gus vji jepfgam ug fezt O dumf demmif, nz veshiv xet 50 demmt/fez. Liiq op nopf O'n piyv vu upi ug vji meshitv AT dovoit.

Epfz ot 100% sohjv jisi. Cav O ipduasehi zua vu cuvj kuop Gedicuul hsuaqt EPF siedj uav vu qiuqmi.

Zua xepv vu ci tiip xjomi cioph tiip.

Djiist.

Vjeplt gus tjesoph! O'n emtu pix vu dumf demmoph epf jewi jef movvmi vu pu madl xovj vjot. O'n miepoph nusi vuxesft TIU epf vjip aqtimmoph vjin up e csepf pix xictovi xjip O uggis TIU. O'n huoph vu qav nusi iggusv opvu GC qsutqidvoph. O giim e QN vu vjios GC Qehi, us ep ineom ot civvis vjep dumf demmoph. Vjev xez, vjiz dep sief vji nittehi fasoph vjios uxp voni epf puv giim moli vjios fez ot opvissaqvif cz e "vimineslivis." En O xsuph gus vjoploph vjev? O'n figopovimz puv e tnuuvj vemlis up vji qjupi epf xomm ugvip tvavvis epf hiv vxotvif aq op nz uxp xusft. Ot ov xusvj vu dupvopai dumf demmoph vu hiv civvis ev ov? Us en O civvis ugg katv tvodloph vu nusi tacvmi eqqsuedjit moli ineom epf GC nittehoph? Us tjuamf O xoph ov epf josi e temitqistup vu fu nz timmoph gus ni epf qez dunnottoup upmz? Jisi ot nz xictovi: TIU Dunqepz Evjipt, HE |TIU Neslivoph Tvsevihz