Recipe: Making the Pitch

One of the quickest fixes to your selling approach can be to change the words you use. An effective telemarketing script positions what you are offering in such a way that prospects grasp what’s in it for them. A common mistake is to call prospects with the intent of introducing yourself and telling them what you do. But that’s all about you. Why should they care?

Instead, introduce yourself by giving simply your name and any personal connection between you. Then immediately ask about their needs and get permission to talk further. “Do you have a moment to talk about your concerns with the reliability of your network?” is a sample opening question. Try leading with a benefit: “I help companies increase employee retention without added costs. Could we spend a few minutes discussing any issues you’re having with employee turnover?” Or ask a qualifying question as your first step: “Are you looking for a new job opportunity right now? I’d like to see if I can help you with that, if you have a couple of minutes.”

This is also what you should do when prospects call you. You don’t need to ask permission in this case, but you do need to find out what prompted them to call you. Before launching into a description of how you work and what it costs, ask about their situation.

Engaging your prospects in conversation will both establish rapport and provide you with valuable information. Whenever you can, ask open-ended questions rather than prompting yes or no answers. “How much use do you expect to make of outside trainers this year?” can get you much more information than asking, “Does your company use contract trainers?” Include a series of possible questions like this in your script.

The word script is not meant to imply that you are reading prepared lines. You don’t want to sound as if you are selling magazine subscriptions. Design your script as a list of talking points that you refer to as needed during an interactive conversation.

When you feel that you have both established some rapport and collected enough information from your prospects, tell them briefly and specifically how you can help them, and in their words. If the prospect says “our employee turnover is out of control,” you might respond with, “I can really help you with that out-of-control turnover situation. The incentive plan I implemented for Althea Chemical reduced their turnover by 20 percent.”

As soon as you know you’ve got the person’s interest, ask for a meeting or turn the call into an immediate sales conversation. Don’t wait for her to suggest the next step or back away from making it a direct question. “It sounds as if my services might be just what you’re looking for. Would you like to get together and talk about it?” Expect to encounter objections, and have a ready answer for each predictable stumbling block already in your script.

If you have trouble remembering what’s in your script, get nervous once you’re on the phone, or just can’t seem to think quickly enough to deliver the right responses, you need to work on your telemarketing skills. Take a class, work with a coach, or practice with friends. Learning your script more thoroughly will enable you to give a better performance under stress.