Telephone marketing (telephone sales).
Arunas Evgeniya
1. When talking to the secretary, ask for help. Ask who is the best to talk to about this issue? When is it more convenient to call? Get yourself an ally!
2. Before accepting an incoming call - smile, put on a smile. The client calling you should feel that his call is really welcome!
3. Involve the customer in the buying process. For example, the phrase: "please take a calculator and we will calculate the benefit of the offer." Works much better than: "I will calculate now ..."
4. When talking with a client, always set the date for the next call - this will help you never lose touch with him and make the client permanent.
5. If you are stressed, do the following exercise before calling:
Drop your head on your chest and roll it first to the right shoulder, almost touching it, then to the left. Repeat several times, slowing down a little. Then straighten up, stretch and yawn heartily. After that, your voice will sound in a new way!
6. Be sure to write down everything that you promise to the client - and always fulfill the promises as quickly as possible. There is nothing worse in business than ignoring customers.
7. When negotiating a call - take any (even a small promise) from the client, for example: decide on a product model, or sketch out a list for an order.
8. Be a consultant! Help the client. You really have to delve into his problems and solve them.
9. In between calls, drink warm tea - it has a good effect on the ligaments.
10. Always praise yourself for great results - it will push you to new victories!
11. Set yourself the exact time at which you sit down at the phone every day. And stick to this time every day. Discipline, and especially self-discipline, is necessary to achieve results.
12. Do not wonder when it is better to call, when the client has lunch, when he finishes work. For example, many managers are just more loyal after the end of the working day, when there is no fuss around; many quite loyally talk at lunchtime over a cup of coffee - at this time there is just no influx of calls. Don't guess - sit down and call!
13. If you are in order to write a nice letter and send an e-mail - you better call. This method is much faster and more effective.
14. Sometimes it is better to ask the client directly “Do we have a chance that this year we will work with you?”, Rather than wasting your time constantly calling back the client who cannot tell you a clear NO.
15. All technical issues such as filling out reports, sending out commercial offers, etc. - select in a separate time block, and do not try to do it along the way - you will see how your productivity will grow. When you call the company for the first time, try.
16. Go to the "main"! It is better if the manager, or the head of the purchasing department, sends you to a certain employee. Then you can safely say: "Ivan Vasilyevich, your leader, asked me to drop this proposal to you ..." - this is already a guarantee that your proposal will be considered.
17. After you send the client a commercial offer - be sure to call him back. Ask if he saw everything, if he understands everything - this will make the client remember you again, as well as you will be sure that your proposal has found its addressee.
18. Try this approach when calling: "We specialize ... and describe the benefits for clients (the result they will receive)." To understand if this is the right fit for your business, I would like to know a little about your situation. Say ... and ask an open-ended question. "
19. Make it clear to the client that you really want to work with him. All other things being equal, the winner is the one who is very enthusiastic about the order.
20. Love your clients - and they will reciprocate you!
On average, you need to make 7 calls before a potential client is on the other end of the line - such data is provided by the consulting company Janek Performance Group. And it is far from the fact that this client will buy something in the end. So is the game worth the candle? Maybe it's time to stop telemarketing? The experts answer: if the calls do not work, it means that you simply do not own the technique of telephone sales. Our review contains the latest statistics on the effectiveness of calls and recommendations on how to improve their quality.
Features of telephone sales
Inbound marketing is trending now: getting leads from traffic to the site and pages in social networks. Trend is trending, but traditional outbound marketing tools like telephone sales, don't go anywhere. Are they generating income or is it time to write them off? With these questions, we turned to Russian experts for marketing and sales.
It turned out that they not only highly appreciate the effectiveness of telephone sales, but they are also sure that sales without calls still occupy a meager market share, which means that one cannot do without telephone conversations.
But it’s not enough to just pick up the phone and dial a number to get a customer. For effective telephone sales, it is important to prepare technically and mentally (more precisely, to prepare your managers for outgoing calls).
How to improve the effectiveness of telephone sales?
The success of telephone sales is made up of many factors: starting with what scripts managers work with and ending with whether you use them to control and analyze their work. It is impossible to tell about everything in one article ... and it is not necessary, because we have written about telephone sales more than once, and we have a lot of useful articles on our blog. Share links!
Source: giphy.com
»Sales by phone
© Oleg Tocheny
Telephone Marketing
(sales by phone)
Are you a telephone agent and are now going to dial a potential client's number to offer him a product or service? Don't be in a hurry. If you act "on the forehead", then for your interlocutor you will be just one of many who annoy him with such calls every day. Here you need to use a different tactic, thanks to which you will be able to attract the client's attention to your proposal.
Before starting the conversation, of course, you have identified a number of firms that can become clients of your firm. Find out the name of the company, the name of the contact person, the rest of the details and enter all this into the database. Now you need to think carefully about the upcoming conversation. If you compose your appeal correctly and manage to arouse interest in yourself, then this company will almost certainly become your client.
Try to put yourself in the client's shoes and answer the question: "Why, in fact, should I buy this product?"
There are not many reasons why people shop.
- To save money (there is a 20% discount in the store, you need to buy jeans);
- In order to make money (use for the production of other goods, resell);
- To save time (for example, a phone saves time compared to travel for personal conversations; a car saves time compared to by public transport- that's why people pay to install phones and buy cars);
- To maintain your social status (you need to buy Mere: the owner of the company is ashamed to drive a Zhiguli);
- And the last reason is logical considerations (when purchasing real estate, you make sure that your children, when they grow up, are provided with housing).
"Try on" this list to your potential client - and now you can come up with an introduction to the conversation.
Introduction to the conversation
The introduction to the conversation should contain no more than 75 words (otherwise, the other end of the line will have time to hang up or find an objection). To do this, you have no more than 45 seconds at your disposal - during this time you must have time to introduce the company and state the reasons why the client may be interested in your offer.
WHAT you have time to say in these 45 seconds is very important. But HOW you say it is equally important. Take care of the correct intonation. You must radiate a positive attitude towards what you are doing - smile! Remember that a smile can be "seen" over the phone. If you just read something, your interlocutor will also easily understand it. Don't believe me? Check on your friends. So the first thing is a smile. The second is what, in fact, you have to say.
There are 5 stages to be followed in every telephone conversation with a client.
- It is necessary to attract the attention of the interlocutor. This can be done with a greeting. As soon as you say: "Good afternoon, Mr. Petrenko!", You will grab his attention.
- Then you should introduce yourself. I don't think it's worth teaching anyone this.
- After that, you need to give the name of your company.
- Finally, you need to say something that will pique the client's interest in your firm.
As a result, you should get something like: “Hello, Mr. Petrenko! You are worried about Mr. Sidorenko from Service & Co. We offer talking office refrigerators that tell us which products start to deteriorate and require early use, which employee owns them and how this employee reacts to the disappearance of their property from the refrigerator. A talking refrigerator can help your company save up to 20% on employee food costs and, therefore, payroll. In addition, this purchase excludes office duels on kefir bottles. "
5. The most difficult thing: you need to ask a question to which your interlocutor will certainly answer "yes". For example: "Is your company interested in keeping employees working?" Who will say that his company is not interested in this?
But if Mr. Petrenko still says no, apologize, thank him for the time he gave you, and hang up. After such an answer, it is useless to convince him to listen to you. The probability that he will agree to your proposals is one in a thousand. It's not worth your time. It is much more useful to spend it on dialing the next number. Here you were answered "yes" - the first victory. But that's not all: more often than not, objections follow after a positive answer, and below we will talk about how to deal with them.
And now a few words about how to overcome one significant obstacle, whose name is the secretary. Let me remind you that your task is to get through to the person who makes the decisions.
So, the secretary picks up the phone. Introduce yourself, state your proposal, and ask who you need to talk to. If you cannot find out the name, try to cheat. Pretend to be a customer, call back and ask to put you in touch with Mr. Ivanov from the sales department. If you are lucky and you guess right, then you will be immediately connected, if not, then pretend that you have mixed up your surname. Ask the name of the head of the sales department, and then ask to still connect with him. Your main goal - to talk to someone who can make a decision, bypassing the secretary - has been achieved. Now you can start a conversation, the result of which should be an appointment with a client or the conclusion of a contract.
Conversation with the client
Ten Commandments of a Telephone Agent
- Rule 20/80. This means that 80% of the time you have to listen and talk only 20%. As we have already said, you are given 45 seconds for your opening speech. Then your task is to listen and remember the problems and needs of the clients. Then you will have an excellent reason to offer the client to conclude an agreement with you, which will help him to solve the named problems and satisfy his needs.
- If you want to look businesslike, never ask general issues- about the weather or "How are you?" Is it appropriate to ask about the weather of the interlocutor who is 20 km away from you? Are you ready to devote the next half hour to listening to stories about other people's problems?
- Avoid hesitation, speak specifically, accurately, observe the desired intonation. Don't forget to smile! You need to speak not too slowly and not too fast, not too loudly and not too quietly. You must be sure that you are well heard and understood. Learn to feel when to pause a conversation. Telephone agents work much more efficiently when they know how to silently wait for an answer and hang up on time.
- Don't be discouraged if you get on an answering machine. Your goal is to get a call back, and we'll talk about how to do this a little later.
- Do not rush to send information to the client at the first request, if he really does not know what he needs. In most cases, a request for information is simply a desire to get you left behind. However, there are many different ways to use this request to your advantage. You can not send anything, but just call a week later and ask if the information has reached. Usually the client answers your question and continues the conversation. You can take the brochures in person, motivating it by the fact that they require explanations - here is the meeting with the client that you were seeking.
- Answer objections correctly (below we will explain how this is done).
- Don't allow yourself disrespectful remarks towards your competitors. Serious people prefer not to work with those who, trying to persuade them to cooperate with themselves, point out the shortcomings of others. The client chooses partners with a positive attitude - this is how the largest companies, in particular, Kodak, teach their sales representatives.
- When working in telephone marketing, you shouldn't miss a day. Skipping one day a week will leave you behind so much that there is no point in even trying to catch up. Never stop calling new people - this is the only way to acquire new customers.
- Never offer your firm as a last resort supplier. You have to convince the client that your firm is the best. Experience shows that no one ever turns to the help of suppliers who are left “in case of emergency”.
- Don't give too much information over the phone. Remember your main goal. If you want to receive an order and you were asked a question, you cannot but answer it. And if your goal is to make an appointment, it's best to use the situation to your advantage. Try to convince the client that his issue is being resolved, and your representative will be able to explain all this in person.
Homemade preparations
The usefulness of homemade products is difficult to assess until you start using them. Try it and see for yourself. This is truly a lifesaver if you stumble and don't know what to say. Sections cannot be read out. There is nothing more frustrating when a telephone agent interrupts you, and even reads something. In such cases, you just want to hang up. Therefore, the blanks need to be memorized.
In addition, blanks help you focus your attention on the main purpose of the conversation. Knowing what to say will not waste your time or the client's time. In this way, blanks will help you make more calls per day and effectively respond to possible objections. In this article, we do not offer samples of blanks: you must come up with them yourself, in accordance with your personal experience and the specifics of the company. Write down the blanks: this is how you memorize them and learn how to use them. In the course of work, you can always fix and improve them.
Do you object? It's good
A person who does not know how to respond to customer objections does not have the right to call himself a telephone agent. Objection is a kind of chance that the client gives you; use it to tell him what he wants to hear. Do not under any circumstances avoid objections. In telephone marketing, there is a 3-P rule: REPEAT, SUPPORT, CONTINUE. Take it into service - and you are assured of success. Repeat the objection in the form of a question. Say that one of your clients raised similar objections, but after the presentation changed his mind and decided to cooperate with you.
Invite your interlocutor to continue negotiations. Thus, you have repeated, supported and continued the conversation about your goal. During the first week of work, you will hear many objections, most of which can be reduced to seven main ones. Each of them signifies a client's attempt to end the conversation with you. But your position should be as follows: I will now overcome this objection, and we will continue the conversation.
- The client says that he has already tried what you have to offer and did not like it. To overcome this objection, use the rule of 3 Rs (see above).
- The client declares that he already has a supplier. Don't give up: keep asking questions until you find the provider's weakness - the point where your service is better than what your interviewee's firm has been providing so far. Isn't it a chance to acquire a new client?
- The client says he is not interested in your product. Apply the rule of 3 Rs. If the client again says that he is not interested, use the "final blow" (a technique, which will be discussed below). But if that doesn't work, you should hang up.
- The client tries to end the conversation by asking for documentation. Check with the client what specific data he would like to receive. Try to reduce the conversation to the rule of 3 Rs and ask for an appointment. If a client asks you to send a price list, tell him that your price list is so extensive that it is completely inappropriate to send it; but if the client names the types of goods or services that interest him, then you are ready to transfer data on the required items.
- The client says that the savings from cooperation with you are small and not worth the additional effort that will be required from him. Explain to him that he will not have additional worries, but on the contrary, you will do everything in such a way as to simplify his life. Using the rule of 3 Rs, end your conversation with a request for an order or an appointment.
- The client asks to call back in a month, as he is too busy now. Tell him that he could save a lot of money in this time, and ask if there is someone in the office with whom you can talk for two minutes. Using the rule of 3 Ps, describe a similar case and end with a request for an appointment or an appointment.
- The client says that these issues are not within his competence. Ask him who is in charge of this area of work. If he doesn't want to answer, go back to the secretary and ask him again.
Conclusion: you need to try to overcome the obstacles that arise. Try to work like this for at least a month, and you will understand that this tactic pays off.
Earn the right to offer
When talking with a client, one more important rule of telephone marketing should not be overlooked: you have no right to just call the client and offer him to place an order. But such a right can be earned even in one minute.
Follow the rules: make an introduction, overcome 2-3 objections correctly, and half the job is done. Then, by asking the right questions and listening to the answers, you need to find out what the client's needs are.
As soon as the client feels that you are imbued with his problems, you will establish a mutual understanding. Now you can offer him to place an order. In order to "talk" the client, you will have to use a certain technique of asking questions. Offer him something that will help solve his problems.
But maybe his company has no problems at all? If all your attempts to figure something out have failed, say goodbye and move on to the next client.
In your arsenal of ways to work with clients, there should be a special offer that is valid at the moment and does not imply risk for the client - we will talk about this below. But in any case, your task is to stand out from the crowd and say something that will make the client remember your company, your products and services.
Statistical accounting as a means of increasing the number of sales
Each telephone agent has to work with a special form on which he notes everything he does. If the manager did not give it to you, it doesn’t matter: compose such a form yourself and force yourself to use it every day. This will help you identify your weak sides and increase sales. Here are 10 things to keep track of every day:
- Calls.
- Notes on the answering machine that you left (this will help to create a template for the answering machine).
- Gatekeepers (how many times a day did you hit the secretary).
- The people responsible for the decisions on the conclusion of the contract (how many times a day did you manage to convince the secretary to connect you with these people).
- Sent faxes or mail (what needs to be sent, in what form and quantity).
- Repeated calls.
- Scheduled follow-up calls (how many calls you need to make).
- Replies to your autoresponder messages (how effective is your autoresponder template).
- Appointments.
- Contracts concluded.
To do this, you need to leave him an advertisement for 20-30 seconds. The first four stages of the conversation are the same here (see above), but instead of the last question, you should record a phrase on the answering machine that will make the client call you back. Warn, for example, that you will visit him on Tuesday at 14-00 in order to tell in more detail about the proposals of your company. Then leave your name and phone number.
Hearing that a person who he did not make an appointment is going to come to his office, the client will almost certainly write down your name and phone number in order to call back and find out what the matter is. Your goal has been achieved: the client has called you.
But maybe he just got angry with you and wants to tell you this? Typically, the resentment of the client can be neutralized. When asked about the meeting, answer that you just left information and wanted to know if it is possible to pay him a visit on Tuesday. If this time is not right for him, ask which one is right. So you are back to the rule of 3 "Ps" - you repeated the offer of services to your company, supported the client, and continued the conversation with a request for a meeting.
Now it's time to ask the fifth question. If the client answers “No”, then you should wish all the best and hang up. And if the client answers "Yes, but ...", you need to overcome the objection and again offer to make an appointment or make an order.
Finally, here are some useful tips:
- Leave information on the answering machine for no more than 30 seconds.
- Don't hesitate or pause.
- Please call again. On average, to catch a person, he needs to call 4-8 times.
- Think carefully about what you are going to say.
Special offers
In order to attract new customers, always keep in stock special offers - coupons, discounts, free service, free shipping, trial period. The trial period means that the customer receives the product and uses it free of charge for, for example, a month before he pays for it. This is what you have to do when working with large companies that you would like to make your customers, but who do not agree to buy goods from you without trial. However, do not forget to explain in detail to the client what a "free trial" is: the trial itself is free, but the client will have to pay for the goods, although 30 days later.
Special offers are best used at the end of a conversation in order to persuade a hesitant customer to make the first order. This method really works and is liked by consumers. But make sure the client understands that this is a one-off offer.
About the most important thing - about ordering
- Question one: have you earned the right to propose an order?
- How many times have you asked a customer to place an order? You need to offer at least three times, unless, of course, the client does not immediately agree (in this case, just say: "Thank you. It will be pleasant for you to work with us" and hang up). But in general, the first offer to place an order is always a trial one. The second time you will also object. It is the third request that is critical. Usually you will receive the order after it. I don’t mean to say that if you ask three times, the order is yours. It is possible that you will never receive this order. The following points will help you find out.
- Make sure you mention the time limit for your special offer. If you do this, the client will have an additional incentive to conclude a contract with you.
- Have you asked test questions that push the client to close the deal? With their help, you can feel if the client is going to work with you at all.
- Have you tried a technique called "final blow"? I mentioned this above and now I will explain what it is. When the client answers negatively to all your questions, ask him if he would be interested in hearing at least your presentation. If the answer is “No,” say goodbye politely and hang up. You won't succeed with this client.
Focus - and success will not keep you waiting
There are people who talk about anything other than sales when they talk to a telephone agent or a salesman. The telephone agent needs to keep clear of those who might "eat" his time. Plan out goals for the day before you come to work. You need to know how many calls you want to make, how many deals to make. And telephone marketing needs to be done daily, but no more than 2-3 hours without a break.
Start yourself up before work. This can be done in different ways. You can calculate possible profits on the way to work, you can listen to special cassettes on the subway or on the trolleybus, you can record yourself on a cassette encouraging yourself, and listen to it along the way.
Always call new customers first before making repeat calls. A lot of people do the opposite, but if you keep on repeating calls all the time, the influx of new clients and ideas will stop.
AND last rule: Always start with the toughest calls. Everything else after them will seem much easier. Do not hesitate, and you will be pleasantly surprised: in many companies you will be able to get through before the secretary arrives and talk directly with those who make decisions. So:
- You need new clients.
- Calls really help you get new customers.
- The more customers a telephone agent attracts, the more more money it will work.
- You need to call every day.
Reasons for the defeat of telephone agents
Now I would like to talk about the reasons why many telephone agents fail. Insurance companies in the West, for example, thousands of agents are hired, knowing that in a year 95% of them will leave. But those that remain are making progress.
The reason for the failure is in the "SNSP". It stands for fear, insecurity, doubt, habits.
Fear. Telephone agents fail because they are afraid to make the next call to avoid being rejected. This should be treated in a completely different way. Convince yourself that there will be one consent for 200 of your proposals. And the sooner you get these rejections, the sooner you get to consent.
Uncertainty. You are not sure if the techniques you want to use will work. But there is only one way to find out - to try, analyze the results and improve the methods.
Doubts. Let's say you decide to start following our advice tomorrow. But then you shared your plans with someone else, and they told you that nothing would come of it. Then doubts may arise in your soul, which will become the reason for your defeat. Don't fall for them until you try it yourself.
Habits. If you change your habits for 2 hours a day, after a month, using the methods described by us, you will get rid of fear, uncertainty and doubt. Write down your results, and if after a month they do not noticeably improve, then something you are doing wrong. Now start calling. I wish you success!
"Career", No. 2, 2000
And you still don’t know about the 8 stages of sales techniques, then you should be ashamed. It is a shame so much that the study of this article for you should rise to the level of the prayer "Our Father". But you may have a counter question, why should I know them, if we have sold and are selling well without them? Quite reasonable! Indeed, why do you need to know them, because the less you know, the better you sleep. And it will be easier for competitors to sell their products.
What is the strength in, brother?
Knowledge is power, friends. Strength in understanding what separates first place from second place in competition. Okay stop! I went into philosophy. Let's get back to the topic “How to sell well and quickly”. To reach a new milestone, you need to use 8 stages of sales. According to the classics, we know of them only five stages of sales (we know, it does not mean we understand):
- Establishing contact;
- Identifying needs and goals;
- Presentation;
- Work with objections;
- Closing the deal.
For many successful deals, these 5 main stages are enough, but we, with our clients, recommend always adding three more. And it's not about quantity, but about the quality and efficiency of transactions. By the way, these stages are very simple, most likely you even use them unconsciously in your work:
- Up-sell / Down-sell
- Upsell
- Taking contacts / referrals
All of these eight stages of client management are certainly classics in trading. These are the main stages of the sales process. It was not my task to surprise you or discover America. With my material, I will put everything on the shelves and present the most important things. But remember, learning to sell from books is the same as football, impossible. Any theory should be put into practice within 72 hours.
WE ARE ALREADY MORE THAN 45,000 people.
TURN ON
Strict rules
I remember the slogan of a computer game in 2000: "The main rule is no rules." But this is not our case. Even if we work with real people and they have seven Fridays a week, all the same, for everything to go smoothly for you, you need to adhere to certain sales rules:
- Strict consistency. You move from top to bottom in stages and nothing else.
- Don't skip steps. Each step is a lead to the next, so one does not exist without the other.
- Customization for the client. Each sale has its own characteristics and must be taken into account.
- Full execution. You do each step not for show, but for the result.
All these rules are unspoken, but in my opinion they are very important. Now you may not attach any value to them, but all this is due to the lack of a full understanding of each stage. Therefore, I strongly recommend that you read all the material and then return to these rules again. Better yet, print them with stages and hang them on the workplace.
By bones and by shelves
We constantly see examples of how the “smartest”, at their discretion, throw blocks out of the sequence and believe that this will be more correct. Naturally, the most uncomfortable or labor-intensive stages are eliminated. But you and I know that each stage carries an exorbitant value and must be performed correctly. Therefore, we analyze the description of each step separately and never again make such misunderstandings.
1. Establishing contact
In less advanced countries of the third world, when you enter a store or call by phone, and without a greeting, right from the door: “What do you need, dear?”. I hope Russia will not slide down to that (although I am sure we have this too). But still, before you start identifying the need, you need to establish contact with the client. Here are your options for duty phrases:
- When calling:"Good day. In-scale company. My name is Nikita. Listen to you?"
- When meeting on the trading floor:"Hello. My name is Nikita. If you have any questions, please contact. "
- When meeting with a client:"Good morning. My name is Nikita. In-scale company. Since we have met, then, as I understand it, you have a potential interest in our proposal? "
This is a very simple and primitive step. But nevertheless, it is necessary and has its own nuances. For example, when making an outgoing call, it is very important for us to say hello, otherwise the client will simply hang up the phone with the words: “Another manager”. Also, for example, in the case we need to show with our greeting that we will not "sell" anything now, but simply greet the person.
Of course, the contact does not end there, one might even say it is just beginning, because during the entire sale we must continue to get closer to the client every second. But within the framework of this entire article, I will not be able to reveal all the nuances of each stage, because, depending on the situation, they will be different. Therefore, be sure to also read our materials on this topic:
2. Identifying needs
“What do you need, dear?” - Let's return to this phrase and adapt it to the realities. In fact, we want to get the answer to this question in the block of identifying needs, but since clients are not very talkative, or cannot explain what they need without clarifying questions, at this step we ask questions.
Since most craftsmen try to skip this block, I want to repeat MANY, MANY, MANY times that it is the most important. If you identify the need correctly, then you will not have any problems with further steps, everything will go like a knife through butter, like skates on ice, like a marker on a board, like ... I hope you understand me.
Important. So that all this does not look like an interrogation and the client submissively answered you, pre-program it with the following phrase: “Joseph Batkovich, in order for me to choose the best conditions / suitable option for you, I will ask a few clarifying questions. Good?"
We ask questions in order to get plenty of information about the client's “wishes”. We ask not one, not two, not three questions, but four or more. I also specifically focus on this, because one question cannot reveal everything. Therefore, for lovers ready-made solutions I recommend asking at least 4 questions from a series:
- For what purposes are you selecting?
- And what is the most important thing for you when choosing?
- Do you have any color / shape / size preferences?
- Why are you interested in this particular model?
Depending on the case of sales, your questions may prevail both open and closed. That's right, it didn't seem to you. According to the majority, one should always ask open questions... But this is not always true. For example, at the beginning of a personal conversation (at a meeting or in the sales area) it is better to start with closed questions (the answer is “Yes” or “No”), since the client is not yet tuned in to an open and full-fledged conversation.
Important. To make this stage look alive, after some questions, you need to insert your comments about the client's response or make mini-mini presentations about the product.
3. Presentation
You will be just the perfect manager if you use the knowledge gained from the previous step in this step. You need to show the best solution for the client based on the information received. Depending on the case, you present either one product or several of the most suitable ones. But there should not be too many of them so that the client does not get confused (see the video below).
To make a truly great presentation, you need to know the product well. If you are an owner, then you will not have any problems with this. In the case of employees, problems can come from all sides, therefore it is recommended to constantly conduct certification for product knowledge, where the final action will be a presentation on the Elevator Pitch technology.
It would seem that such a simple stage, but it requires voluminous preparatory actions. As I said, you need to learn information about your product, you also need to take small courses in acting and public speaking, and all this should be reinforced by studying books on human psychology. To make it easier for you to start, here are three very important rules presentations:
- Speak the client's language, use his words, phrases, sentences. So he will understand you better and perceive you as a “soul mate”.
- Name not only properties, but also. People do not always understand what properties mean and what exactly is its benefit.
- Use “you-approach” (you get / For you / you). More mentions of the client rather than yourself (I / We / Us) will give more meaning.
These rules are just three stones in the quarry. But on the other hand, you saw that everything is not so simple. And yes, any presentation should be closed with a question or a call to prevent the client from retreating or taking over the initiative. Moreover, these actions can be both encouraging to close the deal (“Let's go to the cashier”), or simply clarifying (“What do you say?”).
4. Dealing with objections
“Thank you, I'll think about it”, “Very expensive”, “Not interesting” or “I want to see from others”. Each such phrase is perceived as a slap in the face for novice salespeople. After all, they think that they did everything right, opened their whole souls to the client, gave their best 100 percent. And the client does not face them, but F ...
But let's put all the points right away.
Important. Objections from the client are your mistakes in the previous stages.
In most cases, if you have established a good contact, if you have correctly identified a need and have made a presentation with dignity, there will be practically no objections, there will only be a replenishment of money at the checkout.
But! This remark cannot be taken literally. There will always be objections, but here main question- how many there will be. Their number directly depends on the quality of your communication. If you do everything well, and besides, you have impulse purchases, then you can reach a value close to zero. And if you have a complex product, the company is not very well-known and you did not perform well the previous stages, then do not be surprised at the huge doubts of the client.
To work out objections correctly, you need to prepare for them, have ready-made answers at hand, because if you specialize in one area of business, then most likely they will be the same and you can easily use your template options. How to create such workouts, we have already fully disclosed in our article "".
5. Up-sell / Cross-sell
Having worked out all the objections, we have two options for events: the client, after a series of doubts and choices, agrees (almost agrees) to the purchase, or it is dear to him. We do not consider the option “Doesn't fit”, because you should have a lot for this case, otherwise your business was not built correctly from the beginning.
In the case when the client is “Expensive”, moreover, this is a fact, and not a hidden objection, we offer him a more profitable option for his budget. And when the client has made a decision to purchase, we definitely need to offer him to consider a more expensive alternative, thereby the company's profit.
Offering a cheaper alternative is not a big deal, and besides, it is easier to sell this way. But with (transferring to an expensive product), everything is much more complicated. And don't even think of saying that you can offer a more expensive product even at the presentation stage. This is also logical, but not always true.
If the client initially doubts, then we need to first convince him of the purchase, and only then transfer to a more expensive product. Indeed, in some sales, especially in cold ones, it is much more important to warm up the excitement for purchases at the start, to make the client enter this state and decide that he will work with you. And only then, when the level of trust has grown, the “warm” one can be shown a more beneficial solution for you.
6. Closing the deal
All the client's doubts are closed and, logically, we only need to say where to carry the money. But in reality we see a different situation: managers are playing for time so as not to get rejected. But in fact, the client is already ready and just waiting for you to finally pull yourself together and tell him what to do next.
This stage - the stage of completing the transaction - is the most imperceptible, since it consists of several words and two variants of events. We either use a closing question or a call to action. Depending on the context and the level of trust in you, as a person and a professional, you will choose which is more suitable in a particular case:
- Call:"Take it, you will definitely be satisfied."
- Call:"Give things, I will help you bring them to the checkout."
- Question:"Will you pick up yourself or will we arrange delivery?"
- Question:"Do you still have any questions or can I send the contract for approval?"
In our practice, we found about 15 variants of calls and the same number of closing questions in sales. This is not the limit, but this list is enough in 99% of cases. And for you, this means that too much creativity is not needed here. You just need to collect a list of suitable options for yourself and use as needed.
The only thing I want to emphasize at the stage of completion of the sale, avoid closing questions that make the client think. Among the most common: "Do we design?" and "Will you take?" The problem with such questions is that you only worsen the situation, because the client begins to think - take or take (but sometimes there are exceptions).
7. Upsell
I believe that every company should have an additional upsell. This will make it rational for employees to sell even more in pieces and names. Moreover, as you already understood, it is advisable to do this when the client has already fully agreed to purchase the main product and takes it for sure. It is precisely at this moment that he needs to be offered to buy something that will probably come in handy for him.
I have seen how some businesses live only on additional sales. They sell the main solution to zero, and all the money goes from additional goods and services. In such companies, this stage is mandatory and is punishable by dismissal. But for all its importance, it happens unobtrusively, in one phrase and no more than 3 times per dialogue:
- Many of our clients take ____ to ____.
- Pay attention also to ____, maybe this will also be relevant for you.
- By the way, you might have forgotten ___, I want to remind you of this.
In most cases, sellers do not sell, because they forget what to sell for (and of course, due to the lack of additional motivation). Therefore, in this case, we always offer different solutions: from trainings to exams. For example, for one of our clients, we have implemented a whole table of upsells, where you can see what can be sold for each product category.
It seems that everything, you can let go of the client, but “our soldier” does not give up, he alone goes to the last and takes the client's contacts so that in the future it is possible to contact him and return him to himself for repeated sales. This is done at the final stage, when everything, everything has already been agreed and even the money has been transferred into the hands.
Globally, we recommend taking contacts even from customers who have not bought. What for? It's simple - if he didn't buy now, it doesn't mean that he won't buy later, when we start working with him using SMS, email marketing, and a dozen other marketing tools.
And right away for those who believe that he has no repeat sales or the client will not return, I dare to disappoint you. In any business there are repeat purchases, you just haven't realized it yet. And for those who already understand this, I recommend that you study or at least watch the video below to make sure that this is very important.
Well, if you don't like the idea of collecting contacts, then besides that, you can ask whom he can recommend, who may still need your services or goods. Thus, you can collect a potential base 3 times faster, besides, a call on the recommendation of a client is always appreciated more than just like that.
Briefly about the main thing
Finally, we have reached the final of sales and this article, I don’t know about you, but I’m very tired of writing it. But now I feel such satisfaction, the sales manager should feel exactly the same after going through all 8 stages of the sales technique (+1 goodbye), since most likely the client, after going through this one, simply will not be able to say “No” and leave.
Surely you now have a lot of questions in your head like “How not to forget all this?”, “How not to miss any of the stages?”, “How to ask the question correctly?”, “How to sell?”, Or “How to work out objections and not to miss the client? ”. I will tell you one thing - theory will not help you without practice. Do not be afraid to make mistakes, try and draw your own conclusions. We study in the same way and do not consider ourselves ideal in this matter.
Instructions
Before starting the conversation, determine the purpose of the conversation and make a preliminary plan. Study the proposed product thoroughly in order to be ready to answer questions or objections that the interlocutor may have. Prepare answers to likely questions ahead of time. Tune in not to boil over and not get excited when answering, avoid phrases “Well, you don’t understand!”, “You are completely wrong!”, “It is impossible to talk to you calmly”, etc.
To set up a conversation with confidence, keep a smile in your voice and be extremely polite. Your positive communication will be passed on to the client as well.
Avoid common phrases that cause psychological stress ("You are bothered by the company ...", "We decided to call you because ..."). It is better to name yourself and the company you represent immediately after greeting.
Find out if the client can give you time now, or if it will be more convenient for him to call you back. Such delicacy will surely please your interlocutor.
Call the person “on the other end of the line” by their first name. The more often you do this, the sooner he will begin to trust you. This is human psychology.
Show the other person that you are ready to listen. Leave about 80% of the conversation to the client. Don't interrupt him, let him speak. If he is aggressive, try to calm him down in a soft voice. If it doesn't work, apologize and say you will call back later.
Ask your interlocutor the questions necessary to keep you in control of the conversation, do not be afraid to be persistent.
Regardless of how the client reacted to the conversation, be sure to end the conversation with a positive attitude.
Record the result of the conversation, this will help you to "correct mistakes" and improve the quality and efficiency of the next conversation.
Don't follow a pattern. Try different ways to start a conversation, offer a service or product, etc. Experiment with anything that you think will make your sales more effective.
Related Videos
Helpful advice
If your colleague is doing well on phone sales, feel free to adopt his methods or tricks.
Study psychology. It will definitely help you master the art of talking on the phone.
In order to successfully offer and sell services on telephone, it is necessary not only to know the text by heart, but also to be able to masterfully direct the conversation with the client in the right direction. If you follow a few rules for communicating with clients, most negative interlocutors will easily move into the ranks of your firm's fans.
You will need
- Individual negotiation strategy, pleasant voice, pre-prepared text of your message.
Instructions
Take more time to practice. After all, only practice will help you gain maximum confidence in your gift of persuasion. It will provide an opportunity to overcome the fear of an unknown consumer. The first and basic rule is practice.
In order to learn how to correctly offer any services or sell software, you need to choose individual option conducting a conversation with a client, that is, finding your own communication technique. It is best if it is completely individual. Today, in order to achieve success in any field, you need not act according to someone else's templates, but develop your own strategy. All people are individual and perceive the world around them differently.
Train your communication style. A pleasant, slightly low voice evokes more sympathy than a high and shrill voice. You must clearly and clearly convey information to the ears of the client. Try to completely remove from communication "parasite words" that most managers like to use. Remember that you don't want to interrupt the client, even if you already know what he wants to ask. Answer the questions posed in the affirmative and confident. Remember that it's more pleasant to agree with the positive than to argue. For beginners, compose their dialogue in advance and write it down on paper or a computer. Make yourself a cheat sheet. In no case, when dealing with a client, it is not recommended to use a completely memorized text. Best to follow