Category: Cold Calling Scripts

Eighteen New Ways to Handle “I’m Not Interested”

by mike

Regardless of what kind of prospecting you’re doing – whether you’re calling back in-bound leads who have contacted you, or old accounts who haven’t purchased in a while, or just straight cold calls – you’re still going to get a good dose of the blow off objection: “I’m not interested.” While I’ve provided many different ways of handling this in the past, here are eighteen new, customized responses for each of the lead categories from above. Here they are:

For “warm” leads who have filled out an online form or reached out to you in some other way:

“I’m not interested”

Response one:

“That’s perfectly O.K., _________, you’ve probably forgotten that you (filled in a form, requested info, etc.) so I don’t expect you to be interested in what you must think is a cold call. But just to remind you – on (date/time) you (visited our website/dropped by our booth/filled out a form, etc.) do you remember that?”

[If Yes]

“What did you need at that time?”

Response two:

“No problem _________, I also forget half the things I request info on. Just to remind you, we (what you do), and on (date/time) you (visited our website/dropped by our booth/filled out a form, etc.) do you remember that?”

[If Yes]

“Do you remember what prompted you to reach out to us at that time?”

Response three:

“That’s fine, quick question though: When you filled out (our online form, etc.) has anyone else from our office contacted you about it yet?”

[If No]

“I see. Well I do apologize for that. Just out of curiosity, did you get that handled yet or are you still looking?”

For inactive accounts or people you’ve not spoken to in a while:

“I’m not interested”

Response one:

“That’s fine _________, and I’m simply calling to update your account information for our records. Quick question: Are you still the right contact person who handles ordering the ________ for your company?”

Response two:

“Oh that’s O.K., I’m not calling to sell you anything today. Just want to make sure you still know we’re here in case you do need something down the road. By the way, do you guys still carry/use/order ________?”

Response three:

“I get that all the time, and just know that the only reason I’m calling is to introduce myself as your contact should you ever need to check pricing or availability on an item. Quick question: are you the right contact for _________?”

Response four:

“No problem _________. I’ll simply email you my contact information in case you ever do need anything, and then I’ll get out of your hair. By the way, would you be the best person to email this to, or is there someone else who is handling ________ now?”

Response five:

“That’s no problem at all – quick question: is it that you don’t need anything just now, or do you even order/carry/use ________ anymore at all?”

[“We do order, we just don’t need any now.”]

“Great. When you are in the market again, could I be one of the vendors/suppliers/sources you go to for a quote?”

For cold calling or prospecting calls:

“I’m not interested”

Response one:

“Quick question: Does that mean you’re not interested at this moment, but in a few months things could change, and I should keep in touch?”

Response two:

“Who else at your company do you think might have a need for something like this?”

Response three:

“I’m with you – quick question though: are you the right contact for this, or is there another department (or person) I should check with?”

Response four:

“When should I check back with you?”

[If given a date]

“Great. So I can be more prepared for that, quick question: are you the right contact for this?” (Then add other qualifying questions)

Response five:

“If you were to be interested, what is the typical (volume, amount, frequency, etc.) that you normally order/use/need?”

[If they tell you]

“And who do you normally get that from?”

Response six:

“When was the last time you were interested in something like this?”

Response seven:

“And what would have to change for you to be more open to something like this in the future?”

Response eight:

“Should I lose your number or put you on a 6-month follow up call?” (Say with a BIG smile!)

[If call back in 6 months]

“Great. What should I keep an eye out for in between then?”

Response nine:

“The next time you are interested in (your product), could I get back with you and see if we can help?”

[If yes]

“When should I follow back up with you?”

Response ten:

“Thanks for letting me know up front. If I were to get back with you in the future, what would I have to have to get you to be more open to something like this?

So there you have it. Eighteen more ways of handling the “I’m not interested” objection. Make sure to customize these to fit your product or service and to fit your personality. Once you find one that feels right, and that gets your prospects to open up, then stick with it and practice it over and over again. Remember: practice of the right responses will always make perfect.

Why You Need Phone Scripts

by mike

Everyone has an opinion on whether or not you should use phone scripts when selling or prospecting over the phone. Those who don’t believe in using them cite many reasons including:

• Using scripts makes you sound like a telemarketer
• Following a script is too confining – you have to “go with the flow” of a conversation
• You can’t consult with a prospect if you’re following a script
• Scripts all sound so “salesy” that it turns prospects off
• People can always tell that you’re reading something, so you sound unprofessional
• You can’t script out everything – sometimes you just need to be able to adlib a little
• Script were O.K. in the beginning, but now that you’re a “pro” you don’t need them…

And so on. I bet you can think a few reasons yourself why you’d never be caught dead following a script…

And then there are those who believe that you absolutely must follow a script. Having written several books on phone scripts, you can imagine I subscribe to this group. Some of the reasons I believe you should follow a script are:

• Following a script actually makes you sound more professional
• Following a script ensures that you ask all the right qualifying questions
• Scripts make your job easier because you know where you’ve been and where you’re going
• Scripts allow you to truly listen to what your prospect is really saying…
• Having a script to follow gives you confidence and control over the sales process
• Following a scripted sales approach allows you to practice perfection on every call

Each of the above reasons for following a scripted sales approach powerfully affects each stage of your sales process, and any one of them can make or break a sale. But the real argument I present to those who insist on not using scripts is this: Where you know it or not, you already are following a script.

Think about it: If I were to record all your calls for a week and then transcribe them and hand them back to you, isn’t it true that what I’d be giving you was your own “script”? Isn’t it true that you are saying the same things, over and over again, each time you get a question, objection or blow off? Sure you are!

You see, right now everyone is already using a script of some kind, but the problem with most of them is that they were developed in the heat of the sale, while they were taking “in-coming” from a prospect or client. Most of the responses sales reps use were thought up on the spot and in response to (and often in defense to) some type of difficult sales situation.

Just think about how you habitually respond to blow offs like, “What is this call in regards to?” or “We wouldn’t be interested,” or “Just email me something.” Chances are, you are using ineffective responses that just cause you frustration and phone reluctance.

On the other hand, one of the biggest benefits to using professionally prepared scripts is that you can design the most effective response in advance, and then deliver your lines like a professional. I often like to cite Marlon Perkins from the old TV show, “Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom,” when making this point.

If you remember, his associate, Jim, was always out in the field “wrestling with the alligators,” while Marlon was reporting from the “safety and comfort of the land rover.” I always remember Marlon then taking a sip of ice tea and thinking, “When I grow up, I want to be Marlon and not Jim!”

In sales it’s the same thing. If you are not following a prepared and effective approach, then each time your prospect answers, you’re suddenly like Jim, “wrestling with the alligators.” If you take the time, however, in the safety and comfort of the conference room, to craft out the best responses, statements and questions to the selling situations you run into day after day, then you can calmly and coolly deal with those situations. And even take a sip of ice tea in between responses!

As I’ve just mentioned, 80% of the selling situations you face are the same ones you faced yesterday, last month, etc., and they’re the same you’ll be in next week and next month. This is one of the best things about sales that most sales reps never take advantage of. The top producers in any industry know this and use it to their advantage by taking the time to script out the most powerful and effective responses to them, and then they drill, practice and rehearse them so they sound natural. That’s why top producers sound so smooth and professional. They have taken the time to internalize the scripts so they can deliver their responses naturally.

And just a word about practice. Did you notice I didn’t say they “read their scripts”? Every professional – whether it’s an actor or dancer or football player – spends hours and hours learning their craft and practicing their techniques so when it’s time to perform, they do it automatically. Don Shula, the Superbowl winning coach of the Miami Dolphins, once said that his players practice every day until their assignments and techniques become automatic. He said that come game time if a player needs to “think” about what to do next it’s already too late!

And it’s the same with any sales professional. If you need to think about how to respond to a question, a blow off, an objection or stall, then it’s already too late! If you have scripted out the best approach or response and memorized it, however, then you can handle those situations like a professional. And this gives you the best chance of succeeding.

So, should you learn and use well-crafted, real world responses that give you the best chance to succeed in the selling situations you get in day after day? Or should you continue to make things up as you go along, hoping that what you say will occasionally work while you keep wondering why sales seems so hard for you, but easy for the top producers in your office?

The answer to that question will determine whether or not you choose to learn and use scripts, and how successful – or unsuccessful – you’ll be in your career…

5 Secrets of Successful Opening Scripts

by mike

Cold calling is tough, I get it. Even if your marketing department is generating so called “warm leads,” the resistance of people who receive an unsolicited call can be fierce. Heck, you probably don’t like getting calls from home improvement or alarm companies when you’re at home either, do you?

So what can you do to make your calls sound different? What can you do to give yourself a fighting chance to engage your prospect and perhaps even begin a conversation? And what can you do to prepare for the inevitable objections, stalls and put offs you are going to get?

While I could talk to you for hours about all the techniques and skills you can develop and use to be more successful at cold calling, here are 5 secrets that will go a long way towards getting you in the door, building quick rapport and qualifying your prospect:

Secret #1: Clearly identify yourself and your company right from the start. Try:

“Is this John Sanders? Hi, this is Mike Brooks with Industrial Cleaning.”

While this might sound like a no-brainer, you’d be surprised by how many sales reps are still trying to trick people with false openings, or by just giving their first name. Prospects, just like you, know a sales gimmick when they hear one and will blow you off the moment they suspect one.

Secret #2: State the reason for the call quickly and ask a question to engage them:

“Briefly John, we’re offering a special on warehouse cleanings. Have you ever worked with a cleaning company before?”

The shorter the opening you can come up with, the better. The problem with most sales people is that they launch into a full blown pitch at the beginning of the call without engaging the prospect. This turns prospects off, and the sales rep doesn’t learn anything about the prospect’s needs. Asking a quick qualifying question at the beginning gives you information you can leverage, and by asking about their experience with your specific product or service, it sets you up nicely to talk about your offer.

Secret #3: Describe your offer in a sentence or two:

“Great, so you know some of the things a cleaning service can offer. While our service is similar to (the company they mentioned), there are a few important differences…”

Be careful not to pitch too much here. Again, a couple sentences should be enough to give them basic information like price, features and other important differences. Now, be prepared for the brush off!

Secret #4: Know how to side step the most common objections you get:

“I understand that cost is a concern, and many of the companies we do business with had the same issue. And that’s why we’ve come up with special packages designed for small business like yours that are both affordable and flexible.”

Your rebuttals need to be scripted out, memorized by your sales team, and delivered in a natural, relaxed tone. They also need to acknowledge what your prospect has just said, and give them a way to justify considering your proposal and get them wanting to know more.

Secret #5: Always insert a trial close in your first call:

“From what you’ve told me, I think you’d be a good fit for what we offer; let’s go ahead and set up an appointment for someone to meet with you to discuss your needs.”

There are a variety of trial closes you can use, including ones for setting an appointment, and all the way up to asking if a prospect would consider taking the next step if he/she likes what they see. These need to be carefully scripted to avoid using worn out sales techniques like, “Well, if you like what you see, this is something you’d move forward on, right?” That kind of language only turns people off and identifies you as a hungry salesperson.

While these five secrets form the backbone of any good opening script, there are other crucial elements needed here including qualifying questions to identify buying motives, decision makers and decision process, etc. You can find many of these related articles in my “Inside Sales Training Blog” on my website.

The bottom line is that you must script out your opening call to avoid sounding like everyone else and to give you the best chance of making a connection and furthering the sales process. Using these secrets is a good place to start.

The NFL Has a Playbook, Do You?

by mike

Now that Labor Day is past, it’s time to think about getting back to work, pushing hard in September to set yourself up for the fourth quarter and….and….wait a minute. Fourth quarter? That reminds me the NFL season has just begun! Are you ready for some football? I sure am!

In preparation for the season, all 32 teams have been working hard on scripting out every play on offense, defense and special teams. They have studied the talents of their players and developed plays to maximize their strengths. They have analyzed their competition looking for tendencies and weaknesses, and they have scripted out the plays most likely to be successful against them.

After they designed these plays, they organized them into a playbook and then gave a copy to every player and coach – usually on an iPad, by the way – and they told them to study, learn and memorize every play and position during that play. It’s absolutely crucial that the players internalize each play so they react rather than think. As Dan Shula, the Superbowl winning ex-coach of the Miami Dolphins once said, “If you have to think about what to do next, it’s too late.”

An NFL playbook is a sacred thing. Most players are responsible for always knowing where their playbook is, if not to always having it with them. They bring it to every meeting they attend, take it home with them, and spend hours each day studying it. The only time they let it go is if they get cut. And no player ever wants to be told, “Coach wants to see you. Make sure and bring your playbook…”

No NFL team is without a playbook because no NFL team could be successful without it. And the same is true for a company with an inside sales department. If you own or run or are a part of an inside sales team, your playbook is your complete script book. Just like in football, your playbook also has sections. These sections include cold calling and qualifying, closing the sale and objection handling, and for call backs. It should also have a section of best emails and voice mails.

And just like in the NFL, every one of your sales reps need to study, learn and memorize every best practice response for every situation they get into. Just like in football, your sales reps need to automatically know how to handle the situations that find themselves in. When they get an objection or stall, they must automatically know how to respond. If they have to think about what to say, it’s too late!

In football, as in sales, being prepared with a proper game plan is crucial for success. No football team would just go out on a Sunday and wing it. That would be suicide for the coach and the team. Yet it’s amazing how many sales reps and sales teams do just that. Instead of taking the time to script out the best responses, they insist on ad-libbing and winging it. And then they wonder why they don’t win more sales.

To succeed in the game of sales, take a tip from the NFL – identify the selling situations your team gets into, identify every objection, question and stall, and then script out the best, most likely to succeed response to each of them. Give them to your team members and make them drill, practice and rehearse them. The most prepared team on Sunday tends to win. And the most prepared sales rep tends to close the most deals.

If you’re in sales management or an owner of an inside sales team, then it’s your responsibility to equip your team with the tools and techniques they need to win. And that starts with a playbook of scripts that will help them properly qualify prospects, overcome stalls and objections and close the sale.

Remember: No NFL team would think of entering the season without a carefully constructed playbook, and your team shouldn’t either.

Note: If you need help in writing the most effective playbook with rebuttals and scripts that really work, then contact me. I’ve written script playbooks for companies of anywhere from 25 pages to over 135 pages, and the sales teams that use them see increases of sales of as much as 34% in 90 days. Your team can, too!

Six Ways to Handle the "I'm Not Interested" Blow Off

by mike

Today you’re going to get six ways to handle the “I’m not interested” blow off. Did you notice that I didn’t call that an objection, but rather a “blow off”? The first thing you must recognize about blow off statements – things like “Just send me information” or “We don’t have the budget” or “I’m not interested” etc., is that these are not objections. Instead they are simply resistance statements meant to blow you off.

You use blow off statements all the time. Think about your response to a sales rep at a department store who asks you, “Can I help you find something?” Your typical response is probably something like, “Oh, I’m just looking.” That is not an objection (because the sales rep hasn’t pitched you anything yet), but instead it’s simply a resistance statement designed to blow you off.

The key to handling resistance statements is NOT to try to overcome them, but rather, to simply acknowledge and then move past them. And that’s what the following “I’m not interested” rebuttals listed below teach you to do.

As with all scripts, adapt these to fit your product or service and your personal style. Once you have, then practice, drill and rehearse these until they become habit. Here are six ways to handle the “I’m not interested” blow off:

“I’m not interested”

(Remember, your goal here is not to overcome an objection – but instead to acknowledge this initial resistance and qualify for interest.)

Response #1:
“That’s fine _________, and many people I speak with tell me the same thing as well. And as they learn more about this and see what this can really do for them, they were glad they took a few minutes to listen.

One thing that would be a good fit for you is….” (Continue on with your pitch, briefly, and then ask a qualifying question like, “Do you see how that would work for you?”)

Response #2:
“I didn’t expect you to be interested ________, you don’t know enough about this yet. But like me and everyone else, I do know you’re interested in (provide a benefit here – saving money, increasing production, return, etc.) and that’s why I’m calling.
Let me ask you a quick question: if I could show you how you can (provide your unique benefit here) and even save you (time, money, etc.) wouldn’t you be happy you took a few minutes to find out how?”

Response #3:
“I know that _______, heck if you were interested you’d have called me! (Say this with a smile in your voice 🙂 But seriously, I know you get a lot of calls, and every now and then it makes sense to listen to the right call, and this is it.” (Continue on with your value proposition and then ask a question like, “Do you think that would help you, too?”)

Response #4:
“________, you probably get a lot of these calls, don’t you? You know, I get them, too, and believe me, I don’t like getting them any more than you do. But every now and then I listen because sometimes there is information out there that will benefit me. And this is that kind of call for you. Let me ask you a quick question…”
(Ask how they would like to improve, save, make more money using your product or service.)

Response #5:
“Believe me, I’m with you. But the good news is that taking just 30 seconds with me right now could change the way you do business, and could help you (achieve your quotas, save thousands of dollars – whatever your product or service will do for them). In fact, let me share briefly with you how we’ve helped hundreds of companies just like yours…”

Response #6:
“That’s no problem, __________. I have a drawer full of clients who told me the same thing when I first called them as well. In fact, I’ll put you touch with some of them if you want. But the point is this: if you’re like most people I speak with, you’re having trouble (list the problems your product or service solves) and in a couple of minutes I can share with you the solutions to those problems that my other clients are enjoying right now.

Let me ask you – If I can show you how you can (give benefit here), would it be worth a few minutes to find out how?”

Remember, the top sales producers in your company and industry have proven responses to the objections, resistance and blow offs they get over and over again. And that’s how YOU’RE going to move into that elite group as well.

6 Things NEVER to Say During Your Sales Presentation

by mike

I’ve been listening to sales rep pitch their products and services for over 25 years now, and there are still words, phrases and techniques that send shivers down my spine. And I’ll tell you now they send shivers down the spines of their prospects and clients, too.

Let’s face it – when selling over the phone, all you have is your voice, and the way you deliver your presentation – the words you use, the inflection, pacing and timing you use – has a huge impact on the way you are perceived by your prospects. Unfortunately, many sales reps project an image of being unprepared, unsure, rushed and sometimes even scared.

Your prospects sense this immediately. They know from your first few sentences whether they are dealing with a confident sales pro, or with someone who isn’t very sure of what they’re selling and who is uncomfortable with the sales process. And like sharks, these prospects will attack and blow you off with all the stalls, resistance and objections you get now.

If you want to project an image of professional competency, then make sure and avoid using any of the following statements or words:

What NOT to say when cold calling or prospecting:

1) Stop opening your calls with, “How are you?” I’ve written about this before, but 99% of sales reps are still telegraphing themselves as unwanted sales persons by starting out their conversations this way. How do YOU feel when someone you don’t know calls you and uses this worn out line? Probably like hanging up on them– which is exactly how your prospects feel as well. So stop it!

Instead, use a better opening line that immediately differentiates you from all the other sales reps calling your prospects. Use something that connects with them instead, that focuses them on the call and that forces them to think and interact with you.

A few of my favorites are: “How’s your Tuesday going so far?” and “Has it started/stopped snowing there yet?” and “Can you hear me O.K.?”

2) Take the word, “individual” out of your vocabulary when speaking, emailing or otherwise addressing a prospect, as in, “I know you’re a busy individual…” The word individual is an institutional, cold phrase that doesn’t belong in a sales conversation.

Think about it: When was the last time someone you didn’t know called you and referred to you or your wife as “individuals”? How’d that make you feel? Did it give you the warm and fuzziness or did you make you think you were about to be committed?

The language you use must help you create a natural, conversational tone, and words like, “busy individual” or “busy professional”, etc, do just the opposite.

3) “Things of that nature.” I cringe as I even write those words…. Whenever I hear a sales rep end a sentence with “Things of that nature,” I’m pretty sure they have no idea of what they’re talking about. That phrase is most often used by mediocre sales reps to hide or cover up the truth that they don’t know all the details of what they’re talking about. Or, it is used to as lazy way to bridge into other qualifying questions.

If you are using it now, please consider using something else, or better, explain a few of those “things” and then use a tie down to see how that landed…

What NOT to say when closing a sale:

1) “Can you transfer me to (the decision maker)?” Most presentations end with the stall: “Well, I need to run this by my boss/partner/manager/corporate, etc.” Unfortunately, this usually comes as a surprise to many sales reps who failed to qualify for this upfront. Some sales reps then think they can just bulldoze through the stall by demanding to talk to the decision maker right then and there.

While I applaud you for your tenacity, asking to blatantly go above the person’s head you’re speaking to or have just pitched, immediately alienates them. Often times this person is some kind of sales influencer and alienating them is NOT what you want to do.

Instead you should use different techniques, one of which being: “So, John, when you consult with your manager, is this something that you’re sold on and will recommend to them?” (If yes, then): “Great, how can I help you sell them on this?” (Only if they can’t think of anything): “Would it help if I spoke to them and went over this just like I did with you?”

That’s the way to get permission and to finally earn the right to speak to the decision maker.

2) “I don’t know about that – let me get back to you.” It’s O.K. that you don’t have an answer for something, but what’s important is that you convey that in a confident manner. Try any of the following:

“That’s a great question and we have several ways of handling that. Let me ask you a couple of questions regarding your particular situation, and then I’ll be able to get the best solution for you…” OR

“That’s a good question for my technical support team. Let me see what they would propose and get back with you.” OR

“We have a whole department that deals with that, and I’ll check with them to give you the best solution.”
Each of these responses helps you delay answering until you get the right answer, but they paint the picture of a bigger, more competent company structure which helps to give you credibility.

3) “When should I call you back?” Why would you want to put the crucial follow up of your sale in the hands of your customer? Asking this question means handing over control of the sale to the prospect which means you lose control. That’s bad. Here are better ways of keeping control and getting a commitment for a follow up call:

“How long will that take?” Then: “O.K. I’ve got my calendar open and that would put us to Tuesday of next week. Are you looking at your calendar? Great. How does 2:45pm look for you?” OR

“(Prospect Name) you’re probably as busy as I am, so let’s go ahead and schedule a follow up call to access progress. I can do this same time (tomorrow, Friday, next week), does that work for you?” OR

“It’s going to take me (a day, two days, a week, etc.) to get this started on my end, how about I give you a call around Friday at this time to see if there’s anything else you need? Does 2:15pm work for you again?”

The key here is to get a commitment. All top producers remain in control of the selling process and know when the next call in the sales cycle is – and so do their prospects!

So there you have six things to stay away from during your next sales call. As you use these techniques, you’ll find yourself developing better rapport, getting more information and staying in control of your selling situations. Heck, it’s starting to sound like you’re a top producer already!

The Right Way and the Wrong Way to Open Your Call

by mike

[This is an excerpt from my completely revised and updated for 2014 eBook, “The Complete Book of Phone Scripts.”]

Because you only have a few precious seconds to make a connection and establish interest, you’d better have a good opening prepared in advance. Besides being very busy, your prospects get a lot of sales calls every week, and many of them from your direct competition. So why would they want to talk to you? What can you do to separate yourself from all the other calls they get?

The answer is that you have to establish a real connection with your prospect and stop sounding like all the other sales reps who call them!

The Wrong Way to Open Your Call:

“Oh hi Mr. __________, this is _______ _______ with the MLT Group. __________, we are an industry supply manufacturer and we help companies streamline their production process. We work with many companies in your field and save them between 10 to 15% on the cost of their storage and delivery process. What I’d like to do is ask you some questions to see how our process may save you that kind of money as well. Where are you currently getting your…”

Do you see how this opening makes NO connection with the prospect? Do you see how it just starts pitching at the prospect and doesn’t acknowledge that the prospect might be busy, or not interested? Do you see how there is no rapport built here and how it’s a one sided conversation?

How do you feel when someone barges in on your day and starts in with a pitch like this? You’re probably thinking what most prospects are thinking: “How do I get this sales rep off the phone?!”

Now let’s look at the right way to open your call. Your goal in the first few seconds is to make a connection and get them to interact. You have to acknowledge that they may be busy or that you respect their time and you have to establish some rapport and separate yourself from all the other sales reps calling them.

The Right Way to Open Your Call:

Opening example: Acknowledge that you know your prospect gets a lot of calls — this will immediately help you establish a connection because you will be saying exactly what they’re thinking and feeling. Use:

“Hi ________ this is _______ _______ with (your company), how is your Tuesday going?

Great. _______, I know you probably get a ton of calls so I’ll make this brief.”

Now go into a one to two sentence explanation of why you’re calling and what it means to them. Quickly state your value proposition and ask a qualifying question:

“________ we provide/service/work with (companies like yours) helping them service/provide/process/do better at _________. Let me ask you a quick question…”

Ask a specific qualifying question tied with a value statement here. Something like:

“If I could show you a way to increase the number of leads you’re getting right now and show you how you can easily afford to do so, would you be willing to invest 5 minutes to find out how?”

Now it’s important to listen to not only what they say here, but to how they say it. Most of the time you’ll be able to tell if you have an interested prospect or not, and after you read a bit more of this section on cold calling, you’ll know exactly what to do with both kinds of prospects…

There are a ton of other word for word opening scripts, initial resistance scripts, qualifying scripts, closing scripts, etc., in my completely updated and revised for 2014 eBook, “The Complete Book of Phone Scripts.”

Learn More About it Here.

5 Tips On How Not to Sound Like a Salesperson

by mike

First, let’s start with the real problem which is that most sales reps just don’t know how to really engage and talk to people. That’s really the bottom line. Most sales reps are more interested in pitching their products or services and don’t treat the people they are speaking with like people. A long time ago, my first sales manager gave me a great lesson in how to talk to and treat people. He said, “People are just people. They are just like you. They want to be respected, they want to be listened to, and they don’t want to be sold to. Show a real interest in them and treat them with kindness and you’ll go a long way…”

What’s so interesting, however, is that although this sounds so easy to do, for some reason, sales reps seem afraid to engage and ask questions of prospects because they think that as soon as they give them an opening they are going to get the door shut in their face. Most aren’t going to be interested – as we know – but many are. The way to deal with both of them is to learn how to engage and just talk to them.

Here are five tips and scripts that will help you get better at the crucial skill of relating to people so you don’t sound like a sales rep. Use these and you’ll soon find yourself way ahead of your competition. Here are some tips for working with gatekeepers:

1) Tip number one is to always, always use please and thank you – especially with gatekeepers. In fact, the more times you use the word please in your opening, “Hi, could I please speak with _________, please?” the more successful you’ll become. The more polite you are with the gatekeeper, the more polite and helpful they will be with you…

2) The second way to work with gatekeepers is to use the “I need a little bit of help please,” technique. The key to using this is that you have to stop here and wait for the other person to respond. You’d be surprised by how many people use this technique but combine it with, “I need to speak with the person who…”

This doesn’t work. This doesn’t engage the person on the other end of the phone. You absolutely must give the other person a chance to respond to you before you continue.

3) When you do get the decision maker on the phone, please, do not use that tired old phrase, “How are you today?” Nothing identifies you as a disinterested salesperson more than that worn out line. Instead, use this:

“Hi is that ________? Hi _________, this is _______ _______ with ___________, how’s your Monday (or day of the week) going so far?”

Now I know it sounds like the same thing but it is not. First, no one is saying it, and because you’re talking about the current day they are in, you can almost hear them think about their day and answer honestly. If they ask you how your Monday is going as well, always thank them for asking first before you move into your script.

Again, this may seem like a small technique, but it makes a BIG impact.

4) Introduce the reason you’re calling in as short of a time as possible and then ask them an engaging question. Most sales reps start their calls with a paragraph or two description and this is where the “speaking at” people comes in. Instead, mix your opening up with something like:

“__________, briefly, the reason I’m calling you is that I see on LinkedIn that you run an inside sales department and I was just wondering how often you work with outside trainers or consultants to help you improve your results?”

The key here is to get them involved in the conversation early – even if you fear a negative response. And ALWAYS hit your mute button and let them talk…

5) The last tip for today is to always be prepared for the objections you get with a scripted response that doesn’t challenge your prospect, but rather, that allows them to feel heard and respected. Here’s how you can handle the, “I’m not interested,” objection:

“No problem _________. Please realize that I’m not calling to sell you anything today, rather, I’m just calling to see if what we have might be a good fit for you and if I can help you down the line. Let me ask you….”

Do you see how this doesn’t push back on them? Using a response like this will get you much further than challenging them as so many sales reps still tend to do.

By using the above techniques (and developing many more), you’ll begin to actually have conversations with the people you speak with and you’ll differentiate yourself from the hundreds of other sales reps who are pitching and annoying them. This will make their day, and yours, much more enjoyable and profitable.

How to Improve a Bad Script

by mike

If you missed my workshop on writing a killer prospecting script last week, then you missed a golden opportunity to take an ineffective script and turn it into a script that engages your prospects and helps you build the rapport you need to determine whether or not you’re dealing with a true buyer for your product or service. (The good news is that you can purchase a replay of the workshop by clicking here).

One of the things we did in the workshop is we began with a typically bad scripted opening, and we changed it into an opening that creates interest and allows you to interact with your prospect. Here is the example we used for a bad opening (by the way, this is a real example of how bad some company’s scripts actually are – I hope yours isn’t like this!):

“Hi my name is _______ _______ with ABC Merchant Solutions and we work with local business owners such as yourself and we help you process your credit cards more efficiently while also offering a host of value added services such as gift cards, reward cards and other services that can help you operate more profitably.

The reason for the call is that I would like to schedule an appointment to find out who you are using now and to show you the kinds of services that we can help you with. Would you have time later in the week or is there a day next week that may work better for you?”

Whew! This script is terrible because (among others things) it doesn’t make any connection with the decision maker – in fact it alienates them; it pitches at the prospect giving them no opportunity to respond or engage; and you can just feel the prospect waiting for the sales rep to take a break so they can blow them off.

Again, this is how many prospecting scripts are structured. In the workshop, we changed this opening to this:

“Hi __________ this is ________ ________ with ABC Merchant Solutions, how is your Thursday morning going so far?

[Listen and respond appropriately!]

Briefly __________, we specialize in working with local businesses like yours helping them process credit cards more cost effectively. Let me ask you a quick question…”

This new opening is much improved for many reasons. To start with, the sales rep is engaging in a conversation and is actually speaking with someone instead of ‘at’ someone. They are also allowing time for the prospect to interact which allows them to gage the level of interest of the prospect. The value statement is short – just one sentence – and it ends with a qualifying question which once again allows the prospect a chance to speak and the rep a chance to listen to what and how the prospect responds.

We followed this up with a list of four sample questions (of course there are many others and many different kinds of questions depending on how receptive the prospect is and what your product or service is). Here is a list of sample questions:

“Besides accepting credit cards at your business, do you offer any kind of a rewards cards or gift cards to your customers?”

OR

“You do accept credit cards there at your business, don’t you?”

OR

“If I could show you a way to increase your revenue right now and offer you better service and support, would you be willing to invest 5 minutes to find out how?”

OR

“How do you currently process the majority of your credit cards – there in the store or do you also do business online?”

By asking questions like this early in the process, the sales rep can develop a consultative sales approach, build rapport with the prospect, determine their level of interest, get valuable information on what direction to go in next and a lot of other information that most reps never get. This approach also sets up the next part of the script which involves handling any initial resistance or objections that may come up.

In addition to this first part of the script, we then moved on to other qualifying, exploratory questions, additional objection handling, and then we moved into the importance of qualifying for the “big four” areas of identifying a qualified lead. We then completed the call defining a commitment and recap and then proceeded to get buy in on the next steps.

These (and other areas) make up the definition of a qualified lead. It’s still amazing to me that many sales reps use ineffective scripts that are almost devoid of any true qualifying questions, but they do. In fact, we also had a discussion on how most sales companies have the philosophy of stuffing as many leads into their pipeline as possible and seeing how many come out the other end. This is why the national closing percentage is roughly 2 out of 10 leads (and that’s of leads that have supposedly been qualified and sent information!).

I know this is all sounding like a shameless endorsement of you purchasing the replay of this invaluable webinar, and, well, OK, it is! The bottom line is this: If you’re not using proven and effective methods and processes to earn the right to speak with decision makers and you don’t know how to build rapport and qualify them when you do, then you’re simply not going to make many sales in your business. In fact, you’ll struggle and end up hating your job (or wonder why your company isn’t succeeding). And that can easily be changed by investing a little bit of money and time in learning better techniques.
Eighty percent of sales reps will never do this, but 20% will. And it’s that 20% that end up making all the money and living the life that others only dream about. I’m here to tell you that you can get better and move into that elite group, too, if you really want it.

If you do, you can start here.

I Hope You Don't Open Your Calls This Way

by mike

Because you only have a few precious seconds to make a connection and establish interest, you’d better have a good opening prepared in advance. Besides being very busy, your prospects probably get a lot of sales calls every week, and many of them from your direct competition. So why would they want to talk to you? What can you do to separate yourself from all the other calls they get?

The answer is that you have to establish a real connection with your prospect and stop sounding like all the other sales reps who call them. Here is what your competition usually sounds like (I hope you’re not doing this!):

“Oh hi Mr. __________, this is _______ _______ with the MLT Group. __________, we are an industry supply manufacturer and we help companies streamline their production process. We work with many companies in your field and save them between 10 to 15% on the cost of their storage and delivery process. What I’d like to do is ask you some questions to see how our process may save you that kind of money as well. Where are you currently getting your…”

Do you see how this opening makes no connection with the prospect? Do you see how it just starts pitching at the prospect and doesn’t acknowledge that the prospect might be busy, or not interested? Do you see how there is no rapport built here and how it’s a one sided conversation?

How do you feel when someone barges in on your day and starts in with a pitch like this? You’re probably thinking what most prospects are thinking: “How do I get this sales rep off the phone?!”

Now let’s look at the right way to open your call. Your goal in the first few seconds is to make a connection and get them to interact. You have to acknowledge that they may be busy or that you respect their time and you need to establish some rapport and separate yourself from all the other sales reps calling them.

Try this:

“Hi ________ this is _______ _______ with (your company), how’s your Tuesday going? Great. Listen, _______, I know you probably get a ton of calls so I’ll make this brief.

Let me ask you, if I could show you a better way of tracking and shipping (or) and save you money doing it, would it be worth spending five minutes with me next week to show you how?”

Or,

“IfWhat is the one thing you could change that would have a dramatic impact on your productivity and that would save your company money?”

Or,

“If you had a magic wand and could change one thing about how you currently do (their business), what would it be?”

Can you see how this quick questioning approach is more effective than what you may currently be using now? Eighty percent of your competition still barge in on their prospects and open their calls up with a long explanation about what they do and what they offer, and pitch their products and services without checking in with their prospects or establishing any kind of connection. No wonder most people brush them off the phone!

You can separate yourself from this group instantly, starting today, by using the opening technique above. Once again, adapt it to fit your product or service, and then practice it until it’s natural and easy for you to use. As you do, you’ll begin to notice yourself struggling less, making more connections with interested and qualified buyers, and you’ll have more confidence and feel better about yourself. Just like the top 20% do!