You can sell virtually
anything over the telephone. For example, following up a mailing with
a phone call can increase your response by 10%. You can also boost the
response of your print and media ad campaigns using the phone lines.
Like all sales, telemarketing is a numbers game and you're going to
have to "kiss a lot of frogs to find a prince or a princess." You can
handle the phones yourself, use in-house telemarketers or hire a telemarketing
firm. Consider using telemarketing specialists for lead generation.
By increasing the pool of qualified leads, you'll boost productivity
because your sales people will be able to sell instead of prospecting.
Whether taking calls or making calls, these ideas will help you increase
sales and profits.
Winning Telephone
Tips
Answer the phone
on the second or third ring
Answering on the first ring makes you appear too anxious. Answering
on the second or third ring shows that your company is on the ball.
Answer with enthusiasm.
If you're
not enthusiastic about your products and services, no one else will
be. People are more convinced by your enthusiasm than by anything else.
Smile when you
talk.
Smiling, subconsciously makes you more upbeat. And people can really
tell by your tone if you're smiling or not. To make sure you keep that
smile, put a mirror next to your phone. In fact, one telephone company
puts a mirror next to each one of its operators' desks.
Never start off
with an apology
You lose control and it dilutes your message.
Sit up or stand
up when talking
This opens your diaphragm and allows your voice to sound natural and
distinct.
Introduce your
company and then yourself
Never ask someone his or her name until you introduce yourself.
Match their speaking
speed when talking
People communicate best with people who are like them. To persuade,
motivate and influence others, match the communication ingredients that
they feel are important.
Limit your own
talking
The more the other person is talking the better the chance that you
will close the sale. In addition, by listening you can find out what
he or she really wants and hear any possible objections.
Use open-ended
questions
By asking more than just yes and no questions you can gather more information
regarding the caller's needs.
Use the caller's
name
As Dale Carnegie says, "The sweetest thing to any person is the sound
of their name."
Keep attention
on the caller
Eliminate the words, "I", "me", "mine" and replace them with "you" and
"we."
Keep your promises
If you say you're going to call someone back in an hour …do it! In fact,
so many people fail to call people back in a timely manner that if you
do this you'll look great.
Picture the person
in your mind
Treat each phone call as if it were a face-to-face meeting. By picturing
the person in your mind, you become more focused; you really hear the
other person and your thoughts are clearer.