There’s an art to telemarketing. It starts with a great product and a telesales agent who has the right attitude and loads of confidence. A vital element of any successful call campaign is a good script. Hennau Wentzel, MD of Direct Channel Academy, part of South Africa’s largest outsource contact centre, offers some ideas on how to write a script that will enable your agents to make the sale, get the appointment, finalise an order, or simply develop a long-term relationship with clients.
Effective script writing takes time and planning, but it is well worth the effort. Writing a telesales script is no easy job. It requires the writer to incorporate the needs of the business, the customer and the agent. No script can include each and every scenario that the agent may have to face.
Every time a customer asks a question, the agent will have to step out of the script. It therefore works largely as a guideline for the agent to refer to and return to, once they have dealt with customer queries.
What is the purpose of the call?
Consider the needs of the business. Every telemarketing call has one objective: “What do I want the person on the other end of the line to do as a result of this call, and what do I want to achieve?” Start by writing down the purpose of your call campaign.
Focus on the benefits
The agent must understand the dynamics of the product they are selling. Work through the FAB factor – features, advantages and benefits. Ensure that you list all the benefits in the script –that is what will convince customers to buy.
Anticipate objections
You must also anticipate the obstacles or objections your agents will encounter and need to handle.
Keep it simple
Know who you are targeting and aim your message appropriately. Take into account the language, the level of education and the income of your target market. Do not include anything in the script that will make your prospect feel wrong or stupid.
Not all products can be sold on the phone.Successful telemarketing campaigns focus on products that are easy to explain to the caller, easy for the caller to understand, and easy to price. Don’t try to sell a piece of land or a big investment – it just won’t work. What you can do, however, is “sell” the appointment.
For more information, call Hennau Wentzel, Direct Channel Academy, +27 11 293 9220, hennauw@directchannel.co.za, www.directchannel.co.za
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