【TIPS for Inside Sales】When is the best time to call?

【TIPS for Inside Sales】When is the best time to call?

In this issue, we will talk about “Effective Hours for Cold Calling”.

Standard business hours for Japanese companies are from 9:00 to 18:00. When is the best time for cold calling, when the target audience can listen to what you have to say?
Based on our own experience, an inside sales representative will share his thoughts on the best timing for cold calling.

Best time for cold calling

Time of day to call:  Part 1- Morning

There is no 100% certain time of day to make a call, i.e., there is no time when you can be sure that the caller will pick up. This is because you do not know what the situation is like at the other end of the office.
However, based on our experience, we can increase the contact rate by making the following arrangements.

First, call the target in the morning to understand how the target’s day is going.
If we can get the meeting schedule for the day and return time, we call the target again on the same day.

It may not be possible to call the entire call list for the day in the morning, but a certain amount of lists can be called in the morning (early).
If you can screen your lists, it is a good idea to make one call in the morning whenever possible to the most influential lists.
If you are progress oriented, this is a different case, but it is a point that we implement daily as one of our basic methods.

Time of day to call:  Part 2 – Halfway time

Generally, meetings start at a convenient time, such as 11:00-13:30, so if you call at such a “convenient” time, you may not be able to make a connection.
Therefore, calling at the halfway point, such as around 11:40 or 14:10, assuming that the meeting is about to end, may increase the contact rate.

However, if you are only conscious of “avoiding the best time,” you may stop making calls, which will affect your progress. This method should not be used for all lists, but only for the ones that you want to contact.
Basically, the key persons and key personnel in charge of selecting and drafting the targets for each call project are busy and often away from the MTG.
The schedule of key people and key positions in your own company may be one of your references.

The measures to achieve this are as follows:

1. Call in the morning to get an idea of the day’s schedule
2. Try to avoid calling at the most convenient time

Time of day to call: Part 3 – Bad Times to Call

Basically, it is best to avoid calling after regular hours as much as possible.
In this sense, it may be effective to make a call, but it is not recommended because calling outside of working hours may be perceived as a lack of consideration.

In addition, many companies play after-hours announcements, which is never efficient.
We recommend that you call early in the day, especially in indirect departments such as the accounting and human resources departments, as many companies do not work overtime.

Summary

We have discussed the optimal timing of outbound calls, the times of day when calls are most likely to connect, and the times of day when calls should not be made.

Although there is no one time of day that is 100% guaranteed to connect, you can increase the success rate of your outbound calls by understanding your target’s schedule and calling at a time when they are more likely to respond to your calls.