Do sales scripts really work?

it’s not important what call you make – referrals, cold calling or following up with a “qualified” lead – you need a process.  A way to engaged the person on the other end of the line, or in those instances when you have to leave a message interested enough to get them to return your call at best or at least take your call when you call again.

There are two parts too selling. The script and the actual delivery.

The Script.

Why do we need scripts? Well for a start you’ll never remember to say the same thing to people and then you wont know what worked and what didn’t. If you write a script you will be able to learn it off the cuff and you will know if its working or not.

• Always start by asking permission for their this. Have you got a moment for me to explain why I’m calling?
• introducing yourself and your company.  Be straightforward.  This builds trust and credibility and implies confidence.
• Ask the right questions and always open ones. Be quick to demonstrate value.  You have a very short time to show your phone call is worth someone else’s time.  Show your prospect that you understand their pain and have something that can help them – not your product or service — it’s a little early to get into your sales pitch at this time.
• The offer. Give them a reason to speak to you again. Showcase a relevant case study explain how you can give them ROI fast, or book a free assessment at no obligation.
• The ending. If you are leaving a voicemail, make sure you leave your prospect with a couple of ways to keep in touch.  Say it slowly and repeat yourself so they don’t have to keep replaying your message.

The Delivery.

The sales script is table steaks.  Everyone’s got one.  The difference between a successful sales person and one who struggles making quota is the way in which they use their sales script.  Anyone can read from a script.  But that’s not going to help you engage or win over prospects.  You’ll come across as being untrustworthy, lacking confidence or worse, incompetent.  As a sales professional, your number one responsibility is to make the company sales script your own.  Make it sound real and genuine – so that each prospect you talk with thinks it’s just for them.

Now, it’s all about the delivery.  And there’s only one thing that helps with delivery:  practice.  Here are some tried and true ways to make that company sales script work for you:

• Write it out. Maybe the words sound unnatural at first.  Refine the script, in your own words, so that your prospects will understand what you have to say.  And then keep refining it.
• Say it out loud. Commit your script to memory.  And then practice saying it over and over again.  Practice in front of your bathroom mirror, your spouse, your grandmother, your colleagues.  Anyone who will listen.
• Act it. Rehearse and rehearse and rehearse so that your script becomes second nature.  Great stage and screen actors rehearse so many times that their script becomes part of them.  And when they say the words, they are genuine.  That you’ve said these words just as you’ve thought of them in the course of the conversation.
• Be flexible. Remember, this is a real conversation and you need to leave time for your prospect to respond.  Sometimes their response may take you a little off script.  But hopefully with the preparation you’ve done, you can easily get back on track.