1) Avoid using ‘jargon’ – sometimes we’ve become so comfortable with the products or services we’re selling that we don’t realise we’ve inadvertently slipped into using specialised language
2) Don’t be too friendly with your customers or prospects – you’re dealing with them in your professional capacity, you’re not there to be their best buddy
3) Be specific and factual - don’t exaggerate or generalise – if you do you won’t be believable
4) Quantity of sales calls is important - don’t swan off after one good call - maximise on a ‘good run’
5) Quality of calls is even more important – one lady was regularly attempting 50 telephone calls a day, making on average one-minute contact with 30 decision makers and getting knock backs from 99% of them – now she’s having proper conversations with them and is getting positive results on over 75% of her calls – sure the number of calls has gone down somewhat but which would you say is more effective?
6) Speak in a conversational manner - don’t be either theatrical or in too much of a rush – The first just isn’t believable; the second is normally down to nerves – trying to get the call over with as quickly as possible – be normal!
7) Only try to engage your customer or prospect in a sales conversation when it’s convenient for them to listen and take part fully – try asking them if they have a couple of minutes right at the beginning of the call – you’ll be surprised at how that little courtesy alone differentiates you from 95% of your competitors!
8) Have a specific sales goal in mind when making the call – and, no, it shouldn’t be “I’m gonna sell this guy something”
9) Keep searching for new customers… but don’t ignore your ‘regulars’ – it costs a lot less to sell more to an existing customer than it does to a new one, so don’t just assume yours are happy to continue dealing with you, find good solid reasons to be in regular contact in a way the suits them
10) Listen (and look out for) hints and clues that will help you to identify the type of character you are dealing with – remember it’s down to you to tailor your approach to suit the style and comfort zone of each one
Hope these tips help you.
Happy hunting!
Linda
10 More Tips On Preparing For The Call - To learn more about this author, visit Linda Mattacks's Website.
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Leanne Hoagland Smith
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Linda Mattacks
(Visit Linda's Website)
"Linda Mattacks is one of those rare
professionals who combine deep
strategy-awareness with a thoroughly
practical approach to business marketing.
What's more, she is as much a hard-nosed
and sales-driven results seeker as she is
an intuitive people person who understands
what makes everyone tick. She has built a
wealth of experience in sales training,
business research, marketing campaign
planning and project management. Linda has
helped organisations of all types and
sizes in the UK and Europe to learn more
about their customers and markets, and
turn that knowledge into revenue. Her
mature and human manner has won her both
business partners' and colleagues'
complete trust, which has opened many new
opportunities for all involved.” - Jaakko
Alanko - MD McCann-Erickson, Business
Division, London, England ... Linda
Mattacks M IDM (the Institute of Direct
Marketing) is a trainer and mentor. She
has developed Selling For Business, a
course that combines the sales, research
and contact marketing skills that enable
individual entrepreneurs and small
businesses to compete successfully with
large organisations. Please visit www.sel
lingforbusiness.com for more details
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