Selling on the phone
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Overview of today’s workout
Time Content Method / Person
10 minutes Welcome & objectives Trainer led
10 minutesAdvantages of selling on the phone
Group activity
5 minutes PAIDA phone sales model Trainer led
20 minutesPlanning for calls- Planning activity
Trainer led Group activity
25 minutesOpening the call- Opening the call activity
Trainer led Group activity
20 minutes Getting client’s interested Trainer led
10 minutes Break
10 minutes Pitching to clients Trainer led
10 minutes Closing the call Trainer led
50 minutes Live calls to clients Group activity
10 minutes Cool Down Trainer led
Why selling on the phone is so important
Statistics: based on research from the recruitment industry
Email – 1.5% success
Telephone – 6% success
Mail Shot – 1% success
Telephone & Email – 10% success
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Why is selling on the phone much more successful than email or mail shots?
• You get to speak with the client
• Build better rapport on the phone
• You can persuade more effectively on the phone
• Opportunity to question and learn more on the phone
• Ability to respond to objections / push-back
• You can get a direct answer on the phone...no waiting as with email or mail shots
• It’s a quicker process
Attributes of effective selling on the phone
1. Ask questions
2. Get commitment – if you don’t ask you don’t get
3. Prevent objections by asking, not telling
4. Set realistic objectives
5. Send literature only when the client / opportunity has been qualified
6. Establish trust with clients
7. Listen to the client
8. Have a good ‘telephone’ image
9. Review the call made and make changes before the next call
10. Pitch later in the call
Simple structure to follow for phone selling – ‘PAIDA’
Plan
Attention
Interest
Desire
Action
Research; Objectives
Game Plan; Objections
Introductions; Opening Statements
WIIFT; The Hook
Questioning
Listening
Pitching
Keeping it relevant
Getting the right outcome
Moving the opportunity forward
Planning before a call
Company website, their business, competitors, suitability of the client
Purpose of the call
What do you hope to achieve by the end of the call
Realistic, best case, worst case objectives
Who will be the right person to speak to
How will you open the call
What questions will you ask
What possible objections might you get
How will you answer them
Rehearse them
PLA
NN
ING
Research
Objectives
Game Plan
Objections
Objectives: Why are you calling them?
Discuss an opportunity To meet with them
To follow up on something To make money
Objectives: What can you offer them?
Insights into their market Ideas & innovation
Ways to ↑ staff satisfaction ↑ Revenue, profits, sales
Set clear objectives for every call – what is the outcome you want?
10
Game Plan - decide on the best strategy to achieve your objective
Cold Call Use your bossGet an
introduction
Anticipating objections
1. Put yourself in the client’s shoes
― What possible objections or concerns might they have?
― Write them down
2. Now as the sales person
― How would you manage these?
― Practice your responses
Getting their Attention
• Introduction
• You and your company
• Why you are calling
• Reference ‘trigger’ for call
• Opening Statement
• Create anticipation – WIIFT / the hook
• Keep it concise – 45 seconds
Attention
Attention - make your calls come alive
Normal Words Dynamic Words
GoodWonderful, Exciting, Fantastic, Superb, Outstanding,
Incredible, Marvellous
InterestingAmazing, Riveting, Fascinating, Original, Vibrant,
Stimulating, Invigorating, Extraordinary
Value for moneyAffordable, Cost Effective, Economic, Money saving,
Inexpensive, Return on assets / Investment
UsefulEssential, Convenient, Beneficial, Necessary,
Advantageous, Helpful
SkillTalented, Expertise, Competence, Knowledgeable,
Proficient, Ability, Deftness
ProblemIssue, Concern, Obstacle, Difficulties, Puzzle, Doubt,
Dilemma, Uncertainty
into
Activity – get the attention of your clients
• Work individually or in pairs
• Think of a client you need to call: Why – what is the purpose of the call; the trigger for the call
What are going to talk to them about – What’s In It For Them and what is your ‘hook’?
• Now script your Opening – the first 45 seconds of the call
Gatekeepers...
The role of the Secretary / P.A
• Make their boss happy and hit their goals
• Manage their calendar
• Distinguish IMPORTANT meetings
• Keep out the other 95%!
Approaching the Secretary / P.A
• Make it easy for them to let you through
• Be polite, jargon free and be clear
• Treat them with the same respect as the person you want to speak to
• The benefits to the their boss are….
• Be prepared to chase
• Don’t give up - PPP Polite Persistence Pays!
Have answers to the common objections from P.A’s
• They are too busy
• Send a letter or email stating what you want
• Speak to … instead (another department / person)
• They are not interested
Activity - How would you handle these?
Interest - guidelines for creating interest
The client should talk more We should question more
2 ears, 1 mouth – that ratio Focus on listening better
Interest – appeal to their buying motives
• Increase revenue
• Decrease costs
• Increase quality or output
• Decrease effort
• Increase ROI
• Power: gain control
• Approval: another person’s happiness
• Recognition: desire to lead, be unique, innovative or visible
• Respect: acknowledged for doing this
Business Motives Personal Motives
Interest – focus on asking more questions
Asking Q’s
Solution
Closing
Time spent in a traditional sales call
Asking Q’s
Solution
Closing
A better approach
Interest - build the size of the issue
Don’t perceive an issue
Minor issue
An issue, but not a priority
Serious issue – now a priority
I now want or need to resolve it
Client Pain-Meter
Interest - Listening Techniques
IntentionalListening for specific information – linked to questions you’ve asked
Responsive
Encouraging client to share more by information using words, sounds, body language – showing interest in what they are saying
Listen for buying signals
AskingClient asking for information – “how would that work for me?”
Positive Response
Responding positively to questions you have asked – “it could increase sales and would certainly make us a national retailer”
Desire - principles for creating Desire
• Get the timing right Don’t try and sell too early
Instead get them wanting to meet you / buy from you
• Make the solution relevant To the individual
To their specific need
• Ask questions to test the benefit or value the client sees from the product / service you’re offering “What benefits do you see from …..?”
Desire – timing is critical
Buying situation
No buy situation
Cost of solutionSeriousness of problem
The power is not your solution – the power is when you talk about your solution!
Desire - timing is critical (2)
Buying situation
No buy situation
Cost, time & hassle of doing it
Benefit to the client
The power is getting them to realise the benefit for themselves – not you simply telling them!
Desire - keeping it relevant
• Confirm client issue(s) and articulate how you would help (your sales pitch)
• Ask questions during the pitch to test the value or benefit they would see in …..
• Reference your capability / provide examples of where you have done this before
• Present your approach and timeframes
• Discuss relevant pricing etc.
Action – guiding principles
• Propose the outcome you want to happen
A meeting
A referral
An agreement to purchase / trial
• Get commitment from the client
Better to get a “no” now than be taken for a ride
Challenge the client (in a nice way) if they aren’t committing
In summary, when on the phone
Do
• Be calm
• Be prepared
• Have a purpose
• Be persistent & fearless
• Put an hour+ aside a week for these types of calls
• Smile...it comes across!
Don’t
• Speak too quickly
• Pitch too soon
• Talk too much
• Be arrogant
• Leave voicemails
• Give up!
Live calls
1.Think of some sales calls you need to make
• Meetings to set up
• Chase a client to do something
• Make a sale / cold call
2.Individually plan for 3 of these calls• Use the Opening Statements from earlier
3.Break into teams of 3-4 people
4.Make live calls to clients with your team members listening in
5.Get feedback from colleagues
6.Repeat the process with different team members on the phone
Cool Down
Selling on the phone
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