Telesales can be tough! You need to have the hide of an elephant to take the knock-backs you’ll more than likely get. And, it has to be said – telesales is not for everyone. But, when you’re good at it, really good, you can create super opportunities for yourself. So, if you fancy having a go at telesales, here are some Top Tips:
1. Try not to sound scripted – even when you are! In most cases there will be a script provided by your employer. This is more often true when you are selling something that has a lot of legal speak or terms and conditions attached to it. Unfortunately, this can make you sound a bit like a robot; so if you get the chance, practice what you are expected to say until you know it pretty much by heart. This way you can add some of your own sparkle into what’s being said. It’ll help tremendously with customer engagement.
2. Follow-up when you say you will. If you promise to call a customer back at a certain time, make sure you do it. Not doing so will probably lose you the sale and create a bad feeling. And don’t be afraid to leave a message with someone or a voicemail message if the potential customer is not available.
3. Use your judgement wisely. If you think the person you are talking to is not interested in what you’re offering, end the call. There’s no point trying to convince someone who is obviously not going to buy whatever it is you’re selling. Knowing this comes with time and as you become more and more experienced at speaking with potential customers, you’ll soon start to recognise the serious leads from those not worth your time.
4. Keep Notes. As you start to make more calls, it’s worth noting which calls are successful. Note the time, the day and the approach you used. If there’s anything you said that clinched the deal, make a note of that too. Once you’ve done this for a couple of weeks, you may be able to see patterns emerging. For example, you might find that your calls are more successful on a Monday evening between 4pm and 6pm. Or, you could find that when you ask how the weather is it builds a better rapport that usually leads to a sale. Try it, you might be surprised what you discover.
5. Be Prepared! This is vital – you need to give the customer the feeling that you know what you are talking about. If they ask you a question, you should have the answers ready. So, gather as much information about the product as you can. This could include technical specifications, measurements, colour schemes or options. Of course, you can never predict every question that will be asked of you, so when you come across something you are not sure of, don’t try to bluff your way through it. Simply say ‘I’ll just check that with a colleague’, or ‘I’ll find out for you’. The customer will be far happier with that answer than an incorrect one that creates problems in the future.
Try these tips out to see if they work for you and, if you have any tips of your own, please do let me know.
If you feel you need more help with your sales techniques, keep your eye out for next week’s Course of The Week. It’ll give you £25 off the course fees for one week only.
Written by Shelley Bowers
