Top Tips for appointment setting

1. Plan your call – Taking the time to plan your call will help you maintain control.  Review all the information you have and make sure you are prepared. Know how you are going to begin and how you can bring the conversation back if it goes off topic.

2. Pretend you are meeting in person – Smile when you pick up the phone and throughout the conversation and sit comfortably in your chair and relax. Try to understand what sort of communicator the person is and try to mirror their behaviour. However, don’t be put off with someone who is short on the phone – this may be their way of communicating.

3. Have a ‘wow’ offer – The first appointment objections will normally be raised at the beginning of the call so it is important in the first few seconds of the call to create interest with the benefits for the prospect.  A great sales tip to help stop early objections in your appointment setting calls is to have a really good reason for your call like a special offer that will wow them.

4. Feel, felt, found – A good way to respond when handling appointment objections is to use the objection as a reason for a sales meeting.  Use the FEEL, FELT, FOUND – Acknowledge the prospect’s objection. “I understand how you feel. Many customers we have today felt that same way. However, after they looked ____ they found ____ to be the case”.  Let them know that at the appointment you will take the time to assess their needs. Then move on, take an assumptive approach and set the appointment.

5. Have a conversation – Don’t talk AT them – Don’t talk for too long and try to engage them in the conversation as much as possible. Clearly explain who you are and why you are calling and state how long the proposed appointment will last. Most recipients of sales calls are less threatened by short appointment times. Ask quick, relevant questions to discover as much about the prospect as possible to tailor the call and to keep their attention. Always ask open questions – who, what, when, why, how – which prevents them from giving one-word answers.  Only ask one question at a time and repeat back what they have said when appropriate, so they get in the habit of saying yes.

6. Don’t blag it – Do not be afraid to ask if you do not understand. Knowledge is power and often people like to talk about themselves and will be happy to explain. If you are asked something you do not know, do not try to blag your way – people always know. Say that you will find out and get back to them – or say that you are not the expert and will either come back with the answer or have the appropriate person call back.

7. Do not give up on the first objection – If the prospect says they are not interested – don’t ask why they’re not interested. When cold calling and appointment setting you should not ask why as all it does is reinforce the objection.  Repeating the objection has the same results. Ask polite questions to determine why the client said no – perhaps you did not ask the right open questions. Keep going and don’t give up – learn to live with rejection and try not to take things too personally when people say no.  It can take several attempts to convince the prospect you are worth seeing.

8. Interested, but too busy to meet – If your service/offering can save the prospect time, then say you are phoning because you thought she would be a busy person and you can help with that. If the prospect objects saying that it is approaching Christmas, Easter, or any holiday time, then you can handle this objection by saying that’s why you’re phoning, to make an appointment now for after the holidays.

9. Sell the benefits of the product or service, not its features – Discover what their issues are and how they would prioritise them and work for the most appropriate one first. Find something to offer them that they find difficult to say no to and then try to close the call.

10. Be assertive when closing and close as many times as feels comfortable - Clarify at the end of the call the appointment time and date before thanking them for their time.

http://christopherxchapman.wix.com/financial-planner

50 Telemarkting Do's

                                         50 Telemarkting Do's

1. Ask for what you want — an appointment, a demo, a sale - Don't be shy. It's the reason you are calling.
2. Ask great questions — Open ones to encourage the listener to talk and find info. Closed ones to qualify and filter
3. Be confident - It radiates to your prospects. Expect to succeed and you will
4. Be honest — it really is the best approach. You WILL get found out if you lie.
5. Be motivated  —  People buy people. If you're not positive about what you offer, why should your prospects be interested?
6. Be patient - Telemarketing can take time and perseverance
7. Be prepared to make your calls at times to reach your decision-makers e.g.  before 9am and after 5pm if necessary
8. Build rapport  —  Use frames of reference, name drop, mirror their language and use their name (but not too often)
9. Call out of normal hours and lunchtime - the gatekeeper won’t be there to protect your Decision Maker
10. Change your pitch if it isn’t working. Plan a call structure that is like a good story. An attention grabbing start, a compelling middle and a great ending!
11. Secure a good call list. Make sure it is clean before calling. A good list is the best asset to your success
12. Ensure your phone line is clear - No gremlins in terms of interference
13. Find a 'Trojan Horse' — To get under their radar so that they will engage with you especially if they have already a current supplier of your services
14. Follow up - Make your follow up calls on time and keep doing so until you know where you stand
15. Get agreement from your prospect to call them back at a later date. Even if they aren't interested now, things can change
16. Have a pen and paper at the ready at all times. Take down concise and good notes including language, style and key info
17. Have your diary open and ready to give available dates
18. Keep control of calls with the gatekeeper. Sound authoritative and you have a better chance of getting through. Keep what you say short. KISS!
19. If you feel you must leave voicemail messages, make sure they are enticing and compelling with a good call to action
20. Listen carefully — You have two ears and one mouth
21. Sound professional on the phone with a good speaking voice, pace and tone. Match your prospects if you can
22. Make sure you are calling for the right decision-maker contact. Ask the question
23. Make sure you have a relevant email to send should the prospect ask for more information
24. Make sure your data is as fresh as possible
25. Make you are able to talk 'off script' to really engage the prospect
26. Make sure you are passionate about your product or service
27. Make sure you fully brief your agency if you are outsourcing calls
28. Make the calls — Don’t delay. Just get on the phone. Inertia is your worst enemy
29. Plan a call structure including likely objection handling questions and techniques. You know the objections. Plan for them
30. Plan your calls — Know your products, market, competitors, pitch and the issues your company resolves or the opportunities your company creates
31. Read between the lines of what the prospect says. Clarify if you're unsure.
32. Role-play or record your calls to see what could have been done better. Listen back to improve your techniques
33. Send info when requested including appointment confirmations
34. Set realistic objectives — based on your market, experience and proposition
35. Set realistic targets - how many calls per hour?  How many appointments do you want to make?
36. Smile — It transmits to your voice
37. Sound authoritative. You need to sound at least as important as the person you are speaking to. It's peer to peer
38. Summarize the conversation with the prospect to ensure that you have listened and understood their ‘pains’ before you go ahead and pitch / recommend your product or service
39. Take good notes — Include info on verbatim comments, language, tone, pace and personality
40. Try to fool an IVR by dialling 0 to get to the switchboard. Or call accounts and try to be put through that way
41. Use a good CRM system — so you can quickly search and find follow up calls
42. Assume you are going to get what you want and ask for it with that assumption in mind
43. Use evocative and compelling words like huge, massive, significant, dramatic, OUTSTANDING (thank you martin)  and so on — It adds impact
44. Use the 'feel, felt, found' technique to combat objections along with good open questions
45. Use frames of reference — Past work, client reference points, and industry examples
46. Treat people how THEY would like to be treated. Consider their motivations and needs and treat them accordingly.
47. Use natural engaging language — sound natural. Use simple English. It helps rapport
48. Use technology to speed things up eg Skype number recognition enables 1-click dialling
49. Use telemarketing to follow up other marketing activity eg emails or visitors to your stand
50. Have a glass of fresh water available for those 'parched' moments. Watch out for how caffeine affects you.

           Handling Sales Objections Over The Telephone

Most salespeople think of objections as a bad thing... but they're missing the big picture. If your prospect raises an objection, that's actually a good sign. The fact that they're talking out their concern means that they're giving you a chance to answer it. If someone is completely uninterested in buying your product, they won't bother to object – generally they'll just sit through your presentation in silence (with arms folded) and then send you away. Here's a simple process to help resolve your prospect's objections.

Here's How:

1. Listen to the Objection. Don't jump all over the prospect as soon as he says “But what about-.” Give him a chance to explain exactly what's bothering him. Don't just tune him out, either – listen. You can pick up some really valuable clues from the way a prospect phrases his objection.
2.  Say it Back to the Prospect. When you're absolutely sure the prospect is done talking, look thoughtful for a moment and then repeat back the gist of what he's said. Something like “I see, you're concerned about maintenance costs” is fine. This both shows that you were listening and gives him a chance to clarify. “Well, it's not so much the cost I'm worried about as the downtime.”
3. Explore the Reasoning. Sometimes the first objections aren't the prospect's real concern. For example, many prospect don't want to admit that they don't have enough money to buy your product, so they'll raise a host of other objections instead. Before you launch into answering an objection, ask a few exploratory questions, like “Is product downtime a particular issue? Have you had trouble with it before?” Draw the prospect out a bit.
4. Answer the Objection. Once you understand the objection completely, you can answer it. When a customer raises an objection, they're actually expressing fear. Your task at this point is to relieve their fears. If you have specific examples, such as a story from an existing customer or a few statistics, by all means present them – hard facts make your response stronger.
5. Check Back with the Prospect. Take a moment to confirm that you've answered the prospect's objection fully. Usually this is as simple as saying, “Does that make sense?” or “Have I answered your concern?”
6. Redirect the Conversation. Bring the prospect back into the flow of the appointment. If you're in the middle of your presentation when the prospect raises his objection, then once you've answered it quickly summarize what you'd been talking about before you move on. If you've finished your pitch, check if the prospect has any other objections, and then start closing the sale.

http://christopherxchapman.wix.com/financial-planner
christopher.x.chapman@gmail.com

                               15 Tips to Making More Telephone Appointments

So we all hate having to make telephone appointments, it’s a pretty thankless task at the best of times, but if you learn your craft well, at least you will be out there getting appointments and making things happen. Just remember, if you sell a product worth say 5000 pounds, and it takes you 100 rejections to get that sale, then each of those rejections is worth £50.00. If you were paid £50.00 just for getting a NO each time, you’d be on that phone day and night wouldn’t you?

The tips.

1. Be absolutely clear why you are making the call, establish in advance what it is you want to happen, structure the questions around that outcome, remember – sell the appointment, not the product!

2. Basic politeness, not false, if you enjoy people, it shows, try to enjoy yourself, you are a specialist in one of life’s most noble professions. be courteous, no matter what’s going on at the other end, you are the professional, prove it.

3. Keep good records! So many telephone marketers lose the plot because they just can’t remember where they are up to with their list, I have done this myself, re-calling a client I only just spoke to with the same sales pitch! It’s worth saving yourself this embarrassment just for the sake of paying attention and making a few notes in a system, not just a pad you might lose.

4. If you call an automated system, press zero, it is usually a default for reception, if that doesn’t work and you are forced to listen to the whole menu of options, make a note of the option number for the next call so you will save time.

5. Tape the phone to your hand! Well that’s just metaphorically speaking. The point is, just start phoning and keep at it, just promise you will do a chunk of an hour to start, no matter what, it is so easy to do anything but make the calls you know matter.

6. Always address your prospects by their title, i.e. Mr Jones, using first names on a cold call can appear to be over-familiar, I have been caught out a couple of times and learned very early its title first, until rapport is built between you.

7. Listen, Listen, Listen! So many sales people miss this one, on the phone doing their script and not listening carefully to the response. Missing vital info and buying signals. Try repeating each word your prospect is saying in your head very shortly after they have said it. It is a good discipline to make sure you are using your ears and mouth in the right order.

8. Stay off the radar. Simply getting more chances to be put through to a prospect by not alerting the gatekeeper to who you are. If the prospect is not there, just quickly say you’ll call later thanks, and off you go. I wouldn’t usually leave a message until at least a good number of attempts to get through.

9. Be persistent. Try varying your call patterns, call later, call early, call on a Friday afternoon, don’t buy in to the myth that there are times of the day not worth calling, making appointments is like fishing. I have often abandoned a fishing location, only to see another angler come in exactly the same place and get a full net! Technique and belief are what matters.

10. Get it out quickly. Prospects hate a drawling delivery, say it quick and keep it sharp, not too quick, but just at a good pace, get to the point early, ask for what you want.

11. When speaking avoid filler words like er, erm, y’know, they are diluting your delivery and make you sound clumsy. Just be aware of what you are saying and ‘kill the fill’ You will get more appointments.

12. If not now when? Both if your prospect is not available, or if your prospect has said there is a chance of an appointment, just not yet. Why is now not a good time? When will be better? Can we pencil that in the diary?

13. Have your diary at the ready, with a good idea of how many appointments you are going to make. If your diary is not even open in your drawer, you are just programming yourself to believe you aren’t going to make any meetings. Have a positive expectation of the appointments, how many, and when you are going to schedule them.

14. As Henry Ford Said: “Whether you think you can, or think you can’t, you’re right either way.” Think positive, take rejection and learn – It’s not personal, enjoy it, it’s made you stronger! Develop a formidable mental attitude, read motivational books.

15. When you close on an appointment, confirm the details carefully, get the date right, confirm by email, offer that if the prospect wishes to make any changes, they can feel free to. It will demonstrate you are a professional, and not make the prospect feel trapped and closed on.

http://christopherxchapman.wix.com/financial-planner
christopher.x.chapman@gmail.com

Top 10 killer tips for telesales success

                  Top 10 killer tips for telesales success

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 / UnscriptedYour 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 TimeIf 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 ToIf 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 VoicemailOne 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 FocusTo 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 QuestionsAsking 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.

EvaluateYou 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!

http://christopherxchapman.wix.com/financial-planner