Making a productive sales call

Telemarketing makes even good businessmen and women sweat. The reason being… the sales call! Well, you can relax as making productive sales call is an art learned over a period time with dedicated practice and experience gathered through making several calls.

Your first goal must be to attract attention of your prospect in first 15 seconds of your sales call. That is the window of opportunity you have before the prospect will end or show in interest and take the call further.

Be creative and realistic, start the conversation with your customer as if you are user of the product or service you are offering to your client on call. Give product / service details, the uses, and how their experience will be improved by using it.

You’ve most likely heard of caricatures and the way people mirror a warm welcome. Similarly when using telemarketing data  and calling your sales prospect jot down any common phrases / words as well pace they speak. Then plan your pitch accordingly and you will find there is less resistance to your approach.

Make a personal approach; address your customer with their name rather than sir / madam. The occasional use of an individual’s name within the conversation will make your approach feel more personable.

There are times when prospects say a direct NO without even listening, just be calm, and use an open-ended question. This will draw them into speaking and allow you to start your pitch because people love talking about their own business. Give them the chance to speak and you’ll be able to follow up on the points being said.

Remember, no one has time to listen to long stories but delivering an effective anecdote, packed with the pros gained by using your products and the cons of not having it, is useful. Make use of emotions to connect with customers, level with your prospect and empathise with them.

Give a benefit regardless of whether or not you sell the product. An added value approach helps in make your prospect consider trying your product. A free trial often makes a prospect feel happy as they are able to test what you have before making a decision.

Closing is important, even if customer in your Marketing lists is rude! Always ask your prospects preference and consider giving them an option of meeting personally for a face to face discussion. Create the sense that they ‘owe’ you!