They say that right-brained people are spontaneous, creative, and more emotional than left-brained people are. These individuals are intuitive, problem-solvers, and more comfortable with the unknown. Maybe they are onto something!
If you have ever thought that your sales pitch feels staged or if the approach that you are using is linear and rigid, then you will certainly benefit from this article. In today’s world, B2B telemarketing is not an easy task. You must learn about who the audience is and assess whether the product or service you have to offer will meet their requirements and address their issues. What will you do to create positive relationships with your prospects and optimize your sales call conversions?
Read on to learn about five creative ways that will help improve your sales conversation skills and turn these calls into trust-based sales conversations.
First, let us tap into those right-brained attributes and start with emotions. How do you take your negative thoughts and turn them into positive ones? Try to think about how often you tell yourself the prospect is going to say, “sorry not interested” or “I don’t have the time for this.” These rejections can make you dislike, fear, or even want to avoid sales conversations altogether. How can these conversations be a positive experience if rejection is the most common response you get? Just by having a trust-based sales conversation, you will see that the prospect will feel a sense of trust and comfort. Learn to enjoy the process of building a new relationship by visualizing the prospects as a potential friend. By using open, natural communication you will confidently build relationships based on trust and eliminate all the negative emotions that come along with selling.
What if someone told you that by simply letting go of rehearsed scripts and old behaviors, you will find yourself spontaneously using language that you would use in a natural conversation. Using natural words and phrases vs. scripted lines will transform sales conversations into a refreshing and productive experience. When a call to a prospect sounds scripted and tense, they may immediately begin to feel defensive and untrusting. Instead of controlling the conversation by trying to get them to commit to another meeting, simply ask them “where do you think we should go from here?” This is an effective way to see if they genuinely think that the relationship is a good fit or not. Do not go into the call with any preconceived notions, just let the natural rhythm of the call take you where you need to go.
Next, let’s think about what kind of conversation you might have if you make your sales calls about helping your prospects instead of focusing on the close. As prospects divulge information, you now have the opportunity for mutual exploration. This is not the time to probe them, but instead have a relaxed conversation about their needs. Keep the focus on them during the conversation rather than overwhelming them with charts and presentations. After discussing the issues, asking “what possibility might you suggest at this point?” is a great phrase to create a bridge to more communication. Now you are ready to lead a discussion based on a second meeting where you can display your abilities and discuss real solutions to solving their problems.
Being able to understand your prospect on the first call, is like having a superpower. To truly see if a prospect is a good fit, you need to let go of any assumptions that you might have and let the information you are absorbing be your guide. With your new mindset, you should never feel “forced” to pull someone along and create momentum. Instead, listen and allow the prospect to bring you along their path. It is important to know when the conversation reaches that point where it feels comfortable and appropriate for you to take the call to the next level. This is where you both determine whether you are a fit and where you should go from there.
Save your step-by-step mindset for the next time you need to read an instruction manual!
Sales conversations are not the place to try and move your prospect down a linear process. Remember, the sale is lost at the beginning, not the end. Too many professionals were taught to use structured, linear sales models. Prospects can tell when someone is trying to guide them down an obvious path which they may not be ready for, and this creates a reaction of suspicion and mistrust. By having trust-based sales conversations, potential clients will be more likely to share valuable information about their situation as well as their true needs.
Positive thoughts People focused Open communication
Lose scripts Natural rhythm Don’t control
Listen to needs Focus on feedback Mutual exploration
No assumptions Don’t force process Let them guide
