Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of selling my father’s home to a family friend. I’ve also been the buyer on my own home. When I take a call, I always want to make it as easy as possible for the seller so they feel comfortable and willing to make the best offer. Here are some tips and mistakes to avoid: 1. Do your homework. The very first thing I do when taking a call is to ask the property owner if I can see the property. If they say yes, I drop everything and go over right away. Why? Because I’ve already seen the property, and I know what it looks like, what it can do, and what it can’t. 2
Selling products over the phone is a huge part of business, but there are certain things you should know to make sure you’re doing it right. Not everyone has the skills needed to sell over the phone, so it’s important to learn how to do it properly. This post will outline some of the most common mistakes people make when selling over the phone, and how to avoid them.
Selling over the phone is a great way to build up a clientele base and expand your sales without all the usual hassles of travelling to see them in person. However, it is a tough task, and not everyone is born with the gift of the sales pitch.
Avoiding Rookie Mistakes in Phone Sales
We’ll go over some ideas and methods for selling over the phone in this post. Five phone sales tactics are listed below, along with a BONUS tip that you may use on your next sales call – TODAY!
1. Use Discovery Questions to look for signs of interest.
2. Get used to dealing with objections in order to get at the truth.
3. Maintain Command of the Call
4. Pay attention to the prospect.
5. Honesty in the presentation of all relevant data
BONUS PHONE SALES TIP: Talk about the prospect’s budget as soon as possible.
Allow me to pose a question to you. When you get a cold call, do you feel excited? What if you need to contact your cable, internet, or phone company?
Lack of coaching, among other things, has led to a bad reputation among salespeople, to the point where we now choose to communicate via alternative means. Instead of chatting personally with prospective customers, most sales representatives prefer to connect with them through live chats or SMS.
I’ll be the first to confess that I’ve made some really awful cold calls! I’ve also had my share of poor demonstrations, discovery calls, and negotiating strategies. The good news is that I’ve learnt from my errors, so you won’t have to repeat them.
Here are five phone sales strategies to help you sell over the phone while avoiding common pitfalls.
1. Use Discovery Questions to look for signs of interest.
Sales coaches and managers may provide a list of appropriate questions for sales representatives to ask, but they cannot listen for them. Experience may help us figure out what to listen for, but the sooner we can identify the pain signals that come with exploration inquiries, the better.
When creating a list of exploration questions, think about where you want to end up.
What does this question have to do with your value proposition? Align your questions with potential responses from a prospect and the ultimate revelation of the value proposition linked with that question while teaching your “Discovery Call 101” class.
This is what it should look like:
Discovery Question>Answer or Surface Level Pain Statement> Pain Statement>Value Proposition>Customer Story (if available).
This phone sales tip should assist sales representatives in understanding why they’re asking the inquiry and what to do next.
2. Get used to dealing with objections in order to get at the truth.
What exactly is an objection? There are certain typical objections, or “Buyer Scripts,” as Jeb Blount mentions in his book “Sales EQ.” Then there’s pretty much anything else a prospect says while on the phone.
I’m one of those people who thinks that just about everything a prospect says is an objection.
- What is the cost of your services?
- How long does it take to put it in place?
- Is there a free trial available?
- I’m sorry, but I don’t have time to talk to you right now.
All of them are objections!
Take note of the following:
The most successful salesmen recognize that they aren’t so much attempting to overcome objections as they are trying to get to the truth.
Everything changes when you consider addressing objections from that perspective.
Scripted objection handling methods should be used to respond to buyer scripts such as “I need to talk with my spouse/other decision makers,” “Call me back later,” and “I need to think about it.” You should be able to identify what works and overcome these obstacles with ease.
Other objections during a sales call are frequently more difficult to detect since we’re eager to get to the bottom of them.
For example, an argument like “How long does it take to implement your solution?” should give you pause. Do we have a good understanding of why the prospect is asking this inquiry, or are we just guessing?
To remain in control and gain a full grasp of these kinds of inquiries, use question reversal methods.
People will prefer avoid confrontation by telling you, “Let me think about it,” than than telling you what’s keeping them from making a purchase.
Remember, one of the phone selling tactics you should use is obtaining the truth from prospective customers!
3. Maintain Command of the Call
In a shorter sales cycle, representatives may lose control of two kinds of calls: incoming and outbound. When learning how to sell over the phone, this is the first thing you should learn.
When salespeople lose control of a call, they don’t conduct enough discovery, drop sweets in the lobby (as shown in the video below), and squander valuable leads.
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Focus on the “Why?” while making inbound calls.
You may have heard this before if you’ve ever had an inbound call from your website, mailer, or any other source.
“I was recently on your website, and I was wondering how much this costs” or “Can you tell me about ?”
Should you just provide the individual with the information or prices that they require?
NO!
A lot of representatives lose control of the call at this point.
You may manage the call flow by asking the right questions, which will make the call flow predictable and in your advantage.
“It seems like is important to you, and I’ll make sure we address that,” say. Is it okay if I ask you a few questions to have a better idea of what you’re looking for before we discuss ?”
You can establish the tone and an agenda without driving the prospect off the phone if you can manage the beginning of the sales conversation.
Yes, consumers want price, information, and all of that, but you must first establish value and provide context before handing them anything, otherwise they will hang up and call the next location.
Be Human When Making Outbound Calls
Being human extends beyond phone sales tactics, particularly on outbound calls. It’s much more difficult to take or maintain control of an outgoing call. There’s also a lot more opportunity for errors here.
The reason for this is a matter of balance. You must balance your talking time, jolt someone enough to grab their attention, and keep their attention even after interrupting their flow.
Getting them engaged in the discussion is the greatest way to do this. If I keep repeating myself, there’s a pattern here. Make inquiries!
Take the time to get to know your prospects and keep track of your time, purpose, agenda, and results. You’ll crush your first 10 seconds and keep control of your outbound cold call if you can accomplish this in a quick and relevant manner.
4. Pay attention to the prospect.
Have you ever attempted to convey your issue to someone who doesn’t get it?
When prospects don’t feel like you’re truly listening and comprehending what they’re saying, they become frustrated. When individuals share their difficulties and wants, you must actively listen to them. When a sales representative speaks too much, the prospect’s business and pain issues are lost.
Many salespeople overlook the need of active listening to their customers.
If you let the prospect speak more while you listen and don’t lose control of the discussion, you’ll get more sales calls. When you speak too much, the prospect loses interest and begins to believe that they are not a priority since they are not being heard.
You may employ a method that includes paraphrasing the prospect’s response to demonstrate that you were paying attention.
But don’t get the wrong idea: this isn’t the same as exactly repeating what the prospect says. Paraphrasing is effective because any ambiguity in the message will be addressed at this point. Since you’re already conversing, don’t make any assumptions.
“Selling is about understanding the prospect’s requirements by asking them and actively listening to them,” according to InsightSquared. Have a shared strategy to assist them in achieving their goals in a more efficient, timely, and cost-effective manner than anyone else could.”
As a result, you must ask questions that are relevant to the prospect’s requirements, and then devise an active strategy for them.
If you’re having a discussion with a prospect for the first time, use exploration questions to get them to open up about their business issues, then stop up and listen. Take what you’ve learned and apply it to that particular requirement.
It’s quite OK if the responses don’t meet your expectations. Continue digging for more information by asking open-ended inquiries.
5. Honesty in the presentation of all relevant data
To make an informed choice, a prospect will need all available information about a product or service. It may seem like a good idea to keep certain information from a prospective client.
This is a definite no-no!
What you forget is that once the prospect discovers the truth, their trust in you evaporates very instantly.
Failure to be truthful suffocates your credibility. Whatever else you say to the prospect will be disregarded.
Feel free to provide a service to the prospect if you are in a position to do so. However, if the service you provide does not address the particular issue your prospect is having, it’s better if you come honest as soon as feasible.
In the same way, if the product you’re offering doesn’t suit a prospect’s requirements, let them know right away. Being honest can help you earn prospective customers’ confidence and respect, as well as build a long-term connection with them, resulting in a better business environment.
During a sales call, clearly explain the value of your product in light of the present sales scenario.
BONUS TIP: Talk about the prospect’s budget as soon as possible.
It’s not all about the money in the sales process.
Nonetheless, you can’t afford to keep your prospect’s budget a secret.
Asking how much money a prospect plans to spend is an important phone sales tip. You won’t be able to create a fair offer until you know the prospect’s budget. As a result, you may be unable to effectively pitch the product or service.
Make sure you discuss money in an open and honest manner.
In your future work with the customer, this knowledge will remove the “ifs” and “maybes.” It may seem that you are curious, but it is necessary. You must be informed of the financial condition of the possibility. Do you want to end up with a lead that is unable to pay for your goods or service?
By evaluating the cost and ensuring that the prospect can afford it, you can avoid wasting both your and the prospect’s time.
Remember to speak in a pleasant tone so that prospective chances do not pass you by.
Use these tips on how to sell over the phone on a regular basis.
Practicing and seeing it as a learning experience is the greatest way to develop. Use these strategies to sell over the phone in a reliable and consistent manner. I’ll leave you with a quotation from Thomas Wayne and Alfred Pennyworth, two of Hollywood’s most renowned actors.
“Can you tell me why we’re falling, Bruce? So that we may learn to get back up”
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Continue to smash it!
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If you’ve been in the sales industry for a while, you may have noticed that the best way to become a sales person is to learn to be a ‘sales rep’ and get paid to make cold calls. If you’ve never made cold calls before, then you probably don’t know what I’m talking about. Cold calling is a technique used by sales people to make sales. There are a number of ways to do this, such as: visiting the prospects’ home, calling them at work, calling their friends or family and asking them to meet you for coffee, calling the best sellers in your industry and asking them to call your prospects for you, or even cold emailing your prospects.. Read more about what is selling over the phone called and let us know what you think.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to sell a product over the phone?
The best way to sell a product over the phone is to use a script. This will help you stay on track and make sure that you are not wasting your time.
How do I sell over the phone?
You can sell your items over the phone by calling our customer service team and speaking with a representative.
How do I master sell over the phone?
To master sell, you need to have a lot of experience with selling. You should also be able to answer any questions the customer might have and not get frustrated if they ask too many questions.
Related Tags
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- how to sell over the phone outbound
- phone sales tips
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- phone sales techniques