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Buyers don't need choice, they want a specific product or service
Joseph Pine
What is the principle behind a cold call?
Continuing the theme of cold calling, it should be noted that calling to a stranger Without a pre-made scheme it is very difficult. After all, it is important not just to call, but to make sure that the conversation takes place.
And it just won’t work out that way. A cold call script is required. Approximate diagram such a call is as follows:
- Be sure to capture the person's attention.
- Clearly and competently introduce yourself and the company whose products are offered.
- It is clear to explain the reason for the call.
- The conversation should include an evaluative or interrogative statement.
- A business meeting must be scheduled.
Of course, you don’t have to use a standard script, but while working in this direction, develop your own, individual one. After all, everything that comes with practice brings success much faster. There’s a show on TV, and it’s clear that the actors pass all their dialogues through themselves. There is no talk of any scenario.
Likewise, a successful sales agent must pass through the text of a cold call prepared in advance. Then the words will sound natural and convincing. Or a teacher who has been working in the same program for many years. He knows the basics thoroughly, but can make changes based on circumstances.
The purpose of this article is to help the sales agent develop a customized scenario. Then he will be able to have time to say everything that is necessary and at the same time, will have the opportunity to focus on the answer of the interlocutor, since it is the answer that plays the main role.
Detailed cold calling algorithm point by point
Be sure to grab a person's attention
It is necessary to start a conversation with a phrase, the purpose of which is to capture attention invisible interlocutor. The subsequent answer depends on her. But what it will be, positive or negative, will depend on the correct question that will be asked at the beginning of the conversation.
That is why a sales agent must remember the truth: what is the question, so is the answer. Suppose a cold calling scheme begins with something like this: “Would you be interested in an offer to save a trillion dollars for yourself?” It is clear that the proposal is impossible, it sounds stupid and the answer will be just as stupid.
The conclusion follows from this: it is necessary to start a conversation with reasonable proposals to which you can get a reasonable answer. So the statement is visible, what is the question - this is the answer.
Recently, a stockbroker called the manager of a computer equipment manufacturing company and asked: “Mr. Ivanov, are you interested in investing in a product in securities?. The company was not interested in this and the answer was: “No.” The conversation ended before it even began. Consequently, the cold calling algorithm, the example of which is being discussed, had to be built differently.
But here's a completely different conversation. “Hello, Mr. Ivanov. A representative of the Life Insurance company, Alexander Tikhonov, is calling you. Have you insured your life? “Yes,” he hears in response. The agent asks another question: Would you like to change insurance company? and hears in response: No, I wouldn’t want to.” That's it, the conversation didn't work out again, no reason to ask next question- no, the agent hangs up.
But if he had shown a little imagination in advance and structured the conversation with a hint of curiosity in questions, for example, why the client insured his life with that particular company, the result would have been different. It is necessary to be able to take advantage of the opportunity to obtain information and the ability to take advantage of it.
When offering their services over the phone, a sales agent must be able to talk, that is, not just silently listen to disagreement and refusal, but be able to avoid the pitfalls that most often await at the beginning of a conversation (the issue will definitely be considered separately).
Don’t forget the rule: what question is the answer. In addition, you should not seek permission to call again, it is not necessary. You can call as many times as necessary. But whether the interlocutor will pick up the phone or not is another question. Most people take a very long time to understand that the first conversation special significance no, this is the case. It is much more important to prepare scripts for cold calls subsequent to the first.
Appointing business meeting the agent should not resort to tricks and tricks, trying to deceive the interlocutor into a meeting. But some do just that, introducing themselves as a doctor from a clinic or reporting about a prize they have won. Such methods are not worthy of attention and will only cause irritation.
There is a known case where representatives of one company were trained to start a conversation by looking for the wrong person. For example, call:
This is probably his brother, connect with him.
And when the well-known Nikolai Ivanov uncomprehendingly picks up the phone, he is bombarded with a stream of pre-prepared information. Few people would like this, so this cold calling tactic causes a lot of negativity and irritation.
This is not the most The best way start a conversation. And so beloved by many intriguing phrase at the beginning, something like: “I would tell you how to make a million…” also applies here. Clever man will not invent anything, but will simply say hello. And it really works. It would seem that it could be simpler, but many do not use it. But in vain.
If you analyze some telephone conversations, you can understand that the sales agent should concentrate his attention on the answer of the interlocutor and the direction of the conversation after the answer. In order for the conversation to continue, you need to be able to use the answer for your own purposes.
Therefore, the cold calling algorithm is initial stage conversation is structured so that the answer can lead the interlocutor to desired result. AND simple phrase: « Good morning..." will definitely give this necessary result.
The very first words should force the interlocutor to give an answer. The agent must foresee options for continuing the conversation after any answer and conduct it in such a way that the result is an appointed meeting. But this is not the most important point, because no matter what is said, the answer will still be heard, and you can prepare for it.
But the real important point of the conversation is the positive tone. After all, they react to it most often. And if the agent speaks intelligently, politely and calmly, they respond in kind. If, after the sales agent’s question, the interlocutor hangs up, this is a reason to think about what the reason is.
But this is also a kind of answer. Using the advice in this article, the agent will learn how to create cold calling scripts without using anything extra. Thus, less and less people will hang up.
Clearly and competently introduce yourself and the company whose products are offered
The bell rings, the man picks up and hears: “Good morning, Mr. Ivanov. This is Dmitry Petrov from the World of Miracles company. Surely, he will not understand who is calling and what kind of company it is. This means that the agent’s task is to present himself and the company’s services in more detail.
The conversation should sound something like this: “Good morning, Mr. Ivanov. This is Dmitry Petrov from the World of Miracles company, which is located here in the city. Our company is a large corporation providing any services. We cooperate with more than 200 other companies,” and so on. It’s much clearer and the likelihood of attracting the client’s interest increases.
It is clear to explain the reason for the call.
Third, important point, which provides a cold calling scheme - this is the rationale for calls, most of which are made for the purpose of scheduling a business meeting. By calling a large number people with an offer to set up a meeting, the agent will probably arrange it, and in more than one case. But if the reason for the call is not announced, then the meeting will not be scheduled. In other words, it is necessary to designate the signal.
An interesting case was when a girl, after walking around the city for a long time, got tired and sat down to rest on the steps of the church. It was very hot and she took off her cap and put it next to her. People passing by took this as a signal and began throwing money into the cap. And although her actions were aimed at something completely different, she involuntarily gave a certain signal. If you didn't put the cap in front of you, the girl wouldn't get anything.
Therefore, the agent, when making a call, is obliged to signal that a meeting is necessary. And approximately one out of twelve interlocutors will definitely agree, if only for the sake of interest, since they will not understand what they are talking about. He will need to satisfy his curiosity and agree to meet.
You can try to make this stage more productive. To do this, instead of the usual phrase asking for a meeting, you need to come up with something more enticing that will surely attract a potential client.
So, cold calling tactics at this stage must be clearly marked.
The sales representative is obliged to provide complete picture from the whole conversation. To do this, he indicates the reasons why he is calling, and the purpose of his call is not in his presentation, not in the questions he can ask, not in a specifically voiced request, and not even in concluding the deal itself. His goal is to make an appointment and that's it. It is extremely important to understand this.
The conversation should include an evaluative or interrogative statement
Evaluative or interrogative statements will play an important role during the conversation. It should flow smoothly from the initial phrases of the conversation and at the same time logically continue everything that has already been said. At the same time, the agent should not allow any hints of manipulation of his interlocutor.
Here is a cold calling script, an example of which clearly shows the meaning of such statements.
Mr. Ivanov, I am sure that the activities of your company are exactly the same as those of others with whom I work (it would be appropriate to name specific companies), ... And you are interested in more efficient work…
In this case, the answer is likely to be yes, which is exactly what the representative is looking for.
A business meeting must be scheduled
Don't be afraid of specifics. Let's assume that the answer is affirmative. The client is ready to schedule a business meeting. This must be done in the following way: “Great, Mr. Ivanov, then we just need to meet. Will Wednesday suit you at four o'clock in the afternoon?"
In other words, the phrase should be brief and specific, with a mandatory indication of time. Only then will everything work out. If the agent starts offering options, this will not lead to good results. Many people make a serious mistake, being afraid to say directly specific request about a meeting. Only in this way, clearly, directly and specifically, can you benefit from your actions. And again the statement arises: what is the question, so is the answer.
Sample script for one cold call
Agent: Good morning, Mr. Ivanov. This is Dmitry Petrov from the World of Miracles company, which is located in our city. It is the largest service provider in its field and more than 100 similar companies cooperate with us.
I would like to make an appointment with you and tell you about new programs that can improve the efficiency of your employees. I am sure that you, like the Filibuster company, are interested in the efficient work of your employees.
Ivanov: Yes
Agent: Great, that means we need a meeting. Will Wednesday suit you at four o'clock?
And here is an example of how not to structure the text of cold calls, the purpose of which is to set up a meeting.
Good morning, Mr. Ivanov. You are worried about Dmitry Petrov from the World of Miracles company, which is located in the city. I'm calling you because I think you will be interested in our company and want to know more about it.
With such a beginning, a completely natural answer will sound:
Of course, send me some brochure or something...
The goal was not achieved and the meeting was not scheduled. But this is the main thing when calling. Everything else should be kept silent, otherwise problems will arise.
When should you call?
This is a very common question that concerns many sales representatives. Of course, everyone chooses here convenient time. But the agent must remember that it should be convenient not only for him, but also for potential clients. You can call in the morning, before the start of a busy working day, or in the evening. But statistics show that calls made in the first half of the day are more effective.
Sales scripts– one of my favorite destinations. And not only because they are expensive and relatively easy to write. This is perhaps the only direction in copywriting where you can see the result of your work in real time. Moreover, only here you can check the performance of certain modules yourself by communicating directly with the target audience.
That thrill when you pick up the phone in anticipation of the first phone call. The face and ears turn red, the pulse quickens, the hands become clammy, and the adrenaline goes through the roof. Honestly, sometimes it seems that it’s easier to slide down an extreme slide at a water park a la “kamikaze” than to make the first cold call using a developed script. However, over time you get used to it and the feelings dull. But that's not the point.
This is a kamikaze slide at the Brazilian water park Insano. And sometimes it seems like moving out is easier than done phone call according to the script... At least until you go upstairs.
With this article I want to solemnly open a new section on the blog dedicated to telephone sales scripts (and not only). In it, I will share my experiences and approaches to “programming” managers so that they call and sell products, services or ideas more effectively.
What are sales scripts for calls?
Telephone sales scripts(or, their other name is speech modules) are pre-prepared phrases that the manager uses in a conversation with the client. In other words, this is a kind of program, an algorithm for the manager, what and how to say to the client in all possible situations and in any response of the latter. If you regularly read my blog, you've probably noticed that I often compare copywriting to engineering. Here is one of the most illustrative examples– pure programming. Only the performers are not computers, but people. Living people.
Sales scripts– verbatim written remarks with marked intonations and explanations. This type is usually used by call centers or inexperienced sales managers.
Writing scripts is not a cheap pleasure. And this good news for a copywriter. average cost a set of speech modules, depending on the goals and objectives, varies from 60 to 600 thousand rubles ($1000-$10,000).
However, it is important to understand that this money is not paid for nothing. And despite all the seemingly simplicity of development, a scriptographer (as copywriters who write custom scripts are sometimes called) requires real sales skills. Without them, it is almost impossible to write a working script the first time.
Where are sales scripts used?
Yes everywhere. Where there is communication, there are sales scripts everywhere. And this applies not only to business, but also Everyday life. Almost every person in front of important meeting(it doesn’t matter whether it’s meeting the parents of your future spouse or an interview to get new job) creates in the imagination intelligent models future interlocutors and plays out certain conversational situations in the mind. That's why everyone creates scripts all the time, regardless of whether they get paid for it or not. Another thing is that not everyone develops this skill and monetizes it.
If we are talking about scripts for business (for which the copywriter is paid), then we can distinguish two main areas.
Scripts for incoming telephone conversations. The simplest option, because the manager working according to the script is the “receiving party”. Those. it’s people calling him and they need something from him (information, goods, services, etc.). In other words, the manager here strong position, and communication is easier.
Scripts for outgoing telephone conversations. Most difficult option because the manager is in weak position“begging.” They weren’t expecting him, and he’s “calling here for some reason” and “offering something.” It is more difficult to communicate from such a position. Especially if you have no experience.
The approaches to developing scripts in both cases are very different, both in strategy and logic. In particular, the main difference lies in the sequence of conversation stages. In the case of incoming calls, the client is already at least warmed up, and the stage of processing objections begins immediately. In the case of outgoing calls, there are certain “preludes”: going around the secretary, contacting the decision maker, calling for interest, etc. More on this below.
How to write a sales script: “golden rule”
Do you know what I like most about scripts? This is an absolutely unpredictable direction in which there are no rules. Actually, this can be called the only, and therefore “golden” rule. You can write a script exactly following the experts' proven recommendations, and the script may fail miserably. Or worse.
A good example. I have a friend. He is a business consultant. One of his clients had scripts compiled by professional scriptographers according to all the canons. And their main tragedy was that they consistently failed at the first stage - bypassing the secretary. No matter how hard the scriptographers tried, nothing worked. And so, my friend comes to consult this company. Naturally, they immediately complain to him that there are scripts for cold calling, compiled according to all the rules, but... They don’t work!
My friend takes it, looks at the scripts, sighs and says:
- So, who is the toughest secretary you have here?
- Here in this company N - there is a beast there!
“Okay, look: I’ll show you a trick.”
- So, quickly, she connected me with the boss!!!
The secretary is shocked and starts to say something into the phone, but he doesn’t wait, interrupts rudely and begins to raise his voice even more:
- What are you telling me?! I didn't ask if he was busy or free! Quickly took it and connected it! Why should I waste my time on you?
The secretary, under such pressure, tried to simultaneously resist, dampen the conflict, and get at least some information. But this only made the situation worse. My friend got into character and interrupted her every remark, with increasing rage and some kind of angry breath in his voice:
- What do you mean, who is speaking?! Ivanov says. I-va-nov. So tell the boss. And if you make me wait one more minute...
After this, the secretary apparently realized that the lesser evil was to connect the interlocutor with the boss (out of harm’s way), and then getting the boss himself interested was only a matter of technique.
Why am I saying this? Moreover, sales and communication using scripts (or without them) is a game without rules. Moreover, 99% of novice managers will not be able to repeat my friend’s trick. And, alas, I am no exception. What is needed here is character, experience, charisma, assertiveness and unconditional self-confidence, which are transmitted through a non-verbal channel. Plus, it plays a huge role here emotional intellect, to which I also plan to devote a separate article. Subscribe to blog updates so you don't miss anything.
Two key principles when writing a sales script
Despite the fact that there are no rules as such when developing scripts, there are two principles, knowledge of which significantly increases the chances of success.
1. Initiative
In any conversation there is always someone who leads the conversation and someone who follows. As a rule, the initiative in a conversation always remains with the one who asks the questions. Unfortunately, in most companies, the manager’s conversation with the client is structured according to the scheme below. Please note that the conversation is incoming when the client calls the company himself, and the manager initially has a stronger position.
Client: Hello, hello!
Manager: Hello!
Client:
Manager: 15,000 rubles.
Client: How long does development take?
Manager: 1-2 weeks.
Client: Do you give discounts?
Manager: Yes, when ordering more than 5 CP.
Client: What if it doesn't work?
Manager: This is a risk, and it is always there.
Client: Okay, thanks, I'll think about it and call you back if anything happens.
Manager: Yes, of course, call! All the best!
Do you see? In this example, the conversation is completely controlled by the client because he is asking questions. Managers who conduct conversations according to this principle never sell. They just sit on the shipment in the hope that the client will call and say:
And here he told him:
- Take it!
And everyone seems to be fine. And it would be good if the manager worked for a monopoly company. But in practice there are many competitors, and such managers simply drain potential clients that they could “close in a deal.” It is for them that sales scripts are written.
A good specialist always takes the initiative. If the manager is weak, then the interception of initiative must be provided for in the script. See how this is done using the same example.
Client: Hello, hello!
Manager: Hello! How can I help you?
Client: Tell me how much your development costs commercial offer?
Manager: Are you interested or have a commercial offer?
Client: Um... What's the difference?
Manager: Cold is when you send an offer in bulk. Hot - after a preliminary call. They differ in the principle of operation, volume, price and timing. I can guide you more precisely. Tell us what you sell, to whom and how the sales process is currently structured?
Client: Well, we are a manufacturer, we sell gas silicate blocks. First, we call and ask for a commercial offer. We tried to draw up our own, but it doesn’t work well, there are few contracts...
In this example, the manager seizes the initiative and begins to establish rapport (emotional connection) with the client. He begins to control the conversation and ask questions. With the help of questions, the manager gets to know the client, his business and problems better, which means it’s easier for him to advise something substantive, inspire trust and handle objections (“expensive”, “I’ll think about it”, “I’m not sure if this will suit us”, “no”) money”, etc.).
It would seem that in both cases both the client and the manager are the same, but how strikingly the dialogue differs, depending on whose hands the initiative is. If we abstract from the topic of the conversation and pay attention to the initiative, then the conversation between the manager and the client is somewhat reminiscent of a game of table tennis. The one who has the initiative always plays on the offensive, and the one who does not have the initiative is forced to play on defense.
A scripted telephone conversation is somewhat reminiscent of table tennis. It is easier for the one who has the initiative to win.
2. Consistency
This principle is very simple, but also very important. Many people discount it, for good reason. The essence of the principle is that you break the conversation into simple steps, and track how effectively it flows from one to another. For example, a conversation may have the following stages.
- Performance
- Output to (DM)
- Arousing interest
- Getting the point across
- Objection processing
- Translation to next stage(compred, meeting, presentation, etc.)
Managers often do not take into account the sequence and lose clients already at the stage of initial communication:
- Hello, hello! We offer wood at a price of XXX rubles per cubic meter. Interested?
- No.
- Well, excuse me then.
There are, of course, exceptions, and direct sales are successful. But only when the manager immediately gets to the decision-maker, and when the “head-on” proposal itself is strong. For example, if the price is the lowest on the market. In other cases, the results are disastrous. On average, it is believed that the effectiveness of cold calling is 2% - this is a very good result. Although, in my opinion, this is a total fiasco. Just imagine: 98 potential clients out of 100 refuse. Tough.
When you build a conversation according to sequence, you always know what stage you are at and where the main “drain” occurs. For example, if you successfully contacted a decision maker, but he doesn’t even want to listen to you, it means there was a failure at the stage of generating interest, and the script needs to be adjusted. Or, even worse, if the manager cannot get around the secretary.
In any case, it is very important to know at what stage of the funnel there are problems and how critical they are. Then they can be easily eliminated. To track the effectiveness of promotion, you can enter a KPI, which is calculated using a simple formula: divide the number of stage closures by the number of conversations and multiply by 100%.
Progress of a telephone conversation using a sales script.
Another important point: when you have written a script and are testing it, it is important that the statistical sample is reliable.
Reliable sampling when testing a sales script- this is making a sufficient number of calls so that statistical patterns can be judged. For example, if you made 1 call and received 1 consent, this does not mean that your script is 100% effective. Although the numbers all add up.
Each specific case has its own reliable sample. You need to look individually. For example, in a mass market, 300-500 calls may be required, while in complex B2B markets, where potential customers can be counted on one hand, each call is worth its weight in gold.
And one more important point. When testing a sequence of scripts, it is extremely important to get the maximum feedback. I had a case when the script worked perfectly in the niche of selling PVC windows, but failed miserably in the niche of selling spare parts for special equipment. And the reason for the failure was identified only thanks to feedback (it was hidden in the specifics of processing applications).
Default Factors
It is believed that if a potential client calls you, then he is already initially interested in your products or services. This is in theory. In practice, everything is different. Therefore, when developing scripts, copywriters, as a rule, proceed from the “axiom of the worst evil.” It sounds scary, but don't be scared. In other words, we create scripts based on the worst case scenario of a conversation. So to speak, so that there are no disappointments. On the other hand, if the conversation doesn’t go according to the worst-case scenario, it’s better for us, the task is simplified! Worst case scenarios can be described something like this.
For incoming calls:
- The client is rather not interested in our products and in us as a seller.
- The client doesn't trust us. Moreover, he has no reason to believe us until we prove otherwise.
- The client is not going to buy anything from us.
- The client is skeptical or even hostile to everything we say until we win him over.
- The client trusts competitors more than us.
- The client intends to buy from a competitor, and calls us to once again make sure your decision is correct.
- The client does not rule out manipulating us for his own purposes, for example, to bring down the price or “push” the current supplier.
For outgoing calls or meetings:
- The client doesn’t know us and can easily live without us for at least 100 years.
- The client does not need our goods and services, and he is not going to buy from us until we convince him otherwise.
- The client is completely uncomfortable talking now.
- The client does not want to listen to us, he is not interested in what we want to tell him until we prove otherwise.
- The client does not believe a single word we say.
- The client is convinced that cold calls are aimed at getting in, and therefore initially builds protection against any of our proposals.
In short, we develop a script based on the client’s worst psychotype and worst circumstances. If we solve a problem even in such harsh conditions, then we solve it even more so in simpler situations.
I remember when I developed scripts for one client and implemented it into the sales department, the managers were ready to kill me on the spot. I had to be such an inadequate bastard in simulated calls. But then, in practice, real sales were much easier. At the same time, they honestly told me that they had never met such inadequate clients. However, I am still convinced that it is better to play it safe, and what is hard in training is easy in battle.
Ready-made templates, samples and examples of sales scripts
There is one common misconception. Many business representatives believe that they can develop one ideal script (download, buy, underline what is needed), and then adapt it to any niche. Just know - change the name of the company and the name of the decision maker and, voila! Everything works - the principles are the same, and the speech modules, therefore, too. And this seems to be true... But, again, only in theory. In practice, everything is different.
A little higher, I already told you about how the same script worked brilliantly in one niche and failed miserably in another. And this is far from an isolated case. The fact is that every business has its own specifics. And, yes, if companies are similar in type and business processes, then the same script can work well in both places (which does not negate testing). However, to do this you need to know where, what and how it works.
Yes, you can find it on the Internet ready-made samples, templates and example scripts. You can even download them for free. They are positioned as universal, but when blindly copied, without adaptation, they are usually useless. For two reasons.
Reason #1: they do not take into account the specifics of the business
When you start selling over the phone or at a meeting, the interlocutor on the other end of the line always sees whether you are on topic or not. If you are not prepared, then best case scenario They will tell you where your gaps are. At worst, they will point the way in a direction that is not entirely censorship.
Reason #2: they do not take into account the specifics of the target audience
A good example. Very often, the beginning of a conversation in scripts is based on the principles of SPIN sales. This is when four types of questions are asked in sequence:
- Situational, allow you to determine the current state of affairs (for example, “ Do you provide contextual advertising?”)
- Problematic, identify the relevance of the problem (for example, “ Does it happen that clients cheat on your budget?”)
- Extractive, increase the scale of the problem, “put pressure on the callus” (for example, “ And how much money do you lose on such clicks per month?”)
- Guides, connect the solution to the problem with what we offer (“ Do you want to protect yourself from clicks and loss of money?”)
So here it is. In some niches, this scheme is used with a bang. But try to use it when communicating with suppliers who make purchases on the stock exchange. You will learn a lot of new things about yourself. Therefore, you can use templates, but be sure to adapt them to the niche, target audience and the specifics of a particular business. Plus, always remember to be consistent. As a rule, it is not described in script templates.
Information for writing a script
Good preparation is half the battle. And here's the good news. Most of Your work is already behind you if you have carried out the basic marketing analysis, which I have already written about. You “sew” all this data into the script, and the more factual information you have on hand, the stronger the script.
Just in case, I will present the mind map here again. Use it to structure the data you have. At the same time, remember that the more you know about a potential client’s business, the greater your chances of hooking him.
Mind map of basic marketing analysis for writing a sales script (click to enlarge).
How to write a sales script: practical examples
I've been looking for a solution for writing scripts for a very long time. There was a time when I drew these block diagrams.
An example of a block design for a telephone sales script
But this solution was completely unsuitable for major projects, where the diagram was inflated to several Whatman papers of A0 format, and the connections in it could confuse even a seasoned Stakhanovite spider. In short, at first glance everything looked quite impressive and expensive, but in practice it was extremely inconvenient to use.
There was a time when I used the Axure system to create interactive scripts in HTML format. I uploaded these scripts to my secret server, and everything seemed to be convenient and clear for the client. If not for one big “BUT”. Scripts in this format were very labor-intensive to develop. And I am silent about making changes to them. Even if I had mastered all the master layers, the work of creating the interactive model itself was labor-intensive and thankless. Plus, it was easy to get confused and there was no autosave. And if you forget to renew your hosting, then... In a word, it’s also not an optimal option.
Script fragment in HTML format
Finally, as an option, there are special services. They are also called SaaS platforms ( S ite a s a S service). But I don't trust such services. Firstly, the client pays money, and most often I sign an NDA (Non-disclosure agreement). And if the service leaks, and no SaaS system is immune from this, then I could have problems. In addition, any service may also be unavailable, become a victim of a hacker attack, etc. Plus, not all services are ideal from a usability point of view. In a word, there were also some nuances here, so I also refused this option.
And quite by accident, somewhere (I don’t remember where) I spotted the ideal (in my opinion) option. It can be easily implemented in regular MS Word, Google Docs or any other text editor. The point is this.
You are drawing a table with two columns. In the left column, write what the manager says. On the right are the interlocutor’s possible answers or objections. All objections are made in the form of links. Links lead to anchors. Anchors are subheadings in the left column.
An example of a telephone sales script fragment in Google Docs.
For example, I have block A001, and the secretary’s remark “On what issue” leads to it? To set an anchor, simply select the subheading and style it as Heading 2, for example (if you are using Google Docs). By analogy, you can do it in MS Word.
If you insert a table of contents at the beginning of the script, you will get a rubricator of all possible remarks and objections of a potential client. Great, right? And just.
Finally, as you have already noticed, each replica is numbered with an alphabetic and digital index. Plus, there is a multi-colored fill in the fields. This is done in order to break the script into sequence steps. For example, the first stage for me is going around the secretary. Consequently, I number all the manager’s remarks at this stage under the letter A (A001, A002, A003, etc.) and mark them in sky blue to quickly find the desired stage in the document.
However, note that each stage of the script sequence has its own specific task. And a specific criterion for completing this task. For example, in the case of going around the secretary, your task is to get in touch with the decision-maker, and not to “inform the secretary”, “get to know each other”, “clarify the data”, “tell about the company”, etc. And the criterion here is either we have come out and can communicate with the decision maker, or not. There is no third.
The same is true when talking with a decision maker. Your task is to solve specific task in your sequence - transfer the person to the next stage. That's all. No more, no less. For example, if after communication you have to send a commercial proposal, then only the decision maker’s consent to send him a proposal is important. Everything else (“met”, “talked”, “discussed”, etc.) is considered a failure in the sales funnel and requires mandatory adjustment of the script.
Summary
As I already said, anyone can write a sales script. And every person does this on a non-profit basis. A single copywriting rule also applies here: the more scripts you write and test in practice, the stronger they become. In addition, it is important to understand that there are no perfect scripts the first time. Any script, one way or another, needs to be polished and adjusted after launch based on feedback from managers and clients. Plus, it is important to understand that as testing progresses, more and more new objections will appear, which also need to be added to the script. But I will tell you how to process these objections and select the replicas for the scripts in one of the following articles. Subscribe to blog updates so you don't miss anything.
And remember: you will succeed!
Don't be robotic when communicating with your potential clients. You know everything about the product, but what do you know about those you are calling? A cold call is a call that your potential client does not expect without preliminary preparation the chances of establishing contact with him are very low. Therefore, you should forget about a simple “calling the list”, because everyone with whom you communicate is a real man with your problems and concerns. Try to collect as much information about it as possible before contacting the company. Talk to someone in the customer service department and find out what they offer their customers. The more you know about the company, the better: if the other day company X you are calling closed a profitable deal and wrote about it in the press, you can start the conversation with congratulations. Although the knowledge itself about what the company does will not be superfluous.
Rule 2. Get to the decision maker
The purpose of the call is not to sell, but to set up a meeting. Many sellers forget about this. How seriously do you take telephone “spam” that takes you away from important tasks in the middle of the workday in order to “push” something? It's never very pleasant. The main thing in telephone conversation- this is your voice and attitude. Even a smile can be felt over the phone. But don't overdo it.
If you realize that you are talking to a person who is not competent in making decisions about a meeting, ask to connect you to the one who is responsible for this - the decision maker (DM). Remember that you are not selling, but asking if the company is interested in the product or service you offer.
It is important that the phrase be said: “If you generally like the proposal, we can continue the discussion, if not, then no, okay?” As a rule, this clear position will find a positive response on the other end of the line. The main thing in this matter is how you control yourself and how you control your voice. When used correctly, this cold calling technique is very effective.
Rule 3. Respect yourself and your competitors
As a rule, the company you are calling not only has established relationships with suppliers of goods or services from among your competitors, but also periodically receives calls of this kind from dozens of organizations. You shouldn’t question the choice, try to denigrate your competitor, or turn the conversation into “but we have it better, we have it cheaper.” Never speak badly about your competitors! Praise them for their “beautiful eyes” and yourself for your professionalism: “Are you served by company X? Yes, they have a beautiful logo, but what about the quality of service? Are you satisfied with it?
Nothing devalues a product more than the desire to sell it immediately. As a rule, the desire to give yourself more significance and phrases like “I will make you an offer that you cannot refuse” are alarming and cause the opposite effect of what was expected. It's just annoying.
People love to talk about themselves and share their problems. Be prepared to listen to them. Ask the question: “Are you completely satisfied with the quality of the services (products) that X provides you, or is there still a need to improve something?” By establishing contact and arousing interest, you can understand whether everything is really so perfect.
Rule 4. No doesn’t always mean “no”
In the case of potential clients, the reason for “no” may be a simple lack of time or workload with others who have higher priorities. this moment tasks. This is fine. For example, when they answer you on that line: “I don’t have time for this,” this is an objection, and not a refusal at all. And you can use this as an opportunity to make an appointment and instead of “okay, I won’t bother you,” offer to meet to talk in more detail. Do not forget to specify the time and place of the meeting. Make an appointment in person: “I understand, it’s inconvenient over the phone. At a wrong time. Let's do this: I'll come to you to tell you everything. Will Wednesday at 11 o'clock suit you?
The line between importunity and persistence is very thin. When they tell you a categorical “no”, this is already a refusal. Don't invite a storm on yourself negative emotions, because all the negativity that pours on you will leave bad aftertaste and will discourage you from working.
This is stress from which you will not be able to be effective and will have to recover. In such a situation, it is better to end the conversation and not cause damage to your psyche. Call again after some time if you are sure that there is potential interest in your products or services. The situation in the company may change and, most likely, after a series of refusals they will tell you: “Okay, let me listen to what you have there.” As the Chinese say, a drop wears away a stone not with its force, but with the frequency of its fall, so that over time the cold call ceases to be cold, which increases your chances of success.
Rule 5. Don't sell
Once again: the purpose of the call is not to sell. The purpose of the call is to set up a meeting. Make the person on the other end of the line want to meet you in person. Try to be different from everyone else who, just like you, calls and wants to sell something. To do this, you just need to be competent, evoke a pleasant impression on your interlocutor, and dilute the conversation with humor (but in moderation). During the conversation, it’s better to forget about money altogether. Think not about how much you will earn when you sell something to someone, but about your goal - why you want to earn money.
What irritates clients when sales managers cold call? Business.Ru experts tell you how to properly prepare for calling the database, and what it is better not to do.
Cold calling technique: an example of an effective script
Igor Barbolin, President of the Grant Cardona CIS office:
– There are five main mistakes when cold calling. Everyone wants to have six-pack abs, but no one wants to go to the gym. Everyone wants to have their own business, but they don’t want to work for it.
Everyone wants new clients, but no one wants to call. Fact - the one who calls the client first gets 50% of the market.
Untrained “phone masters” make many mistakes, but the most common mistake when making a call is not being prepared, not having a communication script.
This leads to the fact that the seller speaks uncertainly, gets lost, and this, in turn, does not inspire respect or trust. And as a result, it irritates customers the most.
How to prepare properly? You need to prepare a script (there is technology for how to compose it), learn it, and then practice with a partner in role-playing game, until the script becomes “native”.
This needs to be done daily, and this will ultimately lead to the seller’s flexibility and telephone victories.
This is NOT the right way to call:
- Hello, my name is Ivan Egorov, I’m calling you from the office of Grant Cardone;
- Our company is a leader in sales training. After our trainings, the level of sales in companies increases by 20-50%;
- I would like to meet and discuss how our company can help yours;
- Can you spare some time for me this week to see what our company can do for yours?
How to call correctly:
- Hello, my name is Igor, I’m calling you from Grant Cardona’s office;
- Grant asked me to call you and give you a tool he created that helped companies like yours increase their sales by more than 40%;
- I'll ask you a couple of questions to make sure we can help your company;
- How many salespeople are there in your company?
- Which two are the most serious problems problems that your salespeople constantly face?
- If we could increase your company's sales by 20%, would you take the time to meet with me?
- Who else needs to be at this meeting besides you to learn how to use the tool that I will talk about?
- When can you give me 18 minutes to look at our product and how you and your sellers will benefit from using it?
Do you understand the difference? There is a 25% conversion rate to purchase that you may miss by ignoring cold calls. Be the first and don't be afraid to make money!
Cold calls. 22 errors. Video
Cold calling conversation pattern: common mistakes
Svetlana Makarova, director Makarova S.A.:
– As a rule, a telemarketer must be very stress-resistant, organized and clearly answer the question “what do I offer the client?”
If during cold calling you cannot clearly formulate the essence of your offer, then the number of refusals will increase with geometric progression.
And so, a list of the most common mistakes:
- The telemarketer is afraid to call. Fear destroys any, even potentially strong, employee. Alas, 95% are afraid. And if in the first few days you come across a client who says: “Why are you tired of calling me, forget my number...” or answers in a rude manner (and this will definitely happen - the costs of the profession), then the fear will become even greater and such an employee decides not to work with cold calls anymore;
- Calls too little. Yes, this happens in 80% of cases. The employee is sure that 5-8 calls are enough. As a rule, the return on such a tiny number of calls is minimal. Accordingly, the result of the work is 0;
- There are a lot of calls, and the percentage of conversion to a client is close to zero. This is a brute-force approach; someone will agree to cooperate. Unfortunately, this method will give insignificant results. By increasing the average conversation time with a client and reducing the number of outgoing calls, we achieve an increase in conversion;
- The telemarketer cannot formulate the essence of the proposal. Almost every client at the beginning of a conversation asks a logical question: “what are you offering me?” At this moment, the employee begins to state something incomprehensible, or a monologue begins. The client wants to hear an answer to his question and this answer should arouse interest in further dialogue. It is important to form several loud, beautiful offers or slogans that will become a catalyst;
Hello! Today we will talk about cold calling.
Today you will learn:
- What are the features of cold calling?
- How to create conversation scripts;
- What rules should the caller follow?
What are cold calls
A certain type of call is called “cold” not because of the tone of the caller, but because of the attitude of the client who answered the phone. It is not for nothing that sales department employees are afraid to make such calls, because very often the responses to an unsolicited offer are rude and unpleasant.
The main task of a cold call is to set up a meeting. The second most important task is to expand the customer base.
Cold calls are made to new clients with whom they have not yet established business relationship. This is their main difference from warm and hot calls, which are addressed to already familiar and existing clients, respectively.
In a number of countries, cold calling is limited and controlled by law, and sometimes even prohibited.
In Russia, many companies strictly instruct secretaries not to facilitate cold calls. Telesales are becoming increasingly popular among marketers, and potential clients, in turn, are becoming more and more easily evasive.
Cold calling has its pros and cons.
The advantages of this type include:
- Costs a minimum of time and money. The search for clients is carried out from the office; the manager does not need to make many unnecessary trips.
- Fast communication (relative to correspondence), a high chance of convincing the interlocutor.
- The opportunity to understand the client’s reaction to the offer and ask additional questions.
- PR of the company, increasing popularity and number of clients.
- An additional way of sales without compromising the main one.
- Research of demand, competitors and the market as a whole.
Disadvantages of Cold Calling (even if the calls are organized correctly and the sellers do not make mistakes):
- A client's obviously negative reaction to a sudden call.
- It’s easier to refuse an offer if you don’t see the seller in person.
- The client can end the conversation at any time (hang up).
- It is impossible to clearly demonstrate the product.
In our country, cold calling is most actively used:
- Forwarding companies;
- Advertising agencies, media;
- Manufacturers or wholesalers of business goods;
- Real estate agencies.
Cold calling can be carried out by specially trained own employees organizations and third-party specialists from the call center.
Cold calling techniques
There are many cold calling techniques. But it’s better to look at an example of how to make cold calls.
Every company's customer base inevitably changes. Regular customers sooner or later they leave, having lost interest, need, or become interested in a new seller. To maintain balance in client base, you need to regularly call not only your warm base, but also make about a hundred cold calls to new clients per day.
The main skill of the cold calling technique is to anticipate the client's responses and know the scenarios for continuing the conversation.
Cold calling is only appropriate in the following situations:
- The offer is definitely necessary for the potential client (for example, a watch repair shop always needs batteries and spare straps);
- Various clients may be interested in the offer from time to time (computer equipment repair);
- The offer is not driven by necessity, but may be of interest to various clients (printing business cards);
- They constantly need an offer and at the same time choose the most suitable seller (courier service).
In practice, cold calling is very complex technology, and sales managers who have mastered it are irreplaceable employees in any company. Besides theoretical training, such a specialist needs self-control, self-confidence and the ability to accept refusal.
The components of a successful cold call: self-control, knowledge of the product, customer needs and sales techniques.
Stages of cold calling
Let's figure out what the cold calling technique looks like in a step-by-step scenario.
Stage 1. Collecting information about clients
It is more pleasant to talk with the interlocutor who is well aware of who he is calling and why. The Internet, reference books and other media will help here.
If your client is entity that provides certain services or goods, you can conduct reconnaissance and, pretending to be a buyer, find out details about their offers.
At this stage, it would be nice to have a reason to call.
Example. The beginning of the conversation could be like this: “Good afternoon, Ivan Petrovich. My name is Victor Sidorov, I am a representative of the EcoPlus company. I saw a story yesterday about your new production line. I agree with your words that modern production must cause minimal damage to the environment. We are engaged in the removal and disposal of waste from industrial facilities. I would like to meet with you to tell you more about our proposals.”
Stage 2. Creating a script
This is a kind of cheat sheet for the seller. You can learn it by heart or have it before your eyes (the format of telephone calls allows this).
Well-written cold calling scripts are the sales manager’s faithful assistants, helping him speak confidently and to the point.
Stage 3. Conversation with the secretary
Sometimes this stage can be avoided, but the first call most often goes through the secretary. Moreover, the larger the organization, the stronger the “wall” erected by the secretary in front of his leadership. We’ll talk more about how to bypass a secretary with a cold call later.
Stage 4. Conversation with the client
The total duration of the conversation should not exceed five minutes. The golden mean is three minutes. the main objective conversation - setting up a meeting and concluding a deal.
When talking with a client, a sales manager needs to go through several steps:
- Introduction: Greet the interlocutor, introduce yourself and clarify whether there is free time for conversation.
- Establishing contact: cite the source, use the information obtained in the first stage.
- Receipt additional information: ask if the client uses a product similar to yours and if he is interested in improvements.
- Attracting interest: Explain the benefits to the client from the meeting.
- Work with objections(If you want to).
- Arrangement for a meeting: suggest your option for the date and time of the meeting.
- Completion: repeat the agreed meeting time, thank the client for his interest, say goodbye.
Secretary on the cold call route
If you are calling not an individual, but the head of an organization, then there is a high probability that the call will be answered by his secretary (or another third party). How to behave in such a situation?
- Introduce yourself politely.
- Try not to directly say that the purpose of your call is sales.
- Ask to speak with the decision maker on the issue you are interested in (for example, “who can I talk to about advertising?”).
- If at the moment you are denied a conversation with the manager, find out as much information as possible about him (what is his name, when and how can you contact him).
There are several tricks that will help you bypass an attentive secretary:
- Big Boss Mask. The secretary will not refuse to communicate with the boss if he hears on the phone confident voice not the salesman, but the boss. (For example: “Are you worried about the reception general director Alekseeva. Connect me to the director").
- Recall style. This technique is possible only if at least the name of the decision maker is known in advance. When asked “Please connect me with Arkady Ivanovich,” the secretary most likely will not ask additional questions, but will simply direct the call to the right person.
- Request for advice. A friendly tone and the phrase “Please advise who is best to contact...”. The secretary will be flattered if the interlocutor increases his status (“only you can help me”).
- Complex issue. Sometimes, in order to answer a caller's question, the secretary is forced to redirect his call. But to ask it, you need to know well the structure and specifics of the company.
- False error. In this case, the caller uses a trick and asks the secretary to connect him to another department. For example, if he is interested in the purchasing department, he goes through the secretary to the accounting department, and there he pretends that he made a mistake. “Hello, is this the purchasing department? - No, this is accounting. “Can you connect me to the purchasing department?”
Techniques
For effective telephone sales, you need first practice, and only then theory.
Impossible to work out ideal scenario cold call, universally suitable for every seller and buyer - both have their own characteristics.
Here are a few basic rules that all sales managers working in cold calling should adhere to:
- Find out the client's needs and interests in advance.
- Use scripts prepared in advance.
- At the beginning of the conversation, explain the purpose of the call and ask for some time.
- Do not put pressure on the client, communicate without aggression. Don't use expressions like "I'll make you an offer you can't refuse." The phrase “Let me tell you about...” sounds much softer.
- Emphasize the importance of the client. Less “I” and “we”, more “you”.
- Take your time, pause between speech blocks, and speak clearly.
- Be confident, friendly and always smile - you can hear it even over the phone.
- Don't try to sell your product. Your goal is to generate interest and schedule an appointment. In this regard, replace the common “we offer” with “we are engaged”.
- Don't argue or prove that you're right. Respect the client's choice if he is satisfied with his current counterparties.
- To get people interested in a meeting, talk about the main benefits.
- Know how to switch the attention of your interlocutor and interest him in additional offers.
- For questions about details, offer a personal meeting.
- More specifics. When asking about a meeting, call immediately exact time. Instead of “Maybe we’ll meet?”
- Monitor the client's mood and adapt to it.
- Remove the “not” particle, closed questions and complex terms from your speech.
- Use attractive words: “promotion”, “free”. If there is an opportunity to offer a free trial of a product, don't miss it.
- Don't drag out the conversation, watch the time. Three minutes is usually enough.
- Listen to recordings of your conversations, analyze and draw conclusions about what could have been said differently.
Work with objections
In any sales, it is important to distinguish objections from categorical refusals. “Cold” calls usually become an unpleasant surprise for the client, which is why objections arise in this format much more often.
There is no point in working with decisive refusals; it is better to end the conversation on a positive note and not waste your own and other people’s time. But with objections, subtle work is needed.
Let's look at the most common examples:
| "I'm busy (in a hurry)" | Explain that you will not take much time, but only want to arrange a meeting. As a last resort, ask when you can call back. | “I understand, let me come to you to tell you everything. Will it suit you on Wednesday at eleven in the morning?” |
| "Call back later" | Ask to schedule an exact time convenient for the client. | “When will it be convenient for you to talk? What if I call you back tomorrow around ten in the morning?” |
| "Send information by email" | Don't end the conversation here. Such a request is almost tantamount to refusal. Offer a meeting or accept and ask when and how you will receive a response. | “Okay, I'll send you the information. But I'm calling to set up an appointment so I can demonstrate our products and give you a free sample. Will it suit you on Wednesday at eleven?” |
| "I do not need anything" | Name famous customers who changed their mind after trying your product. Convince that the meeting is non-binding and set a specific date. | “Representatives of other organizations also thought so, but only before they realized how much our proposal could help them in... We should meet. How about Wednesday at eleven?” |
| “My counterparties suit me” | Use all the information you prepared earlier. Explain that you are not trying to replace a competitor, but are offering an alternative, because two suppliers are more reliable than one. Tell us what the benefits of working with you are and offer to meet. If refusal is inevitable, turn the situation to your advantage and find out from the client why your competitors attract him in order to use this information in the future. | “If you work with ..., then you probably use their program ...? - Positive or negative answer - Great, then we should definitely meet, because our proposal is ... (list the advantages). How about Wednesday at eleven o'clock?" |
| "We don't have enough funds" | Don’t stop the dialogue here, but ask a leading question that will tell the client that he still needs your offer. | "Of course I understand. Let me ask, are you currently collaborating with anyone in this area? - Client's response - Then we must meet, because our product... (its advantages). How about Wednesday at eleven?” |
Cold calling scripts
Sales call scripts can be of two types:
- Hard. They are used in selling simple goods, where the variety of answers from the interlocutor is minimal.
- Flexible. For selling complex products and ambiguous offers. Require creative approach and more experience.
Everyone who makes sales over the phone should have their own scripts, and those working in the cold calling technique are no exception.
- There should be as many scripts as possible. An experienced seller regularly updates his database.
- Each script must first undergo practical testing on colleagues and acquaintances. Those that are obviously unsuccessful and inconvenient should be eliminated immediately.
- The main purpose of a cold call script is to illustrate the essence of the conversation, and not become a verbatim script.
Download cold calling scripts
Outgoing call script
Incoming call script
Cold calling examples
Example 1.
- Good afternoon, Ivan. This is Anastasia from international company ABC, dealing with... I am calling you to arrange a meeting during which I could tell you about our new program which... (what the client is interested in). I am sure that you, like our other clients ... (examples of companies), are interested in ... (certain benefit).
- Yes, I'm interested in this.
- Great, let's meet. How about Wednesday at four o'clock in the evening?
Example 2.
- Good afternoon, Ivan Ivanovich. This is Anastasia Petrova from the ABC company. We are doing…. Do you use... in your work?
— I don’t have time to talk to you now, send all the information by email.
— I will send you a presentation so that you can familiarize yourself with it. free time, but I'm calling to make an appointment and demonstrate all the benefits of our offer. Will it suit you on Thursday at two o'clock?
“I’m afraid that my whole month is already planned out.”
- Okay, is this date busy for you next month?
- I'll take a look now. Not yet.
- So, maybe we will meet on April seventeenth?
Example 3.
— Good evening. My name is Anastasia, I represent the ABC holding in your region, which is engaged in... . Your company is ... (type of activity), which means you will be interested in our new offer for ... (what the client needs).
— Sorry, but we are already collaborating with another company.
— Let me ask, is this not the EYUYA company by any chance? Perhaps you chose their “First” tariff?
- No, this is the “Second” tariff.
— Great, I think it will be useful for us to meet, because our programs perfectly complement this tariff. How about this Friday?