Gatekeepers Are *our +riends By Wendy Connick , About.com Guide
I you think o gatekeepers as cold calling obstacles or 3#orse4 as opponents to out#it, you are missing the point. *rue, there are a e# receptionists out there #ho delight in giving salespeople a hard time. But the vast ma-ority o them #ill treat you much the same #ay as you treat them. our average gatekeeper is over#orked and underpaid. "e kno#s a lot o &inside inormation' about his boss and possibly about other decision makers as #ell. And he!s used to salespeople trying to trick or strongarm their #ay past him to get to the management level. *hat!s #hy getting the gatekeepers on your side #ill do #onders or your sales record. I you can convince them that their bosses #ill beneit rom speaking #ith you, not only #ill they give you access to the decision maker, they!ll be able to tell you all sorts o useul inormation... like ho# their boss really eels about the company!s current vendor, or instance. Al#ays start out on the right oot by being polite and respectul. ;se &please' and &thank you' and don!t orget a pleasant tone o voice. And never try to trick the gatekeeper into letting you past by pretending to be anything other than a salesperson. 0ost e5perienced gatekeepers #ill pick up on your identity instantly ( salespeople #ho spend a lot o time cold calling inevitably develop a &smooth' tone o voice rom the sheer number o phone calls they make. +ince the gatekeeper #ill be used to salespeople #ho try to sneak past, do the opposite. Give your ull name and company name, and i they ask, tell them it!s a sales call. I the gatekeeper announces that he!ll be shunting you into voicemail no#, ask i there!s someone else you should be speaking #ith regarding 3#hatever it is you sell4. %r ask i there!s a better time to call or a better #ay to reach the decision maker, such as email. By asking or advice you!re both sho#ing that you respect the gatekeeper!s kno#ledge and also treating him like a person, not a malunctioning piece o oice equipment. I the gatekeeper gives you his name, #rite it do#n immediately and use it once or t#ice in the conversation. +tick it in #ith the rest o the inormation you!ve got about that prospect. *he ne5t time you call, assuming that the same gatekeeper ans#ers the phone, say something like, &"i, 1oe, this is ?red +mith ( I talked #ith you on *uesday.' *hen #ork in something rom the last conversation. ?or instance, i 1oe said that he #as really busy and didn!t have time to talk, say something like &ou #ere really s#amped *uesday8 "o# are things going no#2' Again, treating the gatekeeper like a person #ill make him more inclined to do the same to you.
#reparing for Cold Calls By Wendy Connick , About.com Guide
*he more planning you put into your cold calls, the easier and more successul they #ill be. 7rior planning #ill take up some o your time, but once you!ve laid out your calling plan you #ill be amorti9ing that time #ith each call. It #on!t be long beore your time investment pays o8 *he irst step in planning out your cold calls is to set speciic goals. ?or most salespeople, one o those goals is to get an appointment #ith the prospect. "o#ever, it!s not a bad idea to take a step back rom that. +et your irst goal as getting the prospect!s permission to have a conversation #ith them. our second goal can be getting the appointment, and a third goal might be getting permission to contact them at a later date 3this is the contingency goal i you ail to achieve = and 4. %nce you!ve set your goals, the ne5t step is to lay out a conversation lo# chart. *his doesn!t have to be an actual script, although that!s certainly an option. *he conversation lo# chart is a #ay o mapping out each o your goals, and the general path you!re going to take to achieve each goal. ?or e5ample, i your irst goal is to get the prospect to have a conversation #ith you, you might #rite out the e5act opener you intend to use. ou can also -ot do#n a e# responses you!d make to the most common ob-ections you!re likely to hear. *hen you can chart out a e# paths to take to#ards goal : getting the appointment. *hese might be more ob-ection$ handling responses or a e# techniques to build ast rapport. ?inally, you could #rite out a phrase or t#o or accomplishing goal 6. % course, you #on!t al#ays reach a live human being on the other end o the line. *hat!s #hy #riting out a voicemail script can help, so your mind doesn!t go blank at the sound o the beep. Hno#ing e5actly #hat you!ll say to the machine takes some o the stress o o you #hile you!re on the spot. ?inally, beore you make a call it!s a good idea to do a quick bit o research on your prospect. *his doesn!t have to be a ma-or eort.
Alternaties to Cold Calling +ome salespeople don!t cold call. *hey!ve developed other prospecting activities that can produce the sales they need #ithout spending long hours on the phone. "o# eective these alternatives #ill be depends in part on your company, the type o product or service you sell and your prospect base. *he most eective #ay to cut do#n your need or cold calling is to build multiple sources o #arm leads. A #arm lead is a prospect #ho comes to you already interested in buying. Building a strong net#ork #ill, among other things, help you to develop a stream o #arm leads rom contacts. "o#ever, keep in mind that a net#ork requires time and eort on your part to maintain. Det#ork contacts e5pect you to help them out #ith leads and other assistance or they #on!t be inclined to help you.
Another good source o #arm leads is reerrals rom e5isting prospects and customers. *he inal stage o the sales cycle, ater closing the sales, is asking or reerrals to riends and colleagues o your ne# customer. Because these reerred leads kno# your customer and he can 3hopeully4 conirm ho# happy he is #ith his ne# product, it!s much easier to close a reerred lead than a cold lead. ?inally, #arm leads can come to you rom a #ebsite or social net#orking site. *hese leads are people #ho visit the company site or read its ?acebook proile and decide they #ant to learn more, so they ask or a salesperson to contact them. *hese leads tend to be eager to buy, since they!re clearly interested enough to #ant to kno# about your products, but they are also likely to have solicited inormation rom your competitors, so be prepared or some heavy negotiating. I your #arm leads aren!t enough to keep your sales high, you can consider other methods o contacting cold leads.
#hone Scripts That Work When you ans#er the phone and the telemarketer on the other end starts reading robotically rom his script, the urge to say !no thanks! and hang up the phone is almost irresistible. ?e# things #ill turn o a prospect aster than hearing a salesperson recite rom a phone script. But that doesn!t mean that using a script equates to poor cold calling. *hink back to the last really good movie you sa#. *he actors seemed to speak and react spontaneously.
our o#n acting skills may not be on a par #ith "olly#ood!s best, but you do have one beneit that they don!t share. ou can #rite your o#n scripts using #ords and phrases that come naturally to you8 *here!s no need to !act! i you have a #ell$#ritten phone script, because the #ords on the page are the same #ords you!d be likely to say spontaneously. But by #riting those #ords do#n ahead o time, you #on!t have to #orry about losing your train o thought or umbling your pitch. 0ost phone scripts ail because they are #ritten like sales literature. *hose smooth, polished, convincing phrases #ork in a brochure or even an email, but spoken out loud they #ill stilted and artiicial ( or #orse, slick and !sales$y.! 7hone scripts should sound -ust like you do #hen you talk casually. As you #rite the script, stick to #ords you use every day in normal conversation, including pauses, sentence ragments and even the occasional !uh.! I you have trouble #riting a script in this style, tape yoursel #hile you ad$lib a cold call, and then play back the tape and #rite do#n #hat you said e5actly as you said it. I you!re ne# to sales and an e5perienced colleague is kind enough to share her phone script #ith you, be #ary o making substantial changes. A script that!s highly successul or your ello# salesperson is packed #ith useul sales techniques and persuasive language. ou!re better o practicing #ith that script until it sounds natural instead o adopting your o#n #ording. %nce you!ve had some e5perience #ith cold calling and kno# #hat #orks, you can give yoursel a little more lee#ay to change e5isting scripts. A good phone script should include every part o the call, rom !"ello! to !Goodbye.! As you encounter common cold call ob-ections, you can drat your avorite responses and include them at the bottom o the script. Al#ays keep a pen handy #hen you call so that you can -ot do#n any ne# ob-ections you encounter along #ith your response.
cold calls... then s#itch to the old script and make > more calls. I the ne# version gets you more appointments than the old version during this test, you should keep the change.
Anatom, of a Cold Calling Script "aving a good cold calling script in your hands can make your phone time ar less stressul. ou kno# e5actly #hat you #ant to say and ho# to say it, so even i you are completely lustered by something your prospect says, you #on!t ind yoursel groping or #ords. our script provides you #ith a conversational rame#ork so you can concentrate your creativity on selling an individual prospect. A good cold calling script #ill have ive main sections. It starts #ith the greeting, then moves on to your identiication, a brie description o your product!s beneits, asking or the appointment, and inally ans#ers to the most common ob-ections. )uring a cold call you have =$=> seconds to pique the prospect!s interest, so the irst t#o or three sections are the most
important ( i you don!t come up #ith something intriguing, your prospects #ill hang up beore you can get to the rest. our greeting should be quick and to the point. )on!t bother asking &"o# are you today2' or other#ise trying to dra# the prospect into normal conversation, because the clock is ticking. +tart by asking or the prospect by name 3&0ay I speak #ith 0r. +mith please2' or -ust &1ohn +mith, please.'4. %nce he comes on the line, greet him by name 3&"ello, 0r. +mith' or &"i 1ohn,' depending on your level o amiliarity #ith the prospect.4. *he introduction is possibly the most crucial moment o the entire call, because it!s the moment #hen the prospect #ill reali9e that you!re calling to sell him something. I #hat you have to say or yoursel isn!t interesting enough, he #ill shut do#n and you!ll probably have missed your opportunity. +o your introduction should include a hint about #hat you can do or the prospect, #hich you!ll e5pand upon in the ne5t section. +tart #ith your name and company name, then thro# in a brie &elevator speech' $ a sentence about #hat you or your company does or your customers. ?or e5ample, you might say, &0y name is 1ane )oe and I!m #ith Company @. We!re kno#n or helping customers get the technology they need.' ?eel ree to give yoursel an intriguing title that positions you as an e5pert. Wendy Weiss, &*he Jueen o Cold Calling,' started her business at a time #hen the only phone salespeople #ere telemarketers. +he didn!t #ant to be a telemarketer, so she decided that she #as a !0arketing Consultant +peciali9ing in De# Business )evelopment! and introduced hersel as such during cold calls. )uring the beneits section, you can e5pand a bit more on the teaser you gave in your introduction. "ere!s #here any research you!ve done on your prospect #ill really pay o. I you kno# a bit about the person or the company you!re calling, you can speciically mention a beneit or t#o that you kno# #ill be o interest to them. ?or e5ample, i the person you!re calling mentioned on his ?acebook page that he!s so s#amped he never has time or un, you can mention ho# your product &saves time' and can simpliy his lie. *he beneits you choose should go ar to ans#er the prospect!s question, &What!s in it or me2' %nce you!ve told the prospect #ho you are, #hat you do and #hy he should care, it!s time to close him on an appointment. Eemember, the goal o cold calling is not to sell your product on the spot... it!s to get a ace$to$ace meeting #ith your prospect. Closing the prospect on that appointment is -ust as necessary as closing the sale #ill be later in the sales process. Ater all, the prospect might not even kno# #hat it is you #ant unless you come out and ask or it. our appointment close can be as simple as, &I!d like to meet #ith you or => minutes and tell you more about this product ( does Wednesday at 70 #ork or you2' *his is the point #hen you!re likely to hear some ob-ections rom your prospect. Common ob-ections include &I already have a vendor or that,' &I!m not in the market,' &1ust send me a brochure,' or simply &I!m not interested.' 1ot do#n a quick response or each ob-ection that you hear requently and add these responses to the bottom o your script, and you!ll be ready to ans#er them #ith conidence. And once you!ve responded appropriately, go back to your initial request $ &+o, are you available Wednesday aternoon2'
- Wa,s to each an "asie Decision Maker
Identiying the correct decision maker, getting by any gatekeepers, and actually reaching the person in charge rather than their voicemail can be an epic -ourney in and o itsel. +o #hen you!ve had #hat seems like a great chat #ith said decision maker, he says he!ll get back to you... and then you can never reach him again, it!s pretty rustrating. +ometimes i a decision maker is ducking your calls it means he has no intention o buying rom you. In those cases, there!s no point in pursuing them urther. But #hat about the decision maker #ho is interested, but assigns you a lo#er priority than all the other things he!s coping #ith right no#2 In those cases, sometimes all you have to do to close the sale is get him to sit still long enough to listen. I that describes your current situation, try one o these tricks to get his attention.
1. Tr #i))erent Approaches ou call and call and call, and never get the live person 3or a call back4. +ome people -ust hate phone calls and preer not to do business that #ay. %thers get a constant lo# o phone calls all day and are tough to catch bet#een calls. ?or both o these types o decision makers, the ans#er is to try reaching them via another channel. ;sually, the most eective second choice is email. *ype up a quick reresher on your previous conversation andFor the last voicemail message you let, include a beneit or t#o to motivate the decision maker, and inorm him o the time and date you!ll ne5t be calling him back.
2. Enist 6nside 7ep I you!re talking to a gatekeeper every time you call, you!re in luck. Why2 Because you can!t talk the voicemail robot into helping you out, but #ith a human being you!ve got a pretty good chance. *he irst time you talk #ith a gatekeeper -ot do#n his or her name and hang onto it. When you call back and get the same person, use that name ( your gatekeeper #ill be lattered that you remembered her. +imple courtesy is oten enough to get her on your side and actively helping you to reach the decision maker. I she does help you to inally get an appointment #ith the decision maker, be sure to send her a thank$you note or even a small git such as a bo5 o candy.
3. Enist 8/tside 7ep *he Internet can provide an ama9ing amount o inormation about the average person, i you kno# #here to look. I your decision maker is a business o#ner or e5ecutive, try inkedIn. With luck, someone you kno# #ill be listed as one o his contacts and you can ask that mutual acquaintance or an introduction. I you!re selling to a consumer, try ?acebook or other social media sites. I all else ails, reach out to members o your net#ork #ho might kno# the decision maker.
4. Arri!e 6n Person When other contact attempts ail, leave a message inorming the decision maker that you!ll be &in the area' at a certain time and #ill stop by their oice to say hello. With luck, you!ll be able to catch them in person and give a quick presentation. I the decision maker is unavailable you can at least leave your card and perhaps a brochure or t#o.
5. Use 9+, *he ne5t time you call that elusive decision maker, press KLM beore you dial her number. *his #ill block your phone number rom appearing on her caller I). WAEDIDG: Check your state and local telemarketing regulations beore attempting this little trick. In some areas, it!s illegal or telemarketers to call rom a blocked number.
/uick Tip0 Wa,s to 1mproe *our #hone 'oice By Wendy Connick , About.com Guide When you!re speaking #ith a prospect on the phone, al#ays remember to smile. +miling alters the muscles in your ace and throat, and subtly aects your voice. I you don!t believe it, call up a riend and ask them to tell you i you!re smiling or not... you!ll be surprised8 I you have trouble remembering to smile, prop a mirror up on your desk and #atch yoursel #hile you talk. *o in-ect more energy into your voice, try standing up #hile you talk on the phone. +tanding puts less pressure on your diaphragm and allo#s you to speak more easily, plus it tends to give you more o an energetic eeling than sitting do#n.
2- Tips to 'oicemail Surial for the Sales #rofessional ?rom 0ark "unter =. I your goal is to get the phone call returned, donNt leave inormation that #ould allo# the person to make up their mind. Add a call$to$action to your message by providing a key date or something o interest that #ill encourage the person to return the call. ou have to create a reason or them to call you back. . Eepeat your phone number t#ice. I the person canNt quickly #rite your number do#n, youNve given them a perect reason to not call back. 6. Avoid asking ask the person to call you back at a certain time. *his provides them #ith an e5cuse not to call you. O. Dever state in the message that you #ill plan to call them back. Again, this only gives the person an e5cuse to ignore your message. >. 0essages let on a ?riday aternoon are the least likely to be returned. ?or most people, 0onday mornings are very busy and, as a result, only high(priority activities #ill get their immediate attention. L. )o not leave voicemail messages at odd hours o the night. 0ost voicemail systems oer a time stamp and the person hearing the message #ill immediately suspect you really did not #ant to talk to them. M. *he best hours to leave voicemail messages are rom L:O> A0 to P: A0 and rom O:6 70 to L:6 70. Aggressive people are usually #orking during these time periods, and the person receiving your message could potentially vie# you as one.
P. Wisely use time 9one changes to make as many calls as possible during the optimal voicemail periods listed in the previous tip. /. oicemail messages are an e5cellent #ay to introduce yoursel to a person. Be personable, yet proessional, and link your message to something o interest to the person you are calling 3such as another person or event4. *he recipient may vie# your message as a #aste o time i you have no purpose other than getting your name in ront o them. =. When leaving a message #ith multiple points, be sure to immediately disclose ho# many you #ill be making. *his #ill prevent the recipient rom accidentally ast$ or#arding or deleting it beore it is completely heard. ==. I you canNt say it briely, donNt say it at all. oicemail is not &story time'. eaving a long message is an invitation to have the entire message skipped. *he optimal voicemail message is bet#een P and =O seconds. =. When leaving your phone number, do not leave your #ebsite address as #ell. *his #ill give the person an opportunity to make a decision about you #ithout calling you back. =6. eave a &7+' at the end o your message. A &7+' is a very quick, additional piece o inormation that #ill connect #ith the person. =O. 0ention the personNs irst name at least t#ice in the message, but donNt use their last name. )oing so comes across as very impersonal. =>. Eeer to a mutual acquaintance in your message as a #ay o connecting #ith the recipient. 3Caution: 0ake sure they think positively o that person84.
Telephone Sales0 How To Sell On The #hone
by *om
*he 7hone Is Conversation And Communication *he ?irst Eule % ;sing *he 7hone is to reali9e that you are having a conversation #ith someone. When you meet a riend on the street, do you talk to them in the same #ay you do on the phone2 0ost people #ould say no. ou are having a ace$to$ace conversation #ith someone. ou are smiling as you are talking. +mile #hen you talk on the phone. 7retend they are right there in the room #ith you. *he +econd Eule % ;sing *he 7hone is that the person asking the questions in any conversation is al#ays in control o the conversation. I the customer is asking the questions, they are in control. *hey have you on the deensive. ou can!t sell eectively
until you regain control. *he *hird Eule % ;sing *he 7hone is to understand that it is physically and emotionally impossible to be polite and courteous and aggressive and pushy at the same time. ou are either one or the other. ou can!t be polite and courteous at #ork i you are naturally aggressive and pushy at home.
)iscovering our Customers Deeds I you #ere going to purchase a car #ould you -ust pick a dealer, call them up, and ask, R"ey, ho# much are cars today2R 7robably not. Why2 Because there is a lot o inormation you don!t kno#. "ere are some questions the car dealer might need to kno# the ans#ers to: =. 0id$+i9e, Compact , u5ury2 . Color2 6. Brand Dame2 O. Car, O$Wheeler, 0ini$an2 >. *#o$)oorFO )oor2 L. Accessories2 M. In +tockF+pecial %rder2 P. De# or ;sed2 /. Available ?inancing2 =. And yes, you might even #ant to kno# the price. Dotice that 7rice is not the number one question on the list. Why2 Because price is a perception o value. I I #ere to simply ask you, R"o# much is a car2R , you #ould have a hard time coming up #ith a price until you had more inormation.
ou Can!t Give Inormation I ou )on!t "ave Inormation *he sales person should be responsible or a variety o inormation. Customer service, product sales, product promotions, accuracy o order or customer inormation along #ith courtesy and diplomacy. "ere are some areas your phone people need to be trained to do: +ales orders Inquiries o merchandise or services )ates o delivery or service scheduling ?ollo#$up or service calls 7olicies re: returns or e5changes o goods or services
Complaints Customer +ervices $ price ad-ustments, ollo#$up calls, replacement merchandise. In order to be eective, phone salespersons must be amiliar #ith all departments and products the company oers. +ome things the sales person might need: Copies o all current marketing and adverting promotions and ads. Copies o competitors ads 3to match oers4 %rderF+hippingFCredit Card ?orms CalculatorF+cratch 7ads 7ricing Guides 7roduct or service availability and schedules. Company policies and legal disclaimers
+teps *o *he +ale 2. 1ntroduction0 When ans#ering the phone give: Company Dame our name. RGood morning +mith Eealty 0rs. Anderson speakingR
Eemember, this is your Rirst impressionR #ith the customer. *his one area is very important. *he customer may decide #hether or not to do business based on ho# they are treated #hen they call your company. 3. +inding A $eed0 Ask Ropen$endedR questions. Juestions that can!t be ans#ered by a yes or a no. et the customer talk as much as they #ant #ithout interruption. Eemember, the person asking the questions is in control o the conversation. What are they asking or2 "ave they done this beore2 What did they like about their last e5perience2 What didn!t they like2 What #as the level o service2
Invalid %b-ections: $ 0ost common is RIt costs too much.R %r, RWell, it sounds good but I need to think about it beore I spend that much.R In most cases this is not a valid
ob-ection. I they couldn!t aord it #hy bother looking2 What they are really saying is, Rou haven!t sho#n me enough beneits to -ustiy the price.R I they really and truly can!t aord it, they are not a valid customer. ou haven!t lost anything. I they can!t buy rom you they can!t buy rom the competition either. -. Closing The Sale *he ?irst Eule % +elling Anything: RWhen logic and emotion come into conlict, emotion al#ays #ins.R I you think customers are going to sit do#n and make logical comparisons o the merits o your product or service against your competitor...you are mistaken. *hey #ill purchase on emotion and create a logical argument to -ustiy their decision. Eemember the Ract$indingR section2 *his is #here you sho# the beneits o the items they said they #anted.
Do one #ants a one$inch drill bit, they #ant the beneit that the one$inch drill bit #ill give them. *hey #ant the one$inch hole. As a result price is seldom an issue. It is usually a deensive e5cuse or an invalid ob-ection. 7eople buy beneits and beneits are almost al#ays emotional. Beneits give a eeling o R#ell$beingR and R#ell$beingR is an emotional Reeling.R The Second ule Of Selling An,thing0 Ask or the order. *he reason most oten given by people or not buying is, RDo one asked me to.R
An easy #ay to ask is, RI you have your credit card handy I can start processing your request.R +ome )o!s And )on!ts %n *he 7hone "ave a pleasant and sincere, positive voice. "ave a smile on your ace as you talk on the phone. Work on your vocabulary. Eemember, you!re on the phone, you have to create a positive Rmental pictureR in the customers mind o your product or service. +ynchroni9e your rate o speech #ith the rate o speech o the person to #hom you are speaking. )on!t talk too ast or too slo#ly. I you are calling them, ask i it is a convenient time to talk. 0ake your conversation brie, easy to understand, and to the point. 0ake sure you have all the inormation in ront o you to handle your customers questions. I you have to put them on hold, you may lose them. )on!t ask anyone to place a call or you unless you are ready to talk. *he person on the other end o the line is busy too. )on!t do all the talking. Give the person on the other end o the line an opportunity to
ans#er you, to ask questions, or to make comments. Dever interrupt your customer. Be as courteous voice$to voice as you #ould be ace$to$ace.
*he ast Word About +elling %n *he 7hone *he phone is instant communication. Do #aiting or it to boot up. 0any customers are calling on an impulse. *hey have developed a sudden need and #ant that need illed. ou have a great opportunity to bring additional revenue to your business. 7eople buy #here they eel comortable and appreciated. Give them that eeling #hen they call. It!s -ust common courtesy.
Top 3- /uestions to "9plore During 1nitial Sales Calls *he ollo#ing represent some o the most po#erul questions you can ask a customer during initial sales calls. *hese questions #ill provide you #ith the insights to determine ho# you may be able to oer value, and #here challenges and opportunities e5ist. 0ore importantly, these questions #ill encourage the customer to speak reely and or you to listen intently #ithout providing any recommendations at this initial stage o the sales process. =. What has been your gro#th the last three years2 . What is your vision or the uture2 6. What has changed most about your business in the last SSS year3s42 O. What do your customers most value about your company2 >. "o# are you organi9ed no#2 L. What are the biggest challenges you are acing2 M. "o# #ill these challenges aect you2 P. What problems have you been e5periencing2 /. "o# much #ill you be impacted inancially i this continues2 =. What inancial beneits #ould you reali9e i you could SSSSSSSS2 ==. What strategies are you pursuing2 =. What are some o the most e5citing opportunities you ace in the uture2 =6. "o# #ill you measure success2 =O. What needs to change rom #here it is today2 =>. What #ould you like to accomplish2 =L. What is the competition doing that you should be doing2 =M. Where does your irm have a competitive advantage2 =P. I you had a magic #andTT.#hat results #ould you like to see2 =/. What is most important to you, personally, in resolving this issue2 Why is that2 . "o# #ould you prioriti9e your needs2 =. What conditions need to be satisied or our companies to do business2 . What budget have you established2 6. What kind o time rame are you #orking on2
O. What is important to you in #orking #ith e5ternal suppliers2 >. %ther than yoursel, #ho else #ill be involved in the decision to move or#ard2
