2.1 Introduction
Buyers make their purchasing decisions based on emotions and the
logical reasons for buying something are then retro-fitted into the decision - this helps
create mental congruence.
People do not generally like to feel that they are emotional creatures making irrational decisions
based upon how they “feel' (particularly men), so they hide the reasons for buying from others and,
critically, from themselves.
Consider the example of buying a Ferrari.
The emotional reasons to buy one easily outweigh the
practical or logical reasons - if you bought cars for practical reasons, more people would buy
Skodas! However, if you talk to somebody who owns a Ferrari, they will never admit it was to boost
their ego and help them feel good about themselves. They will, no doubt, go on about the quality of
the vehicle, how fast it can accelerate, the reliability, the excellent customer service, etc.
Ferrari owners will not mention that they rarely go out in it, have nowhere to test its acceleration
capacity, can't fit anything in it, are a bit scared of the speed and find it very expensive to run. They
won't admit it to themselves, or to anybody else. Neither will they mention that they wanted to
impress people with it, were competing with their friend to have the best car, thought it would help
them get dates and use it to boost their self-esteem - they probably aren't aware of this themselves
The ego is a very clever and deceptive aspect of our mental landscape and will readily take actions without filling us in on the true intentions! There are a few core emotional needs which heavily influence a person's buying decisions - these are security, money and looking/feeling good. How will your product or service help people to meet these emotional needs?
The ego is a very clever and deceptive aspect of our mental landscape and will readily take actions without filling us in on the true intentions! There are a few core emotional needs which heavily influence a person's buying decisions - these are security, money and looking/feeling good. How will your product or service help people to meet these emotional needs?
2.2 Evolutionary Neurology
We are driven by our emotions. There is a natural desire to increase the mental states which feel “good' and reduce those that feel "bad" (biologically, this is controlled by the specific neurotransmitters produced in the brain during certain experiences). There are some key biological and psychological drives which all humans have in common.
We seek like-minded company, we want people to like us, we want to be part of a group or community, we want to laugh and be happy, we want to feel important, we want to be noticed, we dislike feeling isolated and lonely, we dislike feeling left out of a trend, we dislike being too different and alienated, we dislike being bored and miserable, we dislike feeling insignificant, we dislike being ignored. The drivers for our emotions are primarily evolutionary.
For example our cave-dwelling ancestors were much safer if they were in a group - it would protect them from danger and make hunting easier, due to the strength in numbers. We are programmed to enjoy activities which support our basic needs, such as eating food, having sex and being accepted by others.
2.3 Biological Drivers
Advertisers and marketers are well aware of the biological drives which can be harnessed to influence sales.
Marketing often relies on creating a sense of belonging, by getting people to identify with a specificbrand. If you are wearing Nike trainers, it aligns you with certain traits and emotional qualities thebrand has worked hard to develop - this is why celebrities make powerful brand advocates.If a famous footballer wears a specific type of trainer, our subconscious will assume that if we wearthe same, we will become part of his “tribe' and have a similar experience of life (money,women/men, fame, etc). In reality, this is not the case.
There are certainly other reasons to choose a specific brand - for example, you have used thembefore and trust the quality and like the service - but typically, these logical reasons are not thebiggest influencers in the choice of products for the majority of people.Many people are also very dissatisfied with their lives (and disconnected with their emotions) and sotry to ignore or repress unwanted feelings with distractions (like Facebook) and increase positivefeelings with hedonism and quick fixes (such as food, as it stimulates the same neurotransmitters aspositive experiences). Shopping is a well-known quick fix for negative mental states, as it producesneurotransmitters that feel good - a bit like cocaine!
2.4 Emotional Selling Proposition
In order to deliver the emotional drivers that the prospect needs to influence their purchasing decision, you need to uncover what emotions it is they want to buy.
Focus on uncovering what problems your caller has and use this to expose their emotional needs - a bit like a psychologist trying to understand a new client. You also need to match the emotions they desire to experience (or wish to eliminate) with what your product or service offers.
2.5 Exercise: Buying Emotions
Estimated Time: 20 minutes
Using a real or imagined product or service that you would like to sell, identify whatemotions it can deliver and what pain it can resolve.
As vividly as possible, imagine some of the callers that could come to you, the unwanted emotionsthey are experiencing and the positive emotions they would like to “buy'. Really get creative withprofiling your imaginary prospects and their emotional requirements.
Use the following example as a guide to produce your own emotional shopping list for three more people:
Name and Age Alison Grant - age 35
Social Status
Married, 2 children (age 12 and 14), relatively well off (debt free), stay at homemum
Likes and dislikes
Likes: cooking, being a mum, being healthy, nature, reading, learning Dislikes:
alcohol, laziness, gossip, TV, her old and unreliable desktop PC
Emotional state
Frustration: lack of time for own hobbies, spends lots of time driving kids around Boredom: unfulfilled and wants more fun and more to do which stimulates her mind Depressed: lost sight of where her life is going and lacks friends in her area.
Emotional desires
Entertainment: wants more hobbies Social interaction:- wants more friends
Novelty: loves trying new things
Product for Sale Samsung tablet
Matching Features to Emotions
The tablet can be taken anywhere, so she could do online learning or listen to podcasts whilst waiting around for the kids - using her time more effectively and eliminating frustration and boredom. She could sit in nature and read about topics she enjoys - accessing novel forms of entertainment. She can join online communities for support and friendship - enhancing social interaction. Shecan watch documentaries about finding life purpose and direction - helping herto overcome her depression about lack of purpose and direction.
What emotional needs can your product or service meet?
2.6 Personality
Another emotional driver for sales is whether or not we like the person we are buying from and the business we are interacting with. People buy from people, so you need to get your prospective clients to like you. Having an agreeable personality, being optimistic, pleasant and polite will help your prospect like you more.
If you feel you have a negative or hostile attitude to people, then you really need to address why this is - sales may not be the right role for you. Having a genuine desire to interact with people and help them meet their needs, will radically improve your ability to make sales.
2.7 Reputation
The personality of your business is also becoming increasingly important. Customers want to ensure that they are buying from a reputable business, with ethics they can align to and a responsibility for their workforce and the environment.
Fair trade products are an excellent example of this - many people will not consider buying from a company who is destroying the rainforest and exploiting workers. For others, it is less of a problem(ignorance is bliss) but increasingly we are seeing corporate social responsibility influencing customer and business purchases.
2.8 The Sales Process
The whole process revolves around building trust and enhancing positive emotions around the product or service on offer and specifically, highlighting the problems and needs it will address and the benefits it will bring.
The entire process is often referred to as a “sales funnel'. A high number of targeted prospects enter the funnel and gradually they drop out, until only a few interested prospects remain and hopefully make a purchase.
Sales is often referred to as a “numbers game', as you will not sell the product to all of the people who originally express interest - the funnel always gets smaller. However, working on your sales skills and analyzing your results will help you to see areas in which you are losing prospects and reasons why they are not converting to customers.
From a customer perspective, the sale can be roughly divided into four phases which are linked to the emotional status of the potential buyer (also known as a prospect). From a seller's perspective, there are additional phases before the actual sale begins and after it has completed, with some extra nuances to what is communicated and how.
2.9 Pre-sales Research
Before you even start thinking about selling, it is vital to do your research and understand to whom you are selling and what you are selling. This may seem obvious, but inexperienced sales staff often do not put in the time and effort to understand their target market and the needs that their product or service addresses. Identifying exactly whom you are selling to - businesses or individuals - and understanding their challenges, is crucial to aligning what you can offer with what they need. This pre-sales phase of understanding your market is also called prospecting. During this time, you are asking questions and doing research to understand the target market and identify their problems, frustrations, requirements, needs and desires.
Understanding the difficulties your target market faces will help you to identify solutions to their problems which align with what you are selling. Defining the challenges or pain points of your target market will also help you communicate to them in a way which builds rapport, as they will feel you understand them and their requirements. Researching your business prospects online can glean some very useful information about general market needs and the particular issues they are facing. Specifically, social media can reveal some insider intelligence about customer needs, especially when they are not being met - unhappy customers are quick to publicly post their problems.
The more you know about the needs of the prospect, the easier it is to identify with them, show youunderstand their requirements and tailor your product presentation to them specifically. Reviewing your own online presence can also help you spot any issues which could be raised by the prospect. For example if your customers are complaining about delivery times, you need to be ready to adequately respond to this and assure the prospect that this issue has been resolved.
Understanding your competition is also a crucial element of your sales preparation. How is your product or service better than your competition's? What additional benefits can you offer that your competition cannot?
2.10 Targeting Your Market
Developing customer profiles will help you to imagine who you want to sell to and where the customer is likely to be.
Think outside of the box and put yourself in the prospect's shoes to imagine the type of people who are more likely to want your product or service and determine how you will reach them. You may not be able to get direct interaction, but you could get your product in front of them via a third party.
For example if you are selling something targeted at young, fashion loving females, thengettingit displayed and available in independent high street clothes shops could help you meet yourcustomers' needs - if you can use competitions or other methods to gather contact details, evenbetter.
An excellent way of determining who your target market is and who is most likely to make apurchase, is examining previous sales (either your own or more, those achieved by the sales team),to work out who is buying the product and when - for example, a specific day/time of day. Keeping asales diary where you record the time and date of sales can help you to identify opportunities toenhance sales and understand peak times.
2.11 Presenting the Product or Service
A vital part of the process is fully explaining the product or service on offer, paying specific attention to how it will address the challenges and needs of the prospect. Many telephone salespeople use scripts, to ensure the product is uniformly and accuratelydescribed, highlighting all the features and benefits.
Whilst scripts create an excellent outline, it is important that you personally get to know the productor service, so that you can answer questions that are not on the script and talk confidentially aboutthe product - if you are selling a device you have never seen or touched, it is very difficult tohonestly answer questions about it.
Depending on the product or service you are selling, the presentation can be purely verbal or can include other media such as videos, diagrams and text. The delivery of your presentation will also vary, depending on the relationship you have with the prospect - for example, cold calls versus people requesting sales calls.
2.12 Negotiating and Closing
After presenting the product or service, the next phase is the negotiation. This is when you would address any questions or concerns and typically offer additional items with the main product to enhance the likelihood of a sale. Time limited discounts and other immediate gifts encourage the prospect to make a decision on the spot, in order to receive the bonus items.
Closing the deal is achieved after all the concerns are addressed and enough positive emotions have been generated to convince the prospect that the item on offer is something which will make their lives better in some way. Ideally, you would close the deal immediately - for example, taking credit card details, to capture thein-the-moment emotions you have generated.
2.13 Servicing and Additional Purchases
After the main sale has been closed and the buyer has committed to the sale, there is theopportunity to sell additional items, including service contracts (e.g. for physical goods),warranties and insurances, or other products which are relevant to the customer.
Upselling and cross-selling are highly valuable:
Cross-selling
Selling an additional, different product. Providing excellent customer services after the sale keeps customers happy and maintains the positive relationship that has been established. Returning customers who repurchase goods or services are an excellent indicator of your skills as a salesperson and also, the product or service's ability to meet customer needs.
Customer retention has become more important and many organisations put more emphasis on selling new or additional products to existing customers than finding new customers. This is because, statistically, existing customers are more likely to buy and since trust has already been established, they will often spend more. Word of mouth recommendations from happy customers are much more powerful than paid forms of advertising, so satisfied clients act as part of your own sales team - a win-win situation!
2.14 Exercise - Prospect Research
Estimated Time: 15 minutes
Either using real life examples or an imaginary one, start to think about the questions youwould ask to analyse your target market and to understand your prospects needs.Who is your target market (be as specific as possible and create a profile that outlines theirdemographics)?
What needs do your target market have?
What challenges might they be facing (as individuals or businesses)?
What other needs are relevant (e.g. the prospect's clients, vendors or partners)?
How will the product or service meet the prospect's needs and challenges?
How does my product or service exceed alternatives available in the market?
What benefits does the product or service have and how can this be mapped to value for the
prospect?
2.15 Sales Psychology
Creating conditions which foster emotions conducive to sales is vital to taking the prospect through the sales funnel and becoming a customer.
The most well-known and effective model is called AIDA:
1st stage - get their Attention
2nd stage - generate Interest in what you have to offer
3rd stage - develop the buyer's Desire for what you are offering
4th stage - customer takes Action and commits (verbally or in writing) to what you are offering (closing the deal)
This is a psychological process, which applies ubiquitously when responding to external stimuli and not just sales.
Imagine the following scenario:
You spot something on the floor - it grabs your attention and you take a closer look.
You would like to know what it is and why it is there - it has your interest.
You realize it is some stray threads of black cotton (and not the “spider' which caught your attention in the first place!). After the initial relief, you now have a desire to resolve the situation.
You put it in the bin (or ignore it and let somebody else have the same experience!). You have taken action.
2.16 Grabbing Attention
There is an excess of stimuli in most people's environments. From mobile devices to advertising, there is a huge amount of information vying for peoples' attention. It is vital that what you say in the first 10 to 20 words grabs peoples' attention sufficiently to make them want to continue listening. Your opening needs to rapidly convey that there is value in continuing to listen to what you are saying. You also need to quickly convince them that the value you are offering is something they actually need.
Typically, advertising uses headlines, volume (for visual/audio adverts), provocative words andpowerful language. You have so few words with which to grab initial intention and make an excellent first impression that this needs to be carefully crafted, rehearsed and adapted once you start using it, to enhance it as much as possible. Avoid jargon and ensure what you are saying is highly relevant, enticing and succinct. Your prospect should understand who you are and roughly what you areoffering in the opening statement.
An effective choice of words and confident delivery from the start, will establish respect - you valuetheir time - and start to build their image of you as somebody who they can relate to, with thecapacity to solve some of their problems. Your opening should also be tailored to your prospectusing language which is relevant to them.
For example if you are talking to a financial decision maker, you should be communicating infinancial benefits or cost savings.
2.17 Getting them Interested
Once you have their attention, you need to maintain momentum and generate interest in what you have to offer. This is achieved by communicating the benefits which are relevant to your prospect and listening to their needs and demonstrating empathy and understanding. Ensure you are using language relevant to your prospect and selecting jargon appropriate to their level of knowledge.
Timing is another crucial element to developing interest - seasonal or weather dependent items (like
snow boots) may be exactly what your prospect needs, but not right now. From a courtesyperspective, it is also advisable to confirm that they currently have the time to talk to you. To movefrom interest to desire, you need to demonstrate that you understand their needs and confidencethat your product or service will meet those needs.
2.18 Developing Desire
Once your prospect has shown some interest in what you have to offer - which can often be communicated quite subtly - you need to grow desire by developing the value of your product or service to the prospect. Discussing their challenges, needs, priorities and constraints will reveal more about the reason theywould benefit from what you are selling. You often need to think on your feet to demonstrate youralignment to their needs and ensure they feel comfortable in selecting your company to do businesswith.
Establishing trust can be achieved by emphasising ways in which you have helped others in similar situations. This also demonstrates that you are not a risk and have a track record of resolving issues. Highlighting the ways in which your product or service is better that the competition (for your prospect) will demonstrate your market knowledge, thus increasing your credibility.
2.19 Taking Action
Once the prospect has a strong desire for what you are offering, they are ready to move to the next step and take action (which could be closing or negotiation on terms or bonuses). By this time they have often decided that they are willing to do business with you and all that remains is some negotiation and maybe a follow up, to close the deal. If you are asked questions you can not answer, or other people need to be involved in the decision making process, ensure you are specific about how you will follow up and when.
It could take several interactions to get your prospect and other decision makers to take action - the higher the cost of your product or service, the more time you can expect it to take, especially if any formal approval processes need to be followed. Make it very clear what you would like your prospect to do for you.
For example providing the details of colleagues who need to be involved, or other information that you need.
2.20 Types of Sales Call
Depending on where your prospect is in the sales funnel, there are distinct types of sales call (and some that fall in between categories). The type of call influences the way you deliver information. If a customer has already express endosome interest in the product, you have more scope and typically, time, for working with the prospect to develop desire and take action to close a sale.
Typically people do not like cold calling - in part due to the potential for it to be a scam. This technique has lost popularity, due to its ineffectiveness and use of manipulative techniques to get sales. Cold calls are more commonly (and effectively) used to introduce a targeted prospect to a business or salesperson, taking off the pressure to close and actively encouraging relationship development instead of achieving the sale.
The return on investment (ROI) of cold calls is low and the potential to irritate prospects and damage business reputation is high. It is also one of the most stressful types of calls for salespeople to make, as it comes with a lot of rejection which will naturally lower enthusiasm and create a negative feedback loop.
Many countries (including European Member States) have rules in place which protect customers from cold calling and governments have established databases for people who do not wish to receive unsolicited calls to register their number and preferences. In the UK, this register is held by the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) - despite being a government body, they are not immune to scams and people are cold calling pretending to be the TPS and trying to get payment details for TPS registration (which is actually free.)
If you do cold call, try and reframe the call as a consultative process where you are getting to know the prospect - not directly trying to make a sale. Once you have established a relationship, multiple contacts can generate a sale if the prospect has been thoroughly researched and targeted.
Warm calls are more personalised - you should have the prospect's name and, ideally,some details about why they are interested in your product or service. The previouscontact is used to initiate the conversation, which will help the prospect understand thatit is not a cold call.
Warm calling is more effective than cold calling, but the prospect will still need to betaken through the AIDA process from the beginning. More recently, social mediainteractions are being used as the warm up - especially more professional sites likeLinkedIn.
While prospects have expressed some interest in the business or product, they may not be directly interested in making a purchase. If the prospect was referred, then the name of the referrer will act as abridge between you and the prospect - effectively gaining your trust and opening a space for dialogue.
There is no marked distinction between warm and hot, apart from the level of customerinterest which, depending on the mechanism, cannot always be accurately gauged -especially if it has come from another person. Initial enthusiasm can drop and theprospect may have sought out alternative options.Alternatively, their enthusiasm can increase if they have been reflecting on how much your product or service will benefit them. Don't make assumptions and gauge your prospect's level of interest yourself, when you communicate with them. Responses to Ads and Leads (brought in by marketing departments or campaigns) can also lead to warm/hot calls and further qualification can target the best prospects to invest your time in.
In bound call (Prospect calls you)
This is typically very warm/hot, as they are calling to purchase something. Ask questions, or negotiate a deal. You still need to go through the process of gathering information to understand needs and create the best emotional environment for a sale, but knowing they have come to you typically makes these calls more relaxed and easier to close.
2.21 Typical Call Structure
Regardless of the type of call, the same basic structure applies - bringing in the essential elements from both the sale process and psychology.
Opening the call
This is a friendly introduction to the product or service and to you - the strength of your opening will create a lasting first impression. You can begin to build rapport by asking some polite questions, for example asking how they are doing and if they have time to talk. Avoid being too personal and ensure your level of formality is appropriate to who you are talking to. Click to BUY NOW!
Building rapport
You need to convey trust and likeability, in order to develop a relationship with your prospect -people do not generally buy from individuals they do not like or trust! Additionally, we prefer to buyfrom people we feel are like us, for example age, economic status, etc.
Recommendations from peers are also a way of influencing the sale - positive testimonials from like minded people will help the prospect feel they are making the right choice, as others who are like them have also made the same choice and are happy. To recommend a product to suit their needs, your prospect needs to feel that you really understand them - this is much easier to convey if they feel you are like them.
Building rapport involves finding points of similarity to convey you are, in some ways at least, the same kind of person. If applicable, you can use brief personal stories or experiences, for example with the product, to demonstrate your similarity to the caller and their needs - for example, “I used to forget to charge my phone all the time and missed many important calls, now I have the fast charge feature I can fully charge my phone and get 15 hours of talk time, whilst having a cup of coffee!'.
Being friendly, establishing a connection, understanding their needs and helping the caller feel good about what you are offering will hugely influence the likelihood of making a sale. Establishing a good rapport from the beginning will pave the way for a positive and long lasting relationship, involving repeat sales and recommendations to other potential customers.
Gathering information
Asking questions and intently listening to your prospect's answers (and ideally taking notes) will help you work out their needs and identify opportunities for your product or service to meet those needs. Asking open questions and looking for potential objections (barriers to the sale, e.g. cost) will provide the information you need to persuade them that your product will provide value to them and meets their requirements whilst resolving their objections.
Determining Interest
Prospects will sometimes be very direct in expressing their interest in your product, but typically it is less obvious. Making positive noises (like “uhh hmm') is a sign that they are interested and thinking about what you are saying. Listening for these buying signals - which also include saying Click to BUY NOW! nice things about your product or service - is the key to seeing how near or far your prospect is from taking action and committing to a sale.
Usually, if a prospect really isn't interested they will make this very clear and get you off the telephone. Conversely, if they seem unsure or are pondering your points, this is a good sign! Asking leading questions can also help you determine interest and push them into feeling like they already own the product - e.g. "would you like it in silver or gold?'.
Closing the sale
Asking closed questions (which require yes and no answers, e.g. “Is delivery on Tuesday ok for you?') and repeating the benefits, moves you toward the close. Once you have negotiated terms and bonuses (used to leverage the sale), you then need to definitively ask for the sale.
2.22 Inbound versus Outbound Calls
There are some significant differences between inbound and outbound calls and both have their unique benefits: Typically, inbound calls are friendlier as the prospect has made the decision to contact you themselves. Preparation before outbound calls makes it easier to control the conversation and steer it towards a sale.
Inbound Calls
The caller already wants to talk to you, making it easier to build rapport. It is a good time for the caller to talk to you, as they have chosen to call at a time convenient to them. You usually won't know anything about the caller (unless they are an existing client you can look up). If it is an existing client, they are easier to sell to as trust has already been established. They usually want something you are selling, especially if using a dedicated order line.
Turning incoming calls into orders
Even though the customer has called you about the product or service, they will still need to be sold to - don't assume they will make a purchase unless you help them to do so! The telephone experience they receive with you will determine if a sale is made - this is an opportunity which can easily be lost.
How you answer the telephone is very important - you need to make your caller feel important and respected:
-Answer within 3 rings and greet the caller politely.
-State your name and the name of your organisation.
-Ask how they are and how you can help.
For example “Good morning, you are speaking with John Smith from Western Media, how may I help you?'
The following steps will help you take the inbound caller on a journey to a sale:
-Listen to what they are saying and what they want/need.
-Give choices about products that meet those needs (choices lead to sales).
-Listen out for when they are ready to close - e.g. “how much will that cost me?'
-Arrange the next communication, if no sale was made this time.
Outbound calls
The prospect may not want to talk to you and may resent you disturbing them. The prospect may not have the time to talk to you when you call. You will have targeted and researched the prospect, so you usually know something about them and their needs - making preparation for the call easier. Typically, this will be a new client (unless you are calling existing customers) and they are less likely to want what you are selling. Focus on building a relationship and understanding their needs.
2.23 Communicating Effectively
Some individuals seem to be natural sales people, having many of the required skill scented around communication and rapport building - others need to learn them. An outgoing and persuasive personality and genuine interest in talking to people is very important and needs to be combined with excellent listening skills. Building rapport with your caller requires a balance of speaking and listening - generating active engagement and involvement by asking questions and giving them space to communicate and not just talking at them.
Keep topics pertinent and interactive to maintain attention and focus. Even though your caller will not be able to see you, it is important to present yourself in a way which conveys professionalism -this includes your clothing and posture. What you wear and how you sit create a specific atmosphere, which is conveyed over the telephone - if you are wearing jeans and slouching, you will sound different to if you are wearing a shirt and sitting upright.
2.24 Active Listening
Learning to listen effectively is an immensely important skill which will improve your ability to build rapport, understand needs and make sales. When you demonstrate to your prospect that you are really hearing what they are trying to communicate and are genuinely interested, it establishes trust and helps build the relationship. Conversely, if you do not listen well you will miss the subtle cues, signals and opportunities provided by your caller.
Active listening requires focus and attention to the words that are being used, tone of voice and non- verbal communication such as agreeable noises (uhh hmm, mmmm, ahhh) - these are typically buying signals, which are key to moving the sale forward. Really listening to your prospect is also inessential element of rapport building, as it makes prospects feel valued, relaxed and comfortable talking to you, which establishes trust.
Taking notes and feeding back
Writing down what you are discussing will also help you spot any changes in their tone of voice or interaction with you. Referring back to what was being discussed before and immediately after the change in their communication with you can help you identify why they have changed their feelings (and “gone cold') about something.
For example if they seem very interested and positive about the sale and then after discussingdelivery options they seem less interested, there may be something that they have notcommunicated which concerns them - it could be something very simple which is easy for you toresolve but for the prospect, it is a big deal e.g. they are not able to receive deliveries as they needto work all day.
Taking note of what is being said is really important, to allow the caller to speak uninterrupted and, at the same time, capturing items for you to come back to. The prospect may express needs, objections and preferences, all of which should be summarized back to them (in an abbreviated way).
For example:
“So, what I think you are saying is___________?'
“If I understand correctly, your biggest concern is________?'
“Please allow me to confirm that I have understood this correctly ___________?'
“It sounds like ___________ is a serious problem for you?'
“You sounded irritated when you talked about __________, am I correct?'
“Would I be right in thinking that resolving ___________ would really help you?'
Interpreting your prospect
You need to listen to what is being said and also what is not being said, paying specific attention to intonation, pace, pitch and volume as these indicate emotional states more accurately than the words being used. As you listen, you are building up a “mental map' of what they want (needs) and what they do not want (objections).
Feeding back what the prospect is saying by confirming and repeating back to them will ensure you have correctly understood their requirements. Interpreting what they are saying, instead of focusing on pushing the sale, will help you come across as a trusted advisor instead of a salesperson - which will help them trust you more in the long run.
Listening for buying signals
Throughout your telephone interaction, it is really important to judge their emotional responses and specifically monitor the conversation for buying signals. Imagine it is like a game and each time they give a positive signal, you get a point! As you are taking notes of the conversation, keep a tally of how often they give off one of these positive signals - maybe capture it with a specific symbol in your notes (like an asterisk '*') - and as the call progresses, you will see if the positive signals are stacking up.
Actively analysing the call will help you judge more easily if you are heading for a sale and it will boost your confidence at the same time. Analysis of your own success and challenges using methods like this will help you spot patterns in your own style, which are effective or causing problems.
If you notice that you are repeatedly picking up lots of buying signals but not making sales, simply review the conversations from your notes and see if you can spot what is happening. You could be introducing a specific concept in the wrong way.
For example if you come in heavy handed with payment terms before you have talked about bonuses, this could be scaring people off. Really, the only way to develop your skills and progress is to analyse your own performance. Don't take failures personally - instead, look critically at what is happening during the calls.
Contrary to what you might think or feel at the time, silence is a good thing! They are actively pausing to think about what you have told them and pondering the product, imagining what it would be like for them. Other cues (such as umms, ahhhs, mmms) are also positive sounds - they denote agreement with what you have said.
Positive words are another good indicator - if you phrase questions correctly, then their positive responses create buying signals and help them to imagine using the product themselves, “Do you think using our service would reduce your long term costs?' Listen carefully to how they respond to your leading questions, a flat “Yeah, I suppose so' is quite different to an excited “Yes, definitely!' You might like to develop your own scoring system, to help you tailor your conversation and questions even more.
For example if you get very enthusiastic responses to questions about cost savings, award yourself a triple-asterisk (***) and if you get positive responses but less enthusiasm to questions about another topic, such as timelines, give yourself just one asterisk (*). As the call progresses, you will spot areas which are more relevant for the prospect - and more critical - to making the sale. It could be that the caller has a specific issue they want met that they have not actively communicated, or maybe aren't even aware of themselves. Focus on what is working in each call - never assume what the prospect finds important. Play the detective and really listen to what they are telling you.
As you progress, you will learn to recognise more easily when people are feeling positive towards the sale and when they are less interested. Fortunately, when people are not interested they are generally more vocal, a “no' really does mean “no' and you are typically better focussing your energy and efforts on other prospects that are at least warm to the idea of purchasing something.
Time is money and while persistence can pay off, people do not typically change their mind completely. Keeping track of buying signals will also help you to assess long term prospects. If each time you make contact you are increasing rapport and getting positive signals, then eventually you can reach a tipping point where they have collected enough “positive points' to desire the sale. Keeping well organised notes on your prospects will help you make this long term assessment.
For example if you determine that a prospect is giving you positive signals when you mention the media exposure gained from one of your services, then it would be a good idea to call them the next time your business achieves something big in this area - for example, if you sign up a specific celebrity to appear in an ad campaign.
2.25 Questioning
Asking questions to which the customer answers positively about your product, or needs to imagine your product, are three times more effective than simply presenting the information to them. Intelligent and relevant questions will demonstrate that you know what you are talking about and are familiar with the potential needs and requirements of the prospect. Well prepared questions will also lead the prospect into the sale, by demonstrating how your product or service would help them. Including previously established facts into leading questions will support drawing your prospect into the logical conclusion that they need what you have on offer.
For example:
“I understand you are struggling with _________, what would it be worth to your organisation if we could improve this for you?'
“We have talked about your challenges with ________, how would it be if we eliminated this problem?'
“How would it be if we could reduce the problems you are experiencing with _________?'
Clever questioning will help the prospect start to imagine how things could be if your product or service met their needs and resolved their challenges. Pay specific attention to their emotional responses to your questions - you can often detect signs of relief, such as a deep outward breath, when you have tapped into a problem that is weighing them down and they would like fixed!
Open questions where you expect a detailed response (what, where, why and when), are more useful in getting the information you require, while closed questions (do, are, will, could, should, shall - ideally framed so they are answered with “yes') get your prospects into a buying mood, e.g. “Do you agree this could save you a lot of time and money?' Avoid irrelevant questions and instead, focus on questions which will help demonstrate that they need the product or service you are selling.
2.26 Objectivity and Needs
Even though you are trying to sell something, it is important to remain objective - if you do not feel the product or service would suit your prospect or genuinely help them then say so.
Your directness and honesty will be appreciated and you will potentially save time and reputation by not manipulating people into a sale they do not want. Remaining objective will prevent your bias and desire to make the sale get in the way of understanding and meeting the prospect's needs. Take the time to thoroughly listen and critically analyse if there is a genuine need for your product or service.
Even if you do not make an immediate sale, your objectivity and honesty may well impress your prospect enough for them to return for future purchases, or even recommend you to their contacts - excellent impressions can be worth much more than single sales! This is also called a consultative selling approach and, if done correctly, will deliver lots of sales and stronger customer relationships. Here are some tips, to help you develop this style:
Reframe your role
Imagine you are a detective or a doctor - your job is to ask questions, gather evidence, understand the situation, solve problems, develop understanding and heal pain. The actual sales part is right at the end of the consultative process and is more like a prescription for a solution, “you'll easily make more friends and feel happier if you talk on this lovely new mobile phone three times a day and come back in two weeks so we can see how you are getting on'. Obviously you would NEVER say this but, hopefully, you can see the subtext of what is happening - the emotional problem is identified and a logical solution to the problem is prescribed by a consultant who is an authority on the subject (phones and emotions).
Click to BUY NOW!
Gather information
All the time you are interacting with the prospect, you are gathering information and trying to establish what their emotional and practical needs are. There is a logical sequence of emotions which drive purchasing decision. The first is pain (physical or more likely emotional). The next driver is fear (e.g. lack of safety, lack of money, concerns about the future). The third key driver is pleasure (feeling good). As you talk with your prospect, aim to uncover as many of these needs or drivers as possible and leverage them to make your sale.
For example if a prospect is looking to purchase a new computer you can find out if they are experiencing any frustrations with the performance of their current technology (this is pain) - are they concerned about losing data (this is fear), do they want to be able to watch videos in HD with high quality sound (this is pleasure). You would then communicate back to them how the computer you are selling has amazing performance and reliability, comes with fully integrated automatic data backups and recovery options and comes with free cinema quality speakers when you purchase it today! Once you have uncovered the pain, fears and desires and informed them how well your product or service will support these needs, then they will be motivated to take action - all you need to add are a few logical reasons why they should make the purchase immediately and you have virtually guaranteed yourself a sale!
Focus on the prospect
If your own desire to make the sale and get the commission outweighs a genuine desire to help the customer, they will pick up on it! Train yourself to use empathy and consideration to really want to help your customer - don't worry, you will still get your financial payoff! When a prospect feels genuinely taken care of, it dramatically influences their decision to make one or more purchases. Forget about the money for the time being and concentrate on the human being that has come to you for help. Aim to get the best possible outcome for your customer - your helpfulness will be rewarded!
Tailor your approach
On the surface, humans seem very similar to one another. However, it is the nuances of our uniqueness that are the most powerful influencers. Look out for clues about your prospect's individual style and approach to life. For example, some people are detailed and analytical and make decisions slowly, whereas others want the highlights and rapidly come to conclusions.
Your job is to match how you interact with callers with how THEY would like to interact. Do not assume that your natural style will be the most effective. Work on matching the prospect's methods and preference and deliver them with the style of interaction they desire the most.
Specifically, for long term relationship building take notes about your prospects and keep them on file, e.g.:
“Alan Price: wants lots of details, always has time to talk before 8am, focus on quality'
“Mike West: very limited time, summarise financial benefits, make appointments for 10 min calls'
“Sarah Hughes: loves to chat, interested in social influence, hates technology, loves horse riding/horses'
Establishing and agreeing needs
Some needs are practical ones - an item is needed to fulfil a specific role. However, many non- practical needs heavily influence sales. For example, the need to be part of a trend and fit in with a specific style, look good in front of others, have the latest technology, etc.
When determining your prospect's needs, these emotional requirements are very important. We all love receiving compliments and many people like to stand out from the crowd - and these are two key drivers for making a purchase. Here are some sample questions that can be useful in teasing out the customer needs. Some of these are more specific to business calls and some can be used for both business and calls to individuals.
Use this set of questions, to develop your own phrases that are suitable for your product or service:
What are your short or long term goals? Where do you see yourself in xyz years/months' time?
What does this purchase mean to you/to your company?
What would you say is your/your businesses' greatest strength/weakness?
How do you evaluate potential new products or services?
Who do you currently buy this type of product from? Why did you choose them?
What do you like or dislike about your current supplier?
What are your criteria for purchasing something? What would make this a successful process for you?
How would you prioritise price, quality or service - which is most important to you (and why)?
How do you choose companies you want to do business with?
What are your needs and how important are they to you?
Thinking about the last time you made a purchase like this, what were your reasons for the sale?
What negative experiences have you had with sales that we can ensure don't happen?
Who was the best sales person you ever talked to and why?
When can I call you back?
How can I get this sale? What would make you make a purchase now?
Educate your prospect
Part of your role in the sale is to bring new information to the prospect, to enable them to more fully understand and, ideally, desire the product or service on offer. You need to be able to effectively define exactly what is for sale and convey you are an expert on this product or service (even if it is your first day selling it). When your prospect asks questions, it is your opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge. Avoid “yes' and “no' answers and instead, weave your words creatively to convey as many positives as possible about the product directly or your business.
Consider the following alternative answers to a question:
Question from Prospect: Do you provide a warranty?'
Your answer option 1 - 'Yes'
Your answer option 2 - 'Yes, for two years'
Your answer option 3 - 'Yes, we offer a comprehensive 24 month warranty on all our products.
If you have any problems at all, we will replace the product or repair it whilst ensuring you are given a temporary replacement that will be sent out the same day by courier. We value our customers' needs very highly and the quality of our products means we can confidently give you this guarantee'.
Which of the options do you think would be more powerful? Never miss an opportunity to say positive things about the product, service or business - especially when it is a response to a question, as the prospect will be listening more intently to what you say.
Negotiation
Before you make your sales calls, take the time to prepare your bargaining tools. After you have established that there is a desire for your product or service, entering into negotiations will help you to find a win-win solution and the common ground that is needed to close the sale. Pricing is often a significant part of negotiations and for this reason, many salespeople choose to set prices higher than they actually are to allow scope for reducing the price - helping the customer feel they have got a good deal.
Whilst this tactic is frequently used, it can back-fire if the customer finds out their deal was not as “special and unique' as you made it sound - if they can Google your product and find the same price you are offering as a “special deal for them', be especially careful! Instead of reducing the price, which can devalue the product, you can instead add multiple discounts, such as buy one get one free, or other incentives which maintain the value of the sale but still offer a monetary discount.
Take time to find other ways you can influence their decision, which are more unique or aligned with their needs. This could include discounts on other products, bonus gifts, changes in payment terms and other less tangible items which you know your prospect would appreciate. Offering items that money cannot easily buy can be especially effective.
For example “Do you like football? (assume they say yes!) If you choose to upgrade this month, you will be entered into our special prize draw for tickets to the World Cup final, including all flights and accommodation. Do you think you would enjoy seeing the final live from our private booth?'
Offers with limited time or numbers also create a sense of urgency, which typically persuade people to make decisions quickly as they fear losing out. For example, “we have a special offer at the moment on this product with a huge 30% discount, but we only have 5 left in stock and once they are gone we won't be getting any more for another few months and I expect they will return to their standard retail price'.
Negotiation is about providing a solution to their needs and yours, where both parties are happy and benefit from the agreement - creating a win-win situation.
2.27 Summarising and Moving Forward
At the end of the call, it is important that you clearly restate what has been agreed to ensure there are no misunderstandings or erroneous expectations. If you have successfully made a sale, then this could include restating the conditions of the sale such as price, payment terms and delivery date. If you have not made a sale, there is still a need to reflect on what has been discussed and the next steps that are going to be taken - for example, arranging another call or speaking with colleagues. Summarising the call and discussing next steps also sends a clear signal that the call is about to end. If you have established a good rapport, you may find your prospect is enjoying chatting to you and needs encouragement to end the call!
2.28 Exercise: Communication Practice
Estimated Time: 30 minutes
Now you have learned about the communication skills needed to become an excellent telephone salesperson, you have the opportunity to put them into practice to embed the skill, increase confidence and find your own style.
This exercise involves you making some practice calls to other telephone salespeople to enhance your telephone confidence and practise the new skills.
Review a telephone book or internet directory for some businesses who have Freephone numbers for their sales departments (ideally in a market similar to what you will be selling).
Talk to the salesperson as if you are genuinely wanting to buy a product but at the same time, ensure you practise the following:
Actively listening to the other person and focusing all your attention on them. Taking notes of the calls and referring back to those notes. Asking questions and interpreting their emotional responses.
Gathering information about the product. Tailoring your engagement to suit their style (e.g. formal or informal).
Negotiating a better deal. Summarizing the call.
Also work on your tone of voice, style, speed etc, to get a feel for how you want to be during calls.
Listen to how the salesperson interacts with you - what do you and don't you like?
Make at least 10 of these calls to really test out your skills and see where you feel confident. Try out a few different personas, to find your own voice. Although this exercise will undoubtedly push you out of your comfort zone, it will be excellent practice and your comfort zone is a temporary thing - as soon as you have stepped out of it (and made a couple of calls), it gets much easier. This kind of practical research will also help you to see yourself in the same role - listen to how others do it and work on your personal style. You could even commit to making a few practice calls per day, to further your development whilst working through this guide.
2.29 Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP)
Developed in the 1970s, Neurolinguistic programming was advanced by researchers trying to understand excellence. Specifically, they were studying the innate differences between good communicators who are able to influence others and poorer communicators who seemed to lack the ability to persuade. Once they had established some common patters in speech and word selection, they developed the system into
Essentially, NLP uses language to program, or influence, people's minds and change their neurology. Many top salespeople will naturally use NLP techniques and many more choose to study and develop these influential communication skills. Even a basic understanding of the core concepts can significantly increase your success at building rapport and converting your prospects into customers.
NLP uses very specific language to directly influence the central nervous system and generate emotional responses which steer sales decision making - for example, increasing their willingness to buy. Whilst some feel that the empirical evidence does not support the widespread use of this relatively new form of psychology, others swear by its effectiveness to elicit specific responses and steer their prospects.
NLP can also be used to put a new spin on your own experience - for example, when receiving rejections. Reframing how you feel will change your perceptions and, ultimately, your experience.
For example: Scenario: At the end of a long day, you have had over 20 rejections and not made a sale.
Negative frame of reference (thoughts)
Positive frame of reference (thoughts)
Sales is just a numbers game and I could make a huge sale in the very next call.
I have made lots of sales in the past.
The end of the day has been very successful for me before
Typical expectations Not making any sales today
It is possible to make a sale by the end of the day
Typical emotions Miserable, defeatist, pessimistic Optimistic, positive, cheery
Typical customer experience
They would not enjoy talking to you in this emotional state
Happy to talk with a positive and cheery person at the end of the day
Typical experience
A negative interaction with prospects and no sales
A positive interaction which can lead to a sale
You choose how you respond to the situations life presents you. If you choose to respond negatively, don't be surprised if life responds accordingly - you create your experience of reality by the choices you make. Choose to be positive and optimistic and it will pay off!
2.30 Pacing and Matching
When we develop rapport naturally, we gradually pick up and mimic the way people around us are speaking.
For example if you spend a lot of time with a specific person you will find yourself using their words, idioms and style of expression, without actively trying to. As humans are a community orientated species, this is a key part of social interaction and strengthens the bonds between people. Using some specific NLP techniques like pacing and matching, we can artificially speed up this bonding process and more rapidly develop rapport with prospects.
Commonly used by sales experts, these subtle techniques essentially copy the caller's tone, speed, formality and accent, to create a harmonization between sales person and prospect. Without making it obvious, you adjust your own voice and pace to make it similar to the caller - for example, if they talk fast and high pitched then you gradually adjust your own speech patterns to match.
Copying the formality and number of words used is also very effective. If the caller is speaking very briefly and officially, then you match this with your own word selection. Keep it brief and use formal expressions like “Sir'. Conversely, if the caller is very chatty and calls you “mate', then interact in the same way, keeping it informal and friendly.
Adjust your speech to make it like the other person's as much as possible, but keep it gradual and subtle - ensure it doesn't look like you are mimicking them. Your caller will unconsciously develop an affinity for you and feel more trusting and comfortable - they will feel like they are talking to somebody who is like them and so will be relaxed and more willing to listen to your advice. Making the customer feel more comfortable can quickly increase your sales success, as the rapid trust they feel for you will help them engage in buying activities.
2.31 Exercise - Influencing People
Estimated Time: 20 minutes +
To use the NLP techniques described, you need to practise!
So, find a few friends, family members or even strangers, to practise pacing and matching.
Using the telephone would be ideal to create a similar environment, but it can also be done face to face (in which case, copy their body language too). You can tell when it is working, as you will see or feel the other person relax and seem friendlier. Once you have established this connection, you can even start to lead them. By making subtle changes to your own speech (or body language), you will notice them begin to copy you - this is a technique commonly used by pick up artists!
Once you are leading the conversation, you are more in control of them and they are more suggestible and willing to comply with your requests. Experiment with how it feels to modify your own vocal patterns and ask for feedback from those you practise on about how it felt to them - was it subtle enough, did they notice the change, did they feel more relaxed? You can even try to influence people by leading them - this could be especially entertaining (and useful!) if you have children who are not as willing to act as you would like!
2.32 Information Processing Preferences
We receive information from our five senses - sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. Identifying which of these senses is strongest, or preferred, by your prospect will help you deliver the information they need, in the format they prefer. If you choose the correct sense to communicate in, it greatly harnesses rapport, whilst using the wrong style will reduce rapport. The preferred sense will even influence the choice of words used by your prospect (which you should mirror), for example, “I see' or “I hear' or “I feel'.
Sense Preference Characteristics Adaptive Sales Techniques
Sight (visual communication)
· Enjoys diagrams, photos and videos
· Appearance is important
· Learns by seeing things done
· Typically speaks faster than average
· Uses visual phrases like “I see what you
. mean' or “I'd like to take a look'
· Wants things in writing before deciding
· Needs to visualise the item / wants
. detailed descriptions/comparisons
· Describe how things look, to help them visualise the items
· Show them images, e.g. provide links to photos of the product
· Make comparisons to things they can see or easily visualise e.g. “it's the same size as the rear view mirror in your car'
Use phrases like “I see what you are saying'
Sound(auditory communication)
· Lively and melodic voice
· Uses phrases like “I hear what you are saying' or “sounds good'
· Enjoys listening, talking on the phone
· Describe items to them in detail
· Spend time conversing with them
· Easier to sell to over the phone
· Uses phrases like “I hear what you are saying'
Touch(kinaesthetic communication)
· Talks slowly, often with a deeper sensual sounding voice
· Uses phrases like “feels good to me' or “I need to get a feel for it'
· Needs to physically feel the product, or strongly visualise themselves using it
· Likes to understand physical characteristics, such as weight, texture, temperature, etc.
· Ideally, allow them to touch the product, or help them visualise how it will feel
· Use storytelling to describe how the product will fit into their lives, for example “it is very lightweight and will easily fit in your pocket'
· Offer money back guarantees, so they can change their mind after they have touched the product
· Suggest they touch the product (e.g. visit a mobile phone shop) and offer to better the price they see it advertised for
· Focus on how they will use the product - what it feels like to be using it in action
· Encourage them to visualise feelings “imagine how much safer you'd feel if...'
Working out the strongest sense for your prospect will help you to identify how best to communicate with them about the product or service. Some people have a very strong preference for one sense over another and find it difficult to take on board new information via the other senses, where as others are equally happy with either of the senses.
Experiment with your callers, to see which type of communication seems to work most effectively. Identifying your own preferences is also important, as it will impact how you normally choose to communicate - which may not be the same as how your prospect wishes to communicate. It can be harder to build rapport with somebody who prefers a different sense to you. However, with practice, you can learn how to express yourself in the various styles.
2.33 Exercise: Sensory Options
Estimated Time: 15 minutes
Plan how best to communicate about your product/service (either real or imaginary), using the three main types of communication.
How will you communicate the product or service's characteristics using the three different styles?
What additional information can you include to amplify the preferred sensory input?
What phrases can you build in which utilise the sense preferences?
2.34 Creating a Vision
Since you are working over the telephone, you need to masterfully craft your words into a vision that the caller can imagine. You may need to learn some new words which are emotive and visual, to get your meaning across. When we try and bring imagery into words for the first time, it can sound a bit flat and fake, so it Click to BUY NOW! takes a little practice to get your senses involved with your vocabulary.
You can paint an image with words that is captivating and familiar, when you mix up the senses and add in some other qualities too.
For example:
“The outer case is a dark red and the surface has a metallic sheen' is quite impersonal and unemotional.
“The casing gleams in the sunlight, like a freshly painted car and the colour is deep red like the best roses on Valentine's Day'. This is much more familiar and imaginable, as it uses more movement and emotion and also uses words like “freshly' and “best', which subtly enhance the qualities being described.
Making cross references to other positive images is an excellent way to influence the caller's visualisation process. Also, bring in as many senses as possible and explain why or how it is the way it is.
For example:
“You can tell the quality of the diary by the rich smell of the leather cover' “The attention to detail is obvious, when you see the intricate gilding of the personalised lettering in embossed gold or silver'
If you are describing a sound, refer to what the sound feels like (using two senses at once):
“The alarm tones gently wake you up with a soft melodic journey that feels good first thing in the morning'
“The doors have automatic shutters, which unobtrusively slides them into the closed position with a satisfying, yet virtually inaudible, thud'
2.35 Exercise: Paint your Product
Estimated Time: 10 minutes
Using a real or imagined product (or something you can see in front of you) as vividly as possible, describe the product.
Use emotive language and use lots of detail, referring to as many senses as possible. Read your description out loud and work on adjusting your tone and pitch to make it sound amazing - convey some excitement in your voice.
Try this out on another person and see if you can infect them with your excitement for the product!
2.36 Communicating without Seeing
The telephone represents a unique form of communication, which relies on the spoken word. This means that you need to become adept at communicating with your callers, without being able to see their facial gestures, posture and other non-verbal cues. It is worth noting that although you can't see the other person, you can sense them. You can sense if they are tired, smiling or slouching and your caller will sense you too, so always maintain a good posture and wear a smile!
Here are some other tips, to enhance your telephone communication skills: Tone - your voice should convey optimism, attentiveness and sound as natural as possible. Clarity - enunciate your words, so that they can be clearly understood and use simple words - avoid “umms'. Sincerity - be as genuine as possible in your greetings and when answering questions. Use names - write their name down and use it correctly. Closing - ensure all questions are addressed and thank them for their time.
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