One secret that every successful salesperson knows is that phone prospecting is more efficient than ever. Why?
Your chances of reaching your prospects are high if their phones are ringing empty. However, without the right strategy, prospects will continue to ignore your calls and get frustrated with you.
Write down the first 10 seconds of your phone call.
It sounds easy, and it is. Amazingly, very few salespeople plan what they’ll say to a prospect when they answer the phone. Most prospects will decide in the first few seconds whether to hang up or not. Do not leave anything up to chance. Determine exactly what you will say at the beginning of each telephone sales call.
Share common challenges.
Finally, you got a prospect online. You effectively introduced yourself and then engaged them. What now? Now it’s time for you to start the conversation by discussing a common problem that prospects will relate to. Remember that prospects don’t care what you sell — they care only about solving their most fundamental problems. Your prospecting calls are an opportunity to dig into your prospects’ problems.
Ask questions, not just talk.
The biggest mistake salespeople make when calling is not asking any questions. Although it is great to begin your call with strong statements that engage prospects, it is important to ask questions immediately. You might list some of the challenges that drive customers to your company. Next, ask the prospect to call, “Do any challenges you’ve encountered make you a good candidate for this job?” Keep asking questions as the conversation goes on.
Retire the excitement.
Salespeople are taught to be enthusiastic on the phone. However, this approach can lead to failure right from the beginning. Instead of being overly enthusiastic, try to be more genuine and approachable. You’ll be setting up more meetings if you use a quiet, soft voice to greet prospects.
Keep calling.
Sometimes phone sales require patience and persistence. It’s not enough to call prospects one or two times, leave a few voicemails, and then move on. Even though prospects may ignore a few voicemails, it doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t want to hear from you. It can take up to seven to ten voicemails to get a response from prospects who are likely to be interested. Prospecting by phone takes time.
Leave provocative voicemails.
Prospects like to hear voicemails that are serious, serious, and boring. You’ll be more likely to grab your prospect’s attention if you are a bit cheeky and have some fun with your voicemails.
You can say something like, “I’m having trouble getting through to you”, and it will likely be because you are either very busy or don’t want to talk to me. If the former, let me know .” Voicemails that are just a little provocative will be more likely to get a response from your prospect.
Set up a meeting via the call.
Don’t let the prospect know that you will be leaving the call soon after the call ends. Instead, set a date and time and invite your prospect to an email calendar while you are still talking on the phone.
Keep your phone promises.
Never miss a phone call scheduled with a prospect. Although it may seem obvious, many salespeople fail to follow up with prospects after the initial phone call. Do not let a huge opportunity pass you because your phone strategy isn’t in order. Keep your promises and keep them. To stay organized and keep track of your CRM, you can use it to make notes and call prospects on the days that you promise.
Don’t make calls during normal work hours.
Although it might seem counterintuitive, the best prospecting calls are made between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekends. Why? Why? If you want to contact decision-making prospects directly, call the phone in the morning, the evening, or Saturday afternoon.