Re-working my phone script

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#offline marketing #phone #reworking #script
  • We seem to be promoting similar services to the same niche. While a webinar might be a good idea and saves you a bit of legwork and gas, personally after I try to establish interest, I plan on using the line, "I'll be in your area around [day], would you mind if I 'drop by' for 7 minutes to... [blah]" and personally show them my service and how it works within a 7 minute time frame. This way, even though you're spending gas and time, you will have their full attention.

    Setting up a webinar creates a bit more "exit lanes" for them to take weather its on purpose or not. For example, they may 'forget', have internet issues, loose your email, watch the webinar and get distracted by something random, etc. On the flip side, if they agree to let you drop in, there's no exit they can take between them agreeing and viewing your presentation. Unless they leave work (cold hearted people) or have an influx of customers during your meeting time (should try to meet on dead days).

    Then again, if you get many people to agree to see your webinar, then maybe you'll do good due to sheer numbers.

    Oh, that longer quote was taken from an Allan Pease recording. Good stuff for setting appointments.

    Any reason your targeting the individual hairstylists instead of the salon owner?
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    • Thanks for the reply!

      So are you popping in to your prospects' location with a tablet/ipad? How are you demonstrating your web-based software?

      Edit: We have price-points for both enterprise (the salon and salon owner) as well as subscription offerings that meet the needs of individual stylists that they can certainly afford.
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  • I think you need to identify up front who you are because once people start to suspect you're not really a customer you've given them reason to not trust you about anything else. Not the best way to start off things.

    A yes/no question is easy to answer because it's automatic. The answer's no.

    The reason they pause when you tell them there's 10 spots left isn't because that makes them consider it. They're figuring out whether it's worth it or not and if they want to get involved.

    I was going to say why must it be a webinar if you can show them personally but nerfsmurf made the point quite well.
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    • True. I do get it in there after the initial greeting and first question, but I see your point. I will switch it up a bit from time to time to see if it makes any difference.

      So are you validating my approach? I can't really tell from your comment!!!

      Well mostly because I am in Florida and calling prospects in California, so I can't really just pop in ---- I assumed that the "offline forum section" was also about telesales too.

      But still, do you bring a tablet or ipad with you when you visit personally? How else do you demo your SaaS to them?
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  • jamesfreddyc, I am still getting all my material together. People say to just "Do it" but I like to have some structure to my work. Last things i need to do is pay for the first month of SMS (plan on giving new clients a free month) and print business cards. Then I'll have to complete some stressful school assignments/presentations during the next 2 weeks. Then I'll have time to slack off a bit in school and hit these businesses.

    But after I qualify a lead, I'll head to their location and quickly explain to them how they can market directly to their members relatively easy (SMS), have THEM calculate some numbers, then have them take out their phones and demonstrate how easy it is for their customers to subscribe and benefit.

    No tablet, I had one and wanted to show them a video, but... I broke the LCD trying to replace the broken digitizer. Everything to demonstrate my SMS service, the client would already have; A cell phone.

    I'm thinking of offering appointment reminders and other simple goodies in a larger, tiny bit more expensive package.
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    • Oh I see --- your offering isn't a SaaS, it's a mobile app?

      We are actually a full site, but it can be run on a smartphone as it is a lightweight site with a very light footprint and center aligned (it runs good on a mobile device but zooming might be necessary for some users).

      With that said, we looked at other services and decided to focus on the appointment reminder component and going in the opposite direction you are taking --- by removing all of that other "SMS marketing" functionality we have a really streamlined SaaS that can be offered at a really good entry price. Perfect for contract-based stylists that normally just rent a chair or station from a salon who doesn't have to rely on the salon's IT systems and software to be able to send out reminders to their clients.
  • Very innovative technique to offer a webinar to your potential customers. But wouldn't mailing a flyer or postcard soften up the prospect?
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    • Perhaps. Just going off of my own experience, I'd think the flyer is just getting chucked into the trash. Cost is much higher too --- that phone call is just eating up minutes on my plan (unlimited long distance in CONUS).

      Pretty much I came to this forum due to Jason Kanigan's videos on phone prospecting, so that is the context I am working and building that skillset from. You are probably correct that it would soften some prospects, but I am interested in calling them up right away.

      The technique isn't really cold calling I think --- it's more intel-first-calling. Just a quick look on YP.com to see what they have. I could even extend this to include:
      "I see you have a discount offer of a free cut with every 3 referrals a client brings. Great! The stylists that I have worked with have revved-up that referral business and reduced their no-shows by 40%. All by simply delivering a text message reminder prior to the client's appointment".
      I think that is probably more for the 30 second commercial though, maybe could be fit into an intro call? Not sure.
  • After watching Jason's "How to start your cold call" video, I intend to implement this into my calling next week. I think it is a good fit for my niche in that because I am targeting both salon's and individual stylists' (and no real gatekeepers essentially), they will typically have someone in the chair. The "is this a bad time" is appropriate in this scenario and will really help to filter out and move through calls.

    ...I just have to keep telling myself that all I am doing is sorting! Very tough to do if you are the selling a product that YOU have created from scratch and is easy to get dinged by the rejection!
  • Like I always say, the key is changing it up until you find the right script that fits generally into all businesses. There are so many different businesses who tend to like one script, but then a different niche may need a different approach.
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  • You are describing features to someone who probably has no interest or authority to buy from you.

    Make sure you are speaking with a decision maker.
    'Who in your business deals with XXXX? Thank you.'

    And start describing advantages at the start of the call instead of features.
    How does sending appointment reminders help their business? Where is your proof or evidence? Be ready to defend your claims.

    It is true that you are not selling a service at this stage of the relationship but you are still selling an appointment and a sizable lot of that person's time.

    So sell the value of the webinar; what do they get, what do they learn? How will it help their business?

    You really need to dig a lot deeper into your features and advantages and think of your best kept secrets that will be the person curious to learn more.

    Once they are interested you can then link your advantages to tangible net benefits that are specific to the prospect who you are speaking to. You need to demonstrate that it solves a problem.

    If a salon is getting a lot of missed appointments for example this will be losing them revenue. Show how the advantage of getting reminders on their customer's phone will increase revenue as the benefit.
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    • Matthew, I really appreciate your feedback -- it helps!

      Hmmm... in the OP I am only thing I describe is that I help stylists and salons send appointment reminders as text messages. But I understand what you are saying here and well taken when thinking of new text.

      This is actually tricky and causes me the most issue. I could be getting a wide range of people that answer:

      • the owner themself could answer and likely working there too
      • another stylist
      • a scheduler/assistant

      The product is targeted for all of them really. The scheduler/assistant would be the only one who would need to pass me off to the decision maker, BUT they would be the one using the product so I can see them being the REAL salesperson here! That is, if they attend the webinar and see the value, they will likely be the best person to sell it to their boss.

      In my experience all 3 have answered when I call, so again this is something that tends to trip me up a bit as it makes it difficult to get started. This is especially true because I'd like to move right into Jason's approach of "Is this a bad time?". That is truly a good question/starter because these are tradespeople and will likely be with a client at time i need their attention.

      I see your point and is well taken.

      More 30 second commercial in there?

      Understood. Yes that is the obvious advantage (reduce no-shows), the reminders boost referral business, which is critical in this industry. Customer appreciation and establishing closer connections to them is another.

      Again, thanks!

      Take Care,
      james
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