|
Telsales Just Got Easier!
By Mike Palman
Your sales structure for outbound calls can be summarised using the well know acronym AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) we will explore at a high level what should be happening during a telemarketing call.
Open The Call Then Set Your Agenda
The opening minutes of any sales call are vital. You must remember that rapport is built immediately so how you sound is important. Everyone makes decisions about who they are talking to in seconds. This is why it is so important to sound great as we are immediately graded and however we do will be the starting point of the relationship. We are now at the beginning of the process of building rapport and developing what we hope will be a long term, profitable relationship – so sound fantastic.
When we meet someone for the first time we typically shake hands, smile and then swap business cards. On a call we also have some definable stages that can be measured and optimised. The opening part of the call is where we ask low risk questions which may, or may not concern their business. We might have a common interest, or even know the same group of people. Working on the phone is not really so different but in many ways is harder as we have no visual clues and can only ‘hear’ how the prospect is reacting. This is where you learn that, different approaches to different people will get different results.
During the opening stage of your telemarketing campaign should keep to a realistic timescale with clear definable objectives. Understand early on that no rapport means no sales regardless of how good your product or service is. The real purpose is to introduce yourself to your prospects establish rapport before moving into the business part of the call. Another tip is to avoid being too familiar with your prospect - it rarely works even if you know them! Asking low risk questions is easier than going for a bulls eye in less than 30 seconds! Be friendly, but not over familiar. We cannot get along with everyone but we can be professional regardless of who they are.
The next stage is to set your agenda in your opening statement (prepared earlier please). The purpose of the agenda is to put you in control and establish how the telemarketing sales call will be structured. It also gives you the right to ask questions.
Next
|