| Small business owners can lose revenue if | | | | prospect will call your competitor instead. |
| they're not prepared to close a sale every | | | | To find out his objections, ask a few |
| time they answer the phone. Learn how to | | | | questions like: |
| transform a prospect's phone call into a | | | | |
| closed sale with a happy new customer. Use | | | | "What key concerns do you have that prevent |
| these three tips to turn phone inquiries into | | | | you from making your decision?" |
| closed deals. | | | | |
| | | | "How can I help you decide if this is the |
| Small business owners know that the most | | | | right product for you?" |
| important function of the telephone is to | | | | |
| bring customers to you, begging for your | | | | Be sure to answer his objections based on |
| service or product offering. So when the | | | | what you know about his buying motivation, |
| phone rings with a prospective customer on | | | | his need. Additionally, try answering his |
| the other end, do you know how to transform | | | | objections with a question that will lead to |
| an interested caller into a buying customer? | | | | a buying decision. For instance: |
| Here are three phone sales tips to help you | | | | |
| close more sales. | | | | His objection: |
| | | | |
| 1. Find the need | | | | "I'm no good with technology. I hate to |
| | | | invest in a new copier just to have problems |
| Don't assume that everyone interested in your | | | | with it that I can't figure out how to fix." |
| product or service buys for the same reason. | | | | |
| Before you attempt to sell the prospect on | | | | Your Question: |
| how great your product or service is, ask a | | | | |
| few qualifying questions to uncover his | | | | "Would you like a free 12-month service |
| buying motivations. | | | | agreement with your new copier?" |
| | | | |
| For example: | | | | 4. Close the deal |
| | | | |
| "Will you be using this in your home office | | | | It's amazing how many small business owners |
| or your workplace?" | | | | don't make the sale because they fail to ask |
| | | | closing questions. Closing questions are |
| "How many copies per day does your office | | | | designed to bring the prospect to a place of |
| normally need? | | | | decision or a call to action. |
| | | | |
| "What is it about your current copier you are | | | | Ideally, you'll want to ask closing questions |
| not satisfied with?" | | | | through out the sales process that produce |
| | | | small "yeses" like: |
| Once you ask a few probing questions, listen | | | | |
| for the problems, challenges, or frustrations | | | | "Would information on product reliability be |
| that your prospect is facing. Your caller is | | | | of value to your decision?" |
| not looking for you to sell him | | | | |
| somethinghe's looking for you to solve his | | | | "Are you interested in a program that will |
| problems. Once you know his problem, you'll | | | | save you both time and money?" |
| be able to sell the benefits of your product | | | | |
| or service based on what he needs. | | | | "Is timely delivery an important issue for |
| | | | your business?" |
| 2. Magnify the need | | | | |
| | | | Once your prospect gets used to saying "yes," |
| Most people buy for emotional reasons. When | | | | it will be more natural to say the all |
| you magnify the need, you tap into his | | | | important YES at the end. Listen for buying |
| emotional buying motives and create an | | | | signals from your prospect and be ready with |
| urgency to purchase. A few questions or | | | | many ways to ask for the sale. For example: |
| statements might be: | | | | |
| | | | "If I could guarantee delivery by the end of |
| "Do you have a backup plan if your copier | | | | the week, are you ready to move forward with |
| fails right before a key client | | | | the purchase today?" |
| presentation?" | | | | |
| | | | "If that price quote is acceptable to you, |
| "I see how those continual paper jams could | | | | shall I ship it today?" |
| hold up copying projects for hours." | | | | |
| | | | "I can schedule your project for next week, |
| "I'll bet that was an embarrassing situation, | | | | but I'll need your credit card information to |
| not being able to make a copy for a client | | | | hold your project start date. I can take |
| because your machine was down." | | | | that information now if you are ready." |
| | | | |
| By creating the perception that your product | | | | Good salesmanship requires practice, |
| is critical to his success, you are much more | | | | practice, practice. Think through all |
| likely to win the sale. | | | | possible objections to your service or |
| | | | product. Write out possible responses and |
| 3. Answer objections | | | | questions that lead to buying decisions. If |
| | | | you put the time in to think your sales |
| Objections are the reasons that prevent your | | | | process through, you'll feel more confident |
| prospect from saying, "So, do you take Visa | | | | when a prospect calls you. The more |
| or MasterCard?" If you don't find out the | | | | confident you are with your sales process, |
| objections, you can't answer themand your | | | | the more sales you'll close. |