INTRODUCTION:
Instant communication such as email, texting and instant message have completely integrated with our daily lives. It is becoming increasingly rare to make actual phone calls for our daily conversations. We don’t exercise the skill of talking on the phone very often anymore, and our collective ability to communicate effectively on the phone fades with time. It is important to be prepared for any outcome when you pick up the phone to call a potential customer, but how can you be ready for all those possibilities? This is where call scripts can be extremely beneficial. They are easy to follow guidelines so that you always have a good response, and your phone calls will turn into new business. Well-written scripts enable everyone in your organization to sell like your top performers because their cold call scripts are based on tactics and answers your top performers use.
It requires an in-depth analysis of a company’s market position, messaging, corporate structure, and product or service to develop the perfect call script. There are, however, some helpful tools that can be applied to most phone conversations which will help improve your phone calls right away.
Example Call Script Phrases
Below are examples of phrases that should be worked into phone scripts and conversations to pique their interest, keep them on the phone, or transition them to the next stage in the conversation.
“Hi Dave, this is Ryan from Sales Result, is this a good time?”
This Phrase does a few things to keep your prospect from hanging up. First, you immediately mention them by name if possible, to show that you are intentionally calling them, and not just hitting the next phone number down a list. Next, you identify who you are, and which company you are with to show credibility. Finally, you ask if it is a “good time” to show that you are respectful of their time. If the prospect tells you they it is not a good time, press on by continuing to say “I know your time is valuable, so I will be brief.”
“I am calling because we just doubled Company X’s close rate on the phone, and I am confident we can do the same for you.”
Make sure you build some credibility. Stories are very powerful, so go ahead and tell a customer success story to highlight how your prospect can achieve the same results. Keep in mind that you are not calling to sell anybody anything; you are calling to let them know you have a great product that you think they would find valuable.
“I would like to send some information to you, and follow up in a few days, does that sound okay?”
This is your call to action, so make them commit! Outlining what you expect to happen as you move forward shows that you’re organized, and that they should trust you to know what you’re doing. Each call script is different depending on what your company’s next step is in your sales process. Hopefully you know your company’s sales process, but it is vital to outline the next steps for your prospect so they can know what to expect and never get caught off guard. Surprises don’t build trust. This call script phrase is especially impactful because it uses a question to prompt a verbal confirmation. Making your prospect declare some sort of interest will help them feel more invested in your solution, and more likely to answer your next call.
The Call Script is a Guide, Not a Speech
Keep in mind that a phone call script is just that, a script. You are calling to have a conversation with someone, and to see if you can help them. Don’t be too pushy. Instead, guide the conversation along the channels you want it to take. The call script should provide these channels to help keep conversations moving where you want them to go, not sound like a recording.
