I know you’ve found us because you’re looking for a script template, so you’re going to HATE what I’m about to say. Deeply, really, hate it.
Writing an SEO cold call script that doesn’t make you cringe every time you pick up the phone starts with tossing out the idea of a rigid script. What you need is more as a roadmap or a guide that keeps you on track, rather than a word-for-word monologue–and you need to know some basic principles so that you can deal with the unexpected.
Sticking to a script too tight makes you sound like a robot. They can tell you’re reading a script. And they don’t like it.
What DO I say, then?
Start off with a basic introduction: “Hey! My name’s XXXXX, and I’m calling from ABC. We noticed that [personalisation]; well, we help businesses like yours [value offer]. [Question]?”
Don’t bury the lede: get straight to the point of why you’re calling. People hate cold calls where they have to tell the caller how they’re feeling and how the weather is before they even know who they’re talking to.
At the same time, a little personalisation goes a long way here. What DID you notice? What triggered the call? Or, if you’re calling from a list of numbers, what can you at least pretend to have noticed?
It could be something technical. Maybe their site is down, or has some big, visible problems. In which case: “We noticed that your site was down for hours over the weekend.” Or maybe they launched a new product, posted an update, or even just shared something on socials: “I saw that you just launched [new product], and it looks like it has a lot of potential for attracting more customers online.”
If you can’t pinpoint anything specific, two classics are low visibility in search engines or slow site speed. Keep it relevant and focused on what you can do for them, so they immediately see the value of talking to you.
The question at the end is the most important part. Nobody wants to pick up the phone and get ranted at for twenty minutes. Asking them a question makes sure they’re listening, and if you ask the right kind of question, and can get them saying “Yes” rather than “No”–the oldest trick in the cold calling book, if you didn’t know. For example:
- “Would it help if more local customers could find you online?”
- “Is getting more qualified leads something you’d be interested in?”
- “Do you want to see more of your website visitors turning into actual customers?”
- “Are you looking for ways to drive traffic without spending a fortune on ads?”
Who could disagree with that, right?
How to build rapport in a cold calling script for SEO services
Weave in a bit of personalisation. Mention something specific you admire about their business or a recent achievement you noticed on their website or social media. This shows you’ve done your homework and aren’t just dialing numbers at random. From there, transition into how your SEO services can help them build on that success. Instead of diving into technical jargon, focus on clear benefits. Talk about increasing website traffic, improving search engine rankings, or boosting online visibility. Make it about them, not just SEO.
Remember as well: it’s not just about you yammering on. Nobody likes being lectured or given the hard sell. Include open-ended questions that encourage the prospect to share their goals, challenges, and hesitations about SEO. Be prepared for and open to the conversation moving in a direction you didn’t anticipate, while keeping methods to bring things back towards the end goal. So, for example, let them chat for a while about the challenges they had with their last SEO agency… But have some ready-made points to bring them back towards the sell, like: “Lots of our clients say their last SEO agency were awful at reporting, to the point where they didn’t know what they were doing on a daily or monthly basis. That’s why we…”
Last but not least, you need a clear call to action. This could be setting up a meeting, conducting a free SEO audit, or simply sending over more information for them to review. Remember, the goal of the script is to guide the conversation naturally and make both you and the prospect feel comfortable and engaged.
