L'Dop,,* like a salespersoh

By Art Sobczak

66/^!- REETINGS!" She made several potentially fatal \Icall-ending mistakes on her sales call to me. But. I stayed on the line with her. More about rvhy in a minute.

First the mistakes: she pitched. More about the objection in a minute.

"l'm assuming then that you haven't been to my Web site and don't knorv rvhat I do."

Her: "Well I knorv you're a speaker and trainer."

"So you're rvorking from the speaker's association membership list and just -eoing dorvn the line. right?"

Her: "Uh. yes."

Mistake l/rrae (rvhich. if taken in order. rvas the first mistake. since she shouldn't have even thought about calling before doin-e this): She didn't do any research on me. She very easily could have -eone to my Web site to get information on m)' speaking and training programs. my training products. and ifand ho*'I use video.

Norv. many callers rvould have melted dorvn at this point... becoming tongue-tied and muttering something like. "Uhh. keep us in mind then." lf not. then most prospects rvould have ended the call at this point.

I sent you a letter the other day. I was wondering if you received that?"

I replied, "Don't believe so. Did I ask you to send it?"

"Hello, Art, I,m with -.

Mistake One: The old "Didja get it" opening statement. It's horrible. It invites resistance. It screams out. "Salesperson!"

Her: "No, no. It was an introductory letter I sent out."

"I get tons of mail every day. so I probably threrv it away if I didn't ask for it."

Her: "Well, we're a video service and I'm calling about helping you produce a video of a program that you could send out to your clients and prospects and put on your Web site if you have one."

Mistake Two.' She gave a presentation before questioning, or knowing anything about me. Like most premature presentations, it created resistance since I didn't need rvhat

But I stayed on the phone and gave my ver) real objection: "l've never used a video demo. Haven't needed one. and I stay pretty fully booked rvith the business I choose to take. I've been around a long time. I get lots of repeat and referral business. and do a -eood job of selling rvith people rvho haven't seen me. so it's really not an issue."

And at THIS point. the call s'ould usually end. Horvever I stayed on the phone tvith her. But rve actually had a nice conversation. I even a-sreed that if I did chan-se my mind or needed her services I rvould call.

So. rvhy did I stal'on the phone? Logically. rationally. there rvasn't a good reason. Tactically this rvas a bad call. But she sounded -sood. Genuine. Smooth. Warm. Natural. She didn't sound like a salesperson pounding the phone to -set in her 40 contacts or 150 dials. She didn't sound like a salesperson smilin' and dialin' because someone told her it's a numbers game and if you speak rvith enough people )'ou're bound to bump into some success. She sounded like a real person calling someone she cared for. discussing something she s'as passionate about.

So horv's that for a -eroundbreaking. deep. high-level psychologically-advanced sales tip this month? That's right. try to make every call sound like )ou're calling a good friend. Approach every call like it's the only one you'll make that day. As if that person is the most important person in the rvorld. Visualize the person at the other end of the phone. Pretend like 1'ou're looking him or her in the eye. Keep in mind you're callin-s people. not numbers or names on a list.

Speak conversationalll'. Granted. you should be prepared rvith rvhat you'll say (and your opening and voice mail message should be totally scripted. rvord-for-rvord). but it must be so rvell-prepared and practiced that it sounds spontaneous. (Are you prepared right norv to conversationally and confidently answer the toughest questions you're likely to face and rather not hear'l)

Don't get me wrong. sounding good rvill not consistently cover up for bad technique. But the "likeability factoi' is proven to put a positive spin on a situation that othenvise might be perceived differently if the person didn't sound or look pleasant.

There's no arguing. m1' friend. that the image and aura you project can help you or hurt you. Combine a great sound. rvith solid strategy and techniques and you have a recipe for astoundin-g success. Don't sound like a salesperson. and you'll be a better salesperson.

- Art Sobt':uk, president of Business Bl Phone Inc., can be reuched at (402 )895-9-199 rtr t'in rr'urt.btrsinessbyphone.cont