2. Get to the point. You have less than the time of a TV spot to establish a connection. According to George Ludwig, author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code, from the moment the buyer picks up the phone, you have 20 seconds to reduce tension and create interest. Ludwig adds that the sales rep’s primary aim should be “to rapidly create curiosity“ in order to build rapport and lessen anxiety.
3. Be a movie star. When you watch a good actor in a movie, you don’t think of him reading lines. A talented actor nails his part so the words sound natural and there’s no evidence of a scripted performance. “That’s what sales superstars do too,“ explains Ludwig.
4. Learn it, live it, love it. Reps must know the script off pat to prevent fumbling from point to point. The script should be practised and read aloud, rather than just quietly to yourself, until it sounds like your own style of speaking.
5. Don’t ask stupid questions. Research prospects in advance to avoid posing irrelevant questions. Ludwig relates the example of a financial services salesperson who phoned him with the opener, “Would you like to protect your family’s future?” The line was an immediate rapport killer because Ludwig is single. Asking a question that doesn’t fit a prospect shows a lack of preparation and eradicates credibility.
6. Skip trite language. Skip launching a conversation with the threadbare “How are you today?” The phrase is clichéd, and everyone hears it as a signal for a sales call. Instead, try “Can you spare a minute?”
7. Look for business beyond the call. Closing is not the only goal of a sales call. Sometimes, moving the relationship along a step so you can be closer to closing on the next call is a better approach than trying to close right away.
8. Learn to listen. Don’t be in such a rush to deliver your message that the prospect cannot get a word in. Although you’re working from a script, a sales call is a dialogue, not a monologue. Be interactive and give prospects the floor often. The more you learn about a prospect’s needs, the more you unearth sales opportunities.