home Diseases Telephone sales scripts - techniques, examples and templates for effective calls. Cold calls. Cold calling technique

Telephone sales scripts - techniques, examples and templates for effective calls. Cold calls. Cold calling technique

With their help, you can effectively sell a product or service, or schedule a meeting to subsequently discuss the terms of the transaction. In some cases, scripts are used to make cold calls. What it is? What are the criteria for their effective use?

What are they needed for?

A little theory. “Cold calling” - how does it differ from “hot calling”? Everything is very simple. It involves a conversation with a person or company with which the caller has not previously had any contact (remote acquaintance). In turn, a “hot call” is the development of existing contacts in order to maintain contact with a partner or conclude a new deal with him.

Actually, what are the “cold calls” for, the scripts of which we are going to study? What is their practical effectiveness for business? Experts note: the use of “cold calls” is one of the most accessible and effective. This technique is designed, first of all, to save the manager’s time in relation to performance indicators. The use of many other sales channels (such as mailings) does not always give a comparable effect.

Many experts are sure: communication with clients as such, regardless of whether “cold” or “hot” calls, is one of the main criteria for business success. If only because this tool, unlike various types of electronic channels (social networks, e-mail), appeals to the natural human need - to talk with others like oneself.

It's simple

Cold calling is easy to do. At least from a technical point of view, because there is a regular telephone in almost all offices. They are also easy to do from a preparation point of view. Even if a person is not used to communicating on the phone, he has a faithful assistant - a ready-made script. Or, in other words, a script. With its help, “cold calling” turns into almost routine work, but at the same time incredibly exciting. If we use a successful script, cold calling will help you make great money. But what is the likelihood that the script we use will secure a sale?

Secrets

One of the most common purposes that a cold calling script is designed to solve is setting up a meeting between the caller and the person with whom the conversation is being conducted. That is, probably with a potential client of the company. In some cases, a manager can use pure sales scripts when making “cold calls,” persuading a client to buy something without a meeting. It all depends on the specific task and the specifics of the product or service being sold.

Therefore, when choosing the optimal script, we need to make sure that it is suitable for us, based on all current criteria. We read the script and decide whether it is optimal for a meeting or whether it is better adapted specifically for sales. After that, we study the structure of the script.

Chef required

In sales practice, the main emphasis is on the interaction between the manager of a company producing goods and providing services and a decision maker on the side of the client company. Often this is a top-level manager, and it is not always possible to reach him directly. Adapted to the task that cold calling performs, scripts are sometimes divided into two subtypes. The first of them is best designed to achieve a conversation with the “boss”. The second, in turn, contains instructions applicable to the conversation with the decision maker. In the first scenario, the sales manager, whose status in relation to the “chief” is initially unknown. Accordingly, the script can contain mechanisms by which the caller finds out information about the official with whom it is desirable to talk.

Thus, based on the specifics of the task, we determine which part of the script to use - the first or immediately the second. Then we begin to carefully study the contents of the script. Let's analyze how effective it will be.

Script effectiveness criteria

We have a script. "Cold calling" is the main tool. How to ensure results? What are the criteria for the effectiveness of a script? Let's agree that the task before us is a conversation with the decision maker. We have reached the "boss" or we have his direct telephone number.

1. The finished cold call script must, first of all, contain a link to a significant request to the company. Experts believe that a good script should not explicitly indicate the purpose of the call, which is a sale or a meeting with a decision maker. It is important that the script contains a phrase that will at least ensure that the manager’s interlocutor is not indifferent to the conversation.

A short example of a cold call script that can interest the person on the other end of the line: “Good afternoon. Our company sells innovative methods for storing large-scale computer information. Could this be of interest to you?” In fact, we sell flash drives wholesale. But if we immediately admitted: “I want to offer you to buy flash drives,” then the interlocutor would probably refuse to continue the conversation, because the information feed is clearly not “catchy.”

2. The script must provide for dialogue, not a monologue. The point is that once the conversation has begun, the interlocutor usually has questions, opinions, and judgments. Including those related to competitors. He may say: “Oh, I don’t need flash drives, I use devices from Alphabeta Electronics, they suit me quite well.” It is completely unacceptable for the script to contain hints like: “What are you saying, “Alphabeta” is the last century!” You need to respect the opinion, and, importantly, the choice of your interlocutor.

An example of a “cold call” script with the correct option: “Great choice! Would you like to see a device with improved characteristics compared to the products of this brand?”

3. Following the script's instructions will definitely lead to results. To one of three. The first is refusal. Moreover, it should not be confused with an objection, which most often sounds like this: “No time, sorry.” The second is a meeting. In order to show flash drives that are head and shoulders above their competitors in terms of characteristics. The third is agreeing to talk later.

These are, of course, just a few basic criteria. Now we will move on to more detailed examples of using ready-made telephone sales scenarios. Each of them uses a technique that can positively influence the interlocutor’s decision. That is, the logic of the script is built with an emphasis on one or another aspect that expresses the advantages of the product or service being sold.

Mutually beneficial cooperation

So, let's look at a possible cold calling script (sample). We call the bakery owner and offer him to buy croissants from our own private bakery. The main thing we will use to motivate our future partner is the prospect of mutually beneficial cooperation.

We call and immediately lay out the essence of the matter: “We offer you mutually beneficial cooperation.” But that's not all. We immediately justify: “The croissants offered, and this has been proven by the example of dozens of our partners, will increase your revenue by 15%.”

The profitability of bakeries is now relatively low - there is a lot of competition. And therefore the owner of the establishment will at least listen to the details. Which, of course, “we will discuss with you in person.” All. Then offline sales techniques come into play. The cold calling script, a sample of which we have just looked at, has fulfilled its function.

The sales manager will most likely show graphs that will show: croissants, in their price segment and consumer qualities, fit perfectly into the bakery menu. And therefore, they will be actively purchased along with other types of baked goods for tea, which should ultimately increase sales turnover.

More clients

The next scenario that we can give as an example is motivation based on the prospects of attracting more clients. A cold call script template may contain the following phrases. “We offer a product that will significantly expand your target audience,” we state the essence of the matter to the bakery owner. Do not forget to once again refer to the successful experience of numerous partners. Next is a meeting to which an experienced manager is sent. We used a script and the cold call worked.

Most likely, the manager, when meeting with the owner of the establishment, focuses on the fact that with the appearance of croissants on the bakery’s menu, the client groups will be replenished with people who appreciate high-quality sweets - these are children, people of the older generation. In principle, revenue will likely increase due to the same mechanism.

I know everything about you

And one more interesting option. It is based on the ability to pleasantly surprise your interlocutor with knowledge of facts about him. However, their reliability may not matter. Why? Let's look at an example.

“Hello. We were told that your bakery specializes in selling fresh croissants made with yeast-free dough. This is a very rare segment. Would you like to exchange experiences?”

The owner of the bakery, who had no idea that his company bakes croissants without yeast, will at least be surprised. But with a high probability he will agree to the meeting, since the interlocutor at it will be a person who seems to own this technology. It will be great to know how delicious croissants are baked! There will almost certainly be a meeting where the sales manager of our bakery will let the baker taste croissants, but will never tell him the recipe. However, a contract for the supply of baked goods will definitely be signed.

Sales examples

Above we looked at the option in which call scripts are used to schedule an appointment. This is the emphasis. Now let’s try to study the situations in which sales scripts are used (if you decide to practice “cold calling”). That is, the purpose of the conversation is not a subsequent meeting, but the conclusion of some contractual agreements over the phone.

Let’s take, for example, a segment such as the Internet. This service is one of the most popular in Russia. Competition is quite high (although the position of monopolists is strong), and many subscribers often change one provider to another, having heard that somewhere the tariffs for the same speed are cheaper or the communication is of better quality.

The main recommendation here is to immediately focus on the competitive advantages of the offer. If the provider definitely guarantees, for example, that the price will be lower than the market average by 20%, this fact must be immediately announced. If the interlocutor indicates the name of his provider, there is no need to specify that this particular supplier loses in price to our company. It is worth limiting yourself to the diplomatic phrase “your provider works within the framework of average market prices.” The client will be able to draw a small logical conclusion himself, while the caller will show respect for the previous choice: if a person has previously found a provider with market average prices, then what’s wrong with that? However, we will offer it cheaper. If this, of course, is our main component, which should never include a “cold call” script intended for use by managers in the communication services segment - advertising. There should be a specific offer - to connect. Or leave your contact information for an application.

Who else can really help out with “cold calls” and scripts? Realtors, of course. True, to a greater extent for one segment - commercial real estate. When it comes to purchasing apartments, people usually call themselves. Similarly, we focus on the competitive advantages of production facilities or offices. These could be a location in the city center, near the metro, near shops, etc. Since it is not, as in the case of providers, about pitting their offer against another brand (as a rule), the seller may well tell the client everything he thinks about the current premises he is renting. And how you should praise yours.

Scripts of good taste

Whatever the goal of the sales manager, it is extremely important to maintain tact and politeness in communicating with the interlocutor. Even if he himself is not inclined to do so, preferring to answer with harsh phrases. In most cases, the interlocutor can be adjusted to the desired emotional mood, which contributes to a more constructive dialogue.

What else could be a sign of good taste in “cold” correctness of formulations. It is more correct to say not “let’s try”, but “we offer you.” Not “you will want”, but “you may have a desire”, etc. Before using the script, you should check it for diplomatic language.

It is important to end the conversation extremely correctly, even if it did not lead to the desired result. It is likely that the same person will have to call again with a similar offer, but with a new approach or with a different idea. It would be great if your full name. a sales manager will be associated with politeness and tact.

Therefore, quality scripts should follow the guidelines presented above. The main condition for their use is maximum automation of the communication scenario. The sales manager, in principle, only has to follow the text and read it in the right intonation. The script is mainly intended to make the work of a sales specialist easier. This is not a theoretical guide, but a practical tool designed to produce results.

Active telephone sales or telemarketing is a tool that has long gained recognition and popularity in the business environment as a relatively inexpensive, but quite effective way to attract new customers.

In addition to the fact that it is almost universal in relation to the goods and/or services sold, it is also successfully used in working not only with legal entities, but also with individuals.

Hot, warm, cold calls as an effective way to sell goods and services

"Cold Call"- this is the initial, one of the main stages in the overall series of events in the difficult battle for new consumers.

Currently, there is no clear definition of the term “cold calling”. However, traditionally cold calling means practice of advertising telephone calls carried out by employees of trading companies in almost all business industries, with the aim of attracting potential customers and/or concluding a contract for the supply of goods or services, as the final stage in the sales chain. Sometimes, the cold calling technique is also used to collect the necessary information about potential clients, which can subsequently be used to make a sale.

Cold calls are carried out without prior agreements and only on the initiative of employees of companies that sell goods or services.

At its core primary goal of all cold calls means an increase in the customer base.

Experienced sales specialists, authors of various business literature, as well as developers of various sales courses and trainings share outgoing calls to cold, warm and hot.

Cold type- this is a call made for the first time and addressed to a person who is not familiar with the selling company, its products, services, service and prices. At the time of making a cold call, the contact person’s plans do not include familiarity with the company’s activities, its services and capabilities, therefore it is assumed that the manager making the call will receive a “cold reception” at the other end of the line.

Unlike cold calls warm type carried out by persons who are already in one way or another familiar with the activities of the selling company and are to some extent interested in cooperation. The purpose of warm calls may be to restore once interrupted cooperation, inform about new products or services, promotions or upcoming price increases, remind yourself in the form of pleasant communication with a contact person or collect information about the intentions of the contact person or his plans in the area of possible cooperation etc.

And finally, under hot calls Sales professionals understand calls made to customers who have a direct intention of doing business with the selling company. Unlike warm calls, hot calls are made with the goal of bringing a deal to its logical conclusion, which in 95% of cases ends in success for the sales specialist.

The essence and purpose of cold calling

Cold calling is the most difficult type of telephone conversation. This is due to the fact that most of the possible clients already, as a rule, have some suppliers of goods and/or services with whom everyone is satisfied with cooperation or solve their problems in some other way (for example, they have a staff of necessary specialists and do not need hiring a third party company to solve some problems).

Therefore, many experienced and practicing sales professionals do not set themselves the goal of making a sale as a result of a cold call. The main goal in this case, it is collecting information about the existing or possible needs of the potential client’s company, and reaching agreements on holding a business meeting at which the following takes place:

personal acquaintance between the seller’s representative and the potential client’s company representative;
presentation of the selling company’s capabilities;
discussion of plans for further interaction.

Only if these conditions are met, the chances of a “cold” contact transitioning into “warm” and “hot” significantly increase.

Difference cold calling of legal entities and individuals lies only in the fact that when working with legal entities, as a rule, a sales specialist from the selling company travels to the territory of the potential customer. If cold calls are made to a database of individuals, then they are invited to independently attend an event or establishment.

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The main difficulties of cold calling

You can select following difficulties when making calls via a cold base:

The main difficulty of conducting cold active telemarketing events is the reluctance of potential customers to communicate with strangers.
In addition, newcomers to the field of sales, forced by the nature of their work to call cold contacts, find it difficult to overcome various barriers that arise on the way to the right contact person.
And, of course, working with objections. Where would we be without her? And potential clients have a lot of objections, from the standard “We don’t need anything”, “It’s too expensive” and “We already work with suppliers” to the most extravagant and unexpected, for example “I don’t like your voice, so I won’t work with you” or “Stop calling me, I’m dead to you.”

However, all these complex tasks have their own professional solutions, and the sales technology of “cold” calling the client base remains the most popular technology in the field of active sales.

Rules for cold calling

There is a certain scheme for making almost any cold call. It is versatile and suitable for use in a wide variety of business sectors.

To improve efficiency For such calls, it is necessary to carry out preparatory work, which consists of the following:

As many years of practice have shown, despite the fact that cold calls are one of the most popular sales technologies, the effectiveness of cold calls is very low in almost any business segment. Thus, existing statistics indicate that if, as a result of 100 cold calls, at least 5 transactions are made, then these are very good indicators.

Therefore, for maximum efficiency, for a continuous flow of new clients, sales managers must make calls to cold databases CONSTANTLY. And this is a rather difficult, stressful and very painstaking process.

The following video training is devoted to the competent implementation of cold calls:

Features of the work of a sales manager

In this regard, successful sales managers working with cold bases must have some specific qualities that are either given to a person by nature (which is rare) or acquired in the process of professional growth.

So, to these qualities include:

Tips for properly organizing the work of an active sales manager are given in the following video.
Part 1:

Surely at least once you have received a call and been offered to purchase a product or use a service. And you probably answered “no” at least once. The topic of this material is the technique of cold calling clients. You will learn how to make cold calls correctly, how to interest a client, as well as what sales techniques and samples to use.

What is this?

Cold calling is so named because of the cool, wary attitude of clients towards them. The main purpose of the conversation is with the potential client. In most cases, you shouldn’t try to immediately sell a product or service over the phone, it won’t do any good. It is more important to interest the client.

The purpose of the conversation is to set up a meeting with a potential client.

Calls also perform another important function - replenishing the client base. Technology requires thorough preparation and careful consideration of your words.

Entrepreneurs expecting to receive universal instructions for any type of cold calling are mistaken. Calls are tailored to a specific market, sometimes even to each individual. Learning how to make cold calls effectively takes constant practice.

An important role is played by the balance of “cold” and already base. You need to constantly make outgoing calls to new clients; customers periodically leave the main base (to competitors or lose the need for a service), this is inevitable. In order not to be left without a base, the cold calling system requires about 100 conversations with new clients per day + calling a “warm” base. The basic principle of a cold call is the manager’s ability to anticipate the client’s questions and answers and be prepared to continue the conversation.

The main principle of a cold call is the manager’s ability to anticipate the client’s questions and answers.

Organize your search and attract customers based on the market segment for which your products/services are useful. Determine the places where potential clients hang out, get your contact base.

The process of obtaining information about executives can also be approached cunningly, by calling, for example, under the pretext of marketing research. This way you can find out whether the client is aware of the existence of your company or brand. Having received the client's email, you can send him.

Stages of cold calling

Collection of information. If you show yourself to be an informed interlocutor, you will receive a friendlier attitude.
Compiling a cheat sheet (). Until the manager becomes a professional (and even after that), he needs a short conversation plan. Such a script, regularly updated with new data, will help answer any client questions.
. Introduce yourself (sometimes don't be too direct about sales) and ask to speak to the decision maker. If this is not possible, find out additional information about him (full name, what time he can be contacted).
Conversation with the client. Be sure to ask for a few minutes to talk and explain the purpose of the call. Find out what interests him, what he needs, and whether he is satisfied with everything about working with current contractors.

If you want to entice a client to come to a meeting, talk about the main benefits. If the client wants to talk about details, offer to meet. This way you will weed out those who like to occupy other people’s time with empty talk. You will waste time, but the client will still not order anything.

The technique requires you to monitor the client’s mood, record new information for the database, and even take into account the time of the call. It happens that the client refuses to talk to the manager or disappears in the middle of the day. But if you try to call in the morning or evening, he will be more willing to contact you.

In general, the conversation should not last long; three minutes is enough to interest the client. The results of these stages are the sale of the product.

Work with objections

For the client, your call is unexpected and (usually) unwanted. An experienced manager knows the difference between a categorical refusal. In the latter case, you should not be intrusive and continue the conversation - just end it on a positive note. But you need to work with objections so as not to lose potential buyers. Here are the typical excuses.

“I’m busy/in a hurry to get somewhere.” Explain that your goal is not to take up the client’s time now, but only to arrange a meeting. As a last resort, agree on when to call back.
"Call back later". You need to get the exact time of the call - this way the client will not be able to use this objection over and over again.
“Send your proposal by email.” It leaves hope, but in reality it is almost hopeless. You can immediately state why not meet and offer a specific time. Or agree and ask when they will answer you about what was sent. In general, turn your submissions from the end of a conversation into a transitional step.
"I do not need anything". Do you feel guilty? It’s not worth it, usually it’s just an excuse, and the client doesn’t yet know that he needs it. Here you should go straight to the product, appealing to companies that were not interested in it either, and now they only use it. You can simply promise that the client will be interested, and the meeting is not obligatory to anything, and offer a specific time.
“My counterparties suit me quite well.” This is where the information you have prepared about them will definitely come in handy. Tell them you're not trying to replace them, but are offering an alternative. Say that it is more reliable to work with several suppliers, or explain exactly why you are better than the client’s partners, and then offer to meet. If the client insists on his own, this will be a reason to get to know the competitors better. Find out what benefits make their offer better than yours.

Cold calling manager

The basic rules of communication when selling over the phone come down to minimizing pressure on the client, confidence, friendliness, and the ability to control one’s voice. Don't forget about a smile - it is perfectly audible on the phone. Add calmness to your voice, your main weapon. It's easy to blow a call if you sound monotonous, unsure, and bored.

It's easy to blow a call if you sound monotonous, unsure, and bored.

Your goal is to interest the client, evoke emotions, and be on the same wavelength with him. You must understand what the client will say now and be prepared. Stock up on short and detailed answers to the client’s basic questions: why are you calling him and what are his benefits. Avoid closed questions, “not” and complex terms.

The cold calling method often exposes the manager to clients who refuse or are rude. Therefore, resistance to stress is vital here, and even more so, careful preparation for conversations. You should be (or at least seem) professional, and such an image is easy to achieve: instead of template phrases and reading from a cheat sheet, speak in your own words, confidently and exactly what interests the client.

Telesales techniques are easy to understand, but making quality cold calls requires constant practice. Listen to recordings of conversations, think about what you could say, read examples and improve your skills. As you get better at it and earn money, you won’t notice how you will become an expert in cold calling.

Hello! In this article we will talk about such a telephone sales tool as a script.

Today you will learn:

What is a script for talking with a client on the phone;
How to write a telephone sales script correctly;
What types of telephone sales scripts exist? .

What is a telephone sales script?

For a marketer, a telephone is not only a means of communication, it is also an excellent channel for the promotion and distribution of products.

To understand how to sell a product using only a telephone conversation, you need to remember the specifics of communication over the phone:

Solution. As a rule, a modern person makes calls to find out or agree on something, in other words, to solve a problem;
Brevity. A conversation on the phone is always shorter than a conversation on the same topic in person;
Dialogue. A telephone conversation always involves a dialogue between two people.

Not every sales manager is able to briefly describe to the client his proposal to solve a problem that needs to be identified during a telephone dialogue with the client. Therefore, in order for a conversation between a seller and a potential client to turn into sales, it is advisable to use pre-written dialogue scripts or scripts.

Script – a dialogue scenario between a sales manager and a client, designed to increase the efficiency of the former and attract the latter.

You need a telephone sales script if:

Do you sell over the phone?
Your office employs at least three managers to implement telephone sales and provide telephone consultations to clients (a smaller number is easier and cheaper to train to work without scripts);
You want to improve your overall telesales performance. At the same time, the effectiveness of individual managers may decrease.

If you agreed with each point, then we need to move on and decide what types of telephone sales scripts are suitable.

In total, there are four types of scripts, depending on the level of development of the client and the market in which the client is represented. Each type of script involves its own telephone sales technique.

Warm customer base

Cold customer base

Consumer segment

A “warm” script is used if you call a potential client who has recently performed a targeted action in relation to your company: made a purchase, registered on a website, visited a store, and so on. That is, you know that this client is interested in your product.

The manager’s goal is to remind about the company, offer products that may be of interest to this consumer, and convince him of the usefulness of this product

In this case, you are calling “blindly”. Your interlocutor probably doesn’t know about your company or product at all.

The manager’s goal is to inform the interlocutor about the company, identify the client’s problems and offer solutions to these problems. That is, the manager must get a completely new client for the company

Industrial segment

Any of these types is based on the following principles:

Equality. You and your client are partners. You should not persuade the client to take the target action or agree to unfavorable conditions. Your job is to see the client's problem and offer a solution. It is up to the client to refuse or agree. Otherwise, you will lose the client's respect for your company;
Cooperation. You should not argue with the client, you must prove to him that he really needs your product and the purpose of your call is to help. To do this, you need to ask your potential client questions to which you know the answers in advance. For example, manager: “Do you use a lot of paper per month?”, client: “yes”, manager: “you buy a new pack of paper every week”, client: “yes”, manager: “would you like our company delivered paper to your office every week at a time convenient for you?”

In this example, we propose a solution to the client’s problem and use the law of three “yes”;

Knowledge. A sales manager must know the specifics of the company and understand its products and services.

Script structure

Now that we have decided on the types of script, let's decide on its structure. Since scripts for the consumer market are significantly different from scripts for the industrial market, we will analyze them separately. Let's start with the consumer segment.

Script structure for the consumer segment

To clearly show what the difference is between scripts for a warm and cold customer base, we will display the structure of the scripts in a small table.

	Warm base	Cold base
Greetings	Introductory phrase: good afternoon (evening, morning)	Introductory phrase: good afternoon (evening, morning)
Performance	“Client name”, my name is “manager name”, I am a representative of the company “company name”	“My name is “manager name”, how can I address you? I am a representative of the company “company name”, we are engaged in ....” There is no need to mention the client's name, even if you know it!
Finding out the circumstances	We find out whether it is convenient for the interlocutor to talk now (if not, then we discuss the time when it will be possible to call back)	We find out whether it is convenient for the interlocutor to talk now (if not, then we discuss the time when it will be possible to call back)
Clarifying questions	We remind the client that he recently purchased our product or performed another targeted action. For example: “last week you purchased our product “name”. Did you like him?	We identify the client’s need: “Are you familiar with the problem...?” “Would you like to get rid of her?”
Purpose of the call	We indicate the purpose of the call: “Yesterday we received a new product that complements the “name of the product that was already purchased earlier.” It will allow you to achieve a double effect and save you from the problem for a long time...” Here the consumer either purchases the product or objects	We offer our product/service to the client. If the client objects, we move on to the next stage
Reply to an objection	We use all the positive characteristics of a product or company to convince the consumer of the need for this product	We identify the reason for refusing to purchase the product. We solve the problem for which the consumer refused, as a rule, it is necessary to solve three such problems
We say goodbye	“Thank you for your time, we will be glad to see you in our store. Goodbye"	“Thank you for your time, we will be glad to see you in our store. Goodbye"

Structure of a cold calling script for an industrial client

In this case, it would be advisable to omit the conversation script with the industrial client from the warm base. Typically, it matches the conversation script for the warm base of the consumer segment.

for industrial clients will consist of the following steps:

Preliminary. We send your commercial offer to the potential client by email. This must be done half an hour before the call. We write down the goals of the conversation;

Search for a contact person, who makes a decision in the client company on your issue;
Secretary's rounds. As a rule, the secretary of the responsible person will answer you first, who has his own script for refusing people like you. You need to get around it. To do this, adhere to the following rules:

It is necessary to show by intonation and manner of speaking that the person in charge needs this cooperation more than you;
Clear, correct, confident speech;
The following phrase should be heard in the conversation: “Who can I talk to about this issue” (“Contact me with the person responsible for this issue”).

Conversation with the decision maker. The structure of the script for a conversation with the person in charge of the company will look like this.

Stage	Action
Greetings	Introductory phrase: good afternoon (evening, morning) “Name of interlocutor”
Performance	Say your first and last name
Clarification questions and product introduction	Do you use communication services from our company “name”? Now we have a new offer, for regular customers it will cost half as much. It will allow you to “name those benefits that are of interest to your interlocutor.” For example, for the boss - cost reduction and profit, for ordinary employees - simplification of work
Work with objections	We identify the reason for refusing to purchase the product. We solve the problem for which the consumer refused. Typically, there are three such problems that need to be solved
We say goodbye	Thank you for your time, we will be glad to cooperate / see you / tomorrow our specialist will come to you at the appointed time

An example of working with objections

At the end of the article, I would like to focus on this block, since it is the most dangerous from the point of view of losing a client.

Objection	Answer
We don't need this product	“The product can solve the problem with...”. It doesn’t help, you can offer an alternative product and name its useful qualities for the client
I have no time to talk (after the clarification stage)	“It won't take more than 10 minutes. I can call you back at another time. At your convenience?"
We already have a supplier, he suits us	“We do not propose to replace your current partners, we propose to supplement them so that everyone can work comfortably and problems such as “listing the client’s problems” do not arise.
Expensive	Many of our customers pointed out the high price, but all questions were resolved after they tried our product. Let us give you a 20% discount on your first order so you can be sure of this

In fact, there may be many more objections; we have given only the most common options. It is important to think through each one and work it out so that the manager can give a clear response and not lose the client.

Sample (example) telephone sales script

Finally, here is a complete telephone sales script. Let's say we sell shampoo for dry hair to a cold customer base.

Greetings: Good afternoon
Performance: " My name is Anna, how can I contact you? I am a representative of the Volosatik company, we produce natural hair care products. “Customer Name, we have a special offer for you.”
Clarification of circumstances:“Are you comfortable talking now?”
Clarifying questions:“Are you familiar with the problem of dry and brittle hair?”, “Would you like to get rid of it?”
Purpose of the call:“Great, we offer natural shampoo for dry hair. The fact is that licorice, which is included in its composition, retains water, and the absence of sulfates allows you to preserve the structure of the hair. Did you know that 90% of shampoos in stores contain sulfates, which destroy the hair structure, slowing down growth and making it brittle? (No Yes). When making our shampoo, we focused specifically on the absence of harm to hair. At the same time, the price of our shampoo corresponds to the market average and is 500 rubles per 400 ml.”
Work with objections: Examples of working with objections are given in the table above.
Saying goodbye:“Thank you for your time, we will be glad to see you in our store. Goodbye".

Video about telephone sales scripts

Cold calling is very difficult if you don’t know what to say and how to say it. But if you have a script written in advance, then everything immediately becomes much easier. And in this article, we will write a cold call script - a step-by-step conversation diagram for your specific situation.

And yes, of course, we will look at different examples of working with objections. So that you don’t just repeat this scheme like a robot, but can adapt it to the situation. Then your results will improve several times.

How I did cold calling

I remember about 6 years ago, I was attracting clients to our translation agency through cold calls. I put off starting work for two weeks and looked for excuses in every possible way not to call anyone. It was just very scary.

But when the money began to completely run out, I still forced myself to pick up the phone and dial the first number from the list. To my great relief, the other end of the line did not answer the phone.

Then I dialed the second number, and they quite politely told me that the head of the foreign economic activity department had just left, and asked me to call back in 15 minutes. I already thought that it was enough for a start, and I could go and take a break. But still, to clear my conscience, I decided to dial the third number.

It was a large industrial company in our city. And I knew for sure that they were already working with some translation agency. Therefore, I assumed that the conversation with them would not last long.

Imagine my surprise when the person on the other end of the line listened to me and offered to meet in an hour to show me the current orders. On the same day we received our first order from them. And this company is still our regular customer. And it all happened in one single call.

Of course, I understand that I was lucky. Clients are not always so willing to start working with you. But there are still certain statistics - how many cold calls you need to make to get one order.

How many cold calls do you need to make to get one order?

If you think that there is some magical cold calling script that will open all doors for you like a golden key, you are mistaken. There is no such script and cannot exist.

And there is not and cannot be a salesperson who would make twenty calls and conclude twenty deals. You can’t sell to everyone, no matter how hard you try, and no matter how wonderful the conversation pattern you prescribe.

Working with cold calls is a statistic. Statistics of refusals and agreements to meet with you. You need to know your statistics and just do them every day. For example, in most cases you need to make about 20 calls to schedule 2-3 meetings.

Next, out of 3 meetings (according to statistics), you will conclude one deal. That is, you need to make twenty calls and hear “no” nineteen times to close one deal. It is very important. Often salespeople are trained to “press” everyone on the phone until they agree to meet with you. My experience is that this is bad practice.

Why being too persistent is bad

If you are persistent enough and find your own answer to any “no,” then eventually the person on the other end of the line will still agree to meet with you. As a result, you will only waste your time.

That is, after half an hour of the “objection-response” game, your interlocutor will say, “Okay, you persuaded me, let’s meet next Monday, at two o’clock in the afternoon.” But he will say this only to get rid of you. Then you will not be able to reach him (he will write down your phone number under the name “Do not take it under any circumstances”).

And when you arrive at the meeting, you will not find anyone at the specified address. That means you will waste several hours, or even the whole day.

In fact, the goal of a cold call is not to “persuade” everyone, but to intelligently filter out those on whom you should spend time and on whom not. The entire conversation scheme that you will find below is precisely aimed at making this filtering as fast and comfortable as possible.

It was very important for me to clarify this before starting to analyze the circuit. Your task is not to get one “yes” at all. Your task is to get nineteen reasonable “no’s.” After that, you will make a deal and calmly move on to the next circle.

And yes, by the way, all of the above applies to the conversation with the decision maker (decision maker). But before talking with the decision-maker, we will most often have to talk with the so-called “Gatekeeper”. This is a secretary or assistant or someone else who doesn’t want you to distract the boss with your calls.

You have to do things a little differently with gatekeepers. After all, there is no way they can give us a valid no. This means they just need to be “pushed through”.

Scheme of conversation with the “gatekeeper”

And then it happened. After much procrastination and making excuses, you finally decided to get on the phone and start calling potential clients on your list. You sell antivirus for corporate computer networks. You pick up the phone, dial the number of the ACS department (Automation of Control Systems), and after a series of beeps you hear:

JSC Mashinstroyperestroy, I’m listening to you...

You answer:

Hello, my name is Dmitry. I'm calling you from the Peresvet company about a new antivirus for your computer system. Tell me, who can I talk to about this?

And in response you get:

Thank you, we are not interested. Goodbye.

This is one of the standard gatekeeper objections. And if you bought into this “we are not interested”, then it’s in vain. Now I will tell you one secret. In fact, the secretary on the other end of the line has no idea whether they are interested or not.

It's just that your call interferes with her work. If she lets you in to see her beloved boss Arkady Petrovich, head of the automated control system department, and you suggest some nonsense, she will get hit on the head.

And if you offer not nonsense, but a super solution that will save the plant a million dollars a month, and her boss is rewarded for it, then the secretary... will still not receive any benefit.

All the laurels will go to Arkady Petrovich, because he “found”, “suggested”, “implemented”. That is, the secretary will either get hit on the head, or (at best) get nothing. So why should she take the risk? The easiest way is to jump straight to the best option and get “nothing.” That is, just don’t miss your call to your boss.

But the secretary has his own problems and tasks, and you and I have ours. And task number one is to break through the barrier of standard “objections and denials.”

Overcoming standard objections

Here are some of the standard objections a gatekeeper might typically give you:

We are not interested/need it
What exactly do you want to offer?
Send us an email, we'll take a look and call you back
No (I won't connect you/he won't talk to you)

And here’s how best to build a dialogue with such an interlocutor.

Secretary: What did you want to offer (What specific issue are you on?) (Are you on the issue of advertising?) (What are your services?), etc.

You: We are installing a new antivirus program for computer networks. Who can I talk to about this?

Secretary: We are not interested in this (we do not need this)

You: Understand. You know, with about every fourth client our cooperation began in the same way. That is why I would like to ask your specialist a few clarifying questions. Who can I talk to about this?

Secretary: Submit your offer by email. We will review and call you back.

You: We do not have a general commercial offer; there are a lot of options. I need to talk to your specialist because we strive to offer only what people need, not everything at once. Connect me please.

Secretary: Everything is fine with us.

You: Amazing. Among our clients, most companies are developing successfully. That is why our services were useful to them. All I would like to do is talk about whether we can be of service to you. So who can I contact about this issue?

Secretary: No (I won’t connect you, he won’t talk to you).

You: If it’s so difficult to talk to him, maybe I can talk to someone else about this issue?

Two main points in the conversation pattern

You methodically work through all the “nos” and push the gatekeeper so that he still takes the risk of connecting you with the person you need.

Notice two important points in this conversation pattern. At the end of each response to an objection, ask to connect you with the decision maker. Usually people can't stand being asked for something several times and give up.

The second point is an explanation of the reason why you need to be connected with someone. In the famous book “The Psychology of Influence,” Robert Cialdini describes an experiment in which a person first simply asked to be skipped in line. And in the second case he added “Let me skip the line, because I really need". And in the second case, he was missed 3 times more often.

Of course, in our example we came across a very hard nut to crack. Usually secretaries give up after 1-2 objections. But there are even harder ones. They just tell you no.

What to do if you are still told “no”

If you just can’t convince the gatekeeper to let you through further, then you can try to “make friends” with him.

And making an acquaintance with a stranger is not at all difficult. This is what the dialogue might look like after four or five “no’s.”

You: Okay, I understand you. By the way, my name is Dmitry, I am a sales manager in our company. What is the best name for you?

Secretary: Maria.

You: Maria, what is your title?

Secretary: Assistant manager (secretary/assistant).

You: Maria, please advise me. What is the best way for me to deal with this situation?

In this simple way you win a person over to you. You met him and asked him to help you. In this case, even the stony heart will melt, and Maria herself will tell you how and with whom you need to contact.

And after that we move on to a conversation with Himself - the Decision Maker.

Scheme of conversation with decision maker

As mentioned above, the task of talking with a decision maker is to filter out those who are not worth wasting time on right now. To do this, we need to either get a reasonable “yes” or a reasonable “no”. Both results will suit us quite well.

Our conversation with the decision maker will consist of four stages:

Performance
Question-involvement
Handling objections
Make an appointment

After that, we are either told “no”, and we calmly move on to the next contact. Or they say “yes” to us, and we enter the time and place of the meeting in our diary. And let's look at options for conversation patterns using examples.

Stage #1 - Presentation

Here we just need to state our name, the name of our company, and explain why we are calling. The person on the other end of the line is primarily interested in who we are and what we need from him.

Therefore, do not try to be cunning and deceive someone. As a result, you will deceive yourself. For example, I am very annoyed by salespeople who call me under the pretext of conducting some kind of “survey”. I don’t have much time, tell me right away what you want.

You (we learned the name from the secretary). My name is Dmitry, I’m from the Peresvet company, and I’m calling you about a new anti-virus program for corporate networks.

That's literally all. You immediately said everything directly and honestly. In this case, the interlocutor may not answer you anything. And we need dialogue. not a monologue. Therefore, we immediately move on to the second stage.

Stage #2 – Question-engagement-pause

At this stage, we need to get a primary reaction to our proposal (most often the reaction will be negative).

You

We ask a question and fall silent. This is a very important and very difficult moment. Most people physically cannot bring themselves to pause. Because a pause is pressure. With our silence, we literally force a person to answer us something. This will be the beginning of engagement in the conversation.

We specifically formulate the question in such a way that the answer to it “is impossible” is no. Of course, most often the answer will be no. But at the same time, your interlocutor himself will feel the strangeness of the situation.

They offer him to increase the level of protection, but he says “no” - I don’t want to increase anything, let them hack our computers and steal data. We will lose clients because of this, and I will be thrown out of my position, and I will end my life under the fence with a bottle of Triple Cologne in my hand. Everything is great, I'm satisfied.

You: Please tell me, would you be interested in increasing the level of security for your computer network?

decision maker

Let him say “no” out loud (giving up everything is a person’s first normal defensive reaction). But subconsciously he says yes. And this is much more important for us. And having received this “no”, which is actually a “yes”, we move on to the next stage.

Stage #3 - Closing the objection

There is one simple phrase that gets around most objections. That is, it will encourage a person who, at least theoretically, may be interested in your proposal, agree to meet with you.

And if a person does not want to agree to anything, then this means that this is not our client yet.

decision maker: No, thank you, we are not interested in this now.

You

That's all, this simple phrase firstly calms down Arkady Petrovich - they say, there are other people whom I have already met, and they are all alive and well. Secondly, it explains the benefits - simplification of work and reduction of costs.

After this phrase we no longer need to pause. You need to immediately move on to the final stage of the conversation.

Step #4 - Making an appointment

It is very important to propose a specific meeting time yourself. This way the interlocutor is more likely to agree to meet with us. That is, either he will simply accept our conditions, or he will set his own. Here's what it sounds like all together.

You: You know, Arkady Petrovich, other people working in your field told me the same thing before I came and showed them how our program could simplify their work and reduce costs.

Could we meet you? Will it suit you on Wednesday at two o'clock in the afternoon?

decision maker

And if in this case the person repeats - “No! We don’t need anything,” then you can congratulate yourself. You have already received one justified refusal. It looks like they don't really need to improve anything at the moment. Eighteen more such refusals and the deal is in your pocket.

To reinforce this, let’s once again write down the entire scheme of a telephone conversation with a decision maker.

You: Hello, Arkady Petrovich (we learned the name from the secretary). My name is Dmitry, I’m from the Peresvet company, and I’m calling you about a new anti-virus program for corporate networks ( Stage #1)

You: Please tell me, would you be interested in increasing the level of security for your computer network? ( Stage #2 - Pause…)

decision maker: No, thank you, we are not interested in that now.

You: You know, Arkady Petrovich, other people working in your field told me the same thing before I came and showed them how our program could simplify their work and reduce costs ( Stage #3)

Could we meet you? Will it suit you on Wednesday at two o'clock in the afternoon? ( Stage #4)

decision maker: Let's better on Thursday, at one o'clock in the afternoon. I'll have half an hour.

Conclusion

We have looked at how best to structure a conversation when making cold calls. Let me remind you that you need to push through the gatekeeper, and get a “reasonable refusal” or “reasonable consent” from the decision-maker. The main thing is not to confuse it.

Don't forget to download my book. There I show you the fastest way from zero to the first million on the Internet (a summary from personal experience over 10 years =)

Happy hunting!