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Are You Struggling To Be Understood By The Prospect?

by DesmondTan
5 replies
Imagine someone with a Southern Accent or New York Accent speaking to some business owner in Los Angeles, California. Or imagine the Philippine equivalent of a Jordan Belfort being hired by a US company to cold call US business owners. The business owner struggles to understand the telemarketer's words. Will that affect sales and in what sense? (i.e. the business owner hanging up, or being rude to the telemarketer?)
#prospect #struggling #understood
  • Profile picture of the author socialentry
    Banned
    No. I speak clearly on the phone. Speaking clearly can be remedied by roleplaying and recording.

    That being said.

    I think an accent will definetely affect the way you sell , most people will associate foreign accents with indian telemarketers, it has seeped into popular culture.

    It depends also where you call. In general, the wealthier your prospects are, the more cosmopolitan its denizens and the less trouble you will have.

    I think there's a lesser range of personas the telemarketer can adopt. I think the TM has to sound more authorative and less casual ( e.g not saying stuff like. my name is Roger, how are you?) as not to sound like he is some telemarketer in India that is paid 2 $ an hour.

    Sometime an accent can work to one's advantage.

    I know a couple of French guys that came over to Canada for work. Here in Quebec, the populace associate (wrongly) the France accent with education so it works very well for them.
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  • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
    Originally Posted by DesmondTan View Post

    Imagine someone with a Southern Accent or New York Accent speaking to some business owner in Los Angeles, California. Or imagine the Philippine equivalent of a Jordan Belfort being hired by a US company to cold call US business owners. The business owner struggles to understand the telemarketer's words. Will that affect sales and in what sense? (i.e. the business owner hanging up, or being rude to the telemarketer?)
    Socialentry gave you some solid advice.

    Accents are fine as long as the meaning is clear. But having people repeatedly ask what you just said? Not good. Simply don't hire that person. If you are that person, learn the language, or only call people who speak your language.

    But accents are interesting.

    And I know how this is going to sound, but if I get a call from someone with an Indian accent? I just hang up. Why? Because the last 1,000 were just cold calls with an auto dialer.

    "Hello? Is this Cloud Whiteaker? This is Chip from....bblah blah blah...." I have a business to run.
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  • Profile picture of the author Matt Lee
    Originally Posted by DesmondTan View Post

    Imagine someone with a Southern Accent or New York Accent speaking to some business owner in Los Angeles, California. Or imagine the Philippine equivalent of a Jordan Belfort being hired by a US company to cold call US business owners. The business owner struggles to understand the telemarketer's words. Will that affect sales and in what sense? (i.e. the business owner hanging up, or being rude to the telemarketer?)
    Unfortunately I think having an accent when cold calling will definitely affect your percentage, largely due to what others have already said.

    But I think the bigger issue is conveying credibility to the business owner. I would assume a lot of business owners are going to think how does someone on the other side of the world, have any idea how to help them locally in their business. Just my 2 cents.
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  • Profile picture of the author AndrewCavanagh
    This can be a serious issue.

    I was helping a wonderful gentleman who in emails
    seemed to be really well spoken and intelligent.

    I couldn't work out why he wasn't getting hired...he
    seemed to be doing everything right.

    Then I saw a video he did and realized most of his
    prospects couldn't understand a word he was saying!

    If that's the case with you it is possible to close deals
    using email.

    You're not going to get as high a conversion but then
    if no one can understand what you're saying you're
    probably not going to convert too many people by talking
    to them anyway (lol).

    Kindest regards,
    Andrew Cavanagh
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    • Profile picture of the author DABK
      Once upon a time, there was a woman who came from France for school. Her boyfriend came to visit her at Thanksgiving time. I met him at a party. Within 3 seconds of entering the party place, 18 gorgeous and 5 ugly ones asked him what material his sweater was made of, and touched it.

      I'd just seen him at Walmart earlier that day. The sweater was fake nylon, cost him $8.

      There were men in that room who were wearing $200 sweater and not one girl asked them the time of day.

      In other words, it depends on what accent you wear. If the culture of your accent is perceived dominant or not.

      And, of course, not everyone will place your accent accurately.
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