Using the phone successfully to market our products and services to potential new clients often requires us to navigate through a labyrinth of people to find the correct individual(s) who can provide the information we seek. Whether for pre-sales research or to determine who has the ability to acquire our products and services, here is a quick summary of proven techniques for achieving these objectives from, Ron S. La Vine -- President of The IntellWorks a "Live Call" Telesales Training Company.
1. Know the purpose of your call in advance. (Before placing a call, have a clear and specific objective or purpose of what you are trying to achieve.)
2. Prepare a list of questions which need answers. (To stay on track and meet your objective, prepare a list of questions prior to your call.)
3. When you don't have an obvious contact point, Purchasing, Investor Relations or the President's office are all good places to begin. (Calling into multiple departments in a company or organization can not only provide the information or person sought, but also give a unique overview of how a company's internal processes work. This can be useful information if further calls are required to the same or similar companies. As these individuals are usually very busy, having a short concise statement prepared, such as "Who is responsible for......?" This makes possible a quick answer.)
4. Take advantage of the corporate hierarchy. When being referred from a higher level person (such as the President or their office) to a lower level person, use the higher person's name or office to lend credibility and importance to your request. For example: "Mr. Smith's office referred me to you regarding ...."
5. Ask for permission to speak. (After briefly introducing yourself and your company, ask for permission to speak, before explaining the reason for the call.)
6. Set up a telephone appointment. (If the person sounds busy, make an appointment by asking when would be a good time to schedule a call.)
7. Use the optional choice methodology. (Ask which is better, Monday or Tuesday? Morning or afternoon? Ten or eleven a.m.? The result will be a person who is expecting the call.)
8. Listen to what is going on in the background. (If a phone or distraction occurs in the background, politely inquire whether or not that situation needs to be dealt with and offer to be placed on hold. This shows respect for the other person and is greatly appreciated.)
9. Practice the Q/A/F/Q technique. (Ask a Question. Wait for an answer. Feedback what was said to you to be sure you have a clear understanding of what was said. Finally ask another Question to direct the conversation into the area where you want it to go. The person asking the questions controls the direction of the call.)
10. Finally - and most importantly -is to be persistent in your quest. (If you remain persistent, you will most likely find the person who has the information you seek or who is in a position to acquire your products and services.
Copyright, 1999, Ron S. LaVine, The Intellworks
Reprinted with permission from Ron LaVine's Sales TIPs for Success Free Email Newsletter http://www.intellworks.com/
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Too may people in business look at the telephone as an anchor--that's how they feel about lifting it when they have to make outgoing calls to potential clients. For some, you'd think it was covered with spiders or that it might electrocute them if they touch it. That reaction revolves around the fear of rejection. Granted, not too many people are brave enough to willingly put themselves in a position to be rejected. However, those who do will find all sorts of long-term rewards for the temporary pain they'll experience.
With the right attitude and by paying close attention to what happens, each rejection you deal with will be a learning experience. You'll learn what not to say and when not to call. The key here is to turn that around so you can master what to say and when to call. With every rejection, you'll want to take a quick moment to analyze the situation in order to benefit from it. Rather than letting it ruin your attitude for the next call, you should find yourself saying, "Well, that didn't work. What's a better way to say it?"
With proper fine-tuning, you'll soon find your calls being well received and you'll experience fewer rejections. To save you some time on this learning curve, here are eight points you need to consider before making any business calls.
1. Develop a professional greeting. Don't just say hello and jump into your telephone presentation without taking a breath or allowing the other party to participate. Your greeting should err on the side of formality. Begin with Mr., Mrs. or Ms, as in "Good morning, Mr. Smith." Or "Good evening, Mrs. Jones." Everyone else says, "Hello." Be different. Be professional.
2. Introduce yourself and your company. "My name is Sally Smith with ABC Company. We're a local firm that specializes in helping businesses like yours save money." Don't get too specific yet. Don't mention your product. If you do, that allows the other party to say, "Oh, we're happy with what we've got. Thanks anyway," and hang up. By keeping your introduction general, yet mentioning a benefit, you'll peak your prospect's curiosity and keep them on the line longer.
3. Express gratitude. Always thank the potential client for allowing you a few moments in his busy day. Tell him that you won't waste a second of his time. "I want to thank you for taking my call. This will only involve a moment of your time so you can get back to your busy schedule." Don't say that you'll "just take a moment." The feeling evoked by them hearing that you'll take anything from them will put them off.
4. State the purpose of your call. It's best if you can provide the purpose within a question. "If we can show you a way to improve the quality of your product at a lower cost, would you be interested to know more?" This is very likely to get a yes response. At this point, you're ready to start selling an opportunity to meet this person or to get their permission to provide them with more information. You're not selling your product yet--you're selling what your product will do for him.
5. Schedule a meeting. Get a confirmation to meet, either in person or to teleconference to get the information you need in order to give a solid presentation. If he's so interested that he wants to do it right then and there, that's OK.
6. If a face-to-face meeting is the most appropriate next step, use the alternate-of-choice questioning strategy. Offer him two times, "Mr. Johnson, I can pop by your office at 2:15 p.m. today to discuss this further. Or would 9:45 a.m. tomorrow better suit your schedule?" You didn't say, "When can we meet?" When you use the alternate of choice, you take control of getting the appointment. And note: Asking for an off-hour gets you noticed. There's something about setting a meeting at an off-hour that says you're a salesperson who'll be punctual and respect your prospect's time. Try it.
7. Thank them for their time today and for the upcoming appointment. Reconfirm the date, time and location of the appointment. Ask for directions if you need them. Tell him how much preparation you'll do in order to make the best use of the time you'll share. Give him your contact information this way: "If anything else comes to mind that I should be aware of prior to our meeting, please contact me at (212) 555-1212."
8. Follow up. If your meeting is more than a few days in the future, send a letter of confirmation immediately. If the meeting is tomorrow, send an e-mail confirmation. Keep it short and upbeat.
1. Know the purpose of your call in advance. (Before placing a call, have a clear and specific objective or purpose of what you are trying to achieve.)
2. Prepare a list of questions which need answers. (To stay on track and meet your objective, prepare a list of questions prior to your call.)
3. When you don't have an obvious contact point, Purchasing, Investor Relations or the President's office are all good places to begin. (Calling into multiple departments in a company or organization can not only provide the information or person sought, but also give a unique overview of how a company's internal processes work. This can be useful information if further calls are required to the same or similar companies. As these individuals are usually very busy, having a short concise statement prepared, such as "Who is responsible for......?" This makes possible a quick answer.)
4. Take advantage of the corporate hierarchy. When being referred from a higher level person (such as the President or their office) to a lower level person, use the higher person's name or office to lend credibility and importance to your request. For example: "Mr. Smith's office referred me to you regarding ...."
5. Ask for permission to speak. (After briefly introducing yourself and your company, ask for permission to speak, before explaining the reason for the call.)
6. Set up a telephone appointment. (If the person sounds busy, make an appointment by asking when would be a good time to schedule a call.)
7. Use the optional choice methodology. (Ask which is better, Monday or Tuesday? Morning or afternoon? Ten or eleven a.m.? The result will be a person who is expecting the call.)
8. Listen to what is going on in the background. (If a phone or distraction occurs in the background, politely inquire whether or not that situation needs to be dealt with and offer to be placed on hold. This shows respect for the other person and is greatly appreciated.)
9. Practice the Q/A/F/Q technique. (Ask a Question. Wait for an answer. Feedback what was said to you to be sure you have a clear understanding of what was said. Finally ask another Question to direct the conversation into the area where you want it to go. The person asking the questions controls the direction of the call.)
10. Finally - and most importantly -is to be persistent in your quest. (If you remain persistent, you will most likely find the person who has the information you seek or who is in a position to acquire your products and services.
Copyright, 1999, Ron S. LaVine, The Intellworks
Reprinted with permission from Ron LaVine's Sales TIPs for Success Free Email Newsletter http://www.intellworks.com/
Free Newsletter
Business Know-How
Enter your email in the box below, then click Subscribe
read current issue
read past issues
Too may people in business look at the telephone as an anchor--that's how they feel about lifting it when they have to make outgoing calls to potential clients. For some, you'd think it was covered with spiders or that it might electrocute them if they touch it. That reaction revolves around the fear of rejection. Granted, not too many people are brave enough to willingly put themselves in a position to be rejected. However, those who do will find all sorts of long-term rewards for the temporary pain they'll experience.
With the right attitude and by paying close attention to what happens, each rejection you deal with will be a learning experience. You'll learn what not to say and when not to call. The key here is to turn that around so you can master what to say and when to call. With every rejection, you'll want to take a quick moment to analyze the situation in order to benefit from it. Rather than letting it ruin your attitude for the next call, you should find yourself saying, "Well, that didn't work. What's a better way to say it?"
With proper fine-tuning, you'll soon find your calls being well received and you'll experience fewer rejections. To save you some time on this learning curve, here are eight points you need to consider before making any business calls.
1. Develop a professional greeting. Don't just say hello and jump into your telephone presentation without taking a breath or allowing the other party to participate. Your greeting should err on the side of formality. Begin with Mr., Mrs. or Ms, as in "Good morning, Mr. Smith." Or "Good evening, Mrs. Jones." Everyone else says, "Hello." Be different. Be professional.
2. Introduce yourself and your company. "My name is Sally Smith with ABC Company. We're a local firm that specializes in helping businesses like yours save money." Don't get too specific yet. Don't mention your product. If you do, that allows the other party to say, "Oh, we're happy with what we've got. Thanks anyway," and hang up. By keeping your introduction general, yet mentioning a benefit, you'll peak your prospect's curiosity and keep them on the line longer.
3. Express gratitude. Always thank the potential client for allowing you a few moments in his busy day. Tell him that you won't waste a second of his time. "I want to thank you for taking my call. This will only involve a moment of your time so you can get back to your busy schedule." Don't say that you'll "just take a moment." The feeling evoked by them hearing that you'll take anything from them will put them off.
4. State the purpose of your call. It's best if you can provide the purpose within a question. "If we can show you a way to improve the quality of your product at a lower cost, would you be interested to know more?" This is very likely to get a yes response. At this point, you're ready to start selling an opportunity to meet this person or to get their permission to provide them with more information. You're not selling your product yet--you're selling what your product will do for him.
5. Schedule a meeting. Get a confirmation to meet, either in person or to teleconference to get the information you need in order to give a solid presentation. If he's so interested that he wants to do it right then and there, that's OK.
6. If a face-to-face meeting is the most appropriate next step, use the alternate-of-choice questioning strategy. Offer him two times, "Mr. Johnson, I can pop by your office at 2:15 p.m. today to discuss this further. Or would 9:45 a.m. tomorrow better suit your schedule?" You didn't say, "When can we meet?" When you use the alternate of choice, you take control of getting the appointment. And note: Asking for an off-hour gets you noticed. There's something about setting a meeting at an off-hour that says you're a salesperson who'll be punctual and respect your prospect's time. Try it.
7. Thank them for their time today and for the upcoming appointment. Reconfirm the date, time and location of the appointment. Ask for directions if you need them. Tell him how much preparation you'll do in order to make the best use of the time you'll share. Give him your contact information this way: "If anything else comes to mind that I should be aware of prior to our meeting, please contact me at (212) 555-1212."
8. Follow up. If your meeting is more than a few days in the future, send a letter of confirmation immediately. If the meeting is tomorrow, send an e-mail confirmation. Keep it short and upbeat.
