Do you use a sales script? There seems to be two schools of thought when it comes to sales scripts. Some salespeople view them as impersonal and artificial, while others stand by them as a way to keep thoughts in order and engage prospects. The Sales Buzz blogger Michael Pedone suggests that rather than throwing sales scripts out the window, there should be a “best practices” for sales scripts. He offers the following suggestions:
- Best Practice 1: Set Objectives First – know what you want to accomplish.
- Best Practice 2: Build a Roadmap (Script) to Complete Objectives – make sure each phase of the script is leading you towards your objectives
- Best Practice 3: Be Transparent to Win Customers – practice your script / role play and get it sounding smooth and natural. Record yourself, role play with colleagues etc. You shouldn’t have to read it word for word. If you do, it just means you haven’t put the time in yet.
- Best Practices 4: Listen and Adapt to Each Individual Prospect – A script is a guide, not the gospel. When you combine a solid script with your sales skills / talent, it’s a winning combination
- Best Practice 5: Measure and Adjust – Nothing ever stays the same. The more calls you make, the more you’ll learn from them and you can make adjustments to your words and tone.
Friday, Sep 25, 2009
Jessica Helinski