Telephone Sales Skills

Having the correct attitude and technique will largely influence the ability of a telephone sales representative to close any sale. There are certain guidelines and tips that are essential to improving sales technique, that once adopted, will optimize total performance. A few of the more essential ones will be discussed briefly in this article. Maintaining a career within this field will require a proven track record of success which is easily determined by judging how many sales are made daily. Each representative is usually allotted a quota that should be met if he or she is to be considered having been successful at the given task. Many of these calls are often monitored by employers or supervisors to ensure that the customers are being treated fairly and also that the sales person is acting in accordance with certain professional expectations. It is therefore, very important that all telesales representatives have the necessary knowledge and techniques to function at the expected levels of professionalism and competence.

Tips and Guidelines

• Create or use an enticing opening statement. Having an effective opening statement will ensure that you will make the best first impression possible. If you are not persistent in using a properly constructed opening statement you may soon realize that you are not able to connect with your customers very easily from the outset of the call. Fortunately, most companies will have a standard address that is used when answering any calls. Do not fall prey to repeating this statement with a lifeless monotone. You must always sound alert when you are initiating any conversation. Your opening statement should be combined with the appropriate time of day and the company’s predefined statement along with your name. “Good Afternoon, I am calling you from GHL the leading manufacturer of household chemicals, I am Nadine, may I have a moment of your time?” Once you have introduced your name you are establishing a better impression with this potential customer. Most people feel comfortable when they know who they are speaking with on the telephone. You may say your full name, or follow the guidelines that have been established by your respective employer. Also notice that a question is asked, this is an essential quality of any polite conversation. You must never simply jump into a full fledged conversation before requesting the permission of your prospective customer. Once you have been given the go ahead by the customer to elaborate some more, you may proceed as intended.
• You must sound confident when you speak to your customer. Any self doubt will be reflected in your voice. Even though you will not be directly speaking to your customer face to face he or she will be able to detect the tell tale signs of little or no self confidence. You will need to speak at a steady and consistent pace that is audible but not overbearing. If you are naturally soft spoken try to develop your ability to speak a bit more loudly. You should not appear aggressive. You should however appear assertive. An assertive personality is attractive and also trustworthy. It tells the customer I know what I am speaking about. Do not stutter or speak at inconsistent levels, i.e. loudly then softly. Controlling your voice levels will be a key factor in projecting an image of self confidence. Imagine that the person you are addressing is a friend or associate you’d wish to convince to buy your product. Having an amicable view of your prospect will make speaking to him or her less difficult. However you must still remember to maintain your level of professionalism at all times.
• Know your product. Do not begin to sell any product until you have learnt all you can about the product. Study the product as you would a lesson learnt during your schooling period. Most companies will hire trainers to help you in this area. While in training you will be periodically tested on your knowledge of the product(s). However because it is easy to forget some of what you have learnt it is ultimately essential to consistently reread all the information you have at your disposal. You may jot down specific points about the product(s) that you find more challenging to absorb. However these points should not be pages upon pages of information as this will undoubtedly affect your ability to maintain a conversational flow with your customer. Over time you should have retained enough information about the product to no longer need any bits of additional notes to help you while making the sale. You may also research any additional information about the product online or using other sources. The more you know the better able you will be to answer any questions about the product you are selling. Having an exhaustive knowledge of the product will be one of the most important factors in making the sale. Presenting yourself as an authority on this subject area will give you the much needed appearance of being trustworthy and knowledgeable.
• Believe in your product. Knowing your product is a great accomplishment, but you should also believe in what you are selling. Though most people will enter these jobs and not care about what they are selling, you should still be able to convince yourself that this product is a necessity. If you do not believe in the product it will affect your overall confidence. Simply put: no product confidence = no self or sale confidence. As previously mentioned confidence will play an important role in your ability to close the sale. Once you believe in the product you will be able to justify its high cost if it is considered expensive. So, if a customer comments on the high cost of the product and the fact that she saw something similar elsewhere for less, you may state with conviction: “Yes, there are similar products that claim to do the same thing, however we can guarantee that the high-end ingredients used in our products not only make them more effective but will also decrease the likelihood that you will have any adverse reactions when using it”. This product confidence will make you more quick to respond with the appropriate feedback.
• Do not forget to ask the customer his or her name early on in the conversation. You may ask the customer how he or she prefers to be addressed. Refer to the customer by name throughout your conversation so that he or she will feel relaxed and at ease while speaking to you. However be careful not to use this too much. Over-acknowledgement will seem excessive and impersonal.
• Build a rapport with the customer. You may do this buy asking the customer how he or she is doing before immediately starting the conversation about your product. Once you recognize some common ground, have a short but meaningful conversations about whatever may spark some interest. For example the customer may say “I am just getting over the flu”. You may acknowledge this statement and respond “I hope you’re feeling much better now, the flu has been going around lately, I not too long ago had it myself”. Right away you have shown the customer that you do not think of him as just another prospect but a fellow human being. The customer will then be more willing to listen to you while you speak and may actually contemplate buying your product.
• Listen. Always listen to what your customer has to say even if you think you know exactly what he or she will say. Do not interrupt while he or she is speaking to mention or clarify any points, allow him or her to say all that needs to be said. To let him or her know that you are listening, once he or she has finished speaking, which will be obvious by the pause, repeat what he or she has said in the form of a question. For example: “So you are saying you’d like a moisturiser that doesn’t make the skin feel greasy but that will still keep it soft yet firm?” By repeating exactly what he or she has said you will be able to let your customer know that what he or she has said is extremely important. A sales person that listens is indeed very attractive to the customer as it means that he or she will be be able to make the correct recommendations.
• Keep focused and adopt a positive attitude. This is an essential quality that is often dismissed. Anything that is currently affecting you will be projected in your voice. It is therefore important to channel only positive thoughts while making a sale or attempting to make a sale. Keep your self calm and don a smile, that though not visible to the client while on the phone, will give you a serene feeling of contentment. Your positive attitude will be delightfully welcomed by your prospective customer. You will find it easier to speak to your customer as well as listen to your customer. You will also find that you will be less upset in the unlikely event that you do not make the sale.
• Follow up. It is important to call back your customer if you have made the sale. Once the sale has been finalized and the product is delivered. Call the customer if you can make the time and find out if the product has met his or her expectations. Listen once again to any areas that may have been disappointing and perhaps make recommendations to increase the products effectiveness. Once you have established a good relationship with the customer you will more than likely receive repeat business and probable referrals.
• Practice your technique. Once you have understood all that you need to do, it will be vital that you practice. You can do this by role playing. Stage mock calls with friends or associates in your work environment to test how well you utilize your phone skills. Create different scenarios that will exercise your ability to handle different kinds of customers. Once you have mastered these techniques in practice it will be easier to apply them in actual conversations.