How to Cold Call

By Wendy Connick, About.com Guide

Cold calling: the dreaded sales technique that can make even hardened salespeople shake in their shoes. In act, cold calling doesn!t have to be an ordeal. "ere!s ho# to cheer ully turn your cold leads into #arm prospects. Get in Touch With the Decision Maker In business$to$business sales you #ill requently have to #ork your #ay through one or more people to reach the appropriate decision maker. It may take multiple calls be ore you even ind out #ho your target is. % ten you #ill have to convince the &gatekeeper' $ the person #ho protects the decision maker ( to let you through. )on!t think o the gatekeeper as an enemy. "e or she is a potential ally, #ho can provide valuable in ormation about the decision maker. )on!t ever lie to the gatekeeper about #hy you!re calling or try to use trickery. *rust is a prerequisite or a success ul sale, and by lying to the gatekeeper you violate your prospect!s trust right o the bat. Instead, tell the gatekeeper #hat you!re selling and ask #ho #ould be responsible or purchasing that product or service. +ometimes the best approach is to come right out and ask the gatekeeper or his or her assistance ( many people instinctively respond to a plea or help. Sell the Appointment *he point o your call is not to sell your product but to get an appointment. ,ou need to pique the decision maker!s interest -ust enough that he or she #ants to hear more. +tart by asking i it!s a good time to talk. that sho#s that you respect your prospect!s busy schedule. I they say they can!t talk no#, suggest another time and be speci ic ( don!t say &I!ll call back later,' say &I!ll call back tomorro# at /A0, i that!s convenient or you.' I the decision maker is #illing to talk no#, you need to get their attention quickly. the irst e# seconds o the conversation are critical. *here are almost as many di erent approaches as there are salespeople, but here are a e# possibilities:

Make them laugh. ,ou might say something like, &"i, my name is 1ane +mith and this is a sales call. I kno#, you hate these, so I!m gonna be as brie as possible.' It!s usually sa e to make un o yoursel , but avoid making un o other people or you might o end your prospect. Offer something alua!le. When I #as selling bank products, I #ould o er prospects a & ree inancial revie#.' I!d meet #ith the prospect in their o ice, ask a e# questions

about their current bank products and advise them on the best use o their money. I you are selling a physical product, suggest a one$on$one demonstration.

Sol e their pro!lems. Ask &What is your biggest, most unsolvable problem2' *hen list one or t#o #ays that your product or service #ill help to solve it. *his approach can require some pretty creative thinking, but i you come up #ith a good ans#er you are almost assured o getting the appointment.

"nd on a #ositi e $ote %nce you!ve broken the ice and told the decision maker a little about your product, it!s time to ask or the appointment. It is vital, it is critical, it is absolutely essential 3am I stating this strongly enough24 to close the call assertively. It!s unlikely that the prospect #ill be ready to ask you or an appointment, so you have to be the one to ask them. Al#ays use language that assumes they #ant to meet #ith you. )on!t say &Would you like to make an appointment2' Instead, say &Are you available to meet ne5t *hursday at 6702' By assuming the close you make it harder or the prospect to say no. *hroughout the course o the call, be courteous and pro-ect con idence. By being polite and respect ul to everyone you encounter, you are sho#ing them that you value their time. And i you aren!t con ident about yoursel and your product, you can!t e5pect your prospect to be con ident about them either8 1ust remember that your product or service is going to help your prospects 3even i they don!t reali9e that yet4, and act accordingly.

% Tips for #roducti e Sales Calls

By Wendy Connick, About.com Guide +ee 0ore About: cold calling phone sales +ales is a numbers game. *he more potential clients you reach, the more sales you #ill make. But this doesn!t mean you can ignore quality in avor o quantity. )eploy a e# basic strategies and you can make every sales call count8

1. Get Their Attention in 15 Seconds or Less.

*hat!s ho# long you have be ore your prospect reali9es that this is -ust another lousy sales call and stops listening to you.

2. Create Excitement.
*hink yoursel into this mindset: you have a antastic product that #ill make a great improvement in your customer!s lives. ,ou!re about to give the person on the other end o the

line a huge present by telling them about this #onder ul product. *hen make sure that energy and enthusiasm comes across in your tone o voice.

3. Mirror the Prospect.

7eople are most com ortable dealing #ith other people #ho are like them. 1ot do#n a e# #ords or phrases that your prospect uses and #ork them into your pitch. *ry to match their volume, speed and tone o voice as #ell 3#ithout taking it to the point o caricature4.

4. Use Their a!orite "ord.

+tudies sho# that a person!s avorite #ord is their o#n name. As soon as the prospect tells you his or her name, #rite it do#n and then use it at least three times during the call.

5. #on$t Ta%e &'o( )or an Ans*er.

0any prospects #ill re le5ively say &I!m not interested' or &I!m busy' #ithout really hearing #hat you have to o er. Instead o hanging up, try asking an open$ended question to -ump$ start the conversation. 7ossibilities include &What is your biggest problem right no#2' or &What are your goals2'

+. Use Emotion.
Bene its sell because they inspire emotion in your prospect: happy eelings about your product, bad eelings about not having it. +torytelling is very e ective so toss in an anecdote or t#o about your customers and ho# your product improved their lives.

,. Pro!ide -a./e.
% er the prospect something use ul regardless o #hether or not they buy your product. *his can range rom a ree sample to a no$strings$attached trial period. Giving something valuable to your prospect creates the eeling that they &o#e' you.

0. C.ose E!er1 Prospect.

I the prospect #on!t talk, ask about a better time to call back. I you get a chance to make your phone pitch, ask #hen you can come over to make a ull presentation. Close every single call, even i the prospect seems completely uninterested. ,ou really have nothing to lose ( and a lot to gain ( by making the attempt.

Cold Call Openers

By Wendy Connick, About.com Guide

*he most important part o cold calling on the phone is the irst i teen seconds. I you can!t get your prospect!s ocus during that time period, then the prospect #ill shut do#n and the odds o your getting an appointment drop dramatically. A good strong opening statement is critical to cold calling. It piques the listener!s interest and gets them thinking about you as someone #ho can do something or them. 0any prospects #ill automatically say &no thanks' and hang up as soon as they reali9e you!re trying to sell them something, but i you can break through that automatic response #ith an opening statement that engages the prospect!s brain, you can get the call moving in the right direction. 0ost success ul cold call openers include a question. I you ask the prospect something it tends to -olt his mind into gear and get him thinking about the ans#er 3or at least about the question84. Ideally, the opening question #ill provide a reason or the prospect to #ant to hear more. And i you kno# your prospect!s name, #ork it into the opener. By saying their name you!ve already customi9ed the call a bit and told the prospect that you at least kno# #ho they are. %ne approach that o ten #orks #ell is the &surprising bene it' approach. "ere!s an e5ample rom a real estate broker cold calling script: Them: Hello? You: Would you like to save an additional $10,000 this year? Them: Who is this? You: My name is [You] and I sho !eo!le ho to save an additional $10,000" ould you like to learn ho to do it? Them: What#s this a$out? You: It#s a$out savin% an additional $10,000 this year" ould you like to learn more a$out it? Them: Is this some sort o& s'am? You: (o, I 'an sho you ho to save an additional $10,000 this year, it#s hat I s!e'iali)e in* Would you like to learn more? Them: Who are you ith? You: I#m ith [your 'om!any] and I s!e'iali)e in sho in% 'lients ho to save an additional*** *he idea here is to get the prospect to give you permission to tell them more. *his approach can be risky because it tends to be con rontational, and prospects can ind it annoying i you re use to ans#er their questions. But depending on your product and market it can be a very e ective opening approach. A slightly so ter opener includes the prospect!s name 3i you kno# it4, your company name, #hat you sell, and ho# your product can bene it the customer. An e5ample might look like this: +Mr* ,ustomer, my name is [your name], and I am your lo'al [ hat you sell] re!resentative* I have hel!ed a lot o& lo'al $usinesses here in [your 'ity] $rin% more 'ustomers into their stores* May I ask you a &e -uestions to see ho e 'an do the same &or you?.

& 'oicemail Message Tips

By Wendy Connick, About.com Guide +ee 0ore About: cold calling leaving voicemail I you place a cold call and ind yoursel in your lead!s voicemail system, don!t give up and hang up the phone. :oicemail provides a golden opportunity to get your lead to call ,%; instead o spending days trying to chase her do#n yoursel . But i you e5pect to get many calls returned, you!ll need to make a point o leaving messages that #ill motivate the lead to get in touch #ith you.

1. 2no* "hat 3o/ "ant to Sa1

Be ore you even pick up the phone, -ot do#n a e# sentences that you can use as a !de ault! voicemail message. *hese sentences should act as a sa ety net, not a script. In other #ords, i your mind goes blank at the sound o the beep, you can glance do#n at the paper and start talking instead o sitting there saying &;h, uh, uh...'

2. Spea% C.ear.1
I your lead can!t understand #hat your message says, she!s not going to call you back. *his sounds airly basic but a ter the ortieth cold call o the day, you might start to mumble #ithout even reali9ing it. +o make an e ort #ith each and every voicemail message to speak slo#ly and clearly.

3. 4epeat 3o/rse.)
Give your name, company name and phone number t#ice on each message ( once at the beginning o the call and again at the end. *hat #ay, i your lead didn!t have a pen in hand at the beginning, she doesn!t have to replay the message to get your in ormation. *ake special care to speak your phone number slo#ly and clearly ( picture the recipient sitting there #ith pen in hand trying to take do#n the number as you say it.

4. 'ot Too Short

+ome salespeople like to leave a message #ith nothing but their name and phone number, and possibly a hint that they!re calling or &business purposes.' *his is not usually a good idea. *he only people #ho call or business purposes and don!t include details in the message are salespeople and collection agents. <ither #ay, your lead isn!t going to be in a hurry to call back.

5. 'ot Too Lon5

%n the other hand, a voicemail message is not the place to describe your entire product line in great detail. *he ideal sales voicemail message is no more than one minute long, tops. ,ou #ant to leave -ust enough in ormation to intrigue the lead into calling you back. )on!t #ait

until the end to mention your &hook' because i the irst => seconds o the message are boring, your message #ill be #iped be ore it gets that ar.

+. Mention 3o/r Connection

I you got the lead!s name rom an acquaintance or co$#orker, drop that person!s name early in the voicemail message. %r i you met the lead 3or someone rom her company4 at a convention or other event, then bring that up instead. ?ailing any kind o connection bet#een you and your lead, say something like, &While researching your company, I noticed that your #ebsite mentions @,A...' *his sho#s that you aren!t -ust calling your #ay through the phone book.

,. Pic% 3o/r Time "ise.1

*he #orst time to leave a voicemail message is ?riday a ternoon, especially or BBB sales. By the time the lead gets your message, it #ill be 0onday and she!ll have t#enty more important things to deal #ith. And don!t leave messages at times ar outside o the business day, like B A0, because the time stamp on the voicemail message #ill make the lead think you!re either calling rom China or keep really bi9arre hours. Weekday mornings are the best time to leave messages because your lead #ill have the option to pick up the phone immediately, instead o having to #ait until the ne5t day to call you back 3by #hich time they may have orgotten all about you4.

Warming (p Cold Calling

By Wendy Connick, About.com Guide

What is it that makes cold calling so uncom ortable2 "o# about the act that you are calling a total stranger #ho has no reason to #ant to talk #ith you2 *hat!s #hy sales e5perts teach that the irst thing you say on a cold call is crucial ( a good opener piques the prospect!s interest enough to overcome that initial reluctance. +o it ollo#s that i you can come up #ith a reason or someone to take your call, you can start o on the right oot #ith your prospects. %ne strategy that gives you a toehold be ore you even pick up the phone is sending the prospect a letter or email prior to your call. Chris Cytle, author o The /''idental 0ales!erson, takes this strategy one step urther by suggesting that you send an article on a sub-ect that #ill interest the prospect irst. It can be something related to his company, industry, hobbies, neighborhood, etc. *hen Cytle recommends sending a letter re erencing the article you sent earlier, and mentioning that you!ll be calling at a speci ic date and time. Dot only does this give the prospect a reason to talk to you, but it helps you get past gatekeepers because you can honestly say that the prospect is e5pecting your call 3since you told her in the letter that you #ould be calling at this time4.

Another approach is to ind a mutual acquaintance and use that person as a ladder to bridge the gap o indi erence. I you have a large CinkedIn contact list and a thriving o line net#ork, you!d be surprised ho# many times you!ll kno# someone #ho kno#s your prospect. %nce you identi y the right contact, call that person and mention that you!ll be calling 0r. 7rospect. I your contact is someone you have a good relationship #ith, you might even ask him or tips on pitching the prospect. *hen #hen you call that prospect, you can open #ith, &I #as -ust speaking #ith 1im +mith rom Acme Company and your name came up.' I you can!t identi y a contact #ho kno#s your prospect, the ne5t best is to ind something you have in common #ith him. 7erhaps your kids go to the same school as his kids do, or you both have a passion or rock climbing. *hat common interest #ill help you to break the ice on your call, although it!s not as e ective as the mutual$acquaintance approach. <5ercise a delicate touch #hen you bring up these details or the prospect #ill start to #onder i you!ve been stalking him. ?inally, you can build your call around something that you!ve discovered about the prospect!s needs. ?or e5ample, i you ind out that a certain company is in the middle o bidding or a large government contract, you can call and say, &I!m calling #ith regards to the Davy contract you!re getting ready to acquire.' *hat #ill certainly get the prospect!s attention, but you!ll need to be able to back this opening up by e5plaining ho# your product or service #ill help the prospect #ith this speci ic situation. What all o these approaches have in common is the need to put in signi icant amounts o time be ore the call, be it researching the prospect, preparing letters and emails, talking #ith contacts, or possibly all o the above. "o#ever, by using these strategies you should be able to greatly increase the percentage o cold calls that you convert into appointments and eventually sales. Which means that the time you spend early on #ill be returned in the time you save by reducing the number o cold calls you have to make. +o i you!d rather spend time researching than cold calling, give one o these approaches a try.

Crafting a Cold Calling Se)uence

By Wendy Connick, About.com Guide

Eegular cold callers al#ays end up leaving lots and lots o voice mail messages. )ecision makers tend to be busy people. I you!re in BBB sales, you!re trying to reach e5ecutives and purchasing o icers #ho probably ield do9ens to hundreds o phone calls a day. I you!re selling to consumers, you!re calling people #ho are -uggling #ork and home responsibilities. As a result, it!s common to require multiple phone calls -ust to reach a decision maker. *he question is, ho# many calls is too many2 ?or that matter, #hat!s a reasonable time rame or leaving those calls2 +tudies sho# that the average sales cycle takes multiple contact attempts to get rolling, so salespeople #ho give up a ter one or t#o contact attempts are thro#ing a#ay a huge number o sales. %n the other hand, calling every day or three #eeks is going to annoy your prospects, not convince them to buy. *he best contact pattern or you #ill vary depending on your sales strategy and the type o product you sell. "o#ever, a good place to start is to contact leads once a #eek or at least our #eeks. I you sell a high$value, lo#$volume product andFor sell to C<%s and other tough$ to$reach e5ecutives, you might go as long as eight #eeks and eight separate contact attempts. <ach time you leave a message, add a re erence your previous message and let them kno# #hen your ne5t contact attempt #ill come. Daturally, you should also leave your contact in ormation and perhaps a time #hen you!d be available, so that the prospect can reach out to you i she!s su iciently intrigued by your message. I you!ve made several contact attempts #ithout reaching anyone but the voicemail system, try varying the time and day you!re calling. Busy e5ecutives are o ten easiest to reach very early in the morning, be ore their assistants arrive and #hile the decision maker is ans#ering the phone himsel . Consumers tend to be available early in the evening 3but not during dinnertime84 and on #eekends. )on!t orget that cold calling isn!t limited to the telephone. )ecision makers #ho are nearly impossible to reach by phone may be quick to respond to an email. +nail mail can also be an e ective #ay to reach important prospects, especially i you have some interesting tidbit to share ( like a maga9ine article eaturing the prospect or a bit o breaking ne#s that!s relevant to the prospect!s industry. )ropping by the prospect!s home or o ice in person can also be a good #ay to get her attention and sho# ho# serious you are about talking to her. I you use one o these other sales channels to reach out, count it as your contact attempt or the #eek and then mention it in the ne5t phone call 3something like, &I hope you got that ne#spaper article I sent you in *uesday!s mail ( #hat a great photo8'4. I you!re getting hung up on a gatekeeper rather than on an ans#ering machine, then your -ob is to turn the gatekeeper into a co$conspirator. <ach time you speak #ith him, -ot do#n a note or t#o about the conversation ( particularly his name. *hen the ne5t time you call, you can drop a remark about that topic to prove that you!re actually listening. It!s ama9ing ho# much a spouse or assistant #ill appreciate a simple courtesy like listening to and remembering #hat they said to you. I you can get the gatekeeper on your side, reaching the decision maker #ill become ar easier. And since gatekeepers o ten act as advisers, you!re more likely to close the sale i they approve o you.

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 in ormation' 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 bene it 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 use ul in ormation... 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 respect ul. ;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 mal unctioning piece o o ice 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 in ormation 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 success ul 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 be ore your time investment pays o 8 *he irst step in planning out your cold calls is to set speci ic 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 G= and GB4. %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 GB: 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 G6. % 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, be ore 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 e ort. <ven a minute or t#o o internet digging can turn up ama9ingly use ul in ormation. Eemember, Google is your riend. +o are ?acebook, *#itter, and 3 or BBB salespeople4 CinkedIn. 1ust plug in the prospect!s name and see #hat comes up.

Alternati es 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# e ective these alternatives #ill be depends in part on your company, the type o product or service you sell and your prospect base. *he most e ective #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 e ort 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 re errals rom e5isting prospects and customers. *he inal stage o the sales cycle, a ter closing the sales, is asking or re errals to riends and colleagues o your ne# customer. Because these re erred leads kno# your customer and he can 3hope ully4 con irm ho# happy he is #ith his ne# product, it!s much easier to close a re erred 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 pro ile 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 in ormation 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. <mail is an e5cellent option. ,ou can cra t one message and send it to a large number o potential prospects #ith one click. *he biggest concern regarding emails to large groups is accidentally crossing the line into spamming. +ending spam can create a lot o trouble. Dot only are there la#s in place that make spamming illegal, it!s also unpro essional and can result in ines, losing customers, getting a bad reputation, and even having your email account shut do#n by your hosting provider. )irect mail is a traditional #ay to reach out to prospects, but it is also the most e5pensive. A simple letter #ill only cost you or supplies and postage, but i you decide to put together a pro essional direct mail package #ith a brochure, you can end up spending a great deal o money on design and printing costs. %n the other hand, i you have a good lead list you can end up #ith very high returns on direct mail solicitations. *he classic door$to$door approach can also be e ective. I you!re selling to consumers, you can pick out a good neighborhood and start knocking. BBB salespeople can target large o ice buildings and stop by every suite. In$person visits are time$consuming but can also lead to quick closes, i you can talk to the right person at the right time. 0ost salespeople #ill ind that these methods can supplement but not replace cold calling. A salesperson #ho is a keen net#orker #ith strong social media skills and a #illingness to put in a lot o time can cut cold calling do#n to a tiny raction compared to a salesperson #ith no net#ork or Internet marketing.

#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. <verything they said and did sprang naturally rom #hat #as happening around them. And yet those actors #ere certainly using a script8 *he di erence is that their scripts #ere #ritten using language that sounded natural, and the actors #ere delivering those care ully chosen #ords #hile conveying the appropriate emotions.

,our o#n acting skills may not be on a par #ith "olly#ood!s best, but you do have one bene it 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$#ritten phone script, because the #ords on the page are the same #ords you!d be likely to say spontaneously. But by #riting those #ords do#n ahead o time, you #on!t have to #orry about losing your train o thought or umbling your pitch. 0ost phone scripts ail because they are #ritten like sales literature. *hose smooth, polished, convincing phrases #ork in a brochure or even an email, but spoken out loud they #ill stilted and arti icial ( or #orse, slick and !sales$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 success ul or your ello# salesperson is packed #ith use ul 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 dra t 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. <ven the best phone script #ill get stale eventually. ,ou!ll come up #ith ne# and more e ective #ays to grab the prospect!s interest and get that appointment. %r a colleague might lend you her cold calling script, #ith some po#er ul language that you #ant to use yoursel . And as your company launches ne# products and changes e5isting ones, you!ll need to modi y your bene its phrases to match the ne# product details. *he best #ay to decide #hich changes to keep and #hich to discard is to try them out. When you have a signi icant change you!re considering or your script, use the ne# #ording on B> cold calls... then s#itch to the old script and make B> 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 stress ul. ,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 identi ication, a brie description o your product!s bene its, asking or the appointment, and inally ans#ers to the most common ob-ections. )uring a cold call you have =I$=> 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 be ore 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 bene its 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 speci ically mention a bene it 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 simpli y his li e. *he bene its 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. A ter 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 B 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 con idence. And once you!ve responded appropriately, go back to your initial request $ &+o, are you available Wednesday a ternoon2'

- Wa,s to .each an " asi e Decision Maker

Identi ying 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. Tr1 #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 pre er 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 e ective second choice is email. *ype up a quick re resher on your previous conversation andFor the last voicemail message you le t, include a bene it or t#o to motivate the decision maker, and in orm him o the time and date you!ll ne5t be calling him back.

2. En.ist 6nside 7e.p

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 o ten 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 gi t such as a bo5 o candy.

3. En.ist 8/tside 7e.p

*he Internet can provide an ama9ing amount o in ormation about the average person, i you kno# #here to look. I your decision maker is a business o#ner or e5ecutive, try CinkedIn. 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 in orming the decision maker that you!ll be &in the area' at a certain time and #ill stop by their o ice 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 be ore you dial her number. *his #ill block your phone number rom appearing on her caller I). WAEDIDG: Check your state and local telemarketing regulations be ore attempting this little trick. In some areas, it!s illegal or telemarketers to call rom a blocked number.

/uick Tip0 Wa,s to 1mpro e *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 a ects 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 Sur i al for the Sales #rofessional

?rom 0ark "unter =. I your goal is to get the phone call returned, donNt leave in ormation 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. B. Eepeat your phone number t#ice. I the person canNt quickly #rite your number do#n, youNve given them a per ect 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 le t on a ?riday a ternoon 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 o er 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:II A0 and rom O:6I 70 to L:6I 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 pro essional, 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. =I. 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 be ore it is completely heard. ==. I you canNt say it brie ly, donNt say it at all. :oicemail is not &story time'. Ceaving a long message is an invitation to have the entire message skipped. *he optimal voicemail message is bet#een P and =O seconds. =B. 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. Ceave a &7+' at the end o your message. A &7+' is a very quick, additional piece o in ormation 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. =>. Ee er 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 <gelho *he Internet, a5 machines, email, ?ed<5Q are the principle tools or many businesses large and small. But the most used tool, by ar, is still the telephone. A great number o small to#n customers still let their R ingers do the #alkingR #hen they look or your business. +o, it!s critical that you understand ho# important the phone is and ho# to use it to it!s ull potential in your business.

*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 de ensive. ,ou can!t sell e ectively

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 in ormation you don!t kno#. "ere are some questions the car dealer might need to kno# the ans#ers to: =. 0id$+i9e, Compact , Cu5ury2 B. Color2 6. Brand Dame2 O. Car, O$Wheeler, 0ini$:an2 >. *#o$)oorFO )oor2 L. Accessories2 M. In +tockF+pecial %rder2 P. De# or ;sed2 /. Available ?inancing2 =I. 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 in ormation.

,ou Can!t Give In ormation I ,ou )on!t "ave In ormation *he sales person should be responsible or a variety o in ormation. Customer service, product sales, product promotions, accuracy o order or customer in ormation 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 e ective, phone salespersons must be amiliar #ith all departments and products the company o ers. +ome things the sales person might need: Copies o all current marketing and adverting promotions and ads. Copies o competitors ads 3to match o ers4 %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 R irst 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. Cet 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 be ore2 What did they like about their last e5perience2 What didn!t they like2 What #as the level o service2 <ach product or service should have a group o questions that are commonly asked. Brainstorm #ith each other or ans#ers to these questions #ithout losing control o the conversation. 4. .ecommendations And5Or (p6Selling0 As #ith our car analogy above, you can!t recommend a car #ithout asking a e# questions. *o present the product , you might say something like, RBased on #hat you told me, here is #hat I recommend....R As an up$sell, RI have had several people add.......to this package.R 7. O ercoming O!8ections0 An ob-ection is not really an ob-ection. It is a request or more in ormation. *he point to keep in mind is that there are only t#o kinds o ob-ections: :alid %b-ections $ I!m a si9e =P this is a si9e L, is a valid ob-ection. Invalid %b-ections: $ 0ost common is RIt costs too much.R %r, RWell, it sounds good but I need to think about it be ore I spend that much.R In most cases this is not a valid

ob-ection. I they couldn!t a ord it #hy bother looking2 What they are really saying is, R,ou haven!t sho#n me enough bene its to -usti y the price.R I they really and truly can!t a ord 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 con lict, 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 -usti y their decision. Eemember the R act$ indingR section2 *his is #here you sho# the bene its o the items they said they #anted. Do one #ants a one$inch drill bit, they #ant the bene it that the one$inch drill bit #ill give them. *hey #ant the one$inch hole. As a result price is seldom an issue. It is usually a de ensive e5cuse or an invalid ob-ection. 7eople buy bene its and bene its are almost al#ays emotional. Bene its give a eeling o R#ell$beingR and R#ell$beingR is an emotional R eeling.R The Second .ule Of Selling An,thing0 Ask or the order. *he reason most o ten 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 in ormation 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 Cast 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 com ortable 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#er ul 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 o er 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 B. 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 a ect you2 P. What problems have you been e5periencing2 /. "o# much #ill you be impacted inancially i this continues2 =I. What inancial bene its #ould you reali9e i you could SSSSSSSS2 ==. What strategies are you pursuing2 =B. 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 BI. "o# #ould you prioriti9e your needs2 B=. What conditions need to be satis ied or our companies to do business2 BB. What budget have you established2 B6. What kind o time rame are you #orking on2

BO. What is important to you in #orking #ith e5ternal suppliers2 B>. %ther than yoursel , #ho else #ill be involved in the decision to move or#ard2