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Assembly InstructionsHow to Build Your Gold Call Script

Forward by Peter EkstromThank you for purchasing the Gold Call Script-Builder Kit. Your business is most appreciated.

For the past 10 years I have earned my living on the telephone, making cold calls for companies from around the world in a variety of businesses. In 2002, following my 20-year career in direct sales, I decided to set out on my own, and start my own business. Given that every sales job I ever had required that I make plenty of cold calls, you can say that it came quite natural for me to transition into the role of a surrogate cold caller, and make a business of cold calling for others.

The Gold Call Script is the sales call script I created to help me with my sales prospecting business. Over time I saw the outdated ‘elevator pitch’ as something that did more harm than good to my business because every single prospect I cold called was mounting an increased resistance to my sales calls. I discovered that my ’30-second elevator pitch’ made me sound too ordinary and routine to make me a success. The key problem for me was that my ‘elevator pitch’ was causing me to spend way too much time trying to wear down my prospect’s resistance, while working hard to overcome the flurry of objections prospects raised whenever I tried to close a new sales appointment to my calendar. I needed a call script that made me sound completely different from any of the hundreds of salespeople that were calling my target prospects, and I wanted to instantly separate myself from everyone else. Be different - that’s how you get noticed. And that’s why I came up with the Gold Call Script.

Simply put, the purpose of the Gold Call Script-Builder Kit is to help you carefully craft the words that will put you in complete control of all the conversations you have with your sales prospects on the phone. With the help of simple choreographed dialogue, the Gold Call Script empowers your ability to drive all conversations with prospects to an end-point of decision within a matter of 3-5 minutes.

In essence, what you will experience with the Gold Call Script is that it immediately disarms the negative, or hostile prospect, and virtually eliminates the objections that prospects raise during sales calls.

In summary, the Gold Call Script eliminates objections, and gets to the point, while the long-winded ‘elevator pitch’ encourages prospects to mount a resistance to your call.

As you work your way through my videos, Gold Call Recordings, and Script-Builder Composition Tool, you will discover a completely different and innovative way of speaking and communicating with your prospects over the phone. There is nothing like the Gold Call Script anywhere, and that’s why it works so well. Prospects haven’t heard anything like it before, and being different goes a long way towards getting your prospect to pay attention to what you have to say.

The Gold Call Script’s effectiveness relies on a sequence of dialogue that includes catalyst statements, and a series of ‘loaded’ questions that cause prospects to join you in conversation rather than raise objections, and try to brush you off the phone. What you will find with your new Gold Call Script is that simpler is better, and the less you say, and the more you ask, the better the script will work for you.

It is my hope that you will take the time to build, speak, and master the Gold Call Script for your business. I understand that we are breaking old habits with cold calling, and that it may take some time before you get used to speaking the Gold Call Script vs. the ‘elevator pitch’, but I encourage you to stay with it, and see it through. I’m here to support you every step of the way.

~ Pete Ekstrom

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Welcome to the Gold Call ScriptThe Adventure Begins...

Now that you’ve watched the video, and listened to a few call recordings, it’s time to build a Gold Call Script for your business.

To get us off to a quick start, here is a summary of what you can expect from the Gold Call Script.

The Gold Call Script-Builder Kit is designed to help you craft the specific dialogue it takes to instantly cap-ture the attention of your prospects, and help you keep the obvious ‘sales talk’ to a bare minimum. You only get one shot at making a great first impression, and sound-ing like salesman, or a telemarketer is not the best first impression you want to create in the mind of prospects.

Unbeknownst to you, the more salesy words you speak

to prospects the more likely they are to use your words

against you to mount a resistance to your call in the

form of objections. To prospects, all sales calls sound

the same, and a typical sounding sales call triggers

a defensive reaction from most every single sales

prospect.

Prospects have heard the features and benefits, and 3rd

party customer references (The ‘elevator pitch’) at least

a hundred times, or more. In other words, prospects

have become programmed through repetition that

whenever they hear persuasive, or convincing language

(The ‘elevator pitch’), they quickly process in their minds

what they need to say in order to put distance between

them and you.

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To get around this problem you’ve got to change the way

you open the conversation as soon as your prospect

picks up the phone. Starting conversations with an

‘elevator pitch’ sounding sales call is only going to

divert your prospect’s attention away from what you are

saying, and on to thoughts about what they need to say

to brush you off the phone. If your prospect’s thoughts

are focused on what to say to avoid your call, then how

much attention are they paying to what you are saying

about the potential value of your product?

I think you know the answer … none!

The objective of your Gold Call is to grab attention, and

draw your prospects into two-way conversations that

yield information about whether they are qualified, or

not. That’s why the standard ‘elevator pitch’ that sells

value is the wrong way to start a conversation with a

prospective buyer. Besides, these opening statements

of value on the part of salespeople tend to run past the

point of tolerance for most sales prospects. If it takes

50 or more words to explain anything, chances are very

good that you’ve lost your audience by the time you get

to the good part.

Within the Gold Call Script-Builder Composition

Tool we want to keep things pithy, and be direct to the

point. We also want to stay on track towards building

the kind of dialogue that makes it easier for prospects

to understand why we’re calling them, make sure we’re

talking to the right person, and then to close for more

of the prospect’s attention given our potential to solve a

problem. After all, the prevailing reason why prospects

buy anything is because they want to solve a problem

they are committed to solving.

Within the Gold Call Script-Builder Composition Tool

we also want to stay true to a dialogue that ‘traps’ the

prospect into giving up honest and truthful information

about their role within the company they work for, and

their specific connection to the problem you may be able

to solve for them. Let me explain a bit about what I mean

about ‘trapping’ prospects in conversation.

When you structure a speaking dialogue in quick

statements, and ask open-ended questions, you have

more control over the course and direction of the

conversations you are having with sales prospects. It

has been said that the person that asks the first question

in conversation controls at least 51% of the course and

direction of that particular conversation. When you are

the first to ask a question, your prospect cannot respond

with an objection because it doesn’t fit as a response.

This is what I refer to as ‘trapping’.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with asking your

prospects straight up questions deserving of an honest

and straightforward answer.

So long as you get to the point, and stand your ground,

you should have no problems at all getting straight

answers from prospects about their role, connection to a

problem, and their commitment to solving the problem.

Furthermore, I want you to script your Gold Call Script

to sound like a reasonable request made to the prospect

for more of their time and attention, given the potential

for you to solve their problem, or satisfy a need.

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Scripting Your Gold CallWhen you take a look at the Gold Call Script Composition Tool, you will see a series of 5 separate boxes that you will use to begin crafting your script. What we want to do here is insert the Gold Call scripted dialogue inside each box according to the basic rules of engagement found in the sections located on the left margin of the page, and described in more detail in the Gold Call Script-Builder Workbook.

The boxes are there for a reason, to keep your scripted dialogue in-bounds, and not flowing outside the lines that make up the box. If your call script is too wordy, and contains too much in the way of feature-benefit statements, you are speaking out of bounds, and that is going to get you stuck responding to a flurry of objections from your prospects.

Craft your words, and keep it pithy. Stay in the box, and do not go off script!

The Gold Call Script is structured as a sequence of dialogue steps that make up your entire Gold Call Script. First we start with the Gold Call Ice-Breaker that closes for the 10-seconds you need to explain why you’re calling, and what problem you solve.

Then we move into making the Lemonade Statement to help the prospect understand the purpose of your call. Then you easily transition into asking a Focus Question that identifies, and attaches the prospect to the problem you solve. Once the prospect has defined their connection to the problem you solve, you can then segue into asking the Attention Question which is structured as a ‘loaded question’ that encourages a positive response from your prospect. Once the prospect agrees to giving you more of their time and attention, then the final step is to get more attention scheduled to the calendar by asking the Closing, or Scheduling Question.

Keep in mind that your manner of speech when speaking your Gold Call Script should sound like you are making a reasonable request for more of your prospect’s attention. When you structure your Gold Call Script to sound like a reasonable request for attention, you will find that most prospects will give you their undivided attention if you ask for if the right way.

For prospects, there’s very little risk involved on their part with granting you more of their attention, and prospects get a sense of this by the way you structure the Attention Question, and the way you ask it. Listening to my Gold Call Recordings will provide you with more specific examples of this.

The Gold Call Model

The Ice Breaker

The LemonadeStatement

Focus Question

AttentionQuestion

ClosingQuestion

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The Gold Call ‘Ice-Breaker’Let’s take a close look at the ‘Ice-Breaker’ component of the Gold Call Script - asking for 10-seonds to explain why you are calling.

When you create your Gold Call Ice-Breaker as one that asks and closes for 10-seconds of your prospects attention you have already set the stage for what is about to happen next; telling your prospect why you are calling, and what problem you solve. When prospects hear the request for 10-seconds to explain why you are calling, it buys you the extra time you need to explain the purpose of your call. This I call getting to first base.

Prospect’s mount a resistance to sales calls because they are wary as to the purpose of your call. Get to the point quickly, and put a time limit to how long it will take to explain what you do. Simply start your call by making a request for 10-seconds, and HOPE you have 10-seconds to explain your call, or ask them a quick question.

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Example:

“This is Pete calling from ABC Company. We don’t know each other, but I was hoping I might have 10-seconds to explain why I’m calling, and ask you a quick question.”

What may surprise you is that 98% of the time you ask your prospects for the 10-seconds it takes to explain your call it will be granted. As a rule, you should refrain from starting your sales call with an ‘elevator pitch’ sounding script like this:

Example:

“Hi, my name is Peter with ABC Company, we help companies like yours save money off their XYZ services, and we are in the area talking to other businesses about ways we can help them save money and increase productivity, thus increasing customer satisfaction. The purpose of my call today is to see if we might stop by to meet with you to explore the benefits of the services we provide, and to provide a demonstration of our capabilities…”

Think they haven’t heard this sales pitch before?

When you “HOPE” you have 10-seconds to explain yourself it comes across to prospects as a reasonable request. Prospects have great difficulty rejecting a reasonable request, thus the fact that 98% of prospects will grant you the 10-seconds you need if you just know how to ask for it.

Secondly, the request for 10-seconds puts a time limit on things so prospects aren’t so quick to reject, and mount a resistance to your call. The problem with the ‘elevator pitch’ is that it threatens to go on forever. If you can’t explain yourself to a prospect inside of 10-seconds, then it’s no wonder prospects mount a resistance to your call. They get bored very quickly, and hate having their time wasted.

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‘Boxing’ in conversation with your prospects requires making short statements, and asking relevant business questions that keep your sales call on track, and eliminate the opportunity for your prospect to object to your call. ‘Boxing in’ your prospects keeps the salesy talk to a minimum, further reducing the opportunity on the part of prospects to object to your call. ‘Boxing’ also generates answers to questions that will get you the information you can use to your advantage when closing for a sales appointment on your calendar.

When you look at the Gold Call Script-Builder Composition Tool, you want to follow the tutorial on the left side of the page, and write your scripted dialogue within the box, using the examples provided. Just remember when you build your Gold Call Script to...

not talk outside the box,and stay in-bounds!

As we progress through theGold Call Script-Builder Composition Tool,the term I want you to keep in mindas we build your Gold Call Script is called

‘BOXING’

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The Lemonade StatementNow that we have successfully broken through to the prospect with our Gold Call Icebreaker, we now have the 10-seconds we need to explain the problem we solve for people.

That said, it’s now time to speak our Lemonade Statement.

When executing the Lemonade Statement keep in mind that any pause, or hesitancy in your voice is a sure sign of weakness to your sales prospect. The sound of weakness in your voice acts as a trigger that prompts most prospects to start raising objections.

Lemonade in the form of a product description is a cold drink sold to thirsty people. The product is plain old lemonade, and the buying market that lemonade is sold to consists of thirsty people. If you are selling lemonade to thirsty people, then the natural question to ask of someone is whether they are thirsty, and then whether they like lemonade. There’s no need to go into details at this point about the quality of the lemons you use to make your lemonade, or what climate your lemons are grown in. Nor is there any reason to describe the value of added vitamin C, or why citrus fruits may be good for you. When you compose a Lemonade Statement you want to describe your business in simple terms like a simple glass of lemonade. It is what it is – a cold drink sold to thirsty people. Keep things simple at first. You’ll get to the value and the potential benefits of your ‘lemonade’, or your product later on in the conversation.

When speaking the Gold Call Script it’s first things first, and spoken in an orderly fashion. When contemplating the proper ‘Lemonade Statement’ for your business, think in terms of: What do I do? Who do I do it for? And why do I do what I do? Then phrase your Lemonade Statement accordingly.

Furthermore, the Lemonade Statement of the Gold Call Script should be void of any excessive feature or benefit statements. Remember that we’re not trying to sell, persuade, or convince people to make a purchase at this point of the conversation. We are only trying to clarify for the prospect’s benefit, the purpose of our call. That’s why I’ve found that a Lemonade Statement containing 10 words or less usually works best. This will be your first assignment for creating your Gold Call Script. Create a Lemonade Statement that runs about 20-25 words, or so, and then whittle it down to the fewest words you need to have your ‘Lemonade Statement’ get to the point quickly. The goal is to get your Lemonade Statement down to about 10-words or less.

It’s worth repeating. When you create your Lemonade Statement I want you to think of the following structure.

I do the following thing - for the following people - and for the following reason…

You might ask yourself, “What is the purpose I serve to a buying market”? Keeping your Lemonade Statement short and to the point without the salesy talk will keep your dialogue inside the ‘box’, and thus avoid getting hit with the typical objections prospects raise whenever they hear something that sounds like a sales pitch.

If nothing is for sale, then what is there for prospects to object to?

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The‘Transition Bridge’ Statement

Once you speak your Lemonade Statement to your prospect, then you want to seamlessly transition into asking your Focus Question to make sure that you are talking to the right person. Before asking the Focus Question I want you to make a short ‘Transition Statement’ that will segue you into asking the Focus Question without much effort.

Think of the transition statement as a small footbridge that simply carries you a short distance over to the other side.

“My company reduces the workload for filing quarterly financial statements.”

Now transition to asking your Focus Question by inserting a Transition Statement like:

“and here’s the reason for my call.”

That’s all there is to it. Simply connect your Lemonade Statement to your Focus

Question with a transition bridge like this, “…and here is the reason for my call.”

LemonadeStatementExample:

TransitionStatementExample:

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You are now in the Focus Question compartment of the Gold Call Script-Builder, and it’s now time to ask your Focus Question.

The Focus Question helps make sure that you are speaking with the right person, and is designed to attach your prospects to the inherent problem that you solve for your customers. Prospects with a connection to the problem you solve are called likely buyers. When you have a likely buyer on the telephone you want to find out how much PERSONAL FOCUS they have upon solving a problem, or for a particular responsibility within the company they work for. The key word within the Focus Question is the word PERSONAL.

Prospects with personal involvement, or focus are more familiar with the problem, or job requirement that might be a good fit for what you sell. Whenever you’re talking to the person that owns the problem it’s a good thing.

Whenever you create a Focus Question be sure to make it PERSONAL. The word PERSONAL has a profound impact on the prospect’s response to your Focus Question.

Example:

“I’m curious as to how much personal focus and responsibility you have upon filing quarterly financial statements for your company”.

Now your prospect is BOXED into giving you a straight answer as to their involvement with filing quarterly financial statements. Answers can range anywhere from “Nothing at all” to “That’s what I do here”. Whatever the answer, you now have closure, and know exactly with whom you are speaking in relation to the problem you solve.

TheFocusQuestion

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If your prospects have direct responsibility, or a personal focus upon what you are calling them about, in this case filing financial statements, then it is time to move on to asking your Attention Question. Creating and asking your prospect a properly worded Attention Question will ‘BOX’ your prospect into making a decision whether, or not to give you more of their attention. At this point of the Gold Call, either your prospect is going to give you more of their attention, or they aren’t.

A properly worded Attention Question does contain some value, and the Attention Question is really the only place within the Gold Call Script where a value and benefits have their rightful place in conversation.

Example:

“Suppose I had an innovative way you haven’t heard before that would take some of the burden off your shoulders to complete quarterly financial statements on time, and at a reduced cost,would I get any of your attention?”

It’s hard for prospects to resist a reasonable request for attention when the Attention Question poses a solution that could be a benefit to them. And after all you are making a reasonable request for more of your prospect’s attention. To your average prospect, what could possibly be wrong with doing that? Take the risk out of making a decision for your prospect, and your prospect is more likely to follow along, and give you their consent.

TheAttentionQuestion

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Example:

Salesperson: “How much personal focus would you say you have upon facilities management for your company?”

Prospect: “Practically nothing at all.”

Salesperson: Leveraging the structure of the Attention Question, ask the following: “Suppose I were in a position to cut security costs in half, whose attention would I need to get to see where we may have a fit?”

Prospect: “More than likely that would be Bob Symons.”

Salesperson: “Would you happen to have Bob’s number handy? I really appreciate your help…”

Prospect: “Sure, here it is, 555-1212.”

You now have the name and phone number of the right person to call to discuss your product. On the other hand, if you asked this prospect for the name of the right person like hundreds of other salespeople ask for information, the outcome would have been different.

Example:

Salesperson: “How much personal focus would you say you have upon facilities management for your company?”

Prospect: “Practically nothing at all.”

Salesperson: “Can you point me in the direction of the right person to speak with about what we do?”

Prospect: “Why don’t you send me an email with some information about your company, and I’ll pass it along to someone. And if they’re interested they can get back to you.”

Salesperson: “Can you give me the name of the right person?”

Prospect: “Sorry, I can’t give out any contact information. t’s against company policy.”

In this example, you’re at a dead end with your sales call, and there’s little you can do about it without making an adversary of your prospect if you push too hard. On the other hand, if you leverage the Attention Question as outlined in the first example, and ask it in such a way that prospects haven’t heard before, they are unlikely to respond negatively like they have with dozens of other salespeople on the phone.

Dare to be different and appreciate the results!

Oops! You Called the Wrong Person!Now let’s go back to the Focus Question for a moment. Suppose the response to your Focus Question from your prospect tells you that they are not personally involved with a problem, or job responsibility. In other words, you’ve called the wrong person. Don’t panic, and lose control of the conversation! The Focus Question makes it very easy to find your way to the right

person so long as you pose the Focus Question the right way. When calling the wrong person by mistake, the goal now becomes one of finding your way to the right person.

Important: Getting the name and phone number of the right person to call has everything to do with how you ask.

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Here’s how to properly phrase your Focus Question when you have the right person on the phone.

Example: Salesperson: “I’m curious as to how much personal focus and responsibility you have upon filing quarterly financial statements for your company.”

Prospect: “Well I’m head of external reporting, so I guess issues with financial reporting fall in my area of responsibility.”

** You have now successfully connected your prospect to the particular problem you solve, and now is the time to ask your Attention Question

so that you can close a new sales appointment to your calendar.

Example:

Salesperson: “Suppose I had an innovative way you haven’t heard before that would take some of the burden off your shoulders to complete quarterly financial statements on time, and at a reduced cost. Would I get any of your attention?”

Emphasize the phrase, “Would I get any of your attention?”

Important: You want more of your prospect’s TIME and ATTENTION on their calendar so ask for it!

Prospect: “I don’t see why not. What do you do?”

Salesperson: “That’s why I’m calling, to schedule a time when I might have more of your attention so that I might learn more about you, and see where we might have a fit.”

STOP Right Here! No need to go on any further in detail about your product, and it’s potential value etc. You have consent, and so now you need to move on to the Scheduling, or Closing Question of the Gold Call Script, and get this sales call scheduled to your calendar with confirmation. WARNING: If you talk past the sale (prospect consent) you are likely to prompt your prospect to reconsider their consent, and ask to be sent sales literature. You’ve gotten this far in the call; don’t ruin it by adding ‘salesy talk’ to the conversation. You’re on a roll, so let’s keep moving.

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Salesperson: “That’s why I’m calling, to schedule a time when I might have more of your attention so that I might learn more about you so we can discuss where we might have a fit.”

Salesperson: “Are you looking at your calendar?”

Prospect: “Yes I am.”

Salesperson: “Can you look at a day next week, or the week after, and let me know when I might have 10-15 minutes of your undivided attention over the phone?”

Prospect: “Next Wednesday is wide open for me.”

Salesperson: “How does 10:00 AM, or 2:30 in the afternoon work for you?”

Prospect: “10:00AM works.”

Salesperson: “Is there any chance that something might come up last minute and we’ll have to re-schedule?”

Prospect: “Always a possibility I guess.”

Salesperson: “Well in that case, can we schedule Thursday at the same time, 10:00 AM in case Wednesday doesn’t work out for some reason?”

Prospect: “Sure we can do that.”

Salesperson: “Fine. Then what I’ll do in the meantime is send you a calendar invite if you can give me your email address, and I’ll include a short agenda for us. How does that sound?”

Prospect: “That works for me.”

Salesperson: “Great. I appreciate you taking my call, and putting me on your calendar to chat again next week. Thank you in advance for your time.”

Prospect: “OK – Talk to you next week.”

** Now you have a confirmed sales call to your calendar, and a backup date in case something happens with your prospect.

The Schedulingor Closing Question

Example:

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SummaryHow You Sound is How You Sell

The most successful people in the word are competent communicators, and they know how to get their message across to their target audience. Cold calling is a performing art, and on cold calls you are playing to an audience of one – the prospect. And the first impression you give to prospects is a lasting impression. The opening seconds of the Gold Call Script are critical. You’ve got to nail it, and concentrate on executing the Gold Call Script in a way that will disarm your prospect’s ability to mount an objection to your call.

75% of what it takes to close a new sales appointment with a prospect has to do with the sound of your voice. The remaining 25% has to do with how well you ask for the sales appointment. The properly trained voice commands respect, and gets taken seriously. That’s how you should execute!

Choose your words carefully as you build your Gold Call Script. Pay particular attention to how your new script sounds by practicing the call over and over in your mind. You might want to record your calls, and then play them back to listen and learn how to polish your delivery. Over time you will begin to own your words, and feel little in the way of inhibition because you know what you need to say, and how to say it. When you know what you’re doing, what’s there to be afraid of?

To really succeed at cold calling you have to go all in, and take risks. Some calls are going to work out. Some won’t - that’s business…

To turn heads and get noticed, you need to come across as being attention worthy to get prospects to take an interest in what you have to say.

Think of your new Gold Call Script as a puzzle where you can plug together the different pieces that make up your complete script by creating a library of Focus and Attention Questions, and Lemonade Statements. With much practice, and armed with the ‘weaponry’ of structured dialogue, you are well on your way towards turning your Cold Calls into Gold Calls!

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Now Let’s Get Started!

The Gold Call Script-Builder Kit Directory

Part I.

The Gold Call Show Video“The Ability To Communicate Is Everything” (45 min.)

The Gold Call Show Audio“Turn Your Cold Calls Into Gold Calls” (19 min.)

Slide Presentation‘Death of an Elevator Pitch’

Blog Talk Radio Interview‘Turning Cold Calls into Gold Calls’

Gold Call ‘Script-Builder’ Workbook(Gold Call Script Assembly Instructions)

Gold Call ‘Script-Builder’ Composition Tool(Build Your Gold Call Script Here)

Part II.

Gold Call Script Recording Montage Two (2) audio clip soundtracks that demonstrate how to create and speak the key components of the Gold Call Script.

Includes: The ‘Lemonade Statement’ Montage (5-min.) and The ‘Attention Question’ Montage (8 min.)

Description: Within these recordings you will hear recited examples by Pete Ekstrom demonstrating the specific execution of both the Lemonade Statement and the Attention Question are provided.

The Complete Gold Call Coach Recordings

(Student Session Recordings)

• The Attention Economy

• The Money Step

• Your Miranda Rights in Sales

• Getting Conversation Started

• Qualifying by Disqualifying

• Finding Prospect ‘Pain’

• Bonding & Rapport

• Using humor to get your foot in the door

• Up Front Contacts w/ Prospects

• Yes and No as Equals

• Overcoming Objections w/ Negative Questions

Description: Within these recordings you will hear Pete Ekstrom discuss with students of the Gold Call a wide range of sales related topics related to the construction and proper execution of the Gold Call Script.

Documents

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