phonesense

Test Your Telephone Effectiveness

2011-03-31T08:21:00.001+08:00

1. How long does it take you and/or your switchboard operator to answer the phone?

a) 5 rings or less

b) 3 rings or less

c) under 3 rings

After two rings, callers are wondering what’s going on. Your phone should be answered in-person by the second ring or by your voice-mail system by the fourth ring.

2. Do you answer your phone with any of the following?

a) “Hello.”

b) “(Company name only)”

c) “(last name only)”

d) “Good afternoon, this is (your full name), how can I help you?”

All of these greetings have flaws. A, B, and C are too abrupt and don’t provide enough information. D is too wordy and dissuades callers from identifying themselves because it encourages them to get to the point rather than saying their name. Plus it forces you to check the clock to see if it’s before or after noon. A better greeting is, “Thank you for calling ABC Company. This is John.” If you are taking a call that’s transferred to you, then always identify yourself as you wished to be addressed. Whether you choose to identify the department is optional.

3. Have you ever said, “Please hold” to a caller?

a) yes

b) no

Never put a caller on-hold without asking for their permission, and then waiting for their response. Putting customers on hold without their consent is a sure-fire formula to lose customers.

4. How long does it take a person on hold to become annoyed?

a) 2 minutes

b) 30 seconds

c) 1 minute

d) 17 seconds

Studies show that after only 17 seconds, callers on hold become annoyed. The exception is when the greeter explains why the caller is being asked to hold and provides the estimated time required. Knowing beforehand how long they can expect to wait reduces the chance of annoyance, particularly among long distance and cellular phone callers. Another option to prevent frustration is to offer the caller the option of either holding or hanging up and having their call returned within a brief, specific time period.

Telephone Prospecting Sales Techniques

2011-03-28T07:51:00.001+08:00

The telephone is a valuable time-saver for sales prospecting. Image conveyed in face-to-face meetings from one businessperson to another is not pertinent over the phone. Telephone prospecting sales techniques may be summarized under three categories: communication skills, call preparation and attitude. Paying attention to all three will guarantee telephone prospecting sales success.

Communication Skills

Superb communication skills are paramount to success for telephone prospecting. Listen attentively to the other person, and do not participate in multitasking, performing other activities while speaking on the phone. Let the other person talk, and be sure that the prospect has completed a thought before initiating your next word.

Use open-ended questions to draw-out the prospect, and to discover exactly what is on the person's mind. The more he talks, the easier it is for him to buy into what you are selling. To develop rapport, match the other person's speed of speech. Choose words and phrases that are predominantly positive for better results. Pay attention to "how" the prospect sounds more than "what" is being said.

Try to avoid interacting with voice mail. If you must leave a voice message, pretend you are a guest on a major radio station speaking to thousands of listeners with a powerful point, and keep your message to a maximum of 30 seconds.

Keep introductions to a minimum and make your point without being pushy. Try to sound like you are the other person's neighbor having a conversation over the fence. Be relaxed and professional.

The Number One Rule of Telephone Communication

2011-03-08T09:35:00.002+08:00

You have just meant a new girlfriend, boyfriend, client, or made a friend and you really want to build a relationship with them. If the person is a potential partner you will want him or her to fall in love with you. In addition, you may even just want to know some effective phone skills to build any relationship. This article will share with you the number rule to telephone communication skills.

The telephone is a different medium to traditional face-to-face communication. What does this mean to you? Rules change and tips can be adapted from normal face-to-face communication to help you build your relationship.

What does not change is the fundamental human psychology within the two people at both ends of the phone line. Because of this, you will see how these golden rule of phone skills I am about to share with you can be adapted to your everyday conversations.

The absolute golden rule over the phone is you must ensure the person you are talking to over the phone is receptive to what you are saying. No matter what you say or how you say it will matter if the person is not receptive. If the person had his or her family taken away by little green Martians or a young child is howling louder than a wolf, the person will not be receptive to what you say. Your messages will go no further than out the other end of the phone and not reach the person's mind.

It is a good habit to always ask upfront if the person has time to talk. After the greetings, simply say, "Do you have time to talk?" Saying this makes you courteous and unobtrusive on the person's space. When we do not have the time to talk, the only thoughts we have in our mind are wondering "How long will it be until this damn person shuts up because I've got things to do!" When someone is rushing there is no room for them to love you.

The first type of this rule ensured the person is receptive at the start of the call and the second rule will make sure the person is receptive during the conversation. While talking on the phone, interruptions arise. Some can be undetectable to the other person yet others can be heard over the phone.

When you hear a baby howling, a door bell ring, or a loud bang for example, don't ignore it! Say what sound you heard and ask if the person needs to attend it. The empathy you communicate through acknowledging potential interruptions will make the person see you in a more favourable light and ensure the person is tuned in to what you say.

Follow this golden rule of telephone communication skills and you'll be on your to having better relationships.

Wayne Mansfield - Feb 11 PhoneSense Feedback

2011-02-22T12:02:00.000+08:00

Customer Service - Top Telephone Tips and Techniques

2011-02-18T08:14:00.000+08:00

Customer Service Excellence is what every organization, large or small, is aiming to achieve. We are now all highly aware that delivering an excellent experience to all of our customers will play a large part in keeping our Customers coming back. Every telephone call is an opportunity to win or to lose Customers. Here we give some of the essential Telephone skills, techniques and best practices that will help ensure that extra positive experience for our Customers.

Begin with a Confident Welcome

First impressions count and that first impression takes 10 seconds on a telephone call! In Customer Service this means the Customer will decide "I like this person", or "I do not want to deal with this person" very quickly. Our goal in Customer Service is to capture this call positively and to set the right tone for the call from the beginning.

We want to sound confident and welcoming. The telephone skills and techniques for doing this are …

1. Positive Posture - sit up straight in your chair and lean forward to take the call. Don’t slouch, as this will deaden your voice tone. Positive posture not only helps give you a richer voice tone, but it helps make you feel more confident.

2. Greet the Customer as if you are delighted they called. Smiling on the phone really does work!

3. Get the Customer’s name and use it. Everyone likes to be treated personally, like a human being. We do this by giving our own name and by using the Customer’s name. It is important to judge which form of the name or title is most appropriate. There are rules on this, but they differ from culture to culture. For example, in Ireland we use the first name in a business-to-business setting, and we use the family or surname in a business-to-home setting. It is worthwhile to investigate the social or business norms in your specific area or culture as being inappropriate can create a negative rather than a positive impression.

4. Give a positive, definite first response. For example, "Certainly, I’ll be happy to help"; or "No problem, I can do that for you". A positive first response will have a reassuring effect on your Customer.

5. Listen and use Verbal Nods to encourage the Customer as they speak. For example, "I see; Sure; I understand; I appreciate that". This may seem very obvious, but it is amazing how many people do NOT use verbal nods on a phone, especially in difficult call situations. Check if you do by recording a call and playing it back. If there are no verbal nods, the call will sound cold and officious.

Basic Telephone Skills

2011-02-08T07:40:00.002+08:00

The telephone sits unobtrusively on your desk but it can dominate you unless you tame it! To use your telephone effectively, you need to manage its use. Outward calls should be scheduled to suit your timetable and that of your respondent. Inward calls should be filtered, if possible, so that you are not interrupted in the middle of other work. Once you are using the telephone you need to develop some procedures that ensure you get the most out of each call and that you do not waste time.

Scheduling outward calls

At the beginning of each day:

make a list of the calls you have to make

put them in order of priority (essential, desirable, those that can be rescheduled if necessary)

allocate times for each call trying, if possible, to bunch them and to bear in mind when each call is likely to be suitable for your respondent.

For inward calls, decide when you are able to take calls without having the flow of your other work interrupted. Then, either tell your switchboard or secretary that you are not available for calls outside that slot unless they are absolutely urgent, or, you may have a list of people from whom you are willing to accept calls. If you do not have a switchboard or a secretary, then put a suitable message on your answer phone or any other answering service you use.

By scheduling your calls in this way, you will be able to give your full attention to them.

Appropriate greetings and endings

Appropriate greetings and endings to calls help build a good rapport and avoid misunderstandings and wasting time. The three elements of an appropriate greeting are:

- identifying your company

- giving your name and job title/department

- asking how you can help the caller.

When you close the call you should:

- make sure that the caller has no more queries

- thank the caller

- let the caller put down the receiver first so they don't feel you have cut them off.

Customer Service Skills: Make Every Phone Call Great!

2011-01-13T13:53:00.002+08:00

The phone rings. I answer it with trembling hand, because at the time I was an Eastern Regional Customer Service Manager for Matheson Tri-gas. Outside calls usually meant a displeased customer that asked for the manager. I thought "What did one of my customer service representatives do now?" After taking a deep breath, I answer the call to an anger customer. Funny thing was that the customer did not have a real problem... No late delivery, No billing issue, etc. He just did not like the way the customer service representative talk to him in a gruff manner. In fact, he got the information he needed. This article focuses on how to make every call GREAT!

What makes a GREAT call?
These five points will make your calls go smoothly and inspire that WOW feeling in your customers.

Greet the customer with style
The greeting sets the tone for the call. Before picking up the receiver, you should take a deep breath and get focused in the moment. Ready, Set, Go and answer the call. You need to answer the phone with the same greeting every time. The greeting starts with the "Hi", "Hello", "Good morning", or "Good afternoon". Next step is to state your company's name. This might sound simple but you want the customer to know that they reached the right business. Third, you build instant rapport by stating your name. Finally, ask "how may I help you?" This statement leads into our next important topic of the tone of your voice.

Read More...

Telephone Skills Tips

2011-01-05T07:19:00.001+08:00

Unlike body language, which can vary from culture to culture, telephone etiquette has a universally agreed upon set of rules that paves the way for smoother, faster, telephone calls with customers. Even small things, such as how long it takes for your phone to be answered or the words you use when you answer a call, can create a lasting impression. In many businesses, the telephone is the customer's first contact with a company, so being telephone friendly is one of the least expensive ways to immediately upgrade your service. Telephone etiquette helps take the guesswork out of what to say and when to say it.

Cursing the Caller

Once in a while, you get a call from a customer who is so angry that he or she hurls words at you that we can't print. What do you do with the cursing caller? We hear this question in almost every seminar we lead. Telephone etiquette dictates that you handle the situation with the following three steps:

Give the customer the benefit of the doubt and politely say, "I really want to help you, but I'm having trouble with the kind of language you're using. Can you please refrain from using that kind of language?" The customer may be so carried away with emotion that he may not even realize he's cursing. After hearing this polite response, most customers will stop to apologize and will be a little embarrassed, but will be much better behaved. For the few who are more thickheaded, move on to Step 2.
Give the agitated caller a second warning and restate what you said in Step 1. For example: "As I have said, I really want to help you, but I'm having trouble focusing on the problem because of the language you're using. Would you please stop?" Most people, after the second warning, will refrain from cursing. If the customer does not stop at this point, your only alternative is to catch him off guard by countering with your own barrage of foul language ... Just kidding, of course. If all else fails, move on to the final step.
Let the customer know that you're no longer the person who can help him, and inform your supervisor of the problem. Say, "As I have said, I really want to help you, but I am having trouble with the language you are using. What I am going to do is have my supervisor call you to discuss the problem." Hang up and immediately inform your supervisor of the situation. You should only have to use this step on very rare occasions.

If a caller starts threatening you physically (he or she is going to come to your office, seek you out, and so on), go immediately to Step 3. Although you're paid to provide service, you're not paid to be abused or threatened.

TIP: Good telephone etiquette is one way that you can help ensure that a customer can call any department within your company, in any city, on any day, and be dealt with in a uniform way. Customers love consistency, and they expect to receive the same level of service that they received today when they call tomorrow, next month, or next year.

Answering the phone

We've found that the way a company answers the phone tells the entire story about the kind of service you can expect to receive. How you answer the phone sets the tone of the entire call. The correct phrases said in the right order can give a positive first impression and convey an immediate message about your company. The basic rules are as follows:

Pick up the phone within three rings.
Greet the caller.
Give your name or company name.
Ask the customer if you can help.

How To Handle The Job

2010-12-17T13:57:00.000+08:00

This is probably a guide that most telemarketers wish they were given before they began their job. The truth is, telemarketing is hard work. People don't like being called in the middle of dinner only to be asked what brand of toothbrush they prefer or if they would be interested in a free trial subscription to Redbook. Potential customers can get very nasty. Some will simply hang up, but what happens when you get one who actually wants to talk to you? These tips on handling those who do and those who don't will help a lot.

Telemarketers are given a script. They are told under no uncertain terms to follow the script. But the truth is, these scripts can get annoying and make you sound like a robot. So if you find an opportunity to get away from the script, even a little bit, do it. Don't let your supervisor bully you. If he should catch you and asks you why you deviated from the script, tell him that you felt it was necessary to do so. If you ended up making a sale, show him your sheet. That should shut him up.

Part of the script is of course inserting your name. This is something you'll only learn from experience but if you are of an ethnic background, such as Jewish or Spanish, you need to have an understanding of the area you're calling. For example, if your name is Sam Goldberg and you're calling an area that you know to be predominantly Jewish, then by all means keep your real name, but if you're calling an area that you know to be predominately Christian then you might want to think of changing your name to a more Christian sounding or even neutral sounding name for these areas. Perhaps Stan Green will do fine. Believe it or not, it makes a difference to how people will relate to you.

When talking to people on the phone who are generally interested in what you have to offer, if they ask you a tough question, one that you know the answer to will not make them happy, don't lie. It will only come back to haunt you and the company in the form of a returned item or worse. Tell them the truth, but always stress the benefits over that one negative. Try to make the customer see that it would be in their best interests to at least give your product a try. Tell them that it comes with a money back guarantee so they can always return it if they're not satisfied.

Continue:EzineArticles

Straight From The Experts

2010-12-17T13:29:00.000+08:00

Telemarketing Tips

Telephone sales, or telemarketing, is a widespread, efficient and effective method for making contact with prospects and closing sales. Telemarketing is also an effective method for selling new or additional products and services to existing customers.

Today's telemarketer, however, must break through more "communication clutter" than ever before. You're not only competing with messages from other telemarketers for prospects' attention, but also with advertising, news broadcasts and a myriad of other marketing communications tactics.

By its very nature, telemarketing creates a unique selling environment. You're solely dependent on the words you use and the tone in your voice.

It's important to realize that telemarketing is not an entire sales strategy. Instead, it's just one method of performing the sales process. And, as is true with other selling methods, success in closing sales over the telephone is dependent on finding qualified prospects to call.

Next, telemarketing tips from the experts in the field for your immediate benefit. These telemarketing tips are proven best practices in the telemarketing business. Upon reviewing each of these telemarketing tips, try to identify the top three telemarketing tips that will most benefit your business – then apply them.

Source:leadership-tools.com

Telephone Communication Training

2010-12-17T07:38:00.001+08:00

In business, employees must have the appropriate skills to communicate with customers and each other over the phone. It is important to set the standard for telephone communications. One way to do this is through telephone communication training.

Listening

Telephone communication training includes a module on listening. This skills involves understanding what the other party needs and how to persuade them to listen, also.

Disputes

Effective telephone training teaches how to handle emotionally charged situations. A customer who is angry with the company may have a dispute about what was expected versus what was delivered. A customer service representative must know how to resolve this dispute while keeping the customer's business.

Tone

The tone of voice can help or hinder telephone communications. Training provides tips and techniques on how to use tone of voice to show enthusiasm, concern or other emotions.

Telephone skills still an important part of business

2010-12-16T13:48:00.001+08:00

The telephone used to be one of the only ways in which we communicated with our colleagues and our customers. However, times have certainly changed, and many people prefer the ease of e-mail over picking up the phone.

But talking on the phone is definitely not a dead form of communication, by any means, and proper telephone etiquette is still an important skill to have. Business owners should see the phone call as a potential sale — and as such, an important reflection of their brand.

Here are a few suggestions for making the phone call a more successful interaction:

Breathe. When you answer the phone, you should sound well-rested and glad the person took the time to call you. So take a deep breath before your initial hello and you just might be surprised at how energetic you sound.

Identify yourself. Give your name and position or the name of your company. For example: “Thank you for calling Company ABC, this is Jane, how can I help you today?”

Be sincere and helpful. Often we are problem-solvers for the people on the other end of the phone. Whether they have a question about one of your services or hours of operation, it’s important to be courteous and attentive to their needs. Word of mouth can often make or break the amount of referrals you get.

Be a good listener. We’re all used to multi-tasking, but when you’re on the phone, it’s best to set aside whatever else you’re working on and focus on the customer’s needs. Take notes while he or she is talking to help you remember the important points and action items.

Resolution is key. In a successful phone conversation, the first 30 seconds sets a positive tone through your voice and word choice and the last 30 seconds is when the caller makes a judgment about the exchange you’ve had. Thank you for calling, review the problem that you solved and thank them for their continued business.

By following a few simple protocols, you can ensure that the person on the other end of the phone is both satisfied with your assistance and also willing to speak positively about you to other people.

Phone Tips To Get Things Done - Professional Phone Skills

2010-12-16T13:43:00.002+08:00

It happens all the time, you hear someone over the telephone and you make a generalization about the person you are speaking with. It may not be fair and it is akin to judging a book by its cover, but it's true nevertheless.

Within 60 seconds, people will make assumptions about one's education, background, ability and personality based on their voice alone.

What type of impression is your "phone" voice making? Indeed there are two areas you should be aware of when speaking. One is "what' you say, the other the "how" you say it. Studies show that as much as 87% of the listener's opinion of you is based on your voice alone. That leaves only 13% allocated to what we are saying to make a positive impression. With numbers like these it is easy to see why your voice is so important in your career and personal life.

Today we live in a "voice mail" environment. We are playing "phone tag", leaving messages and listening to voice mails left by others. It may take as many as 3-4 tries before actual contact is made and you have a conversation. By the time you do connect, you can be assured that other party already has formed an impression about you.

The following are some tips that will help you improve your phone voice and technique.

1. THIRD RING RULE: Answer the phone by the third ring or make sure you voice mail is set to pick up by the third ring. Today people are not inclined to wait much longer and will assume you are not available and hang up. Remember, as much as we think we don't like voice mail, we like the option of leaving a message.

2. PROFESSIONAL GREETING: Remember the 87% rule above and make a good impression. Be aware of what you are going to say in the greeting. Then practice and rehearse BEFORE you leave the greeting on your answering machine. Be short and to the point. Don't drag out the greeting. It is obvious you are "Out of the office or away from your desk" otherwise you would answer your phone. Consider leaving such statements out of your greeting unless you are actually away from the office, then say so and leave a date for your return. I recommend that you leave clear instructions as to what information you need from the caller. Reminder the caller to leave their phone number, best time to return the call and a brief subject.

Telephone Answering

2010-12-07T09:19:00.001+08:00

Whatever the size of your business, how you answer the telephone is key when it comes to making a good impression on your customers & callers. Resourcing a dedicated individual to handle incoming calls can be expensive, especially if you are a small business.

Our Telephone Answering Service aims to give you a cost effective alternative to handling calls yourself or employing a dedicated person to handle them for you. The service is flexible so you can simply use it when you are out of the office.

How does it work

We will give you a dedicated telephone number and when you want us to handle calls, you simply divert your phone to this number and all your calls will be taken by us. All calls will be answered in your company name so as far as the caller is concerned they are speaking to someone in your office.

We will then take a message & relay this to you via email, SMS or voicemail. If appropriate, we can divert the call to another number (eg your mobile). As far as the caller is concerned, they are talking to your receptionist.

As well as being an ideal compliment to your office in the business centre, this service can be used in connection with our mail box, and meeting room hire services to deliver a full virtual office

VISIT OUR WEBSITE

Handling Sales Objections Over The Telephone

2010-12-07T09:14:00.001+08:00

Nobody likes rejection - it can feel deflating. But selling over the phone requires you to be able to handle objections.

Carolyn Blunt explains how it can be done.

Great sales people don’t really sell in the hard, traditional sense. They are just really helpful. They find out, through questioning and listening, what the customer’s needs are and help to meet them. In then matching the customer’s needs to the right product, great sales people create interest through demonstrating the benefits of the product, not just the features.

If this is still off-putting (as many of us don’t like ‘selling’) it may be helpful to remember that not helping a customer to reach a decision about buying a product is doing them a disservice. Many people seem unsure because they are looking for some reassurance – be sure to give it to them!

There may always be reasons outside of your control for a customer deciding not to buy. There is nothing you can do about these; but if there are factors you can gently influence you need to be sure to always do this – it is a sales, and a customer service role. If you have got all the basics right such as voice tone, questioning and rapport but are still receiving objections to closing the sale then these key tips may be helpful to you.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE

Telephone Selling

2010-12-07T09:07:00.003+08:00

Why attend telesales skills course?

Unless you let people know how good your product or service is they won’t be able to benefit from it. Whether you pale at the thought of making sales calls or welcome the challenge it brings, the phone’s a crucial way of contacting clients and prospects. Good telephone selling techniques increase the number of opportunities in your pipeline and result in more sales.

This highly interactive and practical course will give you essential telesales skills, so that you’ll feel confident when selling over the phone, even when cold calling. Practical exercises and telephone equipment will be used to make the training realistic and relevant.

Who this telesales training for?

This course is suitable for anyone who wants to improve their telephone selling or telesales skills and develop their confidence. No previous experience is required.

Benefits of Selling Over the Phone

- Connect with clients on a personal level and quickly find out what matters most to them

- Understand and manage your own and your client's emotional state

- More confidence in contacting prospects and clients

- Acquire skills and techniques for successfully handling tough questions in a positive manner

- Increase your awareness of the impact your behaviour has on other people

- Win more business and improve profits

What you will learn

- Identifying leads and prospects

- Creating the right mindset

- Building and maintaining rapport

- How to make clients feel valued and understood

- Dealing with gatekeepers

- Accessing and maintaining a resourceful emotional state

- Successfully handling tough questions and objections

VISIT OUT WEBSITE

Calling Back Your Customers

2010-11-24T12:31:00.002+08:00

When you are trying to run a business you need to make sure that you have exceptional customer service. There are many things involved in customer service. Customer service is important because you want your customers to feel as if they are welcomed and all of their needs are being met all the time.

Calling your customers, back is one of the most important parts of customer service. You will want to make sure that you have some type of system set into place for your customers when they call. You need to have a person with good grammar answering the phones and taking down the exact messages so that the appropriate person can return their call.

Messages should be taken clearly and then given to the right person immediately. Making sure that these messages are not lost or forgotten is another important part of customer service. When phone messages are not handled correctly and in a timely matter, you will notice that customers start to get upset and may even become aggravated with your business. This is going to lead to a potential problem inside your company.

When you are calling customers back, you need to listen to what they have to say and then answer any questions that they may have. You need to be patient and considerate of their feelings. Having good people skills is going to contribute to this matter a lot. The way that you treat your customers is going to leave a lasting effect on them and this is something that you need to take seriously.

If you are running a business and you are not returning customers calls you will find that you may start to see your business reputation decrease. These customers are going to start to say bad things about your business practices. This is not something that you want to deal with especially if you are trying to make a profit in the type of company that you are in. Having good customer service will defiantly help you become a stronger and more efficient company.

Telephone Tact: Increase Sales With Good Telephone Etiquette.

2010-10-11T10:14:00.002+08:00

There goes the phone, again. You've already got one person on hold and customers are lining up at the till. You're glad for all the business, but how well do callers to your tea and coffee store know that? Does the phone ring a dozen times before you answer it? Are you too rushed to be pleasant? Is the caller left on "eternal hold" while you attend to in-person customers?

That ringing phone may be inconvenient for you, sometimes, but without it, you wouldn't be in business. Every call is a potential, or existing, long-term customer. The way you and your staff handle yourselves on the phone determines how well you can win new customers, develop a positive and ongoing rapport with them and existing customers, and increase sales.

You spend good money to get people to dial your phone number, thanks to your Yellow Pages listing, newspaper ads, and promotional mailings. "All that money is wasted if you don't make sure the caller's possible first contact with your store is favorable," says Dee Sanford, of Dee Sanford & Associates, a customer service consulting firm in San Diego, California. "So be careful who you let answer the phone. Choose employees who care about your business and can convey that to customers."

It may take some training. "Don't assume staff will be professional and courteous over the phone if you don't teach them how -- even if it takes only 10 minutes," says Nancy Friedman, president of The Telephone "Doctor"(R), a customer service training company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.

Tips for Telephone Tact

"From the minute you answer the phone until you hang up, everything you say and do influences how the caller perceives your business," she continues. Therefore, make sure you:

1. Put on a happy face -- Before you answer, smile. Doing so either reinforces your already-positive mood or manufactures one for you. Remember, you're glad that person called, so let her know that. Make it easy for her to want to do business with you and your tea and coffee store.

2. Be prompt: When you answer the phone by the first or second ring, you communicate enthusiasm, efficiency, and professionalism. Sure, sometimes you're so busy you just can't jump to the phone, but don't let more than a few rings go by before somebody answers it.

Twitter for Business Guide

2010-10-11T07:59:00.001+08:00

Wayne Mansfield here … the man behind Australia’s most successful motivational newsletter… The Maverick Spirit.

You probably have heard about the buzz for Social Media Marketing in general, and Twitter in particular to get more business. What you mightn't know is that I, Wayne Mansfield, am currently acknowledged as the 4th most effective user of Twitter in the world. (Number 1 is FoxNews Network...)

Consequently, I have quickly become recognised as THE expert on how to make Twitter work for business. I'm able to demonstrate in my Twitter for Business Seminars how to create immediate business responses from using Twitter correctly.

Paul Dunn - successful businessman, philanthropist and Chairman of the B1G1 Foundation, Singapore - recently wrote that I have been acknowledged as the 4th most connected and active user of Twitter

I have a network reaching more than 23 million people across Twitter , Facebook and LinkedIn. As Paul says: "That is awesome! It’s purposeful dedication and relentless testing coupled with an intuitive grasp of great ways to do things."

Paul goes on to say that I have written what he feels is THE definitive guide for business people, A Beginners Guide to Using Twitter for Business and it is available as a digital download – instantly in your hand to get to work with

What I have done is create, based on how I did it, A Beginner's Quick Start Guide and Tutorial to Using Twitter for Business. It's an eBook that is available immediately to download and it is just $10 Aus.

Read what others say about my skills and then, I urge you, buy the book!

November Seminar

2010-10-07T09:47:00.000+08:00

The Golden Opportunity Most Sales People Dread...
Cold Calling is the key to Sales Success

Learn the secrets to making a dynamite first impression

Cold Calling for Scaredy Cats will show sales people how to build powerful techniques that will allow them to get in the door and grab the sale. Because the business environment today is very competitive, sales people need to be constantly building their skills and working at being more productive than any other sales person. Cold Calling for Scaredy Cats will help sales people continue that growth pattern by focusing on real-life issues and providing practical techniques for dealing with them. Designed to achieve instant results, Cold Calling for Scaredy Catsincorporates a planning time so the participants leave with a specific plan to use the techniques and tools they’ve explored.

Cold Calling for Scaredy Cats deals with many areas of interest and concern to sales people. It provides suggestions for overcoming Cold Calling jitters and gives strategies for getting beyond the gatekeepers. Learn the things that should never be said in a cold call and techniques to use voice mail effectively. However, it’s not only about techniques—it’s also about attitude. Cold Calling for Scaredy Cats deals with attitude and how to deal with the stress of being a sales person.

Cold Calling for Scaredy Cats will be an interactive experience for participants as they develop skills in being more effective in aspects of cold calling from making the initial contacts to closing deals. There will be other sales reps and sales managers present so participants will have an opportunity to network and learn from each other as well as in the formal workshop setting.

In a Power Packed three hour session, you will look at the FIVE most important areas of Cold Calling:

Cold calling: the golden opportunity most sales reps dread.
Preparation: the key that separates sales rookies from pros.
Getting through: how to handle screens, gatekeepers, and voice mail.
Honing your telephone skills: sharpening your most effective tool for increasing sales.
Positive attitude and persistence: key ingredients for Cold Calling success.

Cold Calling for Scaredy Cats will share with sales people a step-by-step cold calling approach that will send your hit rate soaring; powerful techniques that turn sceptics into buyers; super-effective telephone scripts you can easily adapt; creative openers that melt resistance and pique curiosity; proven tips for getting past gatekeepers and screens to the person with buying authority; Learn the secret to making a dynamite first impression and establishing your credibility in seconds; and more.

Book your place now as these seminars will Fill Fast
Australia Wide Tour

Group Rates available for 5 or more: 5 - 9 $148; 10- 19: $137; 20+ $125

How to book:

By eMail
Complete the form below & click 'submit'
By fax
Print the form below, complete & send to the fax booking line in your city
By phone
Call the Booking Hotline in your city

National wide tour... at a location near you:

	Phone	Fax
Sydney	(02) 8916 6302	(02) 8916 6166
Brisbane	(07) 3041 4028	(02) 8916 6166
Melbourne	(03) 8678 0316	(02) 8916 6166
Perth	(08) 6313 3978	(02) 8916 6166

Seminar Location and Booking Details
Cold Calling for Scaredy Cats

Monday, November 8th, 2010	Brisbane	Christie Corporate
Tuesday, November 9th, 2010	Sydney	Portside Centre
Wednesday, November 10th, 2010	Melbourne	Karstens Conference Centre
Thursday, November 11th, 2010	Perth	Cambridge Convention Centre

9 am to 12 pm Workbook & Morning Tea provided

Seminar Price $185

Click Here to Book your Place Now!

Cancellation Policy: All sales are final. Should you be unable to attend, a substitute participant is always welcome. No refunds will be given. Speakers and dates may be subject to change.

Providing this information constitutes your permission for AEC trading as The Maverick Partnership or and any associated party to contact you regarding related information via mail, e-mail, fax or phone.

You are important to us. If you are having problems booking, please let us know by eMail or phone the booking hotline in your city

Any questions?? Feel free to contact us and we'll explain the unique advantages of this particular seminar but remember places are limited!

AEC Platinum Privileges Card: Holders of the AEC Platinum Privilege Card can attend these seminars as part of their membership benefits.

Australian Seminars: http://www.stumpjump.net/

New Zealand Seminars: http://businessseminars.co.nz/

Turn incoming calls into sales & profits

2010-10-04T09:25:00.004+08:00

The person answering the telephone and talking with the customer / prospect plays a major rule in determining the success or lack of success of the organization. You must accept responsibility for providing timely customer service in a courteous business manner.

Applying the telephone customer service skills in this white paper will help you and your organization become a professional provider of quality customer service that will gain and retain customers for a lifetime of profits.

Telephone Skill 1: Answering the telephone:
68% of customers leaving a business leave because of lack of caring expressed or lack of perceived caring from you or someone in the company.
Callers begin to form their impression of your organization by:
A. The number of rings it takes to get an answer
B. The first voice they hear

Answering Techniques
A. Answer the telephone within the first three rings
B. Greet the caller
C. State your organization’s name and your name
D. Offer assistance, invite questions.

Use friendly phrases
• Thanks for calling.
• How may I help you?
• How are you today?
Example: “Good morning, Sales Growth Now. This is Bob Janet, how may I help you?”

Quotes Of The Week

2010-09-24T09:56:00.002+08:00

You must know that in any moment a decision you make can change the course of your life forever: the very next person stand behind in line or sit next to on an airplane, the very next phone call you make or receive, the very next movie you see or book you read or page you turn could be the one single thing that causes the floodgates to open, and all of the things that you've been waiting for to fall into place.

Joke Of The Week

2010-09-22T14:06:00.001+08:00

Man: "I'd like to call you. What's your number?"

Woman: "It's in the phone book."

Man: "But I don't know your name."

Woman: "That's in the phone book too."

Time Management Tips For Outgoing Telephone Calls

2010-09-22T13:54:00.004+08:00

primary communications tool for most small businesses. But much of the time

that businesses spend using the telephone is a waste of time. Instead of

communicating with the people we want to communicate with, we fritter away

time talking to other people or machines, playing endless rounds of telephone tag.

Having a telephone in your office is a bit like having a spoiled pet. You wouldn't

want to be without it, but sometimes you wonder who's actually running the

asylum. If your telephone has turned into a tyrant, use these time management

telephone tips to tame the beast.

Time Management Telephone Tips For Outgoing Calls

1) Whether they're suppliers, regular clients, or contractors, many of us call the

same people repeatedly. Keep your contact information updated with time-saving

details so you don't waste time trying to reach people who aren't available. For

instance, if I know that a particular person that I want to reach takes a lunch

from 1 to 2 p.m. each day, I know not to waste my time trying to call her during

this time.

2) Program the numbers for those you call regularly into your telephone. I'm

always amazed by people who don't do this, as the time you save when you're not

looking up numbers and dialing them is equally amazing.

3) Plan your outgoing telephone calls. Before you call, jot down the main goal of the

goal and the key points you want to cover. This will help you stick to the point

when you call and ensure that you cover everything you want to cover, saving

time during the call and avoiding having to call again because of something you

forgot.

October Seminars!

2010-09-22T10:37:00.003+08:00

PowerSelling is about closing sales in Australia in 2010 and beyond. What separates the pros from all the rest is the ability to "Close the Sale." Without this ability to get the customer to buy, many salespeople fail, businesses don't reach their true potential and countless dollars are lost.

The Truly Australian Way to Sell
Professional selling is an art. And Australians are truly a different buying people to Americans or the English.

The PowerSelling Seminar, presented by Wayne Mansfield - author of the best sellingAustralian Sales Script Book, shows you at least 37 proven ways to close the sale. Hard times have gone on too long... make a decision to attend this seminar and start on the road to sales success

PowerSelling: 37 Secrets of Winning the Sale!

Price and the power of persuasion: Understand the importance of price and how it affects your customer and you will immediately sell more - "how much" doesn't mean "oh we have to cut the price!"
Face to face selling in the 21st Century: Cultural and generational change in the last 20 years make the old assessment of who is a "average Australian" obsolete.PowerSellinghighlights how to engage these changes and prosper.
The one simple truth about selling... Learn this and you will join the SuperStars
SuperSales people have two distinct skills: learn the art of story telling and scripting and reap rich rewards.
Selling to Couples: Learn what you must know to increase your conversion rate when joint decisions are required.
Timing, timing and timing: When is the best time to ask for the sale?? And can there be more than one best time? PowerSelling will show you that timing is flexible and you can recover from a poor first impression with the right timing.
What is Psychophysics and how can it help you sell: Knowing how the mind works WILL increase your sales ability.
People NEVER buy what they can't afford unless... learn how getting people to want what you have is always better than needing what you want - emotions are the key!
PowerSelling covers all these secrets and more... give yourself and your team a competitive edge in this competitive business environment of today and beyond.

October Seminars!

2010-09-22T10:36:00.000+08:00

Are you sick of banging your head against the brick wall? Sales results are not what they should be? Then here is the answer...

Strategies to Lead winning sales people

Sales is the heart of most organizations. The front-line contact with the customer. Seems simple enough, but today, sales management has become one of the most dynamic environments for change in business.

Sales management professionals are now constantly facing the reality of:

customers who seem less loyal, yet more demanding
increasing complex distribution channel options
sales team challenges that push "recruit, reward and retain" to new levels
the pressure not only of selling, but attaining the optimal sales mix
marketing/sales interfaces that require effective negotiation and prioritization skills

The challenges of present day business are more complex than just a few short years ago, but spoils available from the resulting opportunities are vast for those who can master the critical elements of sales force performance. By attending the How to Lead and Motivate Sales Teams Seminar you will gain what could be called an "unfair advantage" on your competitors and tip the advantage in your favour.

Stop being frustrated with the lack of direct ability and performance of your sales team... unfortunately it's probably your own fault! Like most sales managers who have never been educated on the best practices of their position, do you wondering how to more effectively lead and motivate your sales people... well wonder no longer!

Act NOW to book and attend How to Lead and Motivate Sales Teams and you will learn how to achieve outstanding results whilst juggling all these things:

Hiring new salespeople.
Coaching and counselling.
Setting goals with salespeople.
Managing the training and development of salespeople.
Focusing and directing individual salespeople
Creating a winning climate of mutual respect
Force the salespeople to think strategically
Keeping in contact with the changes in the market
Mastering communication with your sales team
Provide regular structured direction and feedback to the sales team
Keeping the sales team focused on the highest-potential activities each month
Providing the team with a sense of ownership of their performance and results

	Phone	Fax
Sydney	(02) 8916 6302	(02) 8916 6166
Brisbane	(07) 3041 4028	(07) 8916 6166
Melbourne	(03) 8678 0316	(02) 8916 6166
Perth	(08) 6313 3978	(08) 8916 6166

Seminar Location and Booking Details
How to Lead & Motivate Sales Teams

Monday, October 18th, 2010	Brisbane	Christie Corporate
Tuesday, October 19th, 2010	Sydney	Portside Centre
Wednesday, October 20th, 2010	Melbourne	Karstens Conference Center
Thursday, October 21st, 2010	Perth	Cambridge Convention Center

2 pm to 5 pm Workbook & Afternoon Tea provided

Seminar Price $297

Click Here to Book your Place Now!

Cancellation Policy: All sales are final. Should you be unable to attend, a substitute participant is always welcome. No refunds will be given. Speakers and dates may be subject to change.

You are important to us. If you are having problems booking, please let us know by eMail or phone the booking hotline in your city

Any questions?? Feel free to contact us and we'll explain the unique advantages of this particular seminar but remember places are limited!

AEC Platinum Privileges Card: Holders of the AEC Platinum Privilege Card can attend these seminars as part of their membership benefits.

Australian Seminars Visit: www.Stumpjump.net

New Zealand Seminars Visit: www.businessseminars.co.nz

Handle Your Incoming Calls The Right Way

2010-09-21T09:08:00.003+08:00

Most businesses will invest a good deal of money into their marketing plans and efforts. In order to accommodate those incoming calls, companies will be paying for a high quality phone service to make sure every call that comes in as a result of their marketing gets through. Toll-free numbers certainly help your business' promotional efforts because they, especially vanity numbers, make it easy for the caller to reach you by phone.

With the toll free phone number, business can also get additional features that allow their phone to function more efficiently due to the virtual PBX phone technology. For example, there is the auto attendant features that answer each and every incoming call so callers never receive a busy signal. There is also call forwarding options that will ring incoming office calls to any other phone number you port into the system. Calls can be taken by your cell phone or any other land line phone. All of these features come with the valuable toll-free number and requires no additional equipment or contracts. It is a great, all-inclusive opportunity to improve the quality and functionality of your business.

When each call comes in, your company needs to make sure that call is considered the most important duty of the moment. Each incoming call is a potential customer, a potential money-maker for your business. To make sure your business is handling these calls effectively, extensions can be set up for each staff member and the auto attendant will automatically forward all callers to the right person based on the caller's selection. Read more

Telesales Case Study On Performance

2010-09-02T10:38:00.005+08:00

There are many types of telemarketing activities fromAppointment setting, Lead Generation to Tele-Sales.Each type of activity has its own unique challenges however with out a doubt the most challenging type of telemarketing is asking a prospect to part with money over the phone. This is called Tele-Sales.

It is for this reason we have provided you with a case study of a Tele-Sales outcome to show case our capabilities.

Background
Our client had a outdoor light transformer that needed to be sold over the phone into hardware stores Australia wide. The process was to contact each key decision maker within each hardware store and then offer to email supplied promotional information followed up with a call to close the sale. The average sale price was just under $400.

Major issues
There were four major issues.

There was limited time frame to contact these hardware stores and reach the key decision makers,
There was an existing similar product already on the shelves,
It is difficult to gain shelf space within hardware stores particularly when there was an existing product already occupying that space, and
The contact list supplied was out of date with incorrect key decision maker details.

Solution
Initially calls were made with the goal of speaking with the key decision makers as per the supplied list and then offer to send supplied promotional information. It was shortly discovered that the supplied key decision maker details we out of date and we were wasting time chasing up and speaking to the wrong person.

A two stage process was implemented in order to effectively complete this campaign.

Stage 1 - Conduct a phone blitz to call up each hardware retailer with the sole objective to gain correct key decision maker details as well as best times to call.

Stage 2 - With correct information at hand we could now call the correct decision makers with greater efficiency without wasting time chasing the wrong person.

Result
By implementing a two stage process we achieved the deadline of contacting each hardware retailer and reaching the correct key decision maker.

The overall result was for every 10 calls we made we achieved 9.2 sales. A 92% success rate!

EFFECTIVE TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES

2010-09-02T10:27:00.002+08:00

You will use the telephone for cold calling, contacting referrals, answering ads, following up on interviews, and sometimes even the interview itself. Knowing how to use a tool effectively, keeps you from making costly mistakes.

Telephone Tips

Write a script. Your script should include the name of the person you are calling and your relationship to them (perhaps a referral), the purpose of your call, and what main points you need to discuss. The script will keep you on track and minimize the chance of forgetting some important information.

Identify yourself immediately. Never assume the person will remember who you are so remind them how you know them.
Ask "permission" to interrupt them. Find out if this is a good time to call. If not, schedule a better time and try to get a direct line or extension to avoid the telephone operator.
Eliminate all distractions: Turn off the radio, television or anything else that can distract you. Call from a quiet location and avoid using a cellular telephone. You don't want to be cut off in the middle of a conversation.
Listen Carefully. Be aware of the person's tone of voice to determine how willing they are to help you, take notes to capture important information.
Listening Tip to use throughout your job search:

L let others speak
I intend to "hear" what they are saying
S speak when it is your turn
T talk with them, not at them
E enthusiastically respond when appropriate
N never speak when else is talking

Your Voice
How you use your voice is more critical over the phone because the person is not able to "connect" with you visually. Any good phone salesperson will tell you, you have to project your whole personality through your voice.

Smile! When you smile it communicates confidence and friendliness.

Speak Clearly: Slow down and enunciate, especially if you have an accent. Stand up to project a stronger, more confident voice and image.

Dress Professionally: Yes, the way you are dressed affects the way you present yourself. In addition, you will be ready if the person invites you to meet with them right away.

Incoming Calls
In today's job market employers call candidates at all times and on all days. You may receive a call from a company at 8:00 pm during the week or even on the weekend. Here are some ideas on how to prepare for the call coming from the employer.

Have your job search files available. If you are caught off guard, ask the employer to hold for a minute while you change rooms or phones. This will give you a minute to locate your job search paperwork and collect your thoughts.
Have a message pad ready, complete with guidelines in case you are not the one who answers the phone. Communicate with your family members what information they need to record.
Do not have small children answer the phone.
Have a professional outgoing message on your answering machine/service.

Teach Your Staff Phone Manners

2010-08-26T10:05:00.000+08:00

As e-business has fundamentally changed the way that many customers and businesses communicate, the humble telephone is sometimes forgotten. Yet phone contact is still the preferred medium of many customers and as Mike Watson reveals, there are plenty of ways this first point of customer-to-business contact can enhance – or hurt – your business reputation.

A ringing phone might be stressful or inconvenient at times. But think of it this way: on every call is a potential, or existing, long-term customer. Staff that come across well on the phone can develop a positive, ongoing rapport with customers. This can lead to an increase in sales.

Dee Sanford of Dee Sanford & Associates

The United States, a country which has long set customer-service standards for the rest of the world, has no shortage of professionals offering advice on the matter of business phone etiquette. For Dee Sanford of customer service consulting firm Dee Sanford & Associates it starts with your choice of staff. "Be careful who you let answer the phone. Choose employees who care about your business and can convey that to customers."

Training of your staff can be invaluable in this area. Says Nancy Friedman of customer service training company The Telephone Doctor: "Don't assume staff will be professional and courteous over the phone if you don't teach them how, even if it takes only 10 minutes."

Handling customer complaints

2010-08-26T09:14:00.000+08:00

Handling customer complaints – why you need to say sorry

In this day and age, where processes are automated up to the gills and there is precious little human involvement between consumers and companies, when something goes wrong, it requires even more effort to retain that customer for longer. Why is it then, that so many companies I speak to discourage the words “I’m sorry”.

Here’s a little story. Some time ago, my wife and I arranged for our store card to take out a certain amount the following month. They said “no problem”. Then, while looking through our bank statement, we discovered that the store in question had taken out the whole amount owed. Well, my wife was straight on the phone. The girl at the other end understood the problem, saw where it went wrong, and even refunded the money plus £30, but chose to omit two little words. These two little words represent a degree of ownership and accountability, which is desperately missing in the contact centres of today.

Say I’m sorry

It’s like they’ve been removed from the agent’s vocabulary! I find it hypocritical that in one breath, companies thump the table and demand the business takes a stronger approach to ownership and being accountable when things go wrong, yet refuse to adjust these small message changes at the sharp end.

So, from an emotional standpoint, being able to say sorry helps to build a stronger customer relationship. I’m a strong advocate of taking advantage of these “moments of truth”. This is when a company truly demonstrates the value it possesses to its customers. It is the formula for creating longer-lasting customers and more delighted ones as well.

The outgoing call

2010-08-02T12:52:00.002+08:00

This is a high-energy training activity that utilises whole group work, syndicate activity and skills practice (role-play). It stands alone but it is also a natural partner to ‘Selling and the telephone’ and ‘The incoming call.’ This training activity focuses participants on how to make effective telephone calls to customers.

You begin this training activity by introducing the telephone as the participants’ most effective business tool. Participants divide into syndicate groups and agree what constitutes an effective telephone call (salesperson’s knowledge, motivation, a sensible call sequence, and so on). Give participants five basic reasons for making an outgoing call. They agree goals or outcomes for each type of call which are then discussed by the whole group. The seven-step call sequence is introduced and analysed in detail by way of a customer scenario. The analysis that participants carry out includes following the seven-step sequence and using an additional, powerful telesales technique. Participants apply the learning points in skills practice before reviewing the session’s key learning points.

How to Successfully Make Cold Calls

2010-08-02T12:48:00.002+08:00

As job layoffs abound, thoughts may turn to the advantages of working from home. Such jobs may be in sales and customer service and require the mastery of outgoing calls.

Consider these basics before taking the leap to this fast growing way of making a living. Preparation and presence can make the difference between success and failure.

Choose a Company for Which to Work

Working from home is becoming more lucrative and logical each day. Money is a great motivator for many. Lots of money is available to those who can successfully make cold calls. This can be a profitable profession for those who have the personality and stamina to follow through.

After filtering through the frauds and the too good-to-be-true offers, decide which position seems to be the best fit. Many occupations place emphasis on cold calls as the initial contact with the customer. These simple tips can improve one’s performance in this important facet of working from home.

Putting Customers First Seminar

2010-07-30T11:59:00.002+08:00

Take the lead and win more business through excellent customer service. This fabulous 3 hour seminar shows you how to win customer loyalty that will guarantee your competitive advantage.

As never before, Putting Customers First is THE critical strategy for business success in the 21st century.

Learn how to delight and astound your customers and win them for life...

Customers demand quicker improvements to services they find unacceptable, while technological change presents both new opportunities to adaptable organisations on an almost daily basis, and threats to the very survival of the poorly prepared.

To succeed in such a demanding environment you have to maintain the very best customer service techniques that have served you well in the past, and you must embrace the latest techniques to motivate and encourage your staff to be always Putting Customers First. This seminar will provide you the "why to's" of positively outrageous service and also the most up-to-date and proven methods of helping your business become truly customer focused.

Successful businesses, small or large, make customers - the real reason a business exists - a part of their team. It is not enough to be delivering on your service promises, you must also be seento be delivering on your service promises. Master these demands and your business will prosper.

Putting Customers First shares with you the practical skills and strategies to enhance your customer service reputation. You will also learn how to build this reputation using publicity and media coverage.

Putting Customers First is delivered with a "work smarter, not harder" attitude that allows you to appraise where you currently are and shows you how to fully explore all the options available to develop a dynamic customer focused organisation that delivers GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE.

By understanding the reasons for Putting Customers First and learning the skills that allow this to happen, you build self confidence and self-esteem in your staff and business. ...Read More

Australian Education Corporation

Joke Of The Week

2010-07-30T11:52:00.001+08:00

One day, the phone rang, and a little boy answered.

"May I speak to your parents?"
"They're busy."
"Oh. Is anybody else there?"
"The police."
"Can I speak to them?"
"They're busy."
"Oh. Is anybody else there?"
"The firemen."
"Can I speak to them?"
"They're busy."

"So let me get this straight -- your parents, the police, and the firemen are there, but they're all busy? What are they doing?"

"Lookin for me."

Hiring a Telemarketing Firm

2010-07-30T11:47:00.002+08:00

Using Telemarketing Firms to Help Generate Sales

Interested in hiring a telemarketing firm? Telemarketing firms can play a critical role in supporting your marketing programs. They can be hired to take calls for your business on either an inbound or outbound basis. This article explains what to consider when you hire a telemarketing company.

Generating sales leads is vital for the health and growth of your business. The inability to create new prospects and turn them into satisfied customers can quickly destroy your business' bottom line and place you on the fast track to failure.

That's where telemarketing firms come in. Their job is to help you generate new business and bring home the sale using their call center know-how and technology.

Not many people realize that telemarketing firms can be hired to take calls for your business on either an inbound or outbound basis. Inbound campaigns take calls from potential customers generated by other forms of advertising (e.g. infomercials, radio spots, magazine ads). In outbound campaigns, the telemarketing firm calls potential customers on your behalf.

The cost of an inbound telemarketing campaign is based on the number of call minutes per month at an average rate of approximately $1 per minute. Monthly minimums can range from $250 to $1,000. Outbound campaigns are priced hourly and can range from $10 to $40 or more per hour depending upon the expertise needed to reach your target market.

Tips for telephone sales

2010-07-30T11:42:00.002+08:00

The following is an excerpt from a presentation Susan Pryce made to API's Management of the Weekly Newspaper Seminar.

Improving your personality will improve your sales performance: People like to do business with people they like.

Smile when dialing: People can sense your happiness.

Expectant attitudes achieve excellent results. Think positive. Expect to make the sale. Weasel words are a waste. Don't beg (weasel) for business!

Winning words are powerful. Think before you speak. Sell with emotion. Use words that paint pictures in the prospect's mind. Remember: It is not what you say, but how you say it.

Consistent calls create consistent cash: Make more calls. Come in early. Work a plan. Speak to sell. Outside salespeople are able to watch body language to assist their sales efforts. A telemarketer's tool is his or her voice. Learn how to do magical things with your voice: Talk louder, softer, faster, slower, in effect mirroring the client's voice using inflections and tones where the client is most comfortable.

PhoneSense Seminar

2010-07-30T11:38:00.002+08:00

Used by West Australia's major newspaper to train their 150 strong classified Ad team! - - - Special Incoming and Outgoing Sessions - - - Australia Wide Tour Book Now... Places strictly limited! From just $111 a session
Turning Incoming Calls Into Sales Three Hours of Ideas about Incoming Calls that will change forever how your phone is answered. 9am to 12 noon		Effective Outgoing TeleSales Calls Three Hours of Ideas about TeleSales that will create a fantastic profit centre for your business. 2pm to 5pm
Turning Incoming Calls Into Sales		Effective Outgoing TeleSales Calls
Seminar 1: Three Hours of Ideas about Incoming Calls that will change forever how your phone is answered.		Seminar 2: Three Hours of Ideas about TeleSales that will create a fantastic profit centre for your business.
Yellow Page Money Wasted Our research shows that as many as 8 out of 10 calls made as a result of Yellow Pages enquiries do not result in any sales decision being made. PhoneSense shows you how to turn enquiries into sales. 700% Increase in Quotes See how knowing what to say, and how to say it, changed the number of quotes from 1 in 10 calls... that is a massive 700% increase. With a 60% conversion rate to sales averaging $1,000 a time, sales soared. Handling Complaints Every company has the problem of the very angry caller. PhoneSense will show how to turn a dissatisfied complainer into a happy customer. Control Tele-Tag and Profit See how to keep your telephone staff on track with skilfully developed scripts and activity control records. Getting People To Pay Learn simple techniques to get people to pay on the spot. Learn to use “future tense - positive” words that increase sales and reduce debtors! 97% Increase in Retail Sales Changing the way the phone is answered, a simple yet devastatingly effective idea had the cash register ringing. Store traffic increased by 50% and sales nearly doubled. Why Is Price So Important? Learn the importance of the difference between perception and reality when a caller asks “How Much?” By knowing the rules of telemarketing, everyone benefits. The Sell Up Never let an opportunity pass to add value and ask your caller to buy more from you. Effective techniques increase sales by 20%, which is all profit. Incoming Phone Scripting Design a powerful script for your business that will capture enquiries and turn them into sales - on the spot!		Ad Sales Hit Record After just one 3 hour session with experienced advertising phone sales people working with a News Corporation publication, sales increased 50%. There’s Gold in that Phone Just 20 calls a week using The Turbo Charged Telephone Scripts will achieve fabulous results for your business and income. These techniques are easy, effective and fun. Promotions That Work When you give your staff a reason to call, cold calling becomes a breeze. Results are immediate. Learn how an office supply company achieved an increase in outgoing call activity of 25% all by repackaging what the telemarketers were saying. Getting Sales by Phone Experience first hand the deceptively simply techniques and ideas that are being successfully used to sell seminars, insurance, financial services and real estate. Run a Telemarketing Team Learn all the details you will need to be an effective telemarketer achieving immediate results. Whether you are a one man band, or a large national company, these old and new rules work 100% of the time. Why Referrals are Good Hear why being able to mention a third party has the effect of increasing sales by 200% and more. Learn where to find the referrals. Pre-call Strategies Learn the secrets of making every outbound telephone call welcome and improving conversion rates up to 700% Learn full details of the most cost effective Telesales method available today - the software, where to get lists and what to send.

Profit from Inbound Customer Service

2010-07-30T11:29:00.002+08:00

Profit from Inbound Customer Service — Do you view inbound customer service calls as an unfortunate expense, and take steps to minimize them? If so, you may be surprised to hear that our testing shows these calls can actually generate a PROFIT.

We recently released the audio recording of our clinic on this topic. You can listen to a recording of this clinic here:

Making a Profit from Inbound Customer Service

It would almost be amusing if it weren't so damaging. We have all seen web sites where they go to almost any length to discourage a user from picking up the phone to ask a question, or cancel a sale or subscription.

Users are directed to knowledge bases, FAQ pages, and user forums. The site owners appear to be desperate that a user doesn't tie up one of their customer service agents.

Why? Because customer service calls are seen as an expense that should be minimized.

Our recent testing shows a very different picture.

By providing call-center operators with an incentive and the necessary instructions and support, we were able to save dozens of subscriptions and up-sell new services.

The bottom line? At the end of our test, the calls received resulted in the generation of additional income.

Yes, you can make money by actually ENCOURAGING web site users to pick up the phone and call you.

How to Exercise Good Phone Manners

2010-07-20T09:34:00.002+08:00

With the new era of technology, many people are turning to email rather than holding phone conversations to communicate with others. For those who do like to talk on the telephone, it is necessary to exercise good phone manners when communicating to friends, family members or strangers.

Step 1

Listen more than talk. This holds true especially if you are the recipient of the phone call. If someone is calling you, it is likely that they have something important that they want to communicate to you. If you go ahead and take over the conversation, the caller may feel intimidated and may not want to continue with the phone call.
Step 2

Sympathize with the caller. If the person calling you is telling you about a problem or is asking for advice, it is nice to express some sympathy. Try to think about a similar situation that you were in and tell the story to the caller.
Step 3

Speak clearly and articulately. If you are talking with someone on the phone, it is important that they can hear you. Otherwise, they may think you are saying one thing and not what you are truly trying to communicate.
Step 4

Create a good spot to hold the phone conversation. If you have children running around the house playing a game, it is wise to get away from that setting to hold your telephone conversation. Go into a private area where there are no distractions.
Step 5

Make the time to hold the conversation so that you don't have to cut it short. Too often, people's conversations are cut off because of time restraints. If you have somewhere to go, make it a point to tell the person calling that you can call them back at a better time.

Quotes Of The Week

2010-07-14T10:49:00.002+08:00

As soon as television became the only secondary way in which films were watched, films had to adhere to a pretty linear system, whereby you can drift off for ten minutes and go and answer the phone and not really lose your place.
- Christopher Nolan -

Every time I flicked channels, there I was, talking. I was talking too much and writing too little. So Naomi and I went to Hawaii. The phone was cut off and we lost touch. This gave me the chance to have a good think about my life.
- Joe Eszterhas -

Joke of the Week - Important Phone Fixed

2010-07-06T09:51:00.003+08:00

Having just moved into his new office in Whitehall, pompous, newly promoted Lieutenant Commander Rodney Grant [Royal Navy] was sitting at his desk when Leading Seaman Jones knocked on his door. Particularly aware of his new position, the commander quickly picked up the phone, told the seaman to enter, then said into the phone, 'Yes, Admiral, I'll be seeing him this afternoon and I'll pass along your message. In the meantime, thank you for your good wishes, sir.'

Feeling as though he had sufficiently impressed young Jones man, he asked, 'What do you want?'

'Nothing important, sir,' Jones replied without batting an eyelid, 'I'm just here to connect up your new telephone.'

Cold Calling For Scaredy Cats

2010-06-30T14:15:00.001+08:00

Learn the secrets to making a dynamite first impression

Cold Calling for Scaredy Cats will show sales people how to build powerful techniques that will allow them to get in the door and grab the sale. Because the business environment today is very competitive, sales people need to be constantly building their skills and working at being more productive than any other sales person.Cold Calling for Scaredy Cats will help sales people continue that growth pattern by focusing on real-life issues and providing practical techniques for dealing with them. Designed to achieve instant results, Cold Calling for Scaredy Catsincorporates a planning time so the participants leave with a specific plan to use the techniques and tools they’ve explored.

Cold Calling for Scaredy Cats deals with many areas of interest and concern to sales people. It provides suggestions for overcoming Cold Calling jitters and gives strategies for getting beyond the gatekeepers. Learn the things that should never be said in a cold call and techniques to use voice mail effectively. However, it’s not only about techniques-it’s also about attitude. Cold Calling for Scaredy Cats deals with attitude and how to deal with the stress of being a sales person.

Cold Calling for Scaredy Cats will be an interactive experience for participants as they develop skills in being more effective in aspects of cold calling from making the initial contacts to closing deals. There will be other sales reps and sales managers present so participants will have an opportunity to network and learn from each other as well as in the formal workshop setting.

Read More Here!! Business Seminars

Six Tips for Effective Phone Communication

2010-06-30T13:18:00.002+08:00

Working from wherever we want means we spend a lot of time on the phone. In fact, I personally have very few in-person meetings since so few of my clients are local. Most of them live in places much much warmer than the northern regions of Minnesota. But that’s another story…

Phone skills are essential for maintaining a level of confidence with the person on the other end of the line. They might be a prospective client, co-worker, boss, or current customer, but whoever they are it’s going to help your career to carry a phone conversation with the right amount of command.

Essentially you need to communicate not only what you are saying clearly, but also that you understand what the other person is saying. In person, this is a lot easier. A head nod or simple grin can do the trick. However, on the phone you are invisible to the other person.

Here are six little tricks I’ve learned for having effective command of phone communication.

Telephone Tips

2010-06-30T13:04:00.002+08:00

Speak slowly and clearly
Listening to someone speaking in a second language over the telephone can be very challenging because you cannot see the person you are trying to hear. However, it may be even more difficult for the person you are talking with to understand you. You may not realize that your pronunciation isn't clear because your teacher and fellow students know and understand you. Pay special attention to your weak areas (such as "r's" and "l's" or "b's" and "v's") when you are on the phone. If you are nervous about using the phone in English, you may notice yourself speaking very quickly. Practise or write down what you are going to say and take a few deep breaths before you make a phone call.
Make sure you understand the other speaker
Don't pretend to understand everything you hear over the telephone. Even native speakers ask each other to repeat and confirm information from time to time. This is especially important if you are taking a message for someone else. Learn the appropriate expressions that English speakers use when they don't hear something properly. Don't be afraid to remind the person to slow down more than once. Keep your telephone in an area that is away from other noise distractions such as a radio or television.
Practise with a friend
Ask another student to practise talking on the phone with you. You might choose one night a week and take turns phoning each other at a certain time. Try to talk for at least fifteen minutes. You can talk socially, or role play different scenarios in a business environment. If you don't have access to a telephone, you can practise by setting two chairs up back to back. The most important thing about practising telephone English is that you aren't able to see each other's mouths. It is amazing how much people lip-read without realizing.

Sales Script Book

2010-06-30T12:26:00.000+08:00

Australia's Own

$ales $cript Book

The Hottest Selling Tool!
There is just ONE real difference explaining why super achieving sales people sell 10 times as much as the average sale person - and extensive international research continues to confirm that when this sales secret is implemented, average sales people become super achievers.

That ONE difference is that super achievers use scripting when selling - saying the right thing at the right time, each time they are in front of a prospective purchaser. And the answer to becoming a super achieving salesperson is easily found in the leading Australian sales resource The Australian Sales Script Book developed by Australians for Australians.

For over 20 years The Australian Sales Script Book has set the careers of thousands of average sales people on the pathway to becoming super achievers.

Our client testimonials show documented increases in sales results of hundreds of millions of dollars over the last 20 years. Extensively updated for the 21st Century, your copy ofThe Australian Sales Script Book is waiting for you now.

What is a Sales Script Book?
It is a collection of the most powerful and useful phrases (scripts) a sales professional can use to counter any objection and close the sale. A custom tailored Sales Script Book can cost a company upwards of $2,000.... and more.
It is no coincidence that sales superstars, some of who earn in excess of $1 million a year, all use Script Books. The Australian Sales Script Book makes the job of selling easier and less stressful. While your competitors are racking their brains to think up an on-the-spot response to an objection or stall, you can simply glance down the page in the appropriateAustralian Sales Script Book section and find the right response to a sure close.
Read More Here!!... Australian Education Corporation

Cold Calling Tips – How to Write Effective Phone Scripts

2010-06-30T12:17:00.003+08:00

Most inside sales reps I speak with tell me that they don’t use a script, and when I take a look at the one their company has given them, I can understand why – most of them are terrible!

The problem with not using a script, however, is that you are forced to ad-lib it and that often ends up sounding as bad or worse. So what is the solution?

The solution is to craft a well-written scriptincorporating these five elements:

#1) Connect at the beginning. Most bad scriptsstart right off talking at the prospect almost nonstop. After the “Hi, is this _______?” they just start right in pitching their product. Wrong!

Try pausing in the opening and connecting, and rather than using the old, “How are you?” try “Can you hear me OK?”

#2) Use the word “Briefly “in the beginning. Most people you speak with are busy, so prefacing what you’re going to say with the word “briefly” helps put them at ease — and lets them know you respect their time.

#3) Briefly describe their problem and your benefit or solution: “Briefly _______ the reason I’m calling is that we help many companies like yours who are struggling to/with ________ by providing them with a cost-effective solution that (provide benefits here). I’d like to ask just a few questions to see if we can help you, too.”

How To Communicate with Confidence, Clarity and Credibility

2010-06-30T11:05:00.002+08:00

Exciting three hour seminar unlocks the Secrets of Confidence, Clarity & Credibility in Every Situation

How to Communicate with Diplomacy and Tact in Every Situation

There is an art to getting your message across and it is vital to your personal and business success that you master the skills ofcommunicating with confidence, clarity and credibility.

Learn all you need to know about successful communication both face to face and remote - from interpreting body language to writing letters, optimising meetings to speaking on the telephone.

How to Communicate with Confidence, Clarity & Credibility in Every Situation not only shows you how to hold an audience when making presentations and how to take notes or compile reports, but also provides practical techniques for you to try in many different situations.

Good communications is the lifeblood of an organisation and a successful business. When you master the skills of speaking, writing and listening you will pave the way to effectively sharing information and improved business and personal relationships.

Read More Here!!... Australian Education Corporation

Effective Phone Selling Tips

2010-06-30T10:53:00.002+08:00

Use a good CRM tool. Make sure your company or your management team provides you with a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool that enables you to schedule your calls, follow up on scheduled calls, has a good calendar, a task and list manager, an “alarm” system for important calls, etc. This will be critical to your ability to keep up with your top customers, as well as your newer customers while building your pipeline. Make sure you take excellent notes so that with follow up calls or return calls, you have a reminder of your last conversation.

Schedule your calls one week out. Effective planning is critical to having quality phone time. Scheduling your calls one week out will ensure you constantly have a pipeline of calls to make, and if you sort them by prospect, cold call, follow up, close, etc, you will also be reminded of the nature of the call as you pull up the next company in your list to call. More...

How to Gain Confidence in Speaking on the Telephone

2010-06-30T10:43:00.001+08:00

Do you have a lack of confidence when speaking on the telephone? Do you fear speaking on the telephone? If you have answered any of these questions in the positive then you are certainly not on your own. There are many people up and down the country who really do not like talking on the phone and will even avoid doing so at all costs. In this article I am going to be providing free tips and advice which will hopefully enable people to overcome their fear of speaking on the telephone.

I went through a very worrying stage of my life when I was aged around seventeen. I could just not bring myself to answer the telephone, it was like I had a mental block and I did not have enough confidence to pick the phone up and speak. This was partly due to the fact that my speech was affected by the speech impediment commonly referred to as a stutter. Stuttering had impacted on my life since I had been a young four year old boy and had seriously damaged my overall self-confidence and self-esteem.

At the age of twenty-two I decided that enough was enough, I could no longer live my life with this constant fear of speaking which included talking on the telephone.

I started on a journey that would ultimately lead to me being able to achieve fluency, gain in confidence and also an ability to speak on the phone in a confident manner.

So how did I manage to achieve all of this? What were the techniques that I used? Well I realised that I needed to live life in a much more care-free manner, I had to stop worrying about what other people thought of me and I needed to think in a much more positive manner.

These things were not easy to do for somebody like myself but I was aware of the importance of being able to implement the changes and therefore worked extremely hard to do so.

Powerful Communication Skills for Women

2010-06-30T10:37:00.002+08:00

Designed for the woman of today eager to reap

the career benefits that come to those who know how to communicate effectively and diplomatically

Powerful Communication Skills for Women is a phenomenal communication workshop designed specifically for professionals like you. We’ve boiled down “the most important of the most important” communication skills you need to get your ideas across, resolve long-standing conflicts, shine in meetings, persuade and influence others - and that’s just for starters!

Get ready to be entertained, inspired, motivated and changed forever as you discover the communication secrets of the country’s most successful and influential women!

In 3 short hours, you’ll learn step-by-step how to be seen as a highly credible, authoritative communicator who commands attention and gets things done. You’ll leave this exhilarating event armed with the tools and techniques you need to be a more motivating, more persuasive and more effective professional.

Read More Here!!!... Australian Education Corporation

Phone Quotes

2010-06-28T13:07:00.002+08:00

- “What a lot we lost when we stopped writing letters. You can't reread a phone call.”

- Apparently we love our own cell phones but we hate everyone else's.

- People are very protective of their cell phones, how it's used, where it's used and how much it costs. It has become a very personal issue for a whole lot of people in this country.

Joke Of The Week

2010-06-28T10:53:00.002+08:00

Andrew was laying down carpet in some woman's home. As he was finishing, he got a craving for a cigarette. He looked around and discovered that his cigarettes were missing. He did, however, notice a bump in the carpet and figured that he had laid carpet over the pack without noticing it there. He decided rather than to take up the carpet, he would get a hammer and pound it into the ground so no one would know.

When he finished that, the owner of the house walked into the room and commented on what a nice job he had done.
"Andrew, The carpet looks wonderful!" she exclaimed. "Here are your cigarettes; I found them in the kitchen. Oh yes, by the way, have you seen my cell phone?"

Complaints handling

2010-06-28T10:42:00.003+08:00

Successful businesses work hard to keep their customers satisfied. Although prevention is better than cure, it is almost inevitable that at some stage you will receive a customer complaint. Don't presume a customer complaint is a negative experience because, if handled well, it can be a valuable learning tool.

Benefits for your business

An effective complaints handling

system is essential to your business.

Your business can benefit in several

ways:

• improved product quality and service delivery

• fewermistakes and less time spent fixing them

• better understanding of customers' needs

• greater customer loyalty

• more customers through word of mouth advertising from satisfied clients

• less time andmoney spent attracting customers

• improved business reputation

• a healthier bottom line.

Remember you could be pushing profits out of the door if you do not have an effective complaints handling system.

How to do it

Handle complaints effectively by:

• having a policy of welcoming customer complaints

• setting up a system to handle complaints effectively

• training your staff to handle complaints well

• dealing with the complaints you receive immediately

• ensuring the process for making complaints is easy for your customers

• regularly reviewing your complaints record.

More...

Selling to anyone over the phone

2010-06-24T09:00:00.003+08:00

Customers are busier than ever and are being more and more selective about what they buy and who they buy from. Selling to Anyone Over the Phone shows you how to develop truly exceptional phone skills that win over even the most reluctant customers, letting you consistently sell more effectively, build better relationships, and close more sales on the phone than you ever have before!

Important selling-over-the-phone pointers

2010-06-24T08:53:00.001+08:00

I was reading an old sales training book a few days ago, in which the writer made the comment that it is only polite to ask the person you are ringing if they have time to speak at the moment. This is a mistake. Please don't fall into this trap. When you are making a telephone call to encourage a prospect to buy your product or service, or even just to make an appointment, you walk a difficult line.

It is much easier to sell-face to-face as the customer can see you and can tell you are genuine. On the telephone the first few seconds are critical and it is important to avoid simple mistakes.

Let us imagine that you are a customer and I am a sales person. If I were to start the conversation with "Do you have time to speak to me at the moment" what are you thinking? My guess is that you are thinking negatively. You may be thinking, "Well I am busy, how much time will you be taking?" or you may simply be thinking, "This sounds like a sales person I had better be on my guard." However it goes, it will be negative.

Building a wall
It you ask the prospect if he has time to talk to you, you will be building a wall between you that will be hard to break down. Having greeted the prospect and introduced myself, I prefer to get straight into the reason for the call.

Sometimes, of course, the prospect will tell you that he is too busy, and this is your opportunity to practice your alternative close and make an appointment to ring him back:

"That's okay, John, we all get busy from time to time, when would be the best time to ring you back, would Thursday afternoon be good for you or would Friday morning be better?"

Grey area
The grey area here, of course, is the cellphone. If you are ringing a customer on his cellphone then you will have to ask if it is okay to chat to him at the moment. If your customer sounds as if he is sitting in a small, echoing room, it is probably not the best time to be speaking to him.

As a matter of principle I don't ring customers on their cellphone unless there is no choice. The sound quality on the cellphone is not as good as a landline and sometimes you get an echo which does not help with the clarity of the conversation. Your customer may be in the car, with an important customer, with his family, or just having some quiet time on his own - you never know.

Using the telephone to sell can be very effective if it is done properly. You can make 30 calls in the same time it takes to visit one customer, and while your strike rate will probably be lower, even if it is one tenth of your strike rate when you are face-to-face, you will be making three times the sales.

Like many other things, this all comes with practice so get phoning and improve those skills, and don't forget, don't ask if they have the time.

Selling is a Contact Sport: Keys to Effective Phone Calling

2010-06-24T08:45:00.003+08:00

Its been said that salespeople who avoid making phone calls have skinny children. Prospecting for new business is critically important and for the majority of salespeople, it is by far the most challenging and stressful aspect of their profession. Successful salespeople are proactive and recognize the importance of prospecting for new business daily. They don't have to be reminded to ask for referrals or follow up on a sales lead, they do it automatically. This article is packed full of helpful phone calling tips and techniques which, if put into practice, will fill your appointment calendar with new business opportunities!

Don't shoot from the hip, use a script. If you want to sound confident and competent, I strongly suggest that you write out your opening and closing remarks. If you sound in the least bit nervous or unprepared, people will immediately sense this and rightfully assume that you lack experience. Using a phone script for your opening and closing remarks is a good idea for several reasons. A well-polished phone script gives you a consistent approach that keeps you on message and guarantees you don't leave out important information. Be respectful of your prospect's time by designing your phone script to be short, sweet, and to the point. Once you have prepared your phone script, it's now time to tape record yourself reading it aloud until you sound smooth and polished. While you might be tempted to skip this step, don't do it. Recording your phone script role-play session provides you with a golden opportunity to critique your performance and improve your delivery. Read More...

The How-Tos Of Selling Over The Phone

2010-06-24T08:28:00.004+08:00

If you want to be successful in phone sales, you need to grab the customer's or potential customer's attention right away. If you "smile when you dial" and sound upbeat, there's a good chance you will have a captive audience. Once you grab the customer's or potential customer's attention, you need to get them to like and trust you. If a customer likes you and trusts you, they will buy from you. Once they buy from you, you need to keep them buying from you.

Here are some tips on how to be a success at phone sales.

First, you need to get a hold of the decision maker. When someone answers the phone, I like to introduce myself and say, "I'm looking for your __________ buyer." When I say this, if they buyer is there, I'm usually transferred right over. If the buyer is not there, I'll ask the buyers name and the best time to reach them. Doing this saves having to make numerous succeeding calls and frees up a good amount of time to focus on more sales.
Secondly, know that sales is a numbers game. The more people you call, the more you will sell. If your closing ratio is 50%, that's awesome. Your closing ratio might only be 10%, which means....you have to make a lot of calls. Leads are everywhere and you need to find your own leads. The internet is great for finding leads. That was my biggest source for cold calls. I strongly suggest that you do this. You'll be amazed and pleased at what you find.

Secondly, know that sales is a numbers game. The more people you call, the more you will sell. If your closing ratio is 50%, that's awesome. Your closing ratio might only be 10%, which means....you have to make a lot of calls. Leads are everywhere and you need to find your own leads. The internet is great for finding leads. That was my biggest source for cold calls. I strongly suggest that you do this. You'll be amazed and pleased at what you find.

Third, don't take it personally when a buyer tells you no. That's when the sale starts anyway. Stay on the phone for as long as you can and keep talking until something happens. If something doesn't happen, and the client or potential tells you they have to go, ask them if you can call them back another time.

Fourth, if a time is set to call them back, make sure you follow up. It's easy to make the first call. The hardest part of the sales process is the follow up. Either set up a tickler file or jot down a note in your day minder. More...

Joke Of The Week

2010-06-23T09:53:00.004+08:00

A guy walks into work, and both of his ears are all bandaged up. The boss says, "What happened to your ears?"He says, "Yesterday I was ironing a shirt when the phone rang and shhh! I accidentally answered the iron."The boss says, "Well, that explains one ear, but what happened to your other ear?"He says, "Well, geez, I had to call the doctor!"

How to Triple your Sales by Phone

2010-06-23T09:35:00.002+08:00

Key Learning Outcomes
- Understand the importance of attitude when selling
- Develop a captivating tonality for the phone
- Design the questions and demonstrate the listening skills that build rapport
- Become aware of the language that kills a sale
- Create a powerful telemarketing script for an appointment and a sale
- Master sales presentation skills, closes, objection handling and up-selling
- Understand the 6 steps to preparing a successful telemarketing campaign
- 7 ways to overcome call reluctance and fears of rejection

Testimonials
"I finally know how to make money using the phone! This is a brilliantly simple framework"
Director, Life Tools Australia

"Your course content was excellent and relevant. Using the techniques I learnt in your course, I was able to head off to Canberra with a diary full of appointments with qualified prospects"
Sales Manager, Sovereign Inn

Effective Phone Selling Tips

2010-06-22T08:50:00.002+08:00

A sales career can be challenging, but even more so if all of your sales activity is accomplished over the telephone! Here are a few tips to ensure your phone sales presence is strong and effective so that you can stay ahead of your revenue objective every month:

Use a good CRM tool. Make sure your company or your management team provides you with a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool that enables you to schedule your calls, follow up on scheduled calls, has a good calendar, a task and list manager, an “alarm” system for important calls, etc. This will be critical to your ability to keep up with your top customers, as well as your newer customers while building your pipeline. Make sure you take excellent notes so that with follow up calls or return calls, you have a reminder of your last conversation.

Schedule your calls one week out. Effective planning is critical to having quality phone time. Scheduling your calls one week out will ensure you constantly have a pipeline of calls to make, and if you sort them by prospect, cold call, follow up, close, etc, you will also be reminded of the nature of the call as you pull up the next company in your list to call.

Develop Great Rapport in 3 seconds. Over the phone, you have only 3 seconds to establish great rapport. The reason for this is simply that you will not have the ability to use body language to convey your message, so you need to have a bright, cheery personality when you call and talk to someone on the phone. It’s critical that you don’t come across too salesy or as if you are reading from a script—it’s much more important that you use your personality to your biggest advantage so you can sell your products and services. Getting past the 3 second hurdle is critical to effective and productive phone selling.

Be cognizant of your client’s time. When you call someone, you are interrupting their day. Make sure that you let your client ( or prospective client) know that you are aware of that, and ask if this is a good time to talk for a few minutes. If they say no, take that opportunity to schedule time with that client at a later time. This will ensure you have more undivided attention from your client. Also, if you say your phone appointment will only take 15 minutes, do not go over the 15 minutes allotted for the call. This will help you gain respect from your client, and will enable you to develop stronger relationships than you will if you go over the time allotted. Tip: If you get to the 15 minute point and you still have information to share, let the client know you’ve reached the time limit, and ask them if they would like you to continue, or if they would like to reschedule for another time. If you are doing a great job, the client will allow you to continue right then, and you might even find yourself with a sale that day!

Follow up, follow up, follow up. If you say you will follow up, do it. Make sure you follow up on the day and time you say you will. Otherwise, you will lose credibility in the eyes of your client, and will be unable to regain that, especially over the phone.

5 Ways to Overcome the "Let Me Think About it Objection"

2010-03-22T08:27:00.000+08:00

What would telephone selling be like without a daily dose of "Let me think about it?"

Probably much easier and much less frustrating. But since the objection is not going to go away any time soon perhaps now is a good time to look at some ways to tackle it.

Is it Real?

When a prospect says "let me think about it", is he telling the truth?Some prospects toss out this classic objection because they simply want to get rid of you. They say it, not because they mean it, but because it is a polite method of getting you off the line. The trouble is, if you are not savvy to this brush off, you can waste a lot of time and energy following up with e-mails and phone calls.

On the other hand, some prospects really DO need time to think about it. Some need time to ponder their options while others like to simply digest the information to ensure that they do not make a snap decision. The challenge here is that if you are a cynical sales rep who has heard the objection time and time again, you may not take the prospect seriously and fail to follow up and hence, lose the opportunity.

So how do you tackle this devilish objection? Here are four approaches.
#1: Say Nothing

Here's how it works: when they tell you they want to think about it, say nothing.

That's all there is to it. Just wait patiently.

Silence over the telephone creates a vacuum and most prospects get uncomfortable with the silence. After two or three seconds, most feel the compelling need to fill the void with words. You will be absolutely amazed at how well this technique works as long as you can discipline yourself to hold your tongue for a few seconds.

Typically, the client will elaborate on the "let me think about it" objection and this often uncovers the real objection. For example, they might explain that they have to speak to their boss or their partner. Suddenly you discover another player in the game. They may reveal that they are looking at other proposals and now you know you are in a competitive situation. Or they may simply not be interested at all. In any event, you have more information upon which to base your next step.

#2: I am Not Sure I Understand

This is a powerful response to the objection. When the client explains that she would like to 'think about it' pause for a second or so and then slowly say, "I am not sure I understand." The trick here is delivery. Be subtle and use the tone of your voice to show surprised confusion, not belligerence. Do not utter a word. Let silence do its work. When the prospects hear the confusion in your tone they almost automatically feel the compelling need to 'come to your rescue' and elaborate further on their hesitancy.

#3: Give Them the Time and Get a Commitment

Another approach is to grant them the time but put a time limit on their pondering. For example,

Prospect: "Well, let me think about it."

Rep: "I understand completely, Ms. Thomas. A decision like this needs some time. And what I would like to recommend is that I give you a call next week to get your thoughts and to determine the next steps. How does Wednesday at 8:45 look on your calendar?"

If the prospect accepts the recommendation the objection is probably legitimate. The client needs time for whatever reason. You know this because she has agreed to a specific time and date. It shows commitment. Again, the key is to not only get a follow up date but also a specific time.

This approach is very nonthreatening and is perfect for prospects who legitimately want more time. They will appreciate your courtesy and understanding. This is why you deliberately empathize with the prospect by saying you "understand." These types of prospects do not like being cajoled or pressured. If you push too hard, they will say no to your offer because they do not like you and your 'aggressive' approach. Your offer could be extremely valuable and well priced but these prospects value trust and relationship more.

If the prospect balks at your first suggestion, try another date and time and see if they positively respond. If they balk again, ask when would be a good time and date. If they cannot make a commitment chances are they are brushing you off and your time is probably better spent elsewhere.

#4: Probe for Legitimacy

Here are some techniques to determine the legitimacy of the objection. Begin by empathizing with the prospect and then gently ask a question to get the prospect to clarify. For example,

Prospect: "Let me think about it."

Rep: "I understand completely. If I were sitting where you are now I'd probably want to think about it too. If I may, one quick question:"
"what concerns so you still have? Or
"what' is causing you to hesitate?" Or
"what is your number concern about not proceeding further?" Or
"what will your final decision will be based upon?"

This type of probing gets the prospect to open up and to help you determine if the objection is real or otherwise.

#5 The Level With Me Response

One of the best ways to deal with this objection is to ask the prospect to be completely candid with you. Here is how it works:

Prospect: I'd like to think about it.

Rep, "Fair enough. But John, we've spent a bit of time reviewing your situation and there seems to be a good fit. Please level with me, "What's holding you back?"

The technique has a few things going for it. Note the use of the prospects name. It is used deliberately to create a bond of familiarity. It also gets the prospect to listen more closely. Next, the rep points out that a "bit of time" was used up and the implication is that the rep is at least owed an explanation. In addition, the rep uses a colloquial expression - level with me- which in effect, is saying to the prospect 'hey, no games here, let's be honest with one another.' Finally, there is the use of good old fashioned politeness when the rep uses the word 'please.' It is a wonderful approach.

Summary

Don't let your prospect off the hook when you hear this objection. Try one of these five techniques and see how they work for you.

Which of These 7 Cold Calling Mistakes Do You Make?

2010-03-19T08:20:00.000+08:00

Are you struggling with your cold calls?

Chances are you are making one or more cold calling sins. Pay close attention next time you are prospecting to see if you catch yourself making these sales-killing mistakes. All are easy to fix and will almost immediately improve your results.

1. Using a Script

This might be considered blasphemy to sales trainers around the world, but if you are reading off a script... your prospect can tell. Many of the old techniques of cold calling revolve on developing winning scripts. The problem with that is it comes off sounding fake. How many times have you been transferred to a call center abroad and talked to someone reading word-for-word to you? Did it sound authentic or enthusiastic (two of the most vital selling attitudes)? Chances are you didn't have much patience with that operator. Guess what... that's what it sounds like to your prospect.

How do you solve this problem without winging it, either? You create an outline for yourself. Work on your introduction, your probing questions, and your objective/closing statements. Keep the actual words dynamic so they always sound fresh. This way you'll be able to maintain your enthusiasm and won't sound like a telemarketer selling you long distance phone service.

2. Premature Presentation

There is a problem many salespeople seem to run into on a constant basis... we call it premature presentation.

This is the tendency to immediately pitch your wonderful product or service, and blab on about all its wonderful benefits. You quickly put the prospect in "Salesman Alert" status and quickly encounter the oh-so dreaded "not interested" response before you even finished your sentence. You fix this by learning the most important sales skill every discovered-listening.

Find out what your prospect wants. Find her true needs. Find out if you can fix his most stubborn problem. Then offer your product as a solution.

3. Wasting the Prospects Time

Many sales people forget that they interrupted the prospect when they made their cold call. You might have made an introduction and asked a few probing questions and now you're yapping away. A lot of us tend to speak too much and too fast when we get nervous... and cold calling can certainly put us in that situation.

Keep a timer nearby. Learn to get in and get out. Don't start asking the prospect about his hobbies, her family, the weather...

You always want to be the one who ends the call. It sets the frame and allows you to stay in control of the sale. What you never want to do is force the prospect to end the call because she's been patiently waiting for you to finish so she can go back to what she was doing before you interrupted her.

4. Trying to Close Without an Appointment

Never try to close a sale on a cold call, especially on a big ticket item. There is no possible way you can honestly have presented your product within the few minutes on the phone. The only reason you cold call is to create a lead. That's it. Leave the closing for when you speak again or during a set appointment. If you rush the sale, the automatic response will always want to decline. Set a firm time to talk again and leave the selling for then.

5. Not Following Up

They say fortune is in the follow up.

That statement must have come from a sales professional. Many times you won't be able to get through to the prospect, or maybe they were on there way out when you called. Don't give up that easy. Make a note of it, and follow up. You never want to break contact unless you get a firm "not interested" from the prospect. Anything less calls for more follow up.

Keep a detailed journal or contact management software and be sure to write yourself detailed notes. You never know why or when a prospect will become a customer so stay close by and they'll reward you with their business when the time is right.

6. Selling the Voicemail

There can be an entire book written about proper voicemail strategies. You can successfully approach this in many ways, but instantly ruin it with one common, yet disastrous habit... pitching the machine.

You can be vague; you can ask for a call back, you can even tell them you have some important matter to discuss. But if you sound like you are selling during that message, one thing is for certain... returning your call will not be a priority for her.

7. Cold Calling...

Finally, to contradict everything. The 7th and greatest cold calling sin is in fact cold calling.

"But we just went over all these wonderful solutions to the major problems and now you're telling me not to cold call?"

Yes. I am. Listen, cold calling is not efficient anymore. People don't like being interrupted. They don't have the patience of someone trying to pitch them something they have no intention of buying. And most importantly, cold calling stresses out you, the sales professional. Life is too short to be dealing with rejection all day long. One of the reasons I learned the GUTS method of selling was mainly to avoid cold calling.

The phone will always be your most important weapon when selling. But use it talk to people who raised their hand and said "Yes, I might be interested in what you're offering. Tell me more." Sales actually becomes fun when you deal with prospects who want to talk to you and have a high chance of doing business with you.

Spend your time talking to warm leads and cold calling will never stress you out again.

Yours in bigger commissions!

The 8 Skills of Telesales

2010-03-17T08:07:00.000+08:00

Telephone sales training courses will remind you that telesales training is a path full of potential bumps and potholes but remember that there is always a rainbow in that puddle.

Customers do not want to feel as though they are being sold, they want to feel as though they are being served. On an average day a person is met by over 2,300 adverts for the next big thing so it is no wonder that when it comes to sales a customer could be numb and unresponsive.

Trainers in telephone sales training courses will encourage, but also make you aware that as a telesales representative there may be a lot going on this persons life and if they are unresponsive do not take it personally. There are a number of psychological reasons why a person will successfully achieve their telesales and personal goals. These steps are clearly covered on good telephone sales training courses. Below are 7 key steps to follow to effectively achieve your goals after attending telesales training.

1. Get Their Attention. Be mind full of the first few seconds of the call as this will determine whether they will take the time to speak with you. Simply begin by explaining who you are, your company and what the customer can benefit from you. Telephone sales training courses will tell you that this is a vital and effective step as customers need a clear reason to take time from their busy schedule. As mentioned on a recent telesales training course the key is to use the method W.I.I.F.M. What's in it for me

If the customer can not find a what's in it for them they will not be inclined to give you the time you need on the telesales call.

2. These seconds are a moment of curiosity in the customers mind so make the benefit powerful enough to measure their interests.

3. Build Credibility and Trust. On telephone sales training courses people often ask how the customer is going to trust a stranger over the phone. The fact is they are either unconsciously or consciously asking questions like how do I know I am not being conned or that can you be trusted. Be brief and to the point that you are a well respected company with a great track record and you are not trying to separate them from their money.

4. State Purpose. You want to see whether their needs match those that your product could provide. An important tactic to remember is to forget selling and concentrate in serving. Put their needs above yours.

5. Gather Information. Keep in mind that everyone is not suitable to your product or service. To find out if they are simply ask questions about their current product supply. These questions show your interest whilst adding to their subconscious desire to feel valued and appreciated.

6. Agree on need. This is a psychological benchmark, a moment of truth. If you do not agree on the needs it will fall through however if you do agree on the needs it will open the mind so that it is receptive to hear what you can do for them. A tool used at this step in telephone sales training is to summarise in 2 short sentences.

7. Solution to Problem. This is the sign post ahead that lets you know you are getting closer to achieving your goal and your customer's satisfaction. It is known in telesales sales training courses that we tend to buy things that we do not need because we want it. The distinction between want and need is logical and emotional. After you buy something you want you will receive feelings of security, ownership or peace of mind, this gives them a feeling of reward. Tailor the product to meet their needs then inform them of the benefit that will give them this rewarded feeling.

8. Close. You need to build the value of the product or service first before you discuss the prices. Imagine a scale in the customers mind, put money and considerations on one side and value of the solution on the other. Now summarise all they will receive. Describe the product positively and comfortingly.

Telephone sales training courses often ask you to imagine a car ad for example. The ads will bring up security, family times, love and happiness. This is tailoring to the emotional needs of the customer, pulling at the heart strings rather than their minds. Believe me it works.

Top 10 Killer Tips For Telesales Success

2010-03-14T07:59:00.000+08:00

Despite how you might feel personally about telesales or 'cold calling' it is still one of the best ways to generate new interest from leads and secure sales. A telesales campaign might be exactly the right tool to engage with your target audience and gain valuable information. Of course, just starting a telesales campaign is not enough. There are key things you should have in place and be monitoring consistently to get the best you can out of it!

We have outlined our ten killer tips for success so that whether you start your sales campaign alone or are engaging an external company you know the right things to ask, and what you should be looking for.

Good, clean data

In order for any campaign to be successful the most important starting point is good, clean data. There is no point in paying someone (or a company) to be making calls using old data, or to people who will have no interest in the product or service you are selling. Your data must be up to date, relevant and cleaned regularly.

Know your goals!

You have to know exactly what you want from this campaign. For example is it an increase in sales, and increase in enquiries or increased knowledge about your customer base? You also need to know what targets you have set and how you are going to measure and evaluate the results.
Scripted / Unscripted

Your callers should always sound unscripted. Your callers should get plenty of time to rehearse and understand fully what they are calling about, and what they are hoping to gain from the call! There should always be room to deviate and improvise from the basic outline of the conversation, your operatives need the flexibility to react to what's happening in the moment and not get hung up following a strict script.

Follow Up On Time

If you tell someone that you are going to follow up on his or her call within a certain time, make sure that you do! Whether you have promised to call again, send information or make an appointment, it is very important that you deliver. It is especially important that if another department does the calling there should be strong communication and relaying of information to make sure this is picked up quickly and efficiently.

Know Who You Are Talking To

If you need to speak with a particular person or a particular department then you need to make sure that you do! Of course the first step of this in making sure your data is up to date! The second is being persistent and making any gatekeepers your friend so that you can build a rapport and eventually get through to the person you need.
Don't Be Afraid Of Voicemail

One thing people really dislike about cold calls is their impersonal nature and inconvenient timing. If you do find that you are calling at awkward times, leave a voicemail. People would rather know who was calling than hear you hang up. It also prepares them for you calling again. (And you should say when that would be!)

Positive Focus

To try and keep the call positive, pleasant and 'soft', you should make sure you are focusing on the features and benefits of the service or product you are offering. Making the call predominantly about this rather than a hard sell while ensure that you can encourage another call, a visit or a request for supplementary information to be sent out.

Ask Questions

Asking questions will get the person you are speaking to engaged in the conversation. You can usually tell a sales call because the person at the other end is sitting patiently, waiting for a break in the monologue so that they can politely hang up. By asking questions and engaging the caller you will learn more about them, keep them talking for longer and encourage them to ask questions too. The more conversational it is, the more likely the call is to succeed against your criteria.

Evaluate

You should always evaluate the effectiveness of any campaign. If it isn't working in its current format there is no point in continuing. Make some simple strategic changes and make your campaign work for you. It could be as simple as changing your goals slightly or asking different questions. You should make sure that your evaluation methods are set up before your campaign begins so you evaluate what you need to - and not just what you'd like to!

Listen...

Monitor and record a large selection of calls that are made. This works well in 2 ways. The first is that the people making the calls will know there is a chance that their call is being recorded and so will make sure they are giving the best service that they possibly can!

The second is that by listening to a selection of past calls you can hear what works, what doesn't, whether the tone is correct and whether the focus is weighted correctly. This is a key tool for your evaluation and shouldn't be overlooked.

When you are thinking about your next telesales campaign I would strongly suggest you keep these points in mind. They are not difficult to grasp but they are essential for constructing a meaningful and effective campaign. You wouldn't approach any other part of your marketing or sales strategy without having clear goals, strong evaluation tools and excellent methods to work with so don't make exceptions here.

Just because it is an undervalued tool doesn't mean that it has to be for you! In fact you can make a real impact by embarking on a campaign that is customer focussed, conversational and engaging. Set yourself out from the crowd and get good at being the best!

Should I Use A Telemarketing Script?

2010-03-13T07:55:00.000+08:00

As long as companies have been using the telephone to marketing their businesses or increase sales, there has been a debate running as to whether it is best to use a script or not. This applies to both Business to Business (B2B) and Business to Consumer (B2C) telemarketing or telesales campaigns. There are advantages and disadvantages to both methods:

Using a telemarketing script - advantages:

Consistent marketing message
Shorter training times
Legal compliance
Consistent information collection

Using a telemarketing script - disadvantages:

Can sound stilted or robot like
No freedom for sales person to express their personality
Prevents conversational style
Cannot deal with unexpected responses

The ideal situation combines the positive aspects of using a telemarketing script but still allows skilled sales people the freedom to make a sales pitch in their own way. Rather than a strict script, a call outline should include:

A strong introduction, which generally is read as written. You only have seconds to capture attention, and a tested and well written introductory script gives the best chance to continue the conversation
Starting a conversation by asking questions and listening to the answers
Using a written list of (Frequently Asked Questions) FAQ's or prompts to answer queries, and highlight the unique selling points (USP's) that are relevant to that individual
A script that gives a strong close, or a choice of closes, depending on the conversation. Having this written down as a script reminds the telemarketer to ask for the outcome the want - a sale, appointment, agreement for further action or similar

The combination of written scripts, written FAQ's, written USPs and a strong close where you ask for the outcome allows even inexperienced telemarketers to make the most of every call.

Telephone Sales Made Simple

2010-03-11T07:51:00.000+08:00

Most sales managers and seasoned sales executives know that telephone sales and cold calling are among the best strategies for improving the sales in a company's sales department. But, not all salespeople enjoy doing telephone sales and many are not very good at.

Is there a way to make telephone sales simple?

Well, there are professional telephone sales strategists and consultants who can make it seem simple, but in the end it is not as easy as it looks and takes a significant commitment to the process.

How do you find a really good telephone sales consultant or marketing guru that is worth their weight in gold? Well, the best way to find the perfect telephone sales strategist and consultant is to find a seasoned executive who specializes in customer service and telephone sales. With the proper customer service background such telephone sales executives and consultants are exactly what you are looking for.

They can make telephone sales seem simple. How do they do this? Well, first they come in and do a survey of how your current employees and your sales staff are doing with regard to telephone sales. Then, they make suggestions on what you can do to improve things and use simple training techniques to help the employees kick their bad telephone habits and develop new improved skills. That is how it works, but you may be surprised how difficult it is to do without these seasoned professionals on your team. Please consider this in 2006.

Sell Without Fear

2010-03-08T07:38:00.000+08:00

Many people who do not have a background in sales believe that all salespeople sell without fear. Well, that is just not the case. Even the most confident salesperson feels the wall of fear rise in front of him or her from time to time. Perhaps it is a new account, a cold call or just a day that has not been going well and our normal level of confidence just isn't there. It is just being human, is it not? Of course it is, but this does not have to be our particular challenge.

Fear comes from many sources but in sales it mostly comes from a sense that we lack control.

Imagine that you absolutely know that you will close every order that you pursue. Would you feel nervous about approaching a potential customer? Of course you wouldn't. It is the fear of rejection that prevents many salespeople from acting in the first place.

The reality is that 'no' is our starting place. If we never make the call then we can't close the sale, which is equivalent to 'no' by default. So, by taking action, we are in fact risking nothing!

This is the intellectual answer but the problem is an emotional one. When we feel vulnerable we feel the need to protect what we have and avoid more risk and so we call on the customers that like us and will buy and avoid the riskier sale. Unfortunately, by avoiding the risk we avoid the larger reward.

The only solution to risk avoidance is to start taking risks! Start with small ones and as you gain more confidence and comfort then take on larger and larger risks until you feel unbeatable.

It is all about confidence, and confidence is always a spiral - either spiraling downward toward increased fear or upward toward increased confidence.

If you want to gain confidence as a salesperson then you need to start taking risks. Small to start and then larger and larger until you become fearless! It is a process that never ends. I have seen veteran salespeople who became managers, and after a few years away from direct sales, they had lost their confidence. It takes practice.

If you truly want to become fearless then look everywhere for challenges in order to build your self-value. This is the idea behind walking on hot coals. Walking on coals isn't as dangerous as it sounds but because it appears to be impossible, achieving it makes a person believe anything is possible. I have run a number of marathons and I will tell you that completing one builds confidence.

I used to fear speaking in public but after giving sixty or so speeches, the fear has simply vanished.

If you are a sales manager, it is your role to carefully build and nurture the confidence of your team. Let them know that they are supported and that you have their back.

When the sales force is confident then everyone wins.

Five Magic Phrases to Help You Close More Sales

2010-03-08T07:28:00.000+08:00

Making a living as a commission sales person can make you feel like a character in the classic novel,
"A Tale of Two Cities". It can be "the best of times" or "the worst of times". As sales people, our main tool in making it "the best of times" is the words that we use.

If you have been in sales for awhile, you have already found certain 'catch phrases' that you use over and over again, and you probably have some that have worked well for you. The following examples are the ones that I have found most valuable in my 35 year sales career.

1) "You are going to love this..."
I like to use this phrase near the beginning of my sales pitch. I have found that most prospects like to be told what they like or don't like. Of course they won't admit it, but the fact is most people will love something, if you tell them they are going to love it. If the prospect is entering the sales presentation with the normal sense of "sales pitch skepticism", this phrase can be the first step in braking down that wall.

2) "That makes sense, doesn't it?"

In the fantastic book "The Secrets of Question Based Selling", Thomas Freese makes very clear the importance of maintaining control of the sales conversation. One of the most powerful methods of keeping that control is to make sure that all of your sentences end with a question mark. If have found that the phrase "That makes sense, doesn't it?" can be added to the end of almost any statement. When it is added, your prospect will say "yes", or "sure" or some other answer in the affirmative. Since they have just answered a question, it is your turn to talk again!! That means you have maintained control of the conversation and can continue to guide the prospect to a buying decision. That makes sense, doesn't it?

3) "I once had a customer that told me..."

Most sales professionals are very familiar with the concept of overcoming objections. I have found that one of the best methods of doing so, is the help your prospect relate to another customer that had the same, or similar objection. You might say "I once had a customer tell me that the fee was too high, and that he thought he would have trouble getting his customers to pay it." Now that you've stated the objection for your prospect (remember it is always an advantage when you say it rather than the prospect), you can give the answer. "I just pointed out that this fee is actually lower than if the customer put the purchase on a credit card and paid interest for the next 3 or 4 years!"

4) "Our company is in the enviable position of being able to pick our clients..."

This phrase works best if you are selling a service. The idea behind this statement is to put your prospect in the position of SELLING YOU on why you should take them on as a client. When you tell a prospect that your company is in the enviable position of being able to pick our clients, you are essentially telling them that your company is so good, it is a privilege if they are willing to take this prospect on as a client!

5) "My favorite decisions are the "no brainer" kind..."

Near the end of your sales presentation, this statement can be a very powerful closing method. After you have laid out the benefits of your product, and shown how those benefits greatly outweigh the cost, you simply tell your prospect, "Listen, my favorite decisions are the "no brainer" kind, if you are going to make more money with your product than it costs, it makes the decision a pretty easy one doesn't it?" You have now let the prospect know, very gently, that it is time to decide, and frankly, the decision should be easy.

6) "I have the easiest job in the universe..."

This phrase is really an extension of number 5. When you let your prospects know that you "have the easiest job in the universe", because your product sells itself, you are again pointing out, in a very gentle way, that there really is not another intelligent choice other than to buy.

I invite you to look at your sales pitches, and see where you can fit these phrases in. You will find that getting the prospect to make the right decision will be an easier chore!

Enthusiasm Will Make the Sale

2010-03-07T07:19:00.000+08:00

I was driving home from a short business trip and about an hour away from arrival when one of my teenage daughters called me. She is 15 and a fabulous kid, but her bedroom had become such a mess that, right before I left on my trip, I threatened her with the atomic bomb of parental threats-clean your room or you're grounded. In my most stern and dad-like fashion, I told her that her room had to be spotless by the time I returned from my trip or she would be grounded over the weekend. Being grounded in our home means not just staying home-that's cruel enough-but also being completely cut off from the world-no computer, no instant messaging, no cell phone calls and no texting. To a teenager, this punishment borders on inhumane.

That's why it works.

My daughter called to give me a status report on her room project and, of course, to find out how far away from home I was so that she could plan her work accordingly. After we chatted for a moment, I asked about her room. She said in her most enthusiastic manner and tone and with a smile in her voice, "Daddy, you're gonna love it! I did so much work cleaning it and putting stuff away that when you see it you're gonna say, 'Wow, she really did a lot of work.' I'm going to let her go out and finish the spotless part later.'"

"I will?" "You bet you will, because when you see it you're gonna love it!"

My daughter was trying to sell me on not finishing her room without being grounded. Her enthusiasm was so great during her phone "presentation" that when I did see her room, which was greatly improved but still a long way from "spotless," I went ahead and let her off the hook with her vague promise of "finishing it later."

Her enthusiasm made the sale.

The business trip I had just returned from was a two-day direct sales training program. During it and every sales training program I present, I go over the "Five Sales Fundamentals," of which enthusiasm is number three-right behind communication and product knowledge (don't talk too much and know what you're talking about-duh), and right before humor and honesty (lighten up and never lie to make a sale-ever.).

Enthusiasm is critical to the sales process because conveying a sincere belief in your product(s) or service(s) is contagious. If you believe-truly believe-that what you're selling is a good value, and you enthusiastically project that belief to your prospect during your sales presentation, then your prospect will believe it, too, and be much more likely to buy what you're selling.

I tell every sales rep I train that enthusiasm for their product-sincere, you're gonna love this stuff enthusiasm-can overcome poor product knowledge and even poor command of the other steps in the sales process. It may not make the sale for you, but it will set the stage for you to make the sale.

The classic sales process is to establish a rapport with your prospect, then to gather information by asking questions and listening to the response to see if there is a need for what you're selling. If you can't identify any needs, then you're not going to make a sale (as a rule, although some people will buy anything). Then, with at least one clear need identified and in mind, present your product's features linked to benefits to the prospect and ask for the sale. Really good salespeople inject a shot of enthusiasm right before they present the features and benefits to encourage the prospect to have a positive view of what is to come (the sale, of course). Mr. Prospect, you're gonna love what I've got for you...

Inject enthusiasm into your sales process and you will make more sales. If you don't, I'll ground you.

Upgrade Your Phone Skills!

2010-03-05T07:10:00.000+08:00

I can't believe this is still happening. As sales professionals we spend a great deal of our time leaving messages for colleagues, clients and prospects yet the vast majority of sales people have terrible telephone phone skills. Thirty years ago, before I entered a career in sales, I worked as a radio broadcaster. What I learned in radio has played a key role in my presentation skills and sales success.

You may think the radio announcers you listen to on a daily basis are amazing at what is called the "Ad Lib" in the business. Most of them aren't. What they are is professional, creative, funny and most importantly prepared. Many top morning shows have professional writers who are behind the scenes feeding material to the 'on air talent' as the show progresses. Others spend hours researching current events and planning what will be included in the daily show.

So what does this all have to do with sales? It impacts a number of career critical elements. Every day I see sales people attempting to "wing-it" in front of customers, on the phone, or during demonstrations. This is a sure way to remain part of the 80 per cent of the sales representatives who are just getting by instead of joining the 20 per cent who are the top performers.

The telephone impacts our professional lives on a daily basis but for the sake of this article I am going to focus on the basics skills that every sales professional needs. If you have poor telephone skills you are going to suffer and never make it to the next stage in the customers buying cycle.

There are many good books on telephone manners so I am not going to go into information on smiling while talking, not chewing food or gum, keep a mirror in front of your phone or the best time to make those calls. I would rather address where the real problems lie.

Most sales people do a very good job of speaking directly with a customer or prospect, where they fall apart is when they encounter a gatekeeper or voice mail. Here is a list of never fail me tips.

o When you get a gatekeeper, never start a call by saying; "Hi Carol, how are you today?" I have spoken to so many executive assistants at the C-level who say the minute they hear those words they know a sales rep is making a prospecting call. If the person calling the C- executive knows the gatekeeper they are going to quickly identify themselves and ask for their associate. They know Carol is extremely busy and will not waste her time. However if she starts a conversation you can follow her lead. If you don't know the executive or gatekeeper then simply say, "Hello Carol. Is Bill Smith available? It's Bob Weese calling from B2B Sales Connections." Simple direct and accurate. We can leave gatekeeper sales strategy for another time.

o Oops you've got voice mail! If this is not a prospecting call, if you have questions for your client, information or have agreed to follow-up on a specific point and they are not available then you must have a plan ready for voice mail. If you hum, haw and ramble you are most likely going to have your message deleted before they ever listen through to the painful end. You are lucky if you get 15 seconds before the delete key is pressed and you are left wondering why the client never called you back.

o The best format is to pre-plan your voice mail as a 15-second information package just like a commercial. Give your name and phone number off the top so they can write it down immediately. Secondly, use a little good news or a benefit statement to get them interested. Fred, its Bob Weese calling from B2B Sales Connections. My number is xxx-xxx-xx,xx. Great news. We have enough widgets in stock to fill your order if we get it in today. Give me a call and we can start the process. My number is XXX-XXX-XX,XX. Again, that's XXX-XXX-XX,XX."

o Now let's take a moment and address the problem with sales people leaving phone messages. Speed, clarity, rhythm. I get too many messages on blurted out so fast I can't understand the phone number even when I replay the message a few times. If that's your prospect they have hit the delete key and are thinking you will call him back if it's important. When it comes time to say your phone number pause for a beat or two and then slowly and clearly give your number and then just like those radio and TV announcers repeat the number again. To ensure you are saying the number slowly, write it down as you say it. I have listened to sales people ramble on for more than a minute in a disjointed uninteresting message only to fire out their phone number as quickly as humanly possible. Oops, I lost interest and hit the delete key before you finished.

o Regardless of how well you know the person at the other end, leave a call back phone number. I hear from sales rep's all the time. They say; "I don't need to leave a number they can see it on the phone display and just hit redial". Sorry folks it doesn't work that way. They may have pulled messages from a different phone, it may come in on VoIP, and your number may be buried on their desk, in a file or well out of reach. When this happens you have now dropped from an immediate action item to a "get around to it". Make it easy for your clients and always leave a number.

o Here's a real quick business killer. Empty your voice mailbox. Nothing will kill your sales momentum like a customer getting the message, "this mailbox is full, goodbye".

o Finally I would like to address calling from your mobile to discuss a major issue. Face the facts landlines are almost 100 per cent crystal clear while mobile and portable phones can range from good to "I could do better with two tin cans and a string". If you are calling to discuss an important issue or concern, don't try and carry on the conversation while either you or your customer is in traffic heading home or to an appointment. Save the important calls for a time when you can focus 100 per cent on the customer and the message.

In broadcasting we used "talk tapes" which recorded everything you said on air. This was a quick way to find out how your presentations sounded. You can create your own "talk tapes" either by recording some of your calls or asking your manager or co-worker to listen in on a few of your telephone calls and provide you with feedback. You will be amazed at how you sounded versus how you thought you sounded.

Good Selling!

Attraction Marketing Power Phone Skills

2010-02-28T09:01:00.000+08:00

Don't tell me you are still cold calling generic business opportunity leads. If you are, then you haven't discovered the power of attraction marketing. Talking on the phone with a prospect you attracted is a different ball game than calling someone cold.

I used to cold call hundreds of people. When I first got started doing this I was scared to death. I'm sure everybody I bothered at dinnertime could hear the fear in my voice. However, I persevered and told myself no matter what, this was going to be a skill that I would excel at. There was only one problem.. I was in the network marketing business. What do I mean by this... Every time that I would recruit someone through cold calling they would want to know how to build there business. Their first experience with me was a cold call.

The scenario would always go they would come to me and say they ran out of people to talk to or they didn't have many people to talk to. I would then feel compelled to suggest buying generic business opportunity leads and calling them (This was all I new how to do at the time). I can still see the look on their faces when I broke the news that they needed to do this. Needless to say my duplication factor in my business was zero. My attrition factor was high and I couldn't even get close to residual income.

Finally, after much frustration I knew there had to be a change in the way I was marketing. I began to do what so many network marketers have done and turned to the Internet for guidance. I thank God for leading me to some awesome trainers online (some of them are a part of Magnetic Sponsoring by the way) who began to teach me attraction marketing strategies.

For any newbie who might be reading this article, attraction marketing is about marketing in such a way that you are promoting yourself first and attracting people to you before you even pitch them or share with them your business opportunity or products. It is very powerful because everybody and his brother is out there pitching some business opportunity. What makes your business opportunity better than someone else's. Let's face it, your business opportunity is a dime a dozen nowadays.

What makes your business opportunity attractive is YOU!

You need to become an attractive person first. People are attracted to leaders who take an interest in leading other people to success.

Now that we know what attraction marketing is, let me share with you how I approach talking with prospects on the phone. Let me begin by saying there is no perfect way to phone prospecting. We all have to find are own "Talent" so to speak.

The first thing that I do is relax. I make sure mentally that I'm not cold calling anybody. This takes the pressure off. I'm also not selling anything. This again takes the pressure off. Because I'm generating my own prospects they opted in first. In essence they held there hand up. So with this in mind I give them a call. It helps if you are standing when you talk to people. If you are sitting slumped over in your chair or laying on the couch with your TV remote your voice will not project confidently over the phone. Prospects will definitely pick up on this.

I have two major goals when I make the first contact. I want them to see me as a leader and someone who cares. I will spend an hour on the phone with a prospect if I feel they need that. I'm not trying to rush people off the phone simply because I need to call 10 other people. I make them feel important. I try to share why I do what I do, why I market the way I market, and how I can help them. This is what I convey to every prospect I generate.

As you can see, I'm not selling anything. The prospect feels valued and later wants to do business with me. I might mention my business opportunity if they ask but I very rarely bring this up on the first call.

Being real with people on the phone is hardly a skill, it's what building friendships is all about.

Phone Skills Training - Your New Phone System is a Business Investment

2010-02-23T08:04:00.003+08:00

Telephone skills may be used expansively to secure higher sales and better customer understanding. A good telephone voice might take as good an opportunity to interact with the client as if they were sitting in front of them and although these skills come naturally to some, even the most eloquent telephone operator can learn something from professional phone skills training.

For companies that offer call center facilities, phone skills training is vital so that products may be correctly profiled to the customer in the shortest possible time. Language and phrasing is an important part of such training and the results achieved by a professional call center can improve dramatically with professional phone skills training.

At a more basic level, it is important that telephone operatives understand the key responses to your customer enquiries. A company that invests even minimal time in phone skills training will reap benefits from having telephone conversations centred on key products and services and keeping staff updated with new concepts.

The reverse situation is equally important in not only receiving calls but making calls. It is imperative that your staff understand how much business may be made with properly targeted and time efficient calls and how much may be lost through poorly thought out cold calling. Customers have a sharp perception of whether a call is being made by a professional with the capability of delivering the correct price for the correct product or service. Hesitation and a lack of confidence on the phone can produce a poor image to the customer, resulting in lost opportunities and lost profits.

Even the most basic skills training can improve your staff phone performance and the experience teaches key phrases, decent telephone courtesy and how to deal with difficult customers or complaint calls. Completing a telephone skills training course can infuse your staff with greater enthusiasm and confidence, providing a sharper line of communication with existing customers and new clients who might be quick to compare your communication skills with those of your competitors.

Training usually includes a quick overview on how to use telephone facilities, which nowadays can be more complicated than a simple extension switching process. Many employees are uncertain whether their voices can still be heard through the on-hold process and how to retain control when switching from one caller to another. Phone skills training covers fundamental issues as well as role play to emulate real call situations. Most employees adopt skills learned easily and quickly, using the company phone system with greater confidence and courtesy.

Telephone Skills are Still Important for Your Success

2010-02-23T07:32:00.005+08:00

It's easy to tell confident business people when you meet them: Good posture, firm handshakes, direct eye contact and a powerful aura. While confidence is just as important to portray over the phone for business success, it's done differently and can be more difficult to attain for many people.

Furthermore, the widespread use of e-mail has caused many individuals to forget the importance of good telephone skills and many companies to abandon skills training. They are more apt to think it's not essential for the few times they may have to "sell" on the phone. How wrong they are! One missed or botched sale is far too many!

Others fall into the same syndrome I find when teaching business writing: I know how to use a pencil; therefore, I can write, i.e. I know how to talk; hence, I know how to communicate verbally on the phone.

Read on ... if you want to enhance your telephone effectiveness.

· Since your vocal components convey more than 80 percent of your message over the phone, you need to be particularly aware of your tone, rate, volume, pitch and inflection. Your words account for less than 20 percent.

· Since women typically have a naturally higher-pitched voice than men, you benefit from saying "low, low" before you pick up and say "hello." It helps eliminate that high-pitched "Hi."

· Stand up when you want to project more authority. Height is power, and the difference is noticeable even on the phone.

· Keep your lips ½ to 1 inch from the mouthpiece and speak directly into it. You lose 70 percent of your volume when you allow the phone to slip below your chin.

· Don't balance the phone between your ear and shoulder for a protracted period. You strain your vocal cords and speak out of the side of your mouth. This becomes apparent to the other person in a longer conversation. A headset is preferable if you need to take lengthy notes.

· Vary your tone. Guard against the boredom that creeps in because you can't see the person or because they are droning on (or so it appears to you). Pretend you can see each other to keep you on your toes.

· Keep your rate in check. Don't speak so quickly that the person on the other end thinks you have to rush off to something more important ... or s/he simply can't keep up with your thoughts. Conversely, don't move so slowly that the other person resorts to playing computer solitaire to stay entertained.

· Put a smile in your voice before you pick up the phone and keep a mirror near by to keep the smile there. Your attitude "shows" in your voice.

· Sit or stand up straight like the John Hancock Building. Your voice was meant to project in this manner, not like it is emanating from a pretzel.

· Also project your voice by breathing from your diaphragm, not through your lungs. When you breathe through your lungs only, you run out of breath and sound as if you are out of energy and, certainly, enthusiasm.

· Avoid negative emotional carryover from a previous call. If you are making another call, clear your head by taking a walk or getting a drink of water. If the call is coming in to you, either let voice mail pick up the message or take a deep breath and use the power of positive thinking to clear your mind quickly.

· When you initiate the call

o Ask if this is a good time to talk.

o Be prepared. Clearly state your purpose and have all backup materials handy. Take notes as needed.

o Make sure your equipment is operational and professional. Don't call on a cell phone if you are in danger of losing the signal. This indicates lack of preparedness on your part.

· Close the conversation with a summary, follow up plans (if appropriate), and a "thank you" for time spent.

Telephone Skills - Top Telephone Tips For Professional Offices

2010-02-23T07:21:00.006+08:00

It often astounds me that a Professional will think nothing of spending huge amount of cash on acquiring his or her qualifications and setting up elaborate offices, and yet will be reluctant to spend an even a small amount on Telephone Skills Training for their staff. In my capacity as a Telephone Skills consultant and trainer, I have seen offices increase their revenue by 30% or more by introducing some basic Best Practice and some core Telephone Skills Training.

The Telephone Skill level of everyone who interacts with clients can be just as important to the success as the quality of the Professional Services.

The Impact of the Client Experience

It is important that everyone in your Office appreciates the importance of his or her role on each Client interaction. Each has the power to win or lose Clients. A Client can make a decision to go to a competitor or to stay with your service based on a negative experience on the telephone with a member of your staff. This almost certainly will not be intentional, the staff member had a low level of awareness of the small things that count on a telephone.

The goal with each Client is to meet and exceed expectations. This will ensure a positive experience that will keep the Client coming back. A negative experience could well mean that the Client will go to another Professional. 'Meeting expectations' means identifying clearly what a Client will expect - in this case in a telephone interaction - and delivering this. Failure to identify one of these essential elements on the telephone will trigger a negative experience.

At a very basic, but critically important level, a poor greeting will trigger a negative experience, and a warm, welcoming greeting will encourage our caller.

Triggering a Negative Experience on the Telephone
Things that quickly trigger a negative experience on the telephone include -

1. No-one home - the phone rings and rings. Best practice is answer within 3-4 rings

2. The School Teacher Voice Mail - A long, bureaucratic voice mail message giving you direct orders

3. The Sing Song Secretary - whose greeting is so automatic you can't hear a word

4. The Reverse Obama - instead of 'Yes, you can', the caller is met with, 'You can't', 'We can't', 'We won't be able to' and so on

5. The Computer Voice - the cold, impersonal person who makes me regret calling at all!

How to Make that Positive Impression

Ensure your Team appreciate that your Professional Office WANTS Clients, that part of their role is to encourage our Clients to WANT to stay with us. Focus them on using all their skills to positively influence the Client. Don't nag them and nitpick over problems if you haven't explained clearly what you want from each of them. Praise and encourage good use of telephone skills, and of best practice procedures.

Key telephone skills & tips are -

1. A warm positive greeting - change your greeting regularly so that it is still fresh. 'Good morning' or 'Good afternoon' is much more welcoming that other greetings. The general format is 'Good morning, Jones Consultancy, Mary speaking, how may I help you?'

2. Have a positive Voice Mail Message - if voice mail is picking the call, ensure your message is positive, short and welcoming.

3. Get the Caller's name and use it - failing to use the name, or using it inappropriately will give that cold 'computer voice' effect. Using the Caller's name makes the call warm and personal.

4. Give positive verbal nods - let the caller know you are listening 'Sure', 'No problem, 'I see', 'I understand', repeating back information, etc.

5. Confirm understanding - summarise the Client's request or query. This ensures you understand, and also sounds very professional to the Client. 'Certainly, You would like an appointment as soon as possible'

6. Keep the caller informed - let them know what you are doing, using a brisk but friendly tone. 'I'll just look up Mr Jones diary for that date... Yes, I have it now'

7. Use positive, definite language. Use positive words like happy, good, best and so on. 'Does that sound good?' is much better than 'Is that OK?' The more positive words used, the better impression your Client will get. Equally, more definite language such as 'straight away' or 'definitely' will also build confidence in your organisation.

8. If you must state a negative, always finish with a positive option. 'Unfortunately, we don't have an appointment for that day, could I suggest the following week?'

9. 'Suggest' that the Client do something, rather than giving aggressive direct orders. 'Could you please send in...', 'It would be great if you could...' 'It is important that we get...'

10. Confirm all meetings, arrangements, and agreements at the end of the call and by EMAIL - this avoids misunderstandings and looks very professional.

11. Have a warm, positive close. Remember that people remember the first and the last impressions on the telephone.

12. Record any notes or arrangements immediately.

Any Professional Office would be wise to refresh Telephone Skills and Etiquette 2 or 3 times a year. This can be done with a workshop where the Team discusses best practice and shares their own tips and techniques. Remember, each one of those staff members really does make a difference to your success!