Sales are the process of initiating a transaction in which a buyer receives what is being offered by the seller for an agreed price. In this case, the seller usually receives money. It is a business transaction where both parties (seller and buyer) become satisfied at the end of the process. All the activities involved in this process are referred to as sales. In every business organisation, the sales department works extra hard because they know that the success and growth of the organisation depend on their performance. Their primary role includes bringing money into the business organisation.
For instance, when you encourage a buyer to purchase a car, that is sales. However, the sales process begins when you get on a call with the prospect. From there, they can decide on where they want to meet at an agreed time. The seller needs to complete the sales process because the prospect, which is the buyer, has many questions that the seller needs to answer. In addition to this question, the prospect may also want to negotiate the price of the car. The sales process is not complete until the buyer pays for the car and he has ownership over his property.
Notwithstanding, many businesses don’t make sales, and some are making sales, but not enough. The business may not generate sales for many reasons, and this is why sales representatives turn to “cold calling” to survive. When you call a potential customer that you have no prior contact with to discuss business deals, you are “cold calling”.
In the past, many business owners have used this means to reach more customers and close more deals. However, some business owners see cold calling as annoying and stressful. This is why today’s post is designed to help business owners with essential tips that they can use to make a business transaction successful when they make a call with a potential customer.
If you have been experiencing problems with how to close deals and handle objections from a client, this content is a must-read for you. Don’t fail to read till the end to enjoy a bonus point.
Pre-call research is essential
When you offer people what they don’t need, it will be difficult for them to listen to you. You can’t call a prospect out of anywhere and start discussing things they don’t want to hear, and you expect them to listen to you. This is why pre-call research is essential to know if the client will be interested in the fantastic business offer that you have got. Please, don’t call a prospect without comprehensive research about their needs.
Good timing
Awful timing has caused more harm than good in sales. Many sales persons believe that it is essential for them to get on a call with a prospect early in the morning. However, many prospects will see this as being rude, and their reply will be annoying to cope with. As a sales representative, you must find a better time to call them. If you can do this, you will increase your sales performance.
Expect rejection and objections
Many sales persons usually get discouraged because they don’t get a YES from the first call. It is almost impossible to hear a positive reply from a prospect when you call for the first time. Know this and enjoy peace of mind! It is expected for customers to have their doubts and fear. It is your responsibility to clear them of all suspicion and assure them.
Your call should be a dialogue
As a sales representative, avoid talking endlessly and allow your prospect to say something. Give the customer enough time to talk about what they need. In the process, you will understand what they are afraid of. People want to know that there is something to gain; not everyone welcomes a long speech. When you are on a call, be conversational, don’t rush to hear a YES. Instead, work towards having a conversation that will help the prospect.
Consider leaving a voicemail
This is essential because not everyone will pick up your call. People are busy making a living, and they have no time to spend on a call. Another reason why there is no answer to your call might be because your number is unknown. This is why you should leave a voicemail, and the prospect might give you a call later.
BONUS
Write a cold calling script
Sales representatives have admitted that it is not an easy task to call several people a day. Talking to a person is hard enough, and these people have to reach different customers. It’s more complicated when you don’t know what to say to those clients over the call. This is why having a call script is essential to serve as guidance.
If you are a newbie in sales, this script is a must-have for you to help you in handling obnoxious customers. The script should contain advice and answers to frequently asked questions. If you got distracted by a prospect during the call, you could use your script to find your way on what to talk about.
Cold calling is excellent if you have the skills to handle clients’ objections. However, it can get annoying because people don’t like to receive unexpected phone calls. They might want to hang up as soon as they pick up the call. However, there are many ways to gain their attention, and they will listen to your business pitch.
Whether cold calls work for your business or not, please don’t make it your only business strategy. The conversion rate for cold calling is not high. Only a few of those calls were a success. Similar to other business strategies, cold calling also has its rough patch. You can only jeopardise the expansion of your business if you depend on only those calls your sales representative makes to customers.
I hope this content is necessary for your business success. Suppose it is; please like and share this post. In the section below, comment on this post by telling us one of your business strategies that have been successful in the past.
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