Here are five pieces of advice that get your sales professionals past call reluctance to gain more qualified leads:
- Script the first 30 seconds. Call reluctance may come from a concern that the beginning of a sales conversation is awkward. Get past that fear by writing down, visualizing and even practicing the first 20 to 30 seconds of the call.
- Have a great voice mail script ready. Leave messages that are no longer than 40 to 45 seconds and have a good pace, a sense of urgency, and a strong offer or call-to-action to get your prospect to call back quickly.
- Turn off all other distractions when you make a call. This includes email, your Web browser and voice mail. Get yourself into a zone where you’re making those calls and nothing else.
- Get momentum and keep going. Try to develop a strong list to call and keep going until you’re through it. It’s usually best to do it at a set time and make sure you stay focused.
- Do it early or do it late. It’s usually a good idea to make calls as soon as you get to the office. The earlier you make them, the better the chances are you get call-backs from the voice mails you leave in the morning. Another strategy is to make those calls after 4 p.m. when you’re more likely to reach prospects in the office.
Adapted from: “Successful Selling,” by Matt Heinz, the founder of Heinz Marketing, a sales training and marketing firm.
