Free Call Handler Checklist Included
Seemingly smaller parts of a conversation go a long way – and can end up costing you the sale.
As a salesperson, the majority of your responsibility is to talk to people to make the sale. People skills are obviously big, but there are still many other factors to take into consideration when selling over the phone. There may be a lot to think about, and it is easy to let important parts slip through the cracks. So what are some reasons that you’re unsuccessful at your sales job? Below we’ve listed out pain points of a phone sales conversation and how to overcome them.
1. You don’t have sales talk tracks
Even the most seasoned and skilled salespeople need to make sure that they are continually providing their best effort every time they get on the phone. Just because you’re good at something doesn’t mean you’re perfect—conversations can get derailed, and important information can be forgotten now and then. Having some simple talk tracks or a checklist never hurts and will keep you on track.
Just like you’d create a list before going on a big trip, you know the necessities that you need to pack, but you want to make sure that you won’t forget anything. Now, you don’t want to have an all-inclusive script to work off of—no one wants to talk to a robot—but a bit of guidance is helpful.
Create a checklist of points that you want to make sure you’re hitting; otherwise, there is a high chance that at some point you will get off-track during your conversation and be unsuccessful at closing the sale or setting the appointment. As best-selling author Max Altschuler suggests, set an agenda with your caller, and use your talk tracks to make sure you don’t stray too far from it.
2. You aren’t customer-centric
Jot down some information about your potential customer before calling—check out the prospect’s social media sites and his/her company web page. This will ensure you will address his/her wants and needs, and provide a solution. Remember, it’s not all about what you do, but how what you do solves the problem.
Engage your potential customer to identify their pain/problem, and then help them understand how your company can provide a solution. Don’t brag about all your product’s great features — make the conversation about the customer.
3. You aren’t giving enough value before discussing price
… But you still want to make sure that you are successfully communicating the value of your company and product or service to make the potential customer want to buy-in. As suggested by Marc Eglon in “How to make a sales call – Part 1,” make sure that you are clear of the value of what you are selling, and be able to effectively connect that value to your prospect as well.
For example, if they are searching for a particular car, is this car a good fit for them? Why are they interested in it? Are they looking for speed, comfortability, luxury, or good gas mileage? If your prospect needs a new air conditioning unit, what type of model would best suit the needs of their house or company building?
Yes, it is your job to sell them on the product, but make sure it is a good fit as well and explain why they should choose your company to buy this car (or air conditioner, or whatever it is you are selling) from your company instead of any others. Don’t act like you are just trying to get them to buy it no matter what; keep their best interest in mind.
If you have any other suggestions or value statements of why you have better offers and are the best fit for their needs, discuss those up front. Do you offer a particular warranty, pricing options, and a great service department to install the AC they are looking for or take care of the car they want to buy for years to come? Talk about all the positives of your business before price becomes the looming factor.
4. You aren’t successfully overcoming objections
It’s difficult to close the sale or set the appointment on a first try. Customers will most likely have some apprehension or objections before you can close the sale. Be prepared for these. This is why addressing their concerns and giving value is crucial before it comes to the part for them to commit.
You should have responses for objections that may arise from the prospect included in your talk tracks This way; you lessen your chances of being caught off guard and don’t stumble with less confidence than usual once it comes to being more on the defense.
Ready to put these into practice? We have a FREE call handler checklist for your call handlers to use. This checklist is based on our years of experience analyzing inbound call handling skills.
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