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The Ins And Outs Of Effective Outbound Sales Calling
Calling sales prospects is an important part of the marketing and one of the most effective strategies for growing a business. It doesn’t have to be hard. And you don’t have to bully prospects. It’s all about sharing the value that you offer.
Because it’s so personal, a phone call is a powerful way to connect with potential customers. While emails can be deleted, and people can ignore Internet ads, we naturally engage with a person on a phone call.
Here are some pro tips for successful outbound calling:
Define your objective. Make sure your outbound team understands what you’re trying to accomplish.
Create a script. The script is a guide for how your team will conduct the calls. The team doesn’t have to follow it perfectly--the callers will vary the wording slightly from call to call. The script is there to remind the team of what they want to say, in case they get stuck.
Breath. During the call it’s important to breath naturally. Team members will need to speak slowly and clearly. By focusing on breathing, callers will sound more relaxed and sincere.
Be ready to answer questions. The person your team calls may have questions, so they should be prepared to address any concerns, issues or objections that the person has.
Anticipate rejection. Not all calls will go the way you would like. If it’s clear that the person doesn’t want to talk then the team member should thank the person for their time and try again another day. Telemarketing requires a lot of persistence to produce good results.
Reaching the decision maker. Here are a few tactics to get around a receptionist who won’t put you through to an executive.
- Call within 30 minutes of business hours, which will usually be before or after the receptionist works.
- Ask to speak with someone lower down the organization.
- Speak with someone in support.
End your calls politely. Be polite during your call and always thank the person on the other end for his or her time.
Deliver what you promise. Always take action on the same day. If you promised to email marketing material, then follow the sundown rule, and send it before the end of the same day.
Practice, practice, practice. Experience counts for a lot in life. Outbound calling is no different. The worst thing that can happen on a call is that someone says “no,” which leaves you no worse off than you were before you made the call.
Obey the law. Before you start an outbound sales program, check with your legal representative about telemarketing laws and the consequences of breaking them.
Calling sales prospects is an important part of the marketing and one of the most effective strategies for growing a business. It doesn’t have to be hard. And you don’t have to bully prospects. It’s all about sharing the value that you offer.
