Need A Sales Boost ? Try These!

The telephone is still the best and most effective way to reach people. It can help generate more sales and build your business. Unfortunately most people don't like the telephone and don't use it effectively. In order to become more proficient using the telephone, you need to follow some basic guidelines and then practice, practice and then practice some more.

Like everything else, selling by using the telephone has changed over the years. The hard sell approach doesn't cut it today. With voice mail, answering machines, tele-zappers, and caller ID the old fashion way doesn't work any longer.

If you are selling a high end product, trying to do it all on the first call doesn't work. You need to go through a couple of stages to get your end result ? the sale. First you need to introduce yourself. Tell them about you, your business and your product. Next try to set up an appointment to go into further detail. Or maybe send some information before calling again. Moving one step at a time gives the customer time to become familiar with you and your product. It also gives your customer time to realize how important your product is to them.

You need to be confident and positive. As we have told many of our students, if you don't feel like getting on the phones ? don't. That negativity and lack of enthusiasm is going to come through on the telephone. Many years ago when I was working in corporate America as a receptionist my supervisor told me to always answer the telephone with a smile on. That smile carried over into the impression the caller received when contacting a company.

So be sure that a positive attitude comes through . Remember, the old adage, "you must first sell yourself, then sell your product".

Also of utmost importance is to know what you want to say. If you use a script, have it handy, but don't just read it. I can tell immediately when a call I get is being read from a script. Write down an opening statement (for example, Hi , my name is Susan from Home Business Solutions. I'm calling about the home you have for sale. Are you the person to speak with? What's your name?). Make notes of points you need to cover. Practice saying what you want to say until it comes naturally. Be sure you make strong statements. Avoid the words: maybe, could, but.

You also need to know your product. You have to perceive its value before you can convince someone else. You have to know what it does, how it works, and be able to describe it in terms that the layman can understand. You also need to explain the benefits of your product.

One of the first things I go over with our students regarding our telephone script is that they must learn to listen, and I mean really listen. You can tell a lot about your customer just by hearing what they are saying. Also be sure you ask their name, and then use it now and then. Don't overuse their name because this can become very annoying. My philosophy is if I hate it, so will someone else.

Be sure to ask questions to encourage them to talk about themselves. Empathize. However, don't do a lot of talking until you are sure you understand. Let them do the majority of talking.

If you pick a certain time frame to make your calls, or do a certain number of calls in a row, try to say it a little differently each time. If you don't you will start to sound stale, lose your happy voice and sound as if you are reading a script. So if this starts to occur, take a break, or stop for the day.

As we discussed earlier in this article if your product is a high end one you will make several calls to establish a relationship. Once you have done this, and they remember who you are, introduce something new about your product. Keep a record of your calls, and details of what you discussed previously, so that you know where you stand when you call again. When I worked for a franchise company, I kept a record of every call that came in from franchisees or calls I made. First, my employer was amazed at the amount of knowledge I had about franchisees at my fingertips, and more important the franchisees felt like they were the only one, I knew them so well.

Using the telephone can help you get repeat business. For certain products, you can call customers to see how they are doing with the product. Maybe there are additional questions you could answer or problems you might be able to solve.

If everything is going well, you have a excellent opportunity to introduce your newest product, and hopefully, make another sale. This is also a great time to ask for referrals. Even if the follow up call doesn't pay off right away, you are building a relationship with this customer. Remember it is a lot easier to keep a customer happy than to find another one. Your follow-up also builds credibility with your customers.

Doing the above will give your business a boost.

Copyright 2003 DeFiore Enterprises

Interested in having your own successful, home based creative real estate investing business? Chuck and Sue have been helping folks start successful home based businesses for over 19 years, and we can help you too! To see how, visit http://www.homebusinesssolutions.com for the latest FREE tips and tricks, educational products and coaching in creative real estate investing and home based businesses. No time to visit the site? Subscribe to our "how to" Home Business Solutions Digest, it's like having your own personal coach: mailto:subscribeHBS@homebusinesssolutions.com

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


10 Killer Ways To Multiply Your Sales

Would you like to multiply your web site sales? Or... Read More

How A Dancing Horse Can Increase Your Sales

"Yeah right!" I thought to myself as I started to... Read More

Successful Sales Strategies: Winning the Close Ones

The "Three Cs" in building customer relationships are a key... Read More

Better Listening Skills = More Sales

Today's business environment is intrinsically tied together by ongoing information... Read More

How Salespeople Can Create Immediate Believability And Credibility

It pays to be specific. I believe that statement is... Read More

Sales Prospects Avoiding You?

This issue's topic on sales prospects comes in response to... Read More

Keep Sales Simple

For those of us working in the exciting world of... Read More

Successful Sales People Know Which Differentiators Matter

Know where to focus. Not everyone evaluates product solutions with... Read More

How to Master the Art of Salesmanship

I put together this little article because, although basic, we... Read More

Sales Techniques to Help the Customer to Buy

Three times I have revisited Turkey after living in the... Read More

The Biggest Mistake in Sales Prospecting

Recently I received a prospecting voice mail message from a... Read More

Increase Your Sales With an Incredible Offer

What are you selling?Coaching? Consulting? Professional services? A product? Information?To... Read More

Resistance Training for Sales People

What was the quickest rejection you ever got? 2 minutes... Read More

Make Your Prospects Speak

You've probably heard people speaking about someone that he was... Read More

7 Steps to Selling Artwork

Selling arwork is easy when you follow a road map.... Read More

The Unmentioned KEY to Selling

PEOPLE DO BUSINESS WITH PEOPLE THEY KNOW, LIKE, & TRUST.... Read More

Got Sales Objections? Wheres Your Value?

A sales manager who reads this newsletter regularly suggested the... Read More

Reaching Goals in Direct Sales

From surveys and experience, we've noticed many setting excellent goals... Read More

In Sales - Heres News You Can Use

Here's an idea on how to make reading the daily... Read More

Sell Without Feeling Like A Used Car Salesman

Many business owners and professionals are appalled at the thought... Read More

Unleash Your Inner Sales Superstar & Win More Business Right Now!

It's a rainy afternoon on a typical mid week afternoon... Read More

Smart Discounting: The Right Way To Discount Your Products

If a store had a great discount in the middle... Read More

The Art And Science of Closing - How To Close More Sales Right Now

One of the questions I often get asked as a... Read More

Body Language, Five Key Ingredients

When making your living in the sales industry, and working... Read More

Want to Make More Money? Fish in a Bigger Pond!

Setting prices is a dilemma most service business owners encounter... Read More

Sales and the City

It's all about relationships!Here is how a popular TV show... Read More

Start Your Sales Engine!

Does your business run on a sales engine or a... Read More

Essential Training Skills for Managers

Today's manager lives in a world where change has attained... Read More

11 Secrets to Leadership in Sales

In his classic book, "Think and Grow Rich", Napoleon Hill... Read More

Qualifying vs closing

The art of effective question asking (qualifying) determines the effectiveness... Read More

The Quickest Way To Increase Your Sales

The quickest way to increase sales is to make things... Read More

10 Expressions to Avoid in Sales Communication

Keeping up with what words are in and out isn't... Read More

How To Achieve Excellence In Sales

Most people are always striving to better themselves. It's the... Read More