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Did you know that 80% of sales people start pitching as soon as they get the prospect to answer the phone? Yuck! There is a better way.
Now many people tell me they do not want to have a pre-written and pre-rehearsed script because they are afraid they might sound like a robot. Believe it or not, not being prepared is why people will start pitching and not engaging their prospects. Why? Well, not being prepared ahead of time can cause a level of anxiety and when there is anxiety, there can be chatter.
The purpose of sales scripts is to present your unique selling proposition in a powerful way. But one of the most important reasons to know what you are going to say ahead of time is so you can listen to your prospect. When I am coaching people who are not prepared, I find that they are thinking about what they are going to say next rather than listening to the prospect and noticing important clues about what the prospect is thinking.
Here are some tips to creating your own sales scripts:
1. Don’t say, “How are you.” It sounds insincere and puts the prospect on guard. They may be thinking, “Oh no…a sales person.” Do you really care how they are anyway? Pleasantries are expected but be creative. Okay, this might sound dorky but I will say things like (with a slightly sarcastic tone), “Happy Monday.” Well, no one likes Mondays and most people will lighten up a little. The goal is to build rapport.
2. In your initial call, do not try to get out all the great information about your product or service. Let’s face it your prospect could care less about you or your company. You have literally interrupted their day. It is important to be brief. Introduce yourself and company quickly and get right to the point. “Hi this is [blank] from [blank]. We help our client [lower costs, increase leads, etc.] by providing [blank]. If we are able to do this for you, wouldn’t you be interested in learning more?” So simple. All you are trying to do is to find out if they are willing to explore their options with you.
3. Set an appointment for the next step in EVERY interaction. I can’t tell you how many times I have to remind my clients of this very important step. You should always set up the next step with a time and date for the appointment. This way you are not leaving voicemails ad infinitum. You will know how interested they are in moving forward in the sales process when they make a follow up appointment with you. If they won’t you may want to move on to pursue a more viable prospect.
4. Breakdown your value proposition into short benefit statements. These have to be from the prospects point of view. They should answer the prospect’s question, “What’s in it for me.” For example, if you say you have been in business for 15 years, so what? What does that mean to the prospect if they become your customer? Have at least 10 to 25 of these statements memorized and your “scripts” will sound more conversational rather than rehearsed.
What’s the bottom line? Being prepared will give you the advantage. Listening to your prospect is much more important than having a great pitch. Being prepared will help you quiet your mind and keep your trap shut. You will set yourself apart from trying to sell your prospect to being respected as a trusted advisor. You will be pleased how much easier it will be to close new business.
Your success is our mission!
Sincerely,
Joanne
ph: 888.856.3185
fx: 415.663.4183
www.salessolutionsusa.comwww.breakthroughsalessystem.com
In life and in business, we are often confronted with our feeling of self-worth. At times we may believe that we deserve success and other times it may seem like a pie in the sky goals never to be achieved. When we find ourselves not measuring up to society’s criteria for success our self-worth depreciates dramatically. The illusion of being successful and admired gives way to disillusionment and achievements that once nourished our souls fail to satisfy our appetites.
Whether you are part of a sales team or a business owner, self-worth is often tested in how we feel about sales. Sure there are those out there who by the shear will of their personality can push and persuade their prospects to close. But this can be like a house built on sand. I have seen where their sales success can be fleeting or not balanced throughout their whole life.
What I am talking about is authentic selling built upon feelings of self-worth and confidence in the ability to deliver results. In sales, there can be so much “rejection.” This is only the perception of the person who is selling. Rejection is not happening in sales. The prospect just may not be interested; that’s it. True self-worth comes from within and has nothing to do with outside influences and situation. It comes from realizing and knowing the source of your value and purpose.
Here are some ideas to help to build your self-worth while selling:
1. Forgive yourself for your perceived mistakes and disappointments. Correct what you can and move on! Nothing is permanent and anything can be fixed. Don’t get bogged down by events and situations. Make a choice to view the situation in a positive light and you will learn what is necessary from the event.
2. Know who you are and your purpose. If you truly know who you are, you will not be affected by other people’s perception of you. For example, if you are selling and someone hangs up on you, you will know that it has nothing to do with you. This will allow you to move on to the next opportunity with an open mind.
3. Seek out and build on your strengths you may not use. Knowing you have these strengths and utilizing them is a great confidence builder. Take chances and learn new skills. All the answers you need are out there; you only need to ask.
4. Create balance in your life. Since self-worth comes from within, working harder and longer hours is not what will create an increase in your self-worth. Discover the balance between your personal, family and professional life. Yes, this does get personal but this is what is necessary to authentically sell to your clients. They will sense your confidence.
Do we talk about self-worth enough in business or sales? I’m not sure but I do know that truly sustainable success is built upon an inner knowing I deserve my own vision of success. It may not look like your vision. But when I am on the outside as I am on the inside, I have built my house on rock.
Your success is our mission!
Sincerely,
Joanne
ph: 888.856.3185
fx: 415.663.4183
http://www.salessolutionsusa.com/
http://www.breakthroughsalessystem.com/
Cold calling definitely has a bad rap. We have all had the experience of sitting down for dinner when the phone rings. Reluctantly we answer and it is a long distance telemarketer who is reading off a script; not giving us a chance to cut in. We eventually have to blurt out, “Not interested.” Receiving calls at home is disruptive however cold calling is still a great strategy to use if you have a B2B product or service.
There is no better way to directly reach and begin a sales dialog than with cold calling. Marketing does a great job of getting potential customers to your door but picking up the phone and making those calls gets you immediate results.
The other problem is the fear around cold calling and the rejection involved. Here are some tips that will help to ease the fear as well as increase your results.
1. Prepare a script for each niche or vertical market you are planning to target. You can easily purchase lists that can help you zero in on your target market. You may have several niches or vertical markets you want to focus on. The script should be short and to the point. The caller on the other end wants to know three key things. You need to quickly state who you are, where you are calling from and what’s in it for them to listen to you any further. Don’t try to download a lot of information. The purpose of the first call is to simply find out if they are interested in learning more about your company. It is not advised to use any tricks to get through to decision makers. Be straightforward and forthright with the purpose of your call.
2. It is a numbers game. It may take many dials to finally get someone to pick up the phone. With voice mail and caller ID, less and less people will answer their phone. You will also need to be prepared with an upbeat voice mail script. Be sure to keep your tone energetic.
Since this is a numbers game, track the number of dials you make in a day. Set goals for number of dials or connects with decision makers. Make a game out of it. The doldrums of making these calls can affect your tone and energy. Find ways to keep it fun. Set yourself up the night before with your list, script and anything else you need in front of you. Don’t dilly dally between calls. This is where many sales people lose steam. Immediately after a call, go right to the next; no matter what happened in that call.
3. Care but not that much. This is probably the most important. When I was a fledgling sales person myself, I was so afraid of cold calling. When I realized the worst thing to happen is someone I don’t know and will never meet could hang up on me, I thought, “Who cares.” For every no you get, you are that much closer to a yes. It could take 20 calls or 100. If you don’t care that much, you will be able to keep your energy up because the next call could be a yes. It could be that next big deal that could take your company to the next level.
4. Smile and dial…literally. Your smile will come through the phone.
Sure there’s a lot of controversy about cold calling. There are many people out there who say that cold calling is dead. Tell that to the businesses who are still striving and surviving in this economy who have not stopped dialing the phone.
Don’t stop your marketing efforts but think about this. What if you could sit down for an hour a day making calls to your dream clients? One of them will say yes…I will guarantee it!
Your success is our mission!
Sincerely,
Joanne
ph: 888.856.3185
fx: 415.663.4183
www.salessolutionsusa.comwww.breakthroughsalessystem.com
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