Given the pervasive nature of digital marketing, you would be forgiven for assuming that telemarketing has been abandoned. But the fact and figures are far from this. Telemarketing or cold calling is still widely popular, and a lot of companies still employ it in their business quite aggressively.
But cold calling is an art than not many companies have mastered. It is often taken for granted that prospective clients will hang up midway through the call or may not bother answering the call. With such negative energy surrounding telemarketing, it is no wonder that it is considered a nuisance and mechanical.
Today we take a look at how you can create an effective script that will transform telemarketing in your business and increase your sales.
- Start with researching your target audience.
Before you start drafting the script, it pays to understand a few things about your prospective clients. This includes their niche, their industry, their interests, and how your service or product can benefit them.
A great place to find information is on the companies’ website, social media platforms and others such as LinkedIn. You cannot underestimate the power of information, especially if your aim is to make a sale. The more information you gather, the better prepared you are to answer the queries and provide relevant answers.
- Don’t make the script mechanical.
After you gather all the relevant information, now it time to start working on the script. Whether it is a phone script or a script for a voice mail, keep it as natural and organic as possible. There is nothing more annoying than a telemarketing call that is robotic. Consider the following examples.
“Hello. I am Anna calling from Smith and Smith. We have a great campaign that will help your company. Do you have a few minutes?”
When you get straight to the point and sound like you’re in a rush, don’t be surprised if the prospect hangs up right away.
The second scenario.
“Hi! I am Alex from so and so company. <Pause> I hope I did not catch you at a bad time?”
Here, the caller shows consideration for the prospect’s busy schedule but also displays confidence.
An effective cold script starts with an introduction, making a connection with the client and then introducing the sale thereafter. If the client is in a rush and cannot talk for long, you can at least schedule a callback, or establish an email contact which is a great start.
- Essentials of a great telemarketing script.
Irrespective of whether you call a company or an individual customer, what differentiates an outstanding telemarketing script from an average one is the contents. Essentials that a great script for a cold call must include:
- Caller’s introduction
- Your company’s name and what it deals in
- The purpose of your call
- In what way your service or product can benefit the client or solve a pain point
- The proposition of the sales value
- The final step of action – making an appointment, closing a deal etc.
You can use any cold calling scripts that are widely available on the internet. However, if you include these essentials, you can make up the rest as you progress into the call.
- Keep the conversation natural.
Some experts will advise building a rapport while cold calling your customers. This can seem like an impossible task during your first call. However, unless the person you are calling turns out to be a moron, when you keep the conversation natural, they will respond.
Use some tidbits of information that you gathered in your research and interject them into the conversation. Congratulate them on a recent promotion, ask them how what made them join the current company, talk about the university they went to. This will relax the client, and when he or she is relaxed, they will give you more time, and this is when you can slide in your sales pitching.
Pause after every sentence and give time to the prospect to respond. If you rush in and do all the talking, you might as well hang up the call yourself.
- Do not make the call cold.
It sounds very ironic, but it is one of the key factors in making a successful sales call. When you call a stranger and ask for favors, it can seem very awkward. But remember, there is a person on the other end of the line.
Be polite, relaxed and do not sound rushed. It will get quickly picked up by the person you are calling. Do not just show respect when you speak to the decision-makers and the top-level executives from the company. Use the same attitude when you talk to the people in the front office. They are the gate-keepers, and your interaction with them can decide whether or not you make successful telemarketing.
A great tip of making a successful telemarketing call is not to try and sell your product or service on the first call. It puts the caller as well as the recipient under a lot of strain. The first call should be aimed to provide information to prospective clients. If the call goes well and you can wrap up a sale that is a bonus but don’t pressure yourself either.
Final thoughts.
Telemarketing and cold calling can seem pretty challenging at first. Making a decision to not go by the script is also a great option in telemarketing.
However, if you do decide to write a script and follow it, keep it as natural as possible. Of course, it should contain the essentials that are required in a telemarketing script. But some of the most successful cold callings are those that started out as a great conversation and not as a robotic monologue.
Practicing and rehearsing the script before you start making the call is also a great tip. This will allow you to relax and make each call with natural confidence. Do not forget to listen actively while the prospective client talks or makes an observation.
