Tips for new salesjob cold calling? :confused:

I know nothing about telesales but if you tried that script on me you wouldn't get past "Surveys". TO ME it reads as unengaging and I don't feel the pain at all.

Also, what kind of line is " we would like to take more responsibility for " - it certainly doesn't sound convincing to me. Is this script in Spanish to begin with and is it losing something in translation?

Why have you decided to change the script before you have tried using it? I am guilty of the same thing myself. I look at a script that a company hands me and I think, hey, this doesn't sound like me, so I rewrite it so it sounds like me. Only problem with that is that I have no idea if "sounding like me" is going to make the sale.

If a company that is selling a product (assuming that there is a successful track record of sales) hands a script to employees, it usually means that the script they give out works. Before I would make changes to it, I would use the one that has a track record.

Here's a personal anecdote to further make my point:
10 years ago I went to work for a company that had a decent reputation and also had a good amount of incoming leads being generated, which is like a little slice of heaven in telemarketing! The company had a very well structured sales script that had a measurable track record of success. Like most sales organizations, there was some turnover, although less than many that I've seen (most likely because of the amount and quality of leads) so I had the opportunity to see a number of people come and go.

I remember there was one new sales rep in particular, he was in the booth next to me, and I was listening to him "pitch" and I noticed that he was not using anything remotely close to the script that we were trained on. Over coffee I mentioned to him that the "script really does work" and he should use it. I will never forget his reply, because it's the reason that I've always used the scripts I have been handed when they have a track record. He said, " I think it's better to have a straight up conversation with people than some canned script." He then went on to tell me that he had 5 prospects ready to come on board.

Here's the end of the story....no one came on board, and there was a new person in the booth next to me.

So my advice to you is, unless the company told you to write your own script, use what they gave you. Sorry I took so long to get to that point...but who doesn't love a good story!

Before you can be proficient at creating scripts, you need to learn and internalize proven scripts. We all learn by an age old system, sustained repetition. Some need to repeat something a few times, and others many times. However, just learning the scripts as they are written isn't enough, but this is where it begins. After learning the scripts, you begin to realize that body language (that's right, I said body language while on the phone) and what tones in your voice generally work best at certain times with particular personalities you encounter. You begin to denote the nuances of your scripts when blended with your personality and the client, or prospect, personalities.

Learn the scripts, then learn to perform them appropriately for the many different personality types you encounter.

T J

To the OP:

You know, I've looked at this thread several times. Each time until now I've shook my head at the script that the other company gave you. "Incredulous" is the emotion that I'd like to share with you, that I experience when I read it. They actually expect that to *work*?? I'm glad you asked for help!

The people who have taken the time to respond have done a good job of sharing advice. Certainly, get a script together that tells prospects What's In It For Them. Definitely make the calls (though if you make the calls with a lousy script, you'll just end up depressed and with poor results).

Let me do something different. Let me give you an actual script that you can work with. I would normally charge $1,000 or more for this! I promise it will get you better results than what you've been experiencing.

First, make sure you're talking to the decision maker.

"Hi, <prospect's name>, my name is <your name>, and I'm with <company name>. We're an education and training firm that shows people how to use common software much more effectively and save money that way. Typically, <organization type that you're calling into--small businesses?> bring us on board because they are:

* frustrated with Excel when they're trying to do payroll; the forumulas are giving them the wrong results, and their employees' paycheques end up being wrong

* concerned about marketing material that they're making internally using Microsoft Word, which they know could look much better to their customers if they understood more tips and tricks in Word

* upset that labor dollars and hours are being wasted by their staff on re-working documents that should have been created right the first time.

But I don't know if you're even experiencing any of these issues..."

Trail off and be quiet! Wait for the prospect to respond.

If they tell you that Yes, they are experiencing something like one of those typical reasons, then you know what to sell based on.

If they tell you No, say this:

"Okay. Well, before I hang up, can I ask you one more quick question?" <Pause for comfirmation from prospect> "You probably don't experience problems with Windows in everyday use of your computers do you?...things that are expensive to get a hired IT guy to come in and fix, which would be much better for you to fix yourself...?"

(This phrasing allows them to say No, and you not to lose face. It's a technique that works 'live', speaking, but not in print. Anybody who wants to know more about this, PM or leave a visitor message for me.)

If they agree that that's an issue for them, then you can continue talking. If they don't then it's probably not a fit: say, "Didn't think so. Well, sounds like we're not a fit today." Wait a second to see if they jump in with a question or statement. If they confirm or don't say anything, then say, "Thanks for your time" and hang up.

This script gives several opportunities for the prospect to tell you about real, urgent problems that they are having which you can solve. If they do start sharing something with you, then keep asking questions until you're sure you both understand what's happening in their world of "pain". If you're scheduling appointments for salespeople to go see these prospects in person, do this quickly: suggest the appointment after you get some pain on the table. If you're trying for a one-call close, keep digging for pain and qualifying your prospect.

This will be much more effective than that terrible script you've been given.

Come back and tell us how it went. How your conversations with prospects were, how you were able to uncover pain, whether you were able to have genuine dialogue with people. OK?

Great script Jason!

So? How did your calling go?

Ah. I see the problem. Go to this post of mine and you'll see what to do at the start. There's a missing step. You need to ask them for permission to speak. The fear of the prospect is that they're going to be stuck on the phone with a salesperson forever.

Okay..will try that now

I am getting closer, but there is so much to say it inevitably sounds too scripted! The ones I get closer to say "I have what I need, and it works fine as it is."

My boss said if they say that, you should talk about the time they can save, "20minutes pr document, that would be a lot of hours pr week."

I usually say "well then how do you make offers?" They always say "In Word" but then they say it works great as it is...cognitive dissonance...Don't need what you don't know. How to work around that?

I do not buy this line of talk, for what reason would it stand up or make sense ? to sell excel first understand excel, it is not something you will bat out perfect in a few short weeks, so that type of statement above is very wrong in many ways to pitch ?

Are you expecting the employees to continue to get wrong paychecks for weeks while they train somebody who may or may not get a grasp on excel and quite possibly batch it up into an even bigger mess ?

Why would not people with an excel problem such as bad payroll outcomes if it were possible just spend a few $ and outsource somebody who knew the application to write the product they needed and have it done properly.

Given all of that the line or angle of attack is probably not going to hit home.

I also wonder if you have taken a role as a direct sales tele marketing why they do not have a proven script that works ? or is this B grade billy ray bobs first attempt at cold calling as well.

Maybe and just maybe something along the lines of our research shows the average company spends xyz $ per annum outsourcing common office work which is often done to a sub par level where it often needed to be redone or is left inferior to what the company wants and where your abc office tutor offers a solution and piece of mind at a once only reduced once only cost for the first 12 customers this month, which solves 2 problems giving a reduced cost for new and existing upgrades to office apps and the privacy and connivance of updates that are based on what the company wants and not expensive, badly timed, non target outsourced upgrades.

or to that effect. and what certificates do they get from this course your offering ? are they accredited courses / different level, like beginner intermediate and or advanced excel per say ? a boss may buy it for the employees if there is a benefit to staff.

what supporting on going backup do you have ? lets say you teach my staff excel and we can't still work a payroll formula do you have a support helpline ?

Tired but it may help

@EatDrinkTextJay:

You improved the script! Thanks!

SpanishGuy says it's taking him too long to get these words out, and it could be shortened. I hope he took a look at other sales training articles on my blog (where I GIVE AWAY expertise that cost me thousands of dollars to learn), where he would see that I recommend taking the script and turning the phrasing into words that you are comfortable using.

Note that I took the pain points from SpanishGuy's original script and worked them into something that made sense. I was not paid to research the underlying reasons his existing clients chose to do business with the company he works for in order to develop these pain points--that would be more expensive than a Warrior post can handle! So really we are just guessing.

Now when I draft these pain points, even after research, I don't expect to get them all right on the first try. With time and process the script improves until you get one that runs on full burners. There will be one or two pain points at the start that do well, and at least one that flops. You know this because you hear things: "Yes", "Right", grunt of affirmation for the ones that do resonate, and dead silence, negative noise or other barely verbal cues for those that are not working. But you have to make at least 100 calls to properly test these. The temptation for newbies to cold calling is to freak out after a half-dozen calls and say the script isn't working, when in fact they haven't internalized and become comfortable with it, and adapted it to their own voice.

About the "asking a quick question before I go" part, that is a standard consultative selling tactic. Note that you ask for permission to ask the additional question and wait for the OK. We are "fishing for pain" and I word it with negative reverse selling technique, an advanced method that allows them to say "No" and you not to lose face. It has not bothered anyone I've ever called.

I think the key here is to get comfortable with the script, shorten it up, yes (we always have to do this) and get down in wording that you actually use but communicates the same ideas.

OH, ONE FINAL THOUGHT:

After you've asked for the quick minute to tell them why you called, and you give your "30 Second Commercial" as some call it or "Core Message" as I call it, you are going to talk for what will probably be the longest time (on your end) on the entire call. This IS your script, it is going to sound a little scripted, because it's the consistent message you want to get out. Don't worry about this; the prospect knows that there is going to be some part of the message that is scripted in a sales call. Get it on the table, see if any of the pain points resonate, and start asking related questions about what is going on in the prospect's world about that particular issue.

spanish guy

here is a thread to a video in which you might find some good inofmation

http://www.warriorforum.com/offline-...ml#post4942075