Training your SDRs to connect with prospects is crucial, especially during cold calls, to enhance their efforts and grasp the needs of potential customers. Building rapport with a prospect helps to capture their attention and build trust as an SDR. The connection with a prospect doesn’t need to begin with the first email or phone call; it should actually start much earlier.

There are so many ways that one can engage with executives on the phone whether it be through researching them on LinkedIn, checking out their latest tweets on Twitter, or gathering intel on their company through Google or other data insight tools such as InsideView. The following are 3 tactics to help your SDRs engage with prospects and establish a more personal connection in order to make their initial reach out warmer and more customized:

1.) Research prospects on LinkedIn

Copy and paste your prospect’s name into the LinkedIn toolbar and click search. This takes about 2.5 seconds and can make a big difference before speaking with someone live on the phone. Ensure that your SDRs are familiar with the functionality that LinkedIn has to offer. Here are some things to look for:

Title. Reference a prospect’s title when speaking with them to confirm their involvement in the particular job function you are looking to speak with them about.

Example: “I see you’re the IT Director over at Company A…”

Summary & Experience. Mention the prospect’s job description and responsibilities to show you’ve done your research and ease into a conversation.

Example: “I see you have an extensive background in software development, as well as proficiency in web development…”

Common Connections. Dig deeper to find additional talking points that will warm up an initial conversation. Did you attend the same University? Do you have 3 or 4 1st degree connections? Bringing up these topics on the call when appropriate can help to break the ice.

2.) Leverage the power of social media

Social media can be very helpful when prospecting. Encourage your SDRs to research companies and individual contacts on Twitter and Facebook. Take notice of:

News. Is there any new developments or changes at the company you’re calling? Referencing a new product release or a recent attendance at a tradeshow can help to get your foot in the door.

Blogs. Did your prospect recently contribute to their company’s blog or to a business magazine? You can find out a lot about a prospect just by googling them. Try mentioning a key point from the article that genuinely resonated with you or relates directly to the conversation you are interested in having with them.

Tweets. Is the prospect active on Twitter? If so, what kind of subjects are they interested in? Did they share something that you found interesting? Company news, blogs, and tweets are all a great way to establish a connection with a prospect prior to reaching out. If you’re feeling adventurous, retweet them or like one of their posts!

3.) Share industry knowledge

Establishing a connection with prospects does not just have to be on a personal level. You can establish connections by familiarizing yourself with the terminology related to their industry, as well as becoming an expert on your competitors. Training your reps to acquire industry knowledge, especially when it comes to your competitors, will help them to identify opportunities faster during their prospecting calls.

The world of cold calling doesn’t have to be so cold! Before your SDRs make their next dial, help them to use these prospecting tips above to make the most of their pre-call and follow up research and establish a connection with their prospects.