How to Replace Your Sales Script with a Conversation
How to Replace Your Sales Script with a Conversation
My name is Ben Cross and I’m in the network marketing business. As you know, in network marketing we sell two things: the product of the company we represent and the business opportunity for others to get involved in the business.
My personality has never been on the aggressive side. The idea of selling and pressuring someone to buy something has always made me feel very uncomfortable.
When I became involved in the network marketing business, the first thing we got in the training program was the same old script that you probably hear all the time: “Hi Ari, how are you today? I’m calling to see if you’d be interested in a new business opportunity where you can earn supplemental income with very little investment?”
Since I didn’t have an extensive sales background, I figured that if I followed the formula, I’d be a top producer. Boy, was I wrong!
The main problem was that sales scripts ended up cornering the person I was calling into a “Yes” or “No.”
And that made me feel sleazy and just fed the negative “salesperson” stereotype. It seemed too unnatural to pick up the phone and immediately pitch what I had to offer. I felt I was assuming way too much when the person didn’t even know me.
Now I want to share with you how my entire approach has changed thanks to Unlock The Game.
I spent one whole night studying your audio, video, and e-book materials from the Mastery program, and the next day the lightbulbs starting popping in my head.
I realized I shouldn’t be putting pressure on the other person by trying to lead them to say “yes” to my product or business opportunity.
I also realized that my mindset was backward. Mentally I was trying to get the appointment, but I was struggling to avoid using words that would give that away. And that was the conflict that was eating at me—I had a HIDDEN agenda, and the people I called picked up on the fact that I wasn’t being genuine.
So I shifted my thinking to what you suggest: “Focus on getting to the truth of whether there’s a fit or not instead of the getting the sale.”
Once I began thinking that way, I realized that I had to first see if the person was open to the CONCEPT of another business opportunity before discussing whether they were interested or not.
In other words, I had to take a step back on the call, be humble, and begin with a new opening phrase. So here’s how it goes:
“Hi, my name is Ben, and we haven’t met yet.” (This is great because it disarms any suspicion they might have about me.)
Then I say, “I’m just calling to see if you’d be open to the IDEA of a different kind of supplemental business where can generate income with minimal capital investment.” (When I ask if they’re open to the IDEA first, people seem much more relaxed and open to talking to me about it.)
And that’s all I start with, because after that the conversation flows naturally to the end conclusion of whether we can work together or not.
Now I don’t have to feel nervous about getting to the next piece of my script because we just move into a natural conversation.
In fact, I’ve thrown out my script entirely and just begin the conversation as I’ve described it above. And here’s what tends to happen now:
The other day I called a lead and used exactly this approach. The conversation flowed naturally and he seemed interested in the business opportunity. My first instinct was to try to “close” him as I’d been trained to do. Instead, I remembered what you said about not putting pressure on the person as you near the end of a conversation. So I used the natural phrasing you suggested and said “Where do you think we should go from here?” And he suggested we schedule an appointment to move things forward!
I love this approach because I can sell without being aggressive!
Also, people respond to me not as a salesperson but as a human being. I’ve had people book appointments and refer me to other prospects because they want to help me out. I’ve also found that when someone doesn’t want my products or service, I come away from the call with no rejection at all. There’s no doubt at all that my business has grown since I’ve been using your Mastery program.
Thank you,
Ben Cross
Sales Mini-Lesson Take-Aways
Here are some key take-aways from Ben’s story that can help you get on the right track:
* Change your mindset from trying to “close” the appointment to “opening” the conversation.
* Throw out your linear, step-by-step sales script and create a natural opening phrase that doesn’t put pressure on the other person.
* At the end of your initial call, don’t try to “close” for the appointment. Instead, ask, “Where should we go from here?”
* Learn to think of yourself as a problem-solver rather than as someone who’s simply selling something.
* Focus on creating a two-way dialogue rather than just making your pitch.
How to Replace Your Sales Script with a Conversation - To learn more about this author, visit Ari Galper's Website.
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Dear Ari,
My name is Ben Cross and I’m in the network marketing business. As you know, in network marketing we sell two things: the product of the company we represent and the business opportunity for others to get involved in the business.
My personality has never been on the aggressive side. The idea of selling and pressuring someone to buy something has always made me feel very uncomfortable.
When I became involved in the network marketing business, the first thing we got in the training program was the same old script that you probably hear all the time: “Hi Ari, how are you today? I’m calling to see if you’d be interested in a new business opportunity where you can earn supplemental income with very little investment?”
Since I didn’t have an extensive sales background, I figured that if I followed the formula, I’d be a top producer. Boy, was I wrong!
The main problem was that sales scripts ended up cornering the person I was calling into a “Yes” or “No.”
And that made me feel sleazy and just fed the negative “salesperson” stereotype. It seemed too unnatural to pick up the phone and immediately pitch what I had to offer. I felt I was assuming way too much when the person didn’t even know me.
Now I want to share with you how my entire approach has changed thanks to Unlock The Game.
I spent one whole night studying your audio, video, and e-book materials from the Mastery program, and the next day the lightbulbs starting popping in my head.
I realized I shouldn’t be putting pressure on the other person by trying to lead them to say “yes” to my product or business opportunity.
I also realized that my mindset was backward. Mentally I was trying to get the appointment, but I was struggling to avoid using words that would give that away. And that was the conflict that was eating at me—I had a HIDDEN agenda, and the people I called picked up on the fact that I wasn’t being genuine.
So I shifted my thinking to what you suggest: “Focus on getting to the truth of whether there’s a fit or not instead of the getting the sale.”
Once I began thinking that way, I realized that I had to first see if the person was open to the CONCEPT of another business opportunity before discussing whether they were interested or not.
In other words, I had to take a step back on the call, be humble, and begin with a new opening phrase. So here’s how it goes:
“Hi, my name is Ben, and we haven’t met yet.” (This is great because it disarms any suspicion they might have about me.)
Then I say, “I’m just calling to see if you’d be open to the IDEA of a different kind of supplemental business where can generate income with minimal capital investment.” (When I ask if they’re open to the IDEA first, people seem much more relaxed and open to talking to me about it.)
And that’s all I start with, because after that the conversation flows naturally to the end conclusion of whether we can work together or not.
Now I don’t have to feel nervous about getting to the next piece of my script because we just move into a natural conversation.
In fact, I’ve thrown out my script entirely and just begin the conversation as I’ve described it above. And here’s what tends to happen now:
The other day I called a lead and used exactly this approach. The conversation flowed naturally and he seemed interested in the business opportunity. My first instinct was to try to “close” him as I’d been trained to do. Instead, I remembered what you said about not putting pressure on the person as you near the end of a conversation. So I used the natural phrasing you suggested and said “Where do you think we should go from here?” And he suggested we schedule an appointment to move things forward!
I love this approach because I can sell without being aggressive!
Also, people respond to me not as a salesperson but as a human being. I’ve had people book appointments and refer me to other prospects because they want to help me out. I’ve also found that when someone doesn’t want my products or service, I come away from the call with no rejection at all. There’s no doubt at all that my business has grown since I’ve been using your Mastery program.
Thank you,
Ben Cross
Sales Mini-Lesson Take-Aways
Here are some key take-aways from Ben’s story that can help you get on the right track:
* Change your mindset from trying to “close” the appointment to “opening” the conversation.
* Throw out your linear, step-by-step sales script and create a natural opening phrase that doesn’t put pressure on the other person.
* At the end of your initial call, don’t try to “close” for the appointment. Instead, ask, “Where should we go from here?”
* Learn to think of yourself as a problem-solver rather than as someone who’s simply selling something.
* Focus on creating a two-way dialogue rather than just making your pitch.
How to Replace Your Sales Script with a Conversation - To learn more about this author, visit Ari Galper's Website.
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Joe DagerJoe Dager is President of Business901, a progressive coaching company providing no-nonsense direction in areas such as Lean Six Sigma Marketing and organized referral marketing. What others say: In the past 20 years, Joe and I have collaborated on many difficult issues. Joe’s ability to combine his expertise with “out of the box” thinking is unsurpassed. He has always delivered quickly, cost effectively and with ingenuity. A brilliant mind that is always a pleasure to work with.” - James R. If you want to learn more about Business901, start a conversation with us. We can be found @ Web/Blog: Business901.com Web/Blog: FundingYourNonprofit.com LinkedIn Profile Follow me on Twitter - Visit Joe Dager's Website |
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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John BrennanJohn Brennan Ed.D. Dr. Brennan is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. A native of Australia, Dr. Brennan received his doctorate from the University of Rochester. His dissertation researched the effectiveness of Behavioral Modeling Technology in training people in interpersonal skills. While he has spent most of his career designing or delivering training, he was also a Vice-President of Sales of a training and development franchise with operations in 25 markets. Dr. Brennan has designed and delivered sales training in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has been a guest speaker at numerous national and regional professional conferences. When Microsoft wanted Best Practices articles on sales for their web site, they called Dr. Brennan. The results are at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011387391033.aspx His firm’s clients have included Volvo, The Prudential, Merrill Lynch, Eastman Kodak, Gannett, Equifax Europe, the Economist Group and countless small businesses. - Visit John Brennan's Website |
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George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
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Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
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