Why the phone
- It builds courage. The discomfort is the training.
- It improves your presentation. Improve how you communicate by phone and you improve how you communicate in person.
- Everyone has a phone. The reach is already there.
If you want to be successful, you must pay the price of contacting people, making people uncomfortable, and taking rejection.
The four possible answers
Not interested
The most common, and the least informative. It is a starting position, not a verdict.
Yes, I am interested
Move to the next step immediately while the interest is live.
Maybe
Needs a defined follow-up with a date, or it decays into a no.
Come see me when you are in town
A soft yes. Book it rather than leaving it open.
Read rejection as data. Rejection is an indication that the pipeline is broken somewhere — not that the call was worthless.
Preparation before you dial
- Know the product you are calling about, and what it replaces
- Know the advantages over the competitors before the objection arrives
- Have the script in front of you, and know where you are allowed to leave it
- Know what the next step is before you pick up the phone
Taking the order
If the customer wants to place an order, or an order for accessories or consumables, open an account for them on the website and place the order on their behalf. Tell them afterwards that they will need to go online and update their profile.