Q. I am an inside sales person who does most of my selling over the phone and internet. How can I be more effective and persuasive when I may never even meet my customers?
1. How can I use the cone of experience when I sit behind a desk, on the phone all day everyday?
2. Can you create a controlled environment over the phone and by fax?
3. Are there any catch phrases that can help show honesty, concern and confidence, other than just product knowledge and market pricing?
A. This is a great question, and one which I suspect thousands of readers would share.
Selling over the phone is always more difficult than selling in person. Generally, however, most of the principles that apply to face-to-face selling also apply to selling over the phone. They are just more difficult to apply.
Ultimately, it’s up to you to creatively figure out how to apply some of these principles. To help you think creatively, let me share a couple examples that illustrate ways others have used the principles.
(Many of you are unfamiliar with the term “deeper in the cone.” This is a phrase I use, based on research done many years ago that concluded that the more senses to which you appeal, the more powerful is your presentation.) For a more complete explanation, see Pod-6 and Pod-7, “Persuasive Presentations” in The Sales Resource Center.
One of my clients sold a complex service over the phone. In order to make the presentation “deeper in the cone,” we created an interactive sell sheet. We mailed a specific number of them each day, by priority mail. We then called these prospects, and asked them to open the mail and have the sheet in front of them as we talked them through. We had them enter information, draw lines and connect words, etc. We got great results by turning a phone call into an interactive process that involved all the senses.
Today, we can use a webinar format to do the same time, on-line in real time.
Last week, one of my clients returned my call from a cell phone in his car. I wanted his full attention, so I asked at what time he would be at the office. He responded and I suggested that I call him then, and we set a specific time for the phone call. I “controlled the environment” by assertively refusing to talk to him while he was speeding down the Interstate.
There is a terrible misconception that has been fostered by sales trainers whose real interest is the desire for quick bucks via easy solutions. They have created the idea that there are “catch phrases” – quick and easy solutions for sales problems. These are the people who scream “Memorize these ten secret phrases and you’ll close every sale.”
Generally speaking, such prescriptions for sales success are dishonest at worst, and superficial at best.
So, I’m taking exception to the assumptions that undergird this question. There are no “catch phrases” that make you seem honest or competent. These are qualities of character – attitudes that you project. In order to project honesty, you must first be honest. In order to project competency, you must first be competent. Product knowledge and market pricing have little to do with it.
Having said that, one of the best things to do is ask good questions, and listen intently to the answers. By showing legitimate concern for the customer, you lay the groundwork for a healthy sales interaction. You may want to consider one of my books, Question Your Way to Sales Success, or a number of on-line lessons in The Sale Resource Center.
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