How Should You Do to Create a Phone Sales Script?

Have you ever wondered why so many sellers still choose the phone as their primary sales tool? The telephone is a two-way means of communication, it is a means of communication that makes it possible to initiate dialogue, an exchange between two people. And since qualification is essential in the processing of a business opportunity, the telephone call is still the best channel. 

A well-prepared sales script can have unexpected effects. But it is not built in a row, you have to ripen it, ingest it, digest it, and of course, test it. The prospects themselves react to the sales script and can help you validate, adjust and perfect each part of their sales pitch. 

« Hello, Michael! My name is Tomi. I am contacting some SMEs that I found on the Internet before launching our new CRM offer on the market and I wanted to know if this solution could interest you. 

Our goal is to offer small and medium-sized businesses a simple and useful platform to manage their customers. They can improve their performance while saving time, effort and money. At first, glance, is this something that might interest you? » 

Analysis of the opening of our sales pitch.

Result? Spectacular! With the greeting and the short presentation, we indicate who is on the other side of the wire. The prospect can name you, and then it becomes much easier to get their attention. You clearly show them your identity and the value you place on their time. 

In our example Tomi explains to prospects that he calls small and medium-sized businesses on the Internet, thus he delivers a more important message. It answers the question "who are we helping?" (SMEs), he explains how they found them (on the Internet), he tells them what he expects from them (whether they find the new solution interesting) and explains what he can do to them (offer them a CRM). 

On our side, one of the targeting criteria for our prospects was their presence on the Internet. Why? They must have been familiar with software and other computer tools. You see how every detail counts when you write your sales script over the phone, and these details depend essentially on the characteristics of your customers. 

The last part of the introduction is a question: is this something that might interest you? 

No matter the answer, whatever happens, we thank the prospect and begin to question him about his sales process. 

The truth is that at this point in the conversation, no one has enough information to decide whether the call is a waste of time. On Tomi’s side, he still has a few qualification questions (see below) to see if the prospect is eligible (or not) for the new solution and the prospect has not yet had time to know if he or she should hang up on the phone or continue. 

Another reason why it's important to end up with a question is that it gives prospects a chance to say no. 

If the speech did not seem interesting to them and they have not yet had the opportunity to object, they will ask themselves "how to end this call?" During the rest of the conversation. Then you will not get any information from them.

What is a sales script?

The first step is to understand what the word "script" means. This English word is often used in the cinema or the theater to indicate the scenario including the technical cutting and the dialogues. In the world of telephone sales, its meaning is similar: writing the replicas of one of the “actors” to persuade prospects with information, in order to get them to buy our product or service before they hang up on the phone. 

But today, the concept goes beyond a simple monologue. When we talk about the sales script, we are talking about a collaborative conversation. 

Traditionally, the phone sales script has been presented as one-way communication. A salesperson called and spoke to the prospect. This way of selling is no longer effective. 

As a result, the word "script" has been devalued, until it ends up having a derogatory meaning, even among the sellers themselves. 

If you choose to use the term "sales script", it is important to make sure that what you want to convey is clear. 

A phone sales script is very different from a face-to-face speech.. It is essential to specify this directly, as the approach and the way of attracting customers are completely different. 
In a phone speech, several elements work against you:

• It is generally a spontaneous call, not expected by your contact. People are therefore less likely to be receptive.
• You have less time to have an impact on the prospect.
• Your prospect is necessarily afraid of advertisers who will try to sell a product to a difficult customer..

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But... why is it so important to prepare a sales pitch when you can make sales by email, social media, SMS or video calls?

For sales calls on the phone, several ingredients are necessary: enthusiasm, patience and a personal touch. Picking up the phone can be simple, but hanging up is even more. Can you grab the attention of your potential customers in seconds? 

Here is the recipe to create a sales pitch to sell more:

1. no one was born knowing.

The first question that will come to your mind will certainly be: "How to sell by phone", and that's great! However, have you analyzed your product thoroughly? 

Knowing what you are selling is a prerequisite for being able to explain it concisely. It could not be easier! Put yourself in the customer's shoes and look for the advantages you find in your offer, rather than the characteristics of the product/service that you would like to sell. 
Take for example the promotion that is happening in your company and analyze how it can be useful to your client. 

It is also advisable to choose the right moment to have your call. No restaurant manager will be able to answer you during peak service hours, and no one working in an office will be available just before lunch or at the end of the day. 

It may take more than a day to prepare your phone script. Take the necessary time to refine and improve your speech according to the type of customers and the products you offer. It is the key to success for all your phone sales and for improving your sales techniques.

2. Avoid improvisation.

Having a plan can help you to avoid that it fails. Before making your first call, try to understand whom you are going to talk to using the data available to you. Understanding their immediate needs is essential to weigh the benefits you offer.

3. Don't complicate things.

There is no doubt that a telemarketing sales script ensures more sales. However, an overly complex phone script can be very ineffective. Can you imagine the feeling a salesperson would have if he or she were to think about his or her next line of argument or the tone to use, instead of paying attention to what the prospect is telling him/her? 

The key is not to give the conversation partner a single reason to hang up. If you ask this person if he/she has time to speak, he/she can say no. Rather, tell him/her that you're only going to take her/him three minutes. After three minutes, ask if you can continue. By doing so, the interlocutor will understand that you respect his/her time and will be ready to answer your own questions. 

Bonus: learn how to make a consultative sale and you will create value and trust when you call your prospects.

4. To the point.

When we call people to sell them something over the phone, the most important thing is to establish a connection. To do this, it is better than everything is brief and goal-oriented. 

One thing to keep in mind is that speech that sounds dry and repetitive is often ineffective. Feel free to use metaphors and descriptions to describe your products/solutions in an interesting tone. The trick here? Use the same emphasis and facial expressions as when speaking to someone face-to-face. For example, if you get up during your phone call, your energy will increase and the other party will notice. You should also give the impression that you are actively listening and understanding the other person by repeating certain things they say and answering their questions.

5. 90% of your success depends on your voice.

Your voice is the bridge that allows you to gain the trust of your customers. It plays an important role when you are negotiating or closing a deal. A deep voice implies authority, whereas if your voice is too high, if you speak too quickly or if your volume is too high or too low, you risk showing a lack of professionalism in your speech. Practice your voice on the phone to avoid looking nervous or unprepared. 

Speaking a little faster than normal shows that you are persuasive and professional. 

The main thing when making a call is to look confident. Avoid "uhhh ..." and "ahhh ..." to avoid creating uncertainty. Call yourself and leave a voice message to see how your voice sounds and see what you can improve. Just listen to the sound and ask yourself if your voice really conveys confidence.

Now that we've covered the first few lines, let's take a look at the structure of the whole call scenario.

• Create curiosity (Who are you? Why should the prospect care?) And contextualize (elevator pitch).
• Ask for permission to continue the conversation and ask questions. Learn from the prospect’s needs. Determine if they are right for you.
• Test the closing: discover price sensitivity, decision time, etc.
• Plan the next steps.

Opening

Steps 1 to 3:

• Hello my name is ___________ . I'm calling a few startups in “this area” to see if there is a market for our product/service.
• What we do, in one sentence, is to provide businesses with xyz.
• At first glance, does this seem interesting to you?

Qualification

Fourth step:

• What is your current sales/customer service/xyz process?
• Who are your clients?
• How do you currently solve the xyz problem?

Try closing

Fifth step:

• We could start in X weeks.
• Is it right for you?
• The beta program is currently on promotion. It will be x € per day.
• What is the decision-making process in your business?

Next steps

Sixth step:

• Great. I feel that our solution could be very useful to you. Let me send you our brochure and we'll have a half-hour next week to get on with your questions, etc...
• What is your email address to send you information and schedule an appointment?
• When can we talk about it next week?

Please note that this type of telemarketing script can be adapted and can help you sell insurance over the phone, for example, subscriptions to platforms, etc.

If you think the phone sales script turns your sellers into robots.

You are not using the sales script correctly. When you mentally recite each line, then you can approach the robot. But using a script does not mean you have to lock yourself into the conversation. The script is there to help you:

• Structure and clarify your message.
• Polish your sales process.
• Develop an evolving sales process.
• Make changes and improvements quickly.
• Reduce the number of days when performance is worse.
• Listen more effectively to your prospects

Bonus: learn how, thanks to a sales funnel, you can sell non-stop. It’s the tool every business uses to gain new customers and this funnel is very useful for every sales script you make.

As a seller, you will face refusals and objections

Our advice? Learn to love the word NO. When you understand what kind of no is given, you will have won half a battle. 

In addition to your sales pitch, create an object management document so that you are always ready to deal with the objections that are addressed to you. You will hear them very often:

• I don't have time now
• Send me an email

The answer to the time objection is to provide added value at the start of the conversation and throughout the exchange. If you follow our advice for your telephone sales script, you will already be doing so on the first lines. 

And when they tell you to send an email, say, "Sure, I'll send you an email. But to know exactly what I should include; can you tell me..." 

Then just continue with your first qualification question. 

In fact, train your mind to face rejection! You can do this by reading books or sentences that will help motivate you to be more positive and reach all of the sales goals you set for yourself.

Take 10 minutes to create or improve your own phone sales script now.

Few things are as important than achieving long-term business success with a winning script, so apply what you've learned here. 

And don't forget: creating a winning sales pitch is an ongoing task. If you review your script regularly, you will continue to find new ways to close deals. Take inspiration from the different sales speeches that you will find in sales books or that you will hear every day. It doesn't take much time - only 15 to 30 minutes each month in a sales script team meeting. 

Even if you only do them once a year, it will make a big difference in your results.

One more thing:

Remember that after your first call, you should send a follow-up email summarizing everything you've talked about and indicating the next steps to follow. Now, if you don’t know how to create it, don’t worry, we’ve thought of you by leaving you some examples of sales email templates that can be very useful.