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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