The telephone is the main source of communication for any company with a client, so it is important enough to follow the right communication tactics, there is, and if you follow these rules, you will not miss it. This physiological and psychological closeness, that is, the correct telephone conversation, is an integral part of productive business communication.

1. Kindly greet the interlocutor
Start your conversation with " Good morning" or " Good day» + the name of your organization. Such a formula is considered welcome and will help you to interest the client.

2. Your voice should always sound with a smile.
This technique is called "verbal handshake", which will help you to interest the client on the phone. The caller does not have the opportunity to see you, but he will evaluate the entire company, including you. About 60% of the information that you personally transmit daily and receive in person is transmitted non-verbally. Only 8% is transmitted through words, and 32% - through paralinguistic signals: intonation, voice timbre, speech volume, etc. If you understand these indicators, it will not be difficult for you to interest a client over the phone.

3. Speak slowly, friendly and clearly
If your voice sounds friendly, it will undoubtedly help you hook the client and set the conversation in the right way. A deeper voice is perceived better by ear than a higher one, this not tricky step will also help you to interest the client on the phone.

4. Speak naturally to convince the client
Natural speech is felt immediately and puts a person in a sincere and relaxed dialogue, this will help draw the client's attention to you.

5. Pick up the phone right away
Studies have shown that after six rings, a person begins to get irritated. The longer the client waits, the more and more he becomes angry, and this is not a very good start to interest the client. Try to pick up the phone on time, this will hook the client and set him up for a positive conversation.

6. Don't ever say, "Wait a minute!"
Such a phrase will be meaningless to the caller. Where exactly did you go? What exactly are you doing there? How much time will it take? All these questions will be scrolled in your head by your interlocutor and distracted from the topic of conversation. If you intend to interest the client, you must drop this phrase.

7. Always let the questions you ask be answered.
Don't ever express your assumptions about something. Listen carefully, then reflect on what the client has to say. You can interest the client with your attention to detail, if he sees and understands that you are listening to him carefully, this will undoubtedly set him in a positive mood.

8. Don't interrupt the caller
Interrupting a client is an indicator of bad manners and disrespect for him.

9. Never place the phone on the table during a conversation.
Modern phones have very sensitive microphones, and your interlocutor can hear you put the phone on the table, which is bad form in a conversation.

10. Know the secretary's name
Before calling another organization, get the name of the company secretary, this will put you in a very advantageous position and emphasize your professionalism.

11. Don't switch calls
If you ask the client to wait because you have a call on the other line, this may lead the client to think that you are not serious about him and there are more important clients for you than him, and this will not help you to interest the client.

12. Don't use call forwarding
The client will not feel very comfortable if he is forced to dial an additional extension number. You must understand this and create comfortable conditions for the caller.

All these 12 ways to get a customer interested over the phone, will help you in your work, and you will undoubtedly succeed if you follow them.

Chapter 7
YOUR TELEMARKETING PRESENTATION

As a company representative, you are also a telemarketer. You are "trading" the firm and yourself whenever you make a "cool" call, make an appointment, or demand payment. You may be able to increase your firm's sales. A person who specializes in telemarketing has much more skills than people who call on an occasion. Anyone who does business by phone would have a lot to learn from professional telemarketers. If you want to make the most of every phone presentation you make, focus on the points in this chapter.

Get client consent
You have now established that you are not talking to a potential customer who may be using your product variety, but to real client, which definitely uses your product variety or something similar. Now you can take the time to convince him or her to buy your product.
Summarize the most important information received from the client. Even if you are sure that you heard everything correctly, there is still a chance to make a mistake in something important.
Now you need to get the client to agree with you. This is another task that you solve by summarizing the information you have obtained. If you accurately understood and conveyed the information you heard, his or her natural reaction would be agreement. A great way to do this is to start with a verification question. For example: "Do you agree that the reliability of these pumps seems to matter more to your customers than their price?"
Look for your client's sore spot. If you've done a good job of probing the client—which is essential for a persuasive presentation—you've probably discovered some client needs that you can satisfy. However, some of these needs are probably more important than others.
You may think you know what is most important, but be completely wrong. Ask clients to list their needs in order of importance. In doing so, you not only get their opinion, but also involve them in working to solve the problem. This subconsciously leads them to the desired solution for you.

Present the benefits
Now you have identified the most pressing problem for your client, and he agreed with you. The time has come to propose a solution to the problem.
To be as effective and persuasive as possible, you need to explain your way of solving the problem, emphasizing how it will benefit the client and how it will help his business. Put yourself in the place of an employee who makes purchases for this firm. Why would you buy this product? Don't forget the difference between the features or characteristics of a product and the benefits it brings to the user. The sale is carried out due to the profitability of the goods.
Always be willing to educate the customer about new offerings and opportunities to use your product or service. Remember that you are a narrow specialist, and the client uses many different products and services. Perhaps he does not even know how to use this product with maximum efficiency and benefit for his business. By showing new ways to use your product, you become part of the client's business. This gives you an edge over your competitors.
On the issue of competition. Make sure you can compare your product or service with similar products and services from competitors if the customer asks. Two rules are very important here:

1. Compare apples to apples
Is it possible to compare two products only by price, if one product lasts much longer than the other? Obviously not. Expiration date and price are important features to compare.
Example: item X is a light bulb with a lifespan of 1000 hours and costs $1. Product Y, a light bulb rated for 250 hours, costs 50 cents. Obviously, to get 1000 hours with product V, you need to spend $2, i.e., twice as much as for product X.

2. Always compete fairly
The customer is looking at you and your product. It is possible that he is very knowledgeable and will immediately understand if you are lying. Would you yourself buy something from a person who lies to you? Doubtfully! Fight hard and aggressively, but do it all honestly.
Let's say you know your product and. very well represent its advantages over the products of competitors. How else can you add value? It should be well understood how you can increase the demand for your product. Salted nuts and beer go hand in hand, as the consumption of one creates a demand for the other. Your product or service can work very well with another product. Always look for this combination - this way you can open up a whole new direction of trading. Never forget what drives sales of your product or service. Here is the formula for a successful presentation:

Product/Service + Use = Benefit

Justify the price
The client now believes in you, and you have demonstrated to him or her how to use your product or service or improve the business. This is all? No, not all. You need to help the customer improve their business by purchasing your product or service. Perhaps the client is also accountable to his boss. The best way to accomplish this task is to justify the price or show how the benefits of using the product will exceed its price.
The excess of benefit over price should be shown primarily by the example of the business area that the client considers the most important. For example, if a client says that his most important task is to increase sales, then you must justify the price in relation to this task. Be flexible. Always remember: what is most important to you may be an empty phrase for the client. Let the client say for himself what is most important to him.
To make it easier to justify the price, you can take the following steps:

1. Determine what aspect of your client's business you are helping
Do you help the sales team by offering to sell New Product? Do you help reduce operating costs by selling long life light bulbs? How are you going to contribute to the client's business?

2. Clearly explain how you are going to help
Will you increase your sales? Will you cut costs? This is important to know. Increasing sales may not be of interest to customers who have worked out a scheme for the production, storage and distribution of products. They may have to buy a million dollar warehouse to store $50,000 worth of new products - not The best way invest. Make sure that your solution is consistent with the customer's plans and does not cost more than the possible profit.

3. Convert your estimated up/down into dollars.
Example: My calculations show that you can save $4,000 a year on your warehouse lighting. You say you have to replace 4,000 light bulbs every three months. Right? (Ask for confirmation.) My long life bulbs you only have to change once a year. All your light bulb expenses will be $4,000 ($1 each) instead of $8,000 (50 cents each) you are currently spending. Am I right? (Here you need to ask again if the client agrees.)

4. Compare the benefit your customer will get to the cost of your solution
Let's show this again with our example of electric light bulbs. Even though your customer will pay $1 for each light bulb, which is double what they are paying now, the real benefit is the lower cost of replacing light bulbs. In general, the process looks like this:
Customer need: Lower operating costs.
Department: Operational.
Your task (feasible): Reduce operating costs for the purchase of light bulbs.
How? By convincing the client to purchase your light bulbs, which are to be replaced once a year instead of four times a year.
Purchasing your light bulbs also reduces the cost of labor force because less time is spent changing light bulbs. Take all these specific figures from the customer in order to involve him in solving his own problem.
Probing the client's situation and calculating the benefit, you not only solve the problem, but also justify the cost of purchasing your product. In this case, you must remember the following important rules:
1. Identify and validate customer needs.
2. Get a clear picture of the client's current situation.
3. Demonstrate to the customer the potential benefits of purchasing your product or service.
This takes practice, but by applying these techniques a few times, you can quickly pinpoint the client's pressing issues and get concrete numbers. This information will give your presentation irresistible persuasiveness.

How to respond to purchase objections

Every incoming and outgoing call is potential sale. Every salesperson encounters customer objections in every presentation. And you will have to respond to objections. The most important condition a successful answer is anticipating objections and preparing a response in advance. There are five main types of objections:
1. Request for information. Your client may just need clarification and clarification of information.
2. Protest against the price. It can be not only a matter of money, but also an excuse to refuse a purchase.
3. Personal bias. You may not like the client because of racial, gender, religious affiliation etc. In addition, he or she may distrust you because of an incident that took place in the past. Signs of such an attitude may be silence, sarcasm or open hostility.
4. Verification. This could be the person assigned to do the research and provide their superiors with an assessment of your product or service. It is possible that this is the initiative of a person who does not enjoy great authority. Be that as it may, do not rush to finish the conversation. Have patience, but try to quickly determine whether this person will sign a contract or influence the decision maker. If not, then identify who actually makes the decisions and contact them.

Objections and their meaning
Price objections are the most common and most difficult to resolve. All of the customers and industries you deal with have specific requirements and can easily turn to your competitors. Add to this the fact that most of your customers are experienced people, and you get a very dangerous situation that needs to be neutralized. Your ability to calmly and confidently respond to objections can be the factor that separates making a deal from not making a deal.
Here are some questions you can ask yourself when listening to price objections:
1. Is the price - the main obstacle for the client?
2. How much does the client need your product or service?
3. How serious is the customer's protest against the price?
4. Is the client telling the truth?
5. Is the client trying to bring down the price by playing on the competition?
6. Is the client behaving morally?
7. Will the customer make a purchase at the price he wants?

Here are some rules that are helpful in dealing with cost objections:

1. You need to know your client and his needs
The more you know about your customer and their needs, the better you will be able to apply a personalized approach to counter price objections.

2. Anticipate Price Protests
Record all common and even some unusual objections. Prepare answers. This preparation will pay off in full.

3. Point to economy
If your product is more expensive than the competition, make an argument such as saving money due to the high quality of the product and the lack of the need to buy it often.

4. Make the client look realistic
We have what we pay for. A customer who buys a product or service at a ridiculously low price knows something is wrong. Subsequently, he will not receive proper service and guarantees.

5. Point out the risk
If the client has already dealt with you, remind them that it is risky to make a purchase from who knows who. Regarding you, he already knows what to expect, and new company may not provide such guarantees.

6. Convince the client that your product is the most valuable
Do not slander your competitors, but only show the quality and benefits of your product or service. The more benefits you discuss, the easier it will be for the customer to make their own decision, preferably a positive one, about your product or service.

7. Give yourself some extra charm
To stand out from the competition, do something extra for the customer—something that a low-price competitor can't compensate for. Treat the client's business as if it were your own. Call him for ideas on how to cut costs or make work easier. These are advantages that a competitor with low prices will not be able to resist.

8. Avoid the reputation of being "easy to give in"
Retaining clientele requires respect from clients. Lowering the price may raise the suspicion that you yourself are not sure that the quality of the goods or services corresponds to their price. This will lead to dangerous spiral constant price reduction. Have pride in your product or service.
You can use the method of "half cost". Ask the customer if they would buy your product or service for half the original price. If the answer is positive, you can respond something like this: “Now I will prove to you that the product is good enough to pay full price for it.” However, in most cases, customers continue to refuse even at half the cost. This could be one of two reasons:
1. A high price is usually the first objection used to dismiss a purchase. This is an almost automatic reaction and not always sincere.
2. Clients need further information. They probably don't know enough about your product and service and what benefits they will get from using it. This is your chance to enlighten the customer and sell the product at the same time!
Here are some other types of resistance:
- "Send me the information by e-mail." This person is probably too busy or not interested in this product at the moment.
- Postponement. To effectively deal with this kind of resistance, you need to determine the motivation of the buyer.
Here are some typical motives for buyers:
Need for approval. Approximately 50% of buyers fall into this category. They want the approval of others. With such people, the prestige of the company, product or service should be emphasized.
The need for reliability. Another 25% of buyers are looking for reliability because they do not like to take risks. They need to be convinced that there is no risk in buying your product or service. When speaking with such buyers, reliability and minimum risk should be emphasized.
Desire to guess. The remaining 25% belong to this category. These buyers are looking for benefits. To approach them, focus on increased productivity or efficiency, other features of your product that allow you to make a profit.
When dealing with such clients, the main thing is to find out what drives them - the desire to make a profit or the fear of incurring losses. By identifying which desire prevails, you can appeal to it and seriously reduce the likelihood of further delays. At the same time, you should listen very carefully to what your client is focusing on.
Here are some tips on how to stir up each of these types of clients:

1. Needing approval
- Refer to the history of the successful sale of goods to another buyer.
- For plausibility, name the names of other customers.
- Give opinions of other buyers.
- Hint that you with your product or service provide opportunities that no one else can give.

2. Looking for reliability
- Inspire that your product is of high quality, and the company is reliable. In addition, try to convince the client that you can personally be trusted.
- When comparing with the goods or services of competitors, emphasize the advantages of your product or services, but do not criticize competitors.
- Give examples of unsuccessful use: "Company N tried to use a lighter slate, but it quickly broke."

3. Profit Seekers
- Be frank. Do not mask controversial issues. Discuss them openly.
- Focus on the effectiveness of the product in action. Such clients usually want to know everything thoroughly.
- Talk about cost only when asked. You may even have to lower the price a bit.
- By identifying what drives your client, you can hit right on target and significantly increase your chances of success.

Blank Answers
Once you've identified what type of objection you're facing, you need to give a strong, persuasive answer. There are many ways to deal with objections, but here are just a few of the more successful ones:

1. Imaginary agreement (if...then)
Enter into an imaginary contract with the client.
Answer: "If I could show you what my light bulbs really allow you to save money, then would you try?

2. Link to the experience of other customers (...but then they saw...)
Objection: "It's too expensive for you."
Answer: “I understand you perfectly, many of my clients felt the same way. But then they saw that my light bulbs lasted 20% longer and ended up being 10% cheaper than regular bulbs.”

3. Question
Objection: "It's too expensive for you."
Answer: “Is it too expensive? Compared to what?

4. Reversion
Turn the objection inside out.
Objection: "It's too expensive for you."
Answer: "Yes, indeed, they are too expensive."
Objection: "What do you mean?"
Answer: “Because my light bulbs last 20% longer than the competition, they must be 20% more expensive. But they're only 10% more expensive" so you're actually saving money."

5. Denial
Openly deny the client's claim. Objection:
"Your prices are too high." Answer: "No, it's not true."
Objection: "Why not?"
Answer: “Because my bulbs last 20% longer and cost only 10% more. You are actually saving money."
Little caveat. Try your best to avoid an argument. This technique is best applied when you already know the client.

6. Consent
Agree with the client, but only partially.
Objection: "It's too expensive for you."
Answer: “Yes, I have 10% more expensive. But given that my light bulbs last 20% longer, what I suggest is the best option.

7. Explanation
Justify the increased price of your product.
Objection: "It's too expensive for you."
Answer: “Let me explain why mine is 10% more expensive. We use special durable filaments, which have a higher cost. However, our light bulbs last 20% longer, so you save on buying fewer light bulbs.”

1. Objections are an inevitable and important part of the selling process.
2. When responding to objections, you must control your emotions.
3. Many objections are actually caused by the fact that the client is not yet convinced whether he should buy.
4. If the client changes objections under your pressure, this means that the objections are not real and are only a cover.
5. With this shift in objection, you should step back and find out more about the client and their needs.
6. Your client may have one or more valid objections. However, they often need to be specified. After clarifying objections, it is usually best to translate them into questions, then answer them.
7. Your answers should be determined by the nature of the objections, which can be specific or general.
8. Special objections are specific to your product or service. Technical data, features of operation, performance, service contract - all this is the subject of special objections.
9. At the same time, universal objections usually concern price and competitors. They must be answered, explaining the advantages to the client and showing high quality your product or service.
10. If the client, sooner or later, agrees that you have eliminated all objections, this may mean that he is ready to buy. At this point, try to move on to ending the conversation.
11. Always get confirmation from the client that your answer to an objection has satisfied him or her. To do this, use simple phrases, for example: “Is this enough?”, “Is this important to you?”, “Is this acceptable to you?”.
12. Remember: if there were no objections, sales agents would not be needed. If your company didn't do business in sales, you wouldn't be hired there. Whatever position you hold, you are a sales representative of the company. You are needed to eliminate objections.

Common Sales Problems and Mistakes
In this book, you've learned how to positively, actively, and consciously build a phone presentation to maximize your chances of success. Following these recommendations, you will begin to act more successfully than an example. However, one topic remained untouched - these are black holes, known as bugs. Sometimes even a small mistake can go down the drain all the previous painstaking work. Therefore, knowing what not to do is just as important as knowing what to do. Here are the pitfalls:

Five Death Sentences Sale
While there can be many different kinds of mistakes in any sales pitch, five types of mistakes are the most common. Here are five mistakes that can ruin your entire presentation or sign its death warrant before you even comb it. Remember and do your best to avoid these mistakes.

1. You don't get the right person to talk to.
Sales reps very often talk to the first person to pick up the phone. Even if this person wants to help, they may not have the authority to make any purchasing decisions. Unfortunately, this is often only discovered when the sales rep is trying to close a deal and is told "I should ask..." or "You should talk to...". Be sure to know who you are talking to. Is he or she empowered to make decisions? If not, who is authorized? This saves a lot of time.
Not everyone has that power, but some do have the power to keep you out of the decision maker. However, they can also be approached. There are still people who indirectly influence decisions and can also fail your attempt to sell a product. Sometimes it takes a special "policy" to get these people involved in your process, but it pays off.

2. You talk about features, not benefits
This second sentence is due to one of two reasons: over-enthusiasm or ignoring the client and his needs. Certain characteristics of a product or service enable the customer to enjoy the benefits of that product or service, but these characteristics alone say nothing to the customer. When it comes to new enhancements to the Model X, sales reps should explain it in terms of benefits and benefits to the customer. You know the benefits of a particular technical data, but the client may not. Confirm it! Interpret in the client's language, not your own.

3. You win the argument
Each of us has had occasion to regret what was said. It could have been said in anger or simply by mistake. Such extra talk is nowhere more costly than in trading. Even if the client is difficult to communicate with or annoys you with their flippant remarks, it's not worth risking the success of the deal for a few minutes of satisfaction when you start an argument or splash out emotions. Control your emotions. As the proverb says, "Don't win a battle to lose a war." Your client has the final say, so make sure they say yes.
A little caveat. It is up to you to judge when a client is in trouble and when he or she is infringing on your rights. If you don't protect your dignity, no one will do it for you.

4. You don't ask to buy
People, especially strangers, rarely tell each other what they would like to hear, but show it. Your client may have listened to the entire presentation, objected several times, and now he is convinced that your product or service is really capable of meeting his or her needs. Will he or she now start talking about buying? Hardly! Since most of our communication consists of signs and hints, it is likely that with their help you will be informed of the client's intentions. The client will let you know that he is ready for the question of the purchase. If you do not ask, the client will not go forward. Moreover, he or she will lose interest or trust in you if you continue to avoid the bottom line of the conversation. Very soon, you will completely overwhelm the sales process without asking the client about his decision.

5. You talk too much
This last death sentence is very closely connected with the previous one. Some salespeople take silence as approval. While the client is silent, the sales agent continues to speak. In fact, the client is waiting for a chance to signal the sales agent to end the conversation. But as the client speaks, this "window" begins to close, and the client begins to cool down. Soon he or she loses all interest and may even feel annoyed at being wasted time. Be alert to these customer signals (discussed above) and keep the purchase question at the ready. If the client says no, this is your opportunity to eliminate another objection. After answering a few "nos", you leave only one answer: "Yes".

Most Common Mistakes
Five Death Sentences almost always results in a customer abandoning a purchase. However, sales agents can make other mistakes that create difficulties or lead to failure. They are not so serious, but also very undesirable. Here are the four most common:

1. Price reduction
Many salespeople think that lowering prices automatically increases demand and sales. This is not true. The price in most cases is associated with the quality of a product or service and implies the corresponding value of the product. By stating, "Your price is too high," customers usually ask for further information about the value of the product or service. By automatically reducing the price in response, you send a signal: 1) My product is not as good as I said; 2) Since I was wrong on the first point, I cannot be trusted on everything else. Now you have two trust issues - to your product and to you personally. By doing so, you yourself have planted yourself in a hole from which it is almost impossible to get out. You will win in every way if you insist on the price of the goods.

2. Announce instead of sell
If you are well aware of your product or service (and you should be), then you can make one of the fatal mistakes - to decide that your client can translate the new characteristics of your product or service into new benefits for themselves. and your business. By making this assumption, you are just announcing new product features instead of starting the sales process.
The process must start each time from the same starting line. Unlike you, the customer is not an expert on your product or service. Explain how the new product features will help his or her business. And do not take the knowledge of the interlocutor for granted. For your sales presentation to be effective, it must be easy to understand.

3. Sale-imposition instead of sale-care
Each of us is familiar with the image of a glib sales representative who speaks in a patter and imposes his product, forcing everyone to shy away. Once this type was common, but now obsolete. Now clients have become more enlightened, sophisticated, you can’t confuse them and you can’t convince them with the help of this style. They look for salespeople who respect their wishes, are a reliable source of information, can help a problem, and consider their clients' business success as a top priority. In turn, customers place orders in firms that seem to them the most reliable.
Be part of your clients' business and appeal to their needs. Then your chances of success will increase significantly. If you don't believe me, take a look at any service system, of which there are currently about 800. Companies understand that taking care of the needs of the customer - from cooking a turkey to cleaning a carpet of grape juice stains - is much more important. old obsessive style. Solve your customer's problem and you'll make a sale.

4. Things don't get done
It is now clear that each client requires an individual approach. For a sales rep, one of the main ways to stand out from the “herd” is to follow through. This implies a few rules for a sales rep who wants to succeed. For example, if the sale includes delivery and installation of your product, then several advantages are achieved by this. This allows you to make sure that every detail of the product functions properly - the moment that is most disturbing for the client. If something is wrong, then there is a chance to fix the problem and avoid customer dissatisfaction. Equally important is the impression you make on the client:
- You act professionally and personally ensure that the transfer of goods is carried out properly.
- You care about the well-being of the client. This alone separates you from your competitors and gives you a long-term advantage over them.
But the matter does not end there. To show clients that you don't forget them, you can keep a special calendar of significant dates and wish clients happy birthdays and various anniversaries. Such personalization is rarely practiced, but it pays high dividends.

Final Do's and Don'ts
In conclusion, let us recall some “shoulds” and “shoulds”. These are trifles, but, adding up, they form the overall impression that remains of you with the client.

1. Repeated calls
This is an obvious courtesy, but it's amazing how casually so many people treat repeat calls without realizing how annoying it is. Try to call back exactly at the agreed time. For example, you promised to call back at 4 p.m., with the latest information about the delivery time of a late shipment. Even if you haven't received any new information, call at 4 o'clock and remind the client that you are calling as promised. The client will remember that you keep your word.

2. Fear of saying “I don’t know, but I’ll look now”
No client requires you to know the answer to every question, but it always requires honesty. If you don't know something, say so, and then find the information the client needs.

3. Activities not directly related to sales
Few things irritate a customer as much as an unwillingness to provide assistance that is not directly related to sales. Too many salespeople are unwilling to turn down services for their clients unless they lead directly to a contract. Clients are not stupid. They see through the fake and, most likely, will place an order in another company. Help your customers as much as you can and within reason, and then customers will help you with their orders.

4. Signs of courtesy to "small" people. Remember to be polite to secretaries and telephone operators, try to remember or write down their names. These people can have a decisive influence on their boss or screen calls, incl. and yours. One company lost $300,000 due to the fact that the operator taking the calls was transferred to another job and could no longer weed out the competitors of this company.

5. Anger when a customer refuses to buy
The client may have a lot of reasons not to make a purchase, contrary to your desire. Your task is to find out why and try to change his or her decision. Remember: there is no such thing that every call is crowned with a deal. However, if you are angry or upset, it seriously reduces your chances of selling in the future. Keep your emotions in hand, because you will have more than one chance. Keep a positive attitude, develop your plan, and you will win next time.

Chapter 8
CONVERSATION ENDING TECHNIQUE

When we talk to a person face to face, the conversation sooner or later naturally comes to a logical end. In a telephone conversation, we are deprived of the visual signals that play a key role in interacting with another person. That is why it is sometimes so difficult to end a telephone conversation; we do not know how to complete it so that the interlocutor does not experience discomfort.
It's important to remember two things here:
1. It is in your power to maintain control over the conversation, regardless of who started it.
2. Avoid awkward endings. You can show purposefulness, but this does not hurt the feelings of the interlocutor.

1. Try to make a smooth transition
It is just as unacceptable to cut off a conversation abruptly as it is to delay its completion. When you abruptly end a conversation, you force the interlocutor to wonder what in his words caused a sudden change in your behavior. He inevitably comes to the conclusion that he said something that caused you a negative reaction.
Make a plan in advance in which you give yourself time to gradually end the conversation. Do not hold out until the moment when you have to leave for a business meeting and notify the interlocutor that you are forced to stop talking.

2. Don't hesitate
It has long been known that hesitation creates awkwardness and discomfort during a telephone conversation. Feeling your indecision, the interlocutor, regardless of your reasons for ending the conversation, begins to think that some problem remains.
If you want to end the conversation, take the following steps in a firm, professional manner.
Summarize the conversation to show the interlocutor that it is time to end.
- Retell the conversation to convince the interlocutor that you heard and understood what he said.
- Ask the client's opinion: "Miss Jones, do you approve of this plan?" or: “Mr. Kent, I am ready to start the project immediately. Are you satisfied with the scheme we discussed?”
- Try to end the conversation: "Mrs. Smith, now that I have received this information, I need to immediately check the statistics."
Repeat action plan. It is very important to re-list the steps agreed with the interlocutor so that both of you clearly understand what needs to be done and who is responsible for what. Repeating this plan may lead you to end the conversation:
- “I'll drop you a message on Friday. May I call you before this time if I have any questions?”
“So, we'll meet on Thursday to transfer the money to Anderson's account. I'll start researching right now."
Release the interlocutor. Ending a conversation is sometimes very simple:
- "Okay, I know you're busy. Thank you for your help".
“Thank you for your time. you gave me a lot useful information. Now I won't detain you any longer."
Such phrases not only allow you to end the conversation, but also show the interlocutor that you respect him and value his time.
Let the caller hang up first. It may seem like a small thing, but by letting the other person hang up first, you give them a sense of control over the conversation. It also prevents you from hanging up without knowing that the other person wants to add something else or even agree to the purchase.
Finally, by giving the customer the first opportunity to hang up, you save them the sound of disconnection.

telemarketing
Now that you've mapped out your sales presentation from opening and probing to eliminating objections, it's time to look at some patterns for the final part of the conversation. This part consists of two important elements:
1. Recognition of signals about readiness for purchase.
2. Technique to end the conversation.

Recognition of ready-to-buy signals
During a sales presentation, you should listen for such signals. You may receive signals shortly after you introduce yourself, or during a telemarketing presentation, or you may not receive them at all. However, one must constantly listen to the conversation in search of these signals. What are they like?

1. Silence
When silence occurs at the beginning of a conversation, it is usually not a signal of readiness to buy. The client may wait, because it is not yet clear to him whether what you are saying is worthy of attention. But if you posted information, answered a few objections and hear silence on the other end of the wire, then proceed to the end. Silence can mean that all objections have been eliminated and the client is ready to say yes.
2. Questions
Questions like: "How fast will it install?" or “What do I need for the workshop?” say that the customer, apparently, has already decided to buy. Questions regarding the timing of delivery, installation, warranty, service also indicate a desire to buy. If there is doubt or coolness in the voice of the client asking these questions, be on your guard. Perhaps the objection must first be eliminated.

3. Usage plans
If your client says something like, "I can use this on a project I'm starting next month," or "It can help me balance my extensive balance sheet," try to move on to completion. After all, the client himself says that your product will help him. Remember, since you can't see his or her face, you have to listen to the signals.

4. Small details
When a customer starts asking for minutiae about your product, it may indicate a willingness to say yes. "What color better fit? or “Should we look at the ads for 8 oz or look at 12 oz first?” Here are some examples of clarifying questions small parts. Resist the temptation to give too long answers and move on to the conclusion.

Proven Ways to End a Conversation
Once you've got the signal that the customer is ready to end the call, move on to the actual sale. The reason for failures in an attempt to sell a product is most often the inability to ask the client about his decision. There are many ways to ask this question, but among them the following are the most effective:

1. End with a direct question
You ask a direct business question, such as "Will you buy?" or “Can I write a check?” For purposeful, sane clients, this is the best approach. Be as direct as they are. However, by ending the conversation in this way, you run a 50% risk of getting a “no” answer.

2. Completion with acceptance
Here you make the assumption that the client has already decided to buy your product or service and it remains only to clarify the small details. At the same time, you ask this question: “Do you want to buy a red table or do you prefer a white one?” This technique relieves the client of the emotional burden of the main choice and is often very effective in dealing with the least aggressive buyers.

3. Completion with forced choice
You give the client a choice, such as "Which size is better - 12 oz or 16 oz?" Although the forced choice option is very close to the assumption option, it is still up to the customer to decide what he is buying. Your business is only to offer two options.

4. Completion-incentive
You encourage the customer to hurry up with the purchase. Sample: “Prices are expected to increase next week, but now you will buy more at the old price” or “If you buy now and you don’t like it, you can return it within 30 days for a full refund.”

5. Narrative ending
If hesitation is heard in the interlocutor's voice, you can bring the situation with another client and your product or service. For example: “XYZ did not use our light bulbs at first either. But when they began to use them there, it gave a saving of six to eight thousand dollars a year in operating costs.

6. Completion-summary
This is where you summarize your telemarketing presentation by highlighting the benefits of the product or service. After that, your closing phrase should sound something like this: “Mrs. Jones, with all these pluses, is there any reason for you to buy now?”

7. Completion in the form of a second call
This method will help to cope with the objection of the type: "give me time to think." When you call for the second time, first apologize for forgetting to tell him or her something. Add what is important. Once you've laid out this new information, re-list the main benefits that were discussed in the previous presentation, and this time add: "Remember, you agreed that..." and so on. In other words, briefly repeat the process. Remember that the main thing here is not to ask the client what he or she thinks about this.

8. Completion like "Why not?"
If you have answered all of the customer's explicit objections and after that, he or she is no longer affected by normal termination techniques, try this approach: "Mr. ___, you clearly have some reason not to buy. Would you help me a lot if you could tell me why you don't want to buy?"
None of the above methods works 100%. The same way, not every client gives clear signals of readiness to buy. However, by knowing these signals and using these conversation termination tactics, you will dramatically increase your chances of success. Another, and last, small warning: as soon as you ask about the purchase, shut up. Many sales agents do not benefit from excessive verbosity, but, on the contrary, fail the sales procedure. Let the silence work for you. It is the client's task to answer your question.
Remember that your manner of ending the conversation makes a certain impression on the client, which will also affect the success of the next contacts. Maintain a positive impression” to ensure repeat business.

Chapter 9
IMPROVE YOUR MESSAGE RECEIVING

While many offices now have voicemail, answering machines, and other state-of-the-art audio equipment, it is often necessary or desirable for a client to talk to a "real" person. More and more people are realizing that technology, no matter how perfect, cannot replace "personal contact." Therefore, receiving messages is still one of the urgent tasks of telephone professionals. Vague, inaccurate, or incomplete messages lead to trading failures, dissatisfaction on the part of clients, and worse, on the part of the boss.
Here are five ways to make your job of receiving messages more efficient:

1. Seek complete information. It may sound trite, but so many phone messages suffer from incompleteness. They lack the client's full name, exact phone number, and indications of the client's business area, whether the caller is expecting an answer, and if so, what answer.
One of the most blunders- the habit of relying only on the message of the caller, without specifying the details. For example, leaving a message to your boss: "Call your sister" can lead to misunderstanding. What if the boss has two sisters? How does he or she know who to call?
To avoid these misses, ask each caller for the information you need. It should include the following items:
- Name and surname.
- Organization (firm, company, etc.).
- Telephone number, including locality code, if applicable.
- Purpose of the call.
- Desirable form of response (make a return call, etc.).
- Special information (will call back after 2 p.m.).
- Time to call.
Find out this information consistently. If the interlocutor does not want to meet halfway, explain that without complete information it will be difficult to make a return call.
Don't forget to note the time the call came in. This can be important for your boss and any other person who must answer the call. So, from here you can find out the following important points:
- How quickly the call was answered if the call was in response to a previous call from your firm at an earlier time of the day.
- How long the customer waited to receive information or place an order.
- When is the best time to answer a call made from a different time zone.

2. Accurately write down names and surnames. If you are in doubt about the spelling of the last name, ask. Do not be shy. The client, on the other hand, will be flattered that you take the time to spell his last name correctly.
Listen carefully to how the interlocutor calls himself. Is that Bruce Brown? Or Mr Bruce Brown? Or Mr Brown? It may be essential for the person who must answer the call that you indicate this. This helps him or her choose the right form of address. Therefore, you must listen with a "third ear" and hear how the client wants to be addressed.
If you addressed someone incorrectly, apologize and take note of the correct name, surname and title; then continue the conversation.

3. Avoid telephone "games of hide and seek". Each of us knows how annoying it is. Message left. You make a return call, but the one you need is not found. Then he or she calls you, but this time you are absent...etc.
Hide-and-seek games can be almost completely avoided if:
- Give the caller a time to catch the person of interest: "Mr. Jones is usually in the office between 1 pm and 2 pm." Offer to call back at this time.
- Ask the caller what is the best time to call back.
These simple actions save a lot of time and effort for everyone, including you, and once again support your professional image.

4. Express a desire to help. If someone calls your boss or an employee of the organization, but does not find them in the office, ask if there is anything you can do to help. This achieves two goals: 1) you will know the purpose of the call, 2) there is no need for your boss to call back. Even if you weren't able to help, the information you received might be useful to the person who will answer the call.
Here is an example of how you can save valuable time:
Caller: "Is Mrs. Grant here?"
You: “Yes, but most of the day she will have meetings. Should I send her a message, or is there anything I can do to help you myself?"
Caller: "Okay. I'm calling on a job ad for your company. I would like to apply for admission."
You: “Mrs. Grant is currently collecting applications for this position. Let me give it to you full name, title and address, and you can send her an application today.”
Mrs. Grant will be grateful that you did not interrupt her once again, because she would have said the same thing. The person who called is also satisfied, because he received the necessary information and the opportunity to act immediately. Finally, and you saved yourself time, because the applicant for the position will no longer call back to find Mrs. Grant.
If you are anticipating a large number of calls to fill a position, you might suggest doing this type of screening for the hiring manager. Get basic information from him or her regarding the position or location where the company is hiring.

5. Assess the mood of the caller. The advice to indicate the mood of the interlocutor when receiving a message may seem strange, but still think about it. If you had to make a call back, wouldn't you like to know in advance that you will meet with hostility?
Indicating the mood of the interlocutor is especially important in the sales or customer service department, since here the creation and preservation of good relations with customers is a decisive success factor.
You can fix the mood of the interlocutor in different ways, depending on how much time you have. You can either mark meaningful words and phrases, general attitude, or build a five-point scale of attitude (from positive to negative).
If you have time, and the other person seems especially upset, you can try to get to the bottom of the problem. Some start talking about it without question! Any information will help the person who will have to answer the call.

The best way to post
Leaving a message, bring full information. Re-read the list of points to be clarified when receiving messages. Use it as a guide when posting your own. Thanks to the completeness of the information, you will save other people's time and nerves. However, try to be brief and stay within 30 seconds. The longer the message, the more difficult it will be to write it down accurately or listen carefully. The more you talk, the greater the risk of misunderstandings.

Final Thoughts

People who communicate on the phone are at the forefront of modern business. They greet customers, sell products, hold meetings, confer with customers, and perform a myriad of other vital business functions.
If you are also on the front lines, then your job is to listen, respond and communicate effectively. When you do a good job, you communicate much more than just facts or information about a product or service. You demonstrate the image - yours and your company.
Good telephone communication skills play a very important role in the perception of your company by the people who call there. The way you managed to demonstrate your communication skills on the phone will tell these people a lot about your professionalism, about the organization of your company, about its attitude towards customers and employees, about your attitude towards the company.
Every day when doing business on the phone, remember what information you should inspire your interlocutors. Evaluate your effectiveness not only by the information that you openly give to your interlocutors, but also by implicit information perceived at a deeper level.

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Speak in such a way that you cannot be misunderstood

Quintilian

The main goal of any business is to sell. Therefore, for every commercial business, customers, contact with them and their service are important. Today, telemarketing has become one of the main means of acquiring potential customers.

Managers' mistakes, however, made when communicating with a client, can cross out all efforts and reduce sales to zero.

At the same time, sales representatives, as a rule, step on the same rake and run into the same pitfalls:

Not getting a conversation with the right person

Usually sales reps start talking to the first person who picks up the phone. But it is necessary to talk with someone who has the authority to make a decision in the field of making purchases. If, in response to a question, the manager hears: "I need to ask ...", in this case, it is better to ask to invite a person authorized to make such financial decisions to the phone. And in order to achieve a conversation with the right and competent person, sometimes you need to apply a special “policy”.

Emphasize the characteristics, but not the benefits of the product

Sometimes, feeling enthusiastic, the manager begins to list certain characteristics of a product or a new model. But the client is unlikely to be able to understand them. By themselves, they say nothing to him. The manager needs to present the product or improved model in terms of customer benefit, emphasizing the necessary benefits of the product. This must be done in a language accessible to the client and nothing else.

Achieve victory in an argument

Arguing with a client is an unaffordable luxury for a manager. Therefore, it is necessary to keep emotions under control. The manager must understand that the last word always remains with the client. And that word should be the word "yes." However, arguing with the client can nullify all efforts.

Therefore, it is worth avoiding disputes and controlling feelings. Here, the manager simply needs sensitivity and understanding when the client is experiencing real difficulties, and when he is infringing on rights. In the latter case, the manager has the opportunity to defend his dignity.

Don't sum up the conversation

The manager's task is to telephone conversation Present a product to a potential customer. Often, at the end of the conversation, the person inside already agrees to the purchase, but, as a rule, does not express intention openly. Therefore, the final stage of the conversation should be a mandatory and specific question about the client's decision: whether he wants to make a purchase.

Too much talk

There is a famous saying: "silence is a sign of consent." This is exactly what some managers think, and when the client is silent and listening, they keep talking. However, silence is not always a sign of approval. The client is just waiting for a moment to end the conversation.

He may have made a positive decision a long time ago, but the manager does not give him a chance to express it. It is necessary to show sensitivity, to achieve the reaction of a person, and not to “hit one goal”. Otherwise, the manager may lose a potential client, because he will lose interest in the subject of purchase due to the verbosity of the sales agent.

As a rule, such errors lead to the refusal of the client from the purchase. But there are other mistakes that managers make when directly offering and selling a product.

Telemarketing: sales mistakes and how to fix them

Here are the most common mistakes managers make when selling a product. Sales Agents:

Reduce the price

Some sales reps mistakenly believe that a low price for a product automatically increases customer demand and interest in the product. Thus, by lowering the price of a product, they expect to increase sales. Usually, being interested in “Why is it so expensive?”, the client wants to make sure that the price of the goods corresponds to its quality.

And, if the manager, in response to such a question, begins to automatically bring down the price, he thereby shows the client that his product is actually worth nothing. This can lead to a negative result: the client will lose confidence in the product and, directly, in the one who represents it. Therefore, maintaining the original cost of the goods is the correct position of the manager.

Announce instead of sell

A good sales agent must be very knowledgeable about his product. But such awareness should not confuse the client. You need to sell a product, which means explaining to a person how the proposed product will help him in life or business. An effective sales presentation should be accessible and easy for the client to understand.

The tactic of imposing a product instead of a thoughtful suggestion

Product push has become a common sales pattern. But such schemes no longer work. Clients expect a patient and understanding approach to their needs. They choose reliable firms that are ready to listen to them and carefully approach the solution of their clients' problems. This is how successful managers work today. It is necessary to solve the problem of the client, only in this way the manager can make a sale.

They don't finish the job

Selling a product is the goal of any professional manager. But you can separate yourself from thousands of others only by using a personal approach to a person. And that means getting things done. You can simply sell the goods and issue the corresponding check. And you can sell the product by delivering and installing it. And such a sale will have a double advantage.

It will allow the client to make sure that the purchased product functions properly, and this is precisely what worries any buyer. In addition, a person has the opportunity to make sure that, if a problem is detected, it can be fixed on the spot. Thus, the manager will be able to avoid customer dissatisfaction and achieve greater location. By doing so, the manager will show:

• that he acts professionally, personally monitors the transfer of goods "from hand to hand";
• cares about the welfare of the client.

Some sales representatives and firms do not stop at such personal involvement and do more: start a calendar of anniversaries, congratulate their customers on important events, anniversaries, anniversaries, birthdays. This approach gives customers attention and gives positive results.

Dealing with non-paying clients

Telemarketing involves working not only with potential customers, but also with those who have a problem with payment. Here, too, do not make mistakes. Here are some guidelines for calling non-paying customers:

When talking, you should not:

• be hostile or tinged with sarcasm. This can aggravate the situation;
• condemn the client
• get hung up. You need to look for compromises, otherwise you can lose the client forever;
• break loose. It is necessary to exercise restraint, not to show excessive emotionality;
• threaten the client. This can lead not only to the loss of a client, but also to problems with the law.

Necessary:

• find out more information about the client and the circumstances that have arisen for him;
• instill in a person faith in the best;
• do not talk to those who do not make decisions;
• keep patience and calm;
• demand the return of the entire amount of the debt;
• be tactful and treat the client the way you would like to be treated.

» Sales by phone

© Oleg Tocheny

telephone marketing
(sales by phone)

Are you a telephone agent and are now going to dial a potential client to offer him a product or service? Don't rush. If you act head-on, then for your interlocutor you will be just one of many who daily bothers him with such calls. Here you need to use a different tactic, thanks to which you will be able to attract the attention of the client to your offer.

Before starting the conversation, you, of course, 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, other details and enter all this into the database. Now you need to think carefully about the upcoming conversation. If you write an appeal correctly and manage to arouse interest in yourself, then this company will almost certainly become your client.

Try to put yourself in the place of the client and answer the question: “Why, in fact, should I buy this product?”

There are not so many reasons why people shop

1. To save money (20% discount in the store, you need to buy jeans);
2. In order to earn money (use for the production of other goods, resell);
3. To save time (for example, a phone saves time compared to personal travel; a car saves time compared to public transport, - so people pay for the installation of phones and buy cars);
4. To maintain your social status (you need to buy a "Mere": the owner of the company is ashamed to drive a "Zhiguli");
5. And the last reason is logical considerations (by 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 at your disposal no more than 45 seconds - 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 just as important is how you say it. 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" on the phone. If you just read something, your interlocutor will also easily understand it. Don't believe? Check with your friends. So the first thing is a smile. The second is what you actually have to say.

There are 5 stages that you need to go through in every telephone conversation with a client.

1. It is necessary to attract the attention of the interlocutor. This can be done as a greeting. As soon as you say: “Good afternoon, Mr. Petrenko!”, you will capture his attention.
2. Then you should introduce yourself. I don't think anyone should be taught this.
3. After that, you need to give the name of your company.
4. Finally, you should say something that will arouse the client's interest in your firm.

As a result, you should get something like: “Hello, Mr. Petrenko! You are concerned about Mr. Sidorenko from Service and Co. We offer talking office refrigerators that tell you which products start to deteriorate and need to be used as soon as possible, which employee they belong to and how this employee reacts to the disappearance of his property from the refrigerator. Talking fridge will help your company save up to 20% of employees' funds for food and, consequently, the 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 productive?” Who's to 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 likelihood that he will agree to your proposals is one chance 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: most often, after a positive answer, objections follow, 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. I 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 can't get the name, try to cheat. Pretend to be a customer, call back and ask to be connected to Mr. Ivanov from the sales department. If you are lucky and you guess right, then you will be connected immediately, if not, then pretend that you mixed up the last name. Ask for the name of the head of the sales department, and then ask to connect with him after all. Your main goal - to talk to someone who can make a decision, bypassing the secretary - is achieved. Now you can start a conversation, the result of which should be the appointment of a meeting with the client or the conclusion of an agreement.

Conversation with a client

Ten commandments of the telephone agent

1. The 20/80 rule. This means that 80% of the time you should be listening and talking only 20%. For the opening speech, you are given, as we have already said, 45 seconds. Then your task is to listen and remember the problems and needs of customers. Then you will have an excellent reason to offer the client to conclude an agreement with you, which will help him solve these problems and satisfy his needs.
2. If you want to look businesslike, never ask general questions like the weather or "How are you?". Is it appropriate to ask about the weather of an interlocutor who is at a distance of 20 km from you? Are you ready to devote the next half hour to listening to stories about other people's problems?
3. Avoid hesitations, speak specifically, accurately, observe the right intonation. Don't forget to smile! You need to speak not too slowly and not too fast, not too loud and not too soft. You must be sure that you are well heard and understood. Learn to feel when you need to pause in a conversation. Telephone agents work much more efficiently when they know how to silently wait for an answer and hang up on time.
4. Don't be upset if you get an answering machine. Your goal is to get a call back, and we'll talk about how to do that a bit later.
5. 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, the request for information is simply a desire to keep you behind. However, there are most different ways 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 prospectuses personally, citing the fact that they require explanations - here is the meeting with the client that you sought.
6. Answer objections correctly (we'll show you how to do this below).
7. Do not allow yourself disrespectful remarks towards competitors. Serious people prefer not to work with those who, in an attempt 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 teach their sales representatives, in particular, Kodak.
8. When working in telephone marketing, you can not miss a day. By skipping one day a week, you will fall behind so much that there is no point in even trying to catch up. Never stop calling new people - that's the only way to get new customers.
9. Never offer your firm as a "last resort" supplier. You must convince the client that your firm is the best. Experience shows that no one ever turns to the help of suppliers left "in case of emergency".
10. Don't give too much information over the phone. Remember your main goal. If you want to receive an order and you have been asked a question, it is impossible not to answer it. And if your goal is to make an appointment, it's better 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 preparations 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. Blanks cannot be read. There is nothing more unpleasant when a telephone agent interrupts you from business, and even reads something. In such cases, you just want to hang up. Therefore, blanks must be memorized.

In addition, blanks help to focus on the main goal of the conversation. By knowing what to say, you won't be wasting your time or the client's time. Thus, 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 company specifics. Write down blanks: this is how you remember them and learn how to use them. In the course of work, you can always correct them and improve them.

Do they object to you? It's good

A person who does not know how to respond to customer objections is not entitled to call himself a telephone agent. An objection is a kind of chance the client gives you; use it to tell him what he wants to hear. In no case do not avoid objections. In telephone marketing, there is a rule of 3 "P": "REPEAT, SUPPORT, CONTINUE". Take it into service - and success is guaranteed to you. 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 work with you.

Invite the interlocutor to continue the conversation. Thus, you repeated, supported and continued the conversation about your goal. During the first week of work, you will hear a lot of objections, most of which can be reduced to seven main ones. Each of them means an attempt by the client to end the conversation with you. But your position should be the following: I will now overcome this objection, and we will continue the conversation.

1. The client says that he has already tried what you offer and did not like it. To overcome this objection, use the 3-P rule (see above).
2. The customer states that he already has a supplier. Don't give up: keep asking questions until you find the "weakness" of this provider - the point at which your services are in better side different from those that the company of your interlocutor has provided so far. Why not a chance to acquire a new client?
3. The client says that he is not interested in your product. Apply the rule of 3 P's. If the client again says that he is not interested, apply the "final blow" (technique, which will be discussed below). But if that doesn't work, hang up the phone.
4. The client tries to end the conversation with a request to send documentation. Ask the client what specific data he would like to receive. Try to reduce the conversation to the rule of 3 "R" 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 of interest to him, then you are ready to transfer data on the required items.
5. The client says that the savings from working with you are small and not worth the extra 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 3 R's, end your conversation with a request for an order or appointment.
6. The client asks to call back in a month, because now he is too busy. Tell him that he could save a lot of money during this time, and ask if there is anyone in the office with whom you could talk for two minutes. Using the 3 R's, describe a similar experience and end with a request for a meeting or a deal.
7. The client says that these issues are not within his competence. Find out from him who is responsible for this area of ​​\u200b\u200bwork. If he does not want to answer, go back to the secretary and ask him again.

Conclusion: the obstacles that arise must be overcome. Try to work like this for at least a month, and you will understand that this tactic justifies itself.

Earn the right to offer

When talking to a client, one more important rule of telephone marketing should not be overlooked: you cannot simply call the client and invite him to place an order. But you can earn such a right even in one minute.

Follow the rules: make an introduction, correctly overcome 2-3 objections, and half the battle is done. Then, by asking the right questions and listening to the answers, you need to find out what the needs of the client 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 firm has no problems at all? If all your attempts to find out have ended in failure, say goodbye and move on to the next client.

In your arsenal of ways to work with clients should be a special offer that is valid at the moment and does not imply risk to 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 must work with a special form on which he notes everything he does. If the manager didn’t give it to you, it doesn’t matter: draw up 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 you should track every day:

1. calls.
2. The autoresponder entries you left (this will help you prepare your autoresponder template).
3. Gatekeepers (how many times a day did you hit the secretary).
4. The people responsible for contract decisions (how many times per day did you manage to convince the secretary to put you through to these people).
5. Sent faxes or mail (what needs to be sent, in what form and quantity).
6. Repeat calls.
7. Scheduled follow-up calls (how many calls you need to make).
8. Replies to your messages on the autoresponder (how effective is your autoresponder template).
9. Appointments.
10. Concluded contracts.

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 write down a phrase on the answering machine that will make the client call you back. Advise, for example, that you will visit him on Tuesday at 14-00 in order to tell in more detail about the offers of your company. After that, leave your name and phone number.

Hearing that a person is going to come to his office, to whom he did not make an appointment, 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 is achieved: the client called you.

But maybe he is just angry with you and wants to tell you this? As a rule, the indignation of the client can be neutralized. To his question about the meeting, answer that you just left information and wanted to know if it was possible to pay him a visit on Tuesday. If this time does not suit him, ask what is suitable. Thus, you returned to the rule of 3 "P" - repeated the offer of services of 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 with you or place an order.

And finally, some useful tips:

1. Leave information on the answering machine for no more than 30 seconds.
2. Don't stutter or pause.
3. Call again. On average, to catch a person, he needs to call 4-8 times.
4. Think carefully about what you are going to say.

Special offers

In order to attract new customers, always keep special offers in reserve - coupons, discounts, free service, free shipping, trial period. A 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 how it should be done when working with big companies, which you would like to make your customers, but who do not agree to buy goods from you without a sample. 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 the first order. This method really works and is liked by consumers. But make it clear to the client that this is a one-time offer.

About the most important thing - about ordering

1. Question one: have you earned the right to offer an order?
2. 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 agrees immediately (in this case, just say: “Thank you. You will be pleased 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 after it you receive an order. I do not mean 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.
3. Make sure you mention the expiration date on your special offer. If you do this, the client will have an additional incentive to conclude a contract with you.
4. Have you asked probing questions that push the client to close the deal? With their help, you can feel whether the client is going to work with you at all.
5. Have you tried the technique called "last hit"? I mentioned this above and now I will explain what it is. When the client answers no to all your questions, ask him if he would be interested in even hearing your presentation. If the answer is “No,” politely say goodbye and hang up. You will not succeed with this client.

Focus - and success will not keep you waiting

There are people who, in a conversation with a telephone agent or a traveling salesman, talk about anything but sales. The telephone agent needs to avoid those who can "eat" his time. Plan your goals for the day before you arrive at work. You need to know how many calls you want to make, how many deals you want to close. And telephone marketing should be done daily, but no more than 2-3 hours without a break.

Get yourself going 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 in the subway or in a trolleybus, you can record yourself cheering yourself on a cassette and listen to it along the way.

Always call new customers first before making repeat calls. Many do the opposite, but if you keep repeating calls all the time, the influx of new customers and ideas will stop.

AND last rule: Always start with the heaviest 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 arrival of the secretary and talk to those who make decisions directly. So:

1. You need new clients.
2. Calls really help you get new customers.
3. The more customers a telephone agent attracts, the more more money he will earn.
4. You need to call every day.

Causes of failures of telephone agents

Now I would like to talk about the reasons why many telephone agents fail. Insurance companies in the West, for example, hire thousands of agents knowing that in a year 95% of them will leave. But those who remain succeed.

The reason for the failures is in the "SNSP". It stands for: fear, uncertainty, doubt, habits.

Fear. Telephone agents fail because they are afraid to make the next call lest they get rejected. This needs to be treated in a completely different way. Convince yourself that for 200 of your proposals there will be one agreement. And the sooner you get these refusals, the sooner you get to an agreement.

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 techniques.

Doubts. Let's say you decide tomorrow start following our advice. But then you shared your plans with someone else, and you were told that nothing would come of it. Then doubts may arise in your soul, which will cause your defeat. Don't give in to them until you try it yourself.

Habits. If you change your habits for 2 hours a day, in a month, using the techniques described by us, you will get rid of fear, insecurity and doubt. Write down your results, and if after a month they do not noticeably improve, then you are doing something wrong. Now start calling. I wish you success!

"Career", No. 2, 2000

Every manager should master the technology of telephone sales, since about 70% of transactions originate from a telephone conversation. Moreover, almost every commercial enterprise trying to keep in touch with regular customers, periodically notifying them about discounts and expanding the range, and also widely practice direct search for new customers by phone.



The very technology of sales through the phone can be divided into two conditional types - when the client calls the manager and when the manager calls the client. In the first case, the manager’s task is to keep the client and make him permanent, in the second, to find a new buyer, reach out to contact persons, collect basic information, etc. Accordingly, it is best to develop two regulations, prescribing the main points of telephone conversations in them and disassemble with employees tactics of behavior in a given situation.

Client manager
So, first, let's look at the basic technique of telephone conversations in the case when a client calls a company.

Greetings

Before starting a conversation, you must skip a few rings, then pick up the phone, say hello, give the name of the company and your name. Ideally, speak with a smile and keep the timbre in the most pleasant range, which is in the lower register for men, and in the middle register for women.

The tone when answering the call should be as friendly as possible, it must be remembered that at this moment the manager represents the entire company on his own behalf and is responsible for its image and reputation. If you need to switch the client to another employee, delays of more than 20-30 seconds should not be allowed - it is better to ask for a call back.

Talk

At the first exchange of phrases, it is necessary to show interest in the client's questions - listen carefully and clarify the details. It is important to stick to the golden mean here - without delaying the conversation, get to the bottom of the issue, give an adequate answer and necessary information. After the client has learned the information, he is offered a product or service, and this one must be presented as if it ideally fits his requirements.

In a conversation, you need to carefully monitor emotional condition client, you can use psychological methods beliefs and even some Neuro-Linguistic Programming, and you can borrow a lot of tricks from the technique of "live" sales.

If some information is not available at the time of the call, you should take the contact details from the caller, promising to call back by the specified date. At the same time, the term must be stipulated real, since a company that does not fulfill its promises immediately falls heavily in the eyes of the client.

End of conversation

According to the rules of etiquette, the conversation ends with the one who started it. To bring the client to the end of the conversation, you can indicate the results of the conversation. After that, you need to say goodbye, wishing, for example, a good day.

Manager - client
But, in the case when the manager calls the client, while not previously contacting him, it is necessary to use maximum cunning.

The purpose of any sale by phone is to reach the competent person of the manager, or the head of the supply department. Therefore, before calling, you need to collect as much information about the structure as possible. client firm and her needs. This can be done by a series of clarifying calls that colleagues will make (it is important only to do this not at the same time), after reading information on the Internet or getting to know one of the client's employees on social networks.

Starting a conversation

For example, a manager is interested in selling parts for a client's fleet. By collecting information, he learns that the potential client uses Volvo cars, and the director's name is Ivan Ivanovich. The beginning of the conversation may look like: “Good afternoon, can I talk to Ivan Ivanovich? This is from Autolux about problems with a Volvo transmission in your fleet." In this case, the manager has much more chances that he will be connected with Ivan Ivanovich than if he simply asks: “This is from the Autolux company, do you need spare parts?”.

Continuation of the conversation

Ideally, it's good to give the conversation a little informal coloring. For example, after reading on the forums about the problems of Volvo cars from the 2000s, you can start a conversation about them. At the same time, it is important to use open-ended questions, to which the client will give a detailed and complete answer. Talking to the client is the most important thing, let him tell as much as possible about his problems and needs.

What follows is to offer your services as delicately as possible, ideally solving his problems and needs, but at the same time avoiding imposition. It is necessary to imagine that the interlocutor is the same person, who is largely tired of the official form of communication and endless monotonous commercial offers, and base your conversation on this.

End of conversation

It doesn't take much of the client's time. The most important thing is to make contact. Therefore, the end of the conversation should be based on positivity and hope for future cooperation or communication. And do not despair if you refuse - the first time you rarely manage to sell anything. In any case, even the fact that the client learned about the company is very good, and the manager received another point in the experience of conducting telephone conversations.

Telephone sales are not easy to master, requiring experience and knowledge of the psychology of trading. But even experienced managers understand that in this case, the sales statistics will be most truthfully revealed by the Pareto law - out of 100 customers, only 20 will make contact, and out of these 20, only 16 will turn out to be real buyers. However, a good command of the technique of telephone conversations will enhance the reputation of the company, harden employees and make them more experienced.

Also, a deep analysis of telephone conversations can help marketing research in some way. And, of course, profitability will increase in any case, if the product is in demand, then the client will even be glad that he managed to make a bargain through a phone call, and the seller himself came to him, saving him from wasting time on unnecessary searches.