Effective Phone Sales

Hate cold calling prospects? Yeah, me to. But in nowadays fast moving business atmosphere prospecting either directly or by phone is a necessity. Gone are the days when you sit back and just stay for your products or service to be sold. Today you have prospect daily in order to get your products, service, and Company, out there on customers mind.

In my daily work, I call about hundred prospects daily. I hope it could be more but being a small business person of safety supply company and "wearing lots of hats" time just doesn’t allow me. So what do I perform to get into the flow of making "cold calls" and being effective at it? Well, it quite simple.

Firstly, you must have a few kind of contact manager. I work with a very low-priced one that already comes with my computer bundle of software (Microsoft Outlook). Secondly; I set up my prospects info and set up times. Second, I use a cordless phone with a headset. Headsets are great because it frees up your hand to note down important information you can use to profile your prospect. Thirdly, I make the call. I ask for the person who makes the buying decision. Also, try to keep it short. "Gatekeepers" usually don’t like to hear long, scripted speeches. Besides they aren’t the ones you desire to sell to. When you get the person you want to talk with, be pleasing, direct, and don’t SELL them anything. Rather suggest them a solution. You do this asking question on what issues they have and you provide them how you can help them solve the problem. For example, when I call a prospect and ask them about there operations and the risks they may have, I pick up (LISTEN) on what they tell!

And last but never never never least...Follow up. Follow up. Follow up even if they say No we don’t require your products at this time. Always say something like “thank you for the opportunity. I’m sorry to hear we can’t work together now, but it’s ok if I call you back in a few months? Remember things change and (the person who said to you the first time may have Changed his job).

Well hope this helps. Remember every condition is different but the main beliefs remain the same:

* organize yourself
* make the call (don’t be scared of a NO)
* ask for the right person and ask how you can help, not sell

* follow up follow up.