Telephone sales script. Cold calling - is this telephone sales technique effective?
A script is a written algorithm of actions, phrases, questions and answers. Scripts are needed by everyone who communicates with the client. Especially if this is the “first line” - telephone or live contact with the client. Scripts allow you to standardize the service, reduce stress, save time, and allow employees to confidently conduct a conversation by managing the dialogue. Scripts lay out the diversity of events like moves on a chessboard. Knowing your options, you can always choose the right move.
The implementation of standards (scripts) significantly simplifies the lives of employees and clients, and also leads to increased business results, strengthens reputation and forms internal discipline. And this stage for an organization means a transition from chaos to structure. By introducing standards, the company moves to new level.
How to create scripts? Briefly the scheme is:
- You study the business process, the entry and exit points of communications, how contact with the client occurs now. Break it down into stages/parts
- Observe work in the fields / listen to telephone recordings and record errors
- Study how competitors work / call leading companies under the guise of a client / collect diagrams
- Use common sense and the experience of a trainer, write a prototype script
- Discuss and approve with management
You can use the training to create scripts. To do this, we model the same stages, only the participants themselves draw the processes and model the scripts.
It may look like the photo. It can be seen that first in the group we identified processes, clients and products. And then they pasted phrases and questions. After that I transferred everything to electronic variant. So during the training, together with the group, we created a prototype of the scripts.
Let's return to the option of creating scripts by the trainer. I'll tell you about specific example beauty salon. The request from management can be expressed in one phrase: “Teach how to speak on the phone correctly”
On the one hand, this is a very simple request. But on one condition: if there are work standards. If no one in the company knows the standards, the coach is entrusted with a mission that at first seems impossible: to write standards, namely telephone conversation scripts. In other words, the script telephone conversation, specific questions and expected answers from the employee.
If there is no support in the form of " Salon guest service standard”, or another simple regulatory document, effective control levers disappear. You can't manage what you can't measure!
An example of creating scripts for a beauty salon (Algorithm)
| Action | Result |
| STEP #1 The trainer makes incoming calls to all employees. “Mystery shopper” |
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EXAMPLE No. 1 “Situation analysis – processing incoming calls”
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| STEP #2 We outline the required points of the script |
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EXAMPLE No. 2 “Break the conversation into standard stages”
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| STEP#3 We process the results through several information filters (at least two filters) |
Independent work with information: searching for scripts from related industries on the Internet
Calls to competitors in the industry, recording and analysis of the phone call Choosing “catchy phrases”
Call or meet with an expert in this field ( I called my colleague from the beauty industry) |
EXAMPLE No. 3 “TRIAL SCRIPT (fragments)”
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| STEP #4 Viability testing during training, together with employees (administrators) P.S. I gave the administrators the task to approach the stylists THEMSELVES and find out the advantage of each service, according to the specialists | |
Everyone wants to learn how to talk on the phone with their clients. Not just to talk, but to be able to offer him something that he cannot refuse. In any case, this is difficult to do. This skill will be discussed right now.
A lead is the person who is most likely to take the action you want. Not missing it is a whole art that can and should be mastered. This can be done by studying a sales script, which is a kind of conversation plan with your lead. And the execution of this algorithm, so to speak, leads to the achievement of the necessary goal.
Telephone sales scripts
In each specific situation, different goals are pursued. That is, all sales scripts have their own characteristics. But still there is general rules to plan a telephone conversation.
1. Equality.
You must always remember that you are in no way inferior to your client. Just like he did to you. That is, there is no need to persuade anyone or humiliate yourself in front of anyone. But there is no need to be rude or behave boorishly. You must prove yourself to be a true professional. Behave in a friendly manner and try to help your interlocutor in solving a particular problem.
2. Cooperation.
The sales script should include about 10 questions, the answers to which you know before the conversation begins. The subject of the conversation can be a thought that passes between you and your client like a ball. To control this ball, you need to constantly have a conversation, that is, ask questions.
Telephone sales script example
How to start telesales?
There is a phrase - “we all come from childhood.” Enough deep meaning hidden in this statement. An adult is like a child. Before giving, he will want confirmation of his intentions.
For example:
- Good afternoon. I'm Nikolai. I was interested in information about...
- Good afternoon. My name is Alexander. Did I understand you correctly, you want...?
- Yes.
- Great. Please clarify - how exactly...?
-Let's do it this way...
- How can I find you?
- I'm from …
Telephone sales scripts: Client pressure
The introductory part of the conversation, which goes according to our plan, allows you to understand what exactly your client needs. And what is his interest? Questions like what, why and why provide a guarantee that the client will not back down later, saying, “I’m not interested in this.”
Don't forget to clarify the important points for you: email address, phone number, payment method, etc. At the same time, do not put pressure on your interlocutor. He needs to be given time to make a decision. But don't give the client the right to dictate terms. Set your own rules and set time boundaries.
- Great, Nikolai. We proceed as follows - in two days I will send you a commercial offer according to your wishes. After that, I will contact you and we will find out about payment and so on.
Clarifying questions like:
Fine? Do you agree? If you don't mind?
Such moments do not show your weakness, but your desire to find a solution that satisfies everyone.
Telephone sales scripts: Conversation after thought
The second telephone conversation will be easier. Both you and your interlocutor know each other and the purpose of the conversation. It is important to finally determine the client’s intentions.
For example:
- Hello. Hello. Is this Nikolai?
- Yes, hello.
- Alexander is bothering you. We talked about...
- Yes. I remember.
– I worked on the promised commercial proposal. All your wishes are met. The document has been sent to you at email.
- Yes. Received and reviewed.
– How’s your mood? Are you ready to cooperate with our company on the proposed terms?
And then comes the moment of climax. If the client responds positively, the conversation continues. The deal is done and everyone is happy.
A negative answer signals to you that the client is unwilling to cooperate or that there are circumstances preventing it. There is no need to persuade or prove anything here.
You just have to ask about the reason for the refusal - "Great. Finally, I wanted to ask what exactly prevented you from accepting our offer?”
Usually, a direct question is followed by an equally specific answer. If your capabilities allow you to decide this problem, suggest this. “How timely. We have a great offer especially for you. You can …"
Solving a client's problem will ensure that they are not missed.
He will understand that all his obstacles are no longer a hindrance. Selling a product or service will become much easier. When the reason is made up, the client will continue to lead you by the nose. You shouldn't keep it in this case.
Telephone sales scripts: Handling objections
Very important point, some clients begin to merge precisely from undeveloped ones, especially such popular ones as expensive or too cheap, scripts need to provide options for closing basic objections, this will help increase conversion.
Objections begin to arise when the buyer is unsure about the appropriateness of the purchase, when questions that could prevent objections are not asked.
To process an objection competently, it is necessary to identify its truth. If the objection is false (the client can simply express it), then no thoughtful and logical argument will work.
Tell me, is this the only reason that holds you back? or is there anything else?
Let's say we settle this issue. Is there anything else we need to discuss?
Let's say we took into account your wishes in this, are there any other questions? ...in principle, do you agree, the only thing we need to resolve is the issue with “indicate the nuance that has arisen”?
An approximate algorithm for working with objections, used if the client has an interest in the deal, but is stopped by one reason
1. Listen
2. If the objection is typical for the context of the conversation (send by email, we are not interested, etc.) use the processing provided in your script (examples can be downloaded from the link at the end of the article).
3. If the objection may hide a deeper reason for the refusal (it’s expensive, I’ll think about it, I’ll call you back, etc.), then it is necessary to identify its truth and process the final objection using a script.
4. Proceed to the next step of negotiations (processing another objection that has arisen, re-processing the same objection, or discussing actions on the transaction or the next step of interaction with the client)
Try it and start selling over the phone. Good luck and great results.
Attention!
I offer the development of sales scripts, cold or hot calling, any product or service, for sales over the phone or in person. Fast, professional, efficient!
I accept orders by email: R eklama@site or
There is no business without sales. An employee who masters effective cold calling techniques is valued by the company's management and receives a good salary.
Cold calling is one of the most difficult and, at the same time, effective methods sales
What are cold phone calls
Cold calling is an initial telephone call to potential clients who have never worked with your company before, with the goal of attracting them to the ranks of your customers.
The client is not waiting for a call. The call is called “cold” because the person on the other end of the line treats it coldly. Even if he needs the proposed service or product, you need to try hard to interest him.
Cold selling techniques are complex and require effort, experience, and good knowledge of the product or service being offered by the seller.
Video - how to make cold calls, examples for a manager:
Mastering the cold calling technique is not easy due to the many barriers that must be overcome in order for the call to be completed effectively. Often you have to listen to the interlocutor’s refusals and objections and reluctance to talk.
All this affects the mood of the manager making cold calls. To make such calls more effective, you need to constantly train and improve.
In what cases are they used?
This active sales tool is essential for B2B sales. IN Lately cold calling has become increasingly used when working with ordinary people.
Cold calling is needed:
- to constantly increase the number of new clients;
- when launching a new project, to inform the market that a new organization has appeared;
- to update a large base of potential clients: when there is a list of potential clients, and from it those who are most profitable for work are selected.
Cold calling in Russia is more often used in the following areas of business:
- forwarding companies - advertising rarely works, and clients are scattered throughout the country and abroad, there is no possibility of personal meeting;
- advertising agencies, magazines, print publishers - use calls to find new advertisers;
- manufacturing companies selling goods for business - to search for new markets and expand the customer base;
- wholesale companies selling goods to organizations;
- real estate agencies - for the purpose of selling commercial real estate.
Conversation outline
For a cold call to be successful and produce the desired result, you should prepare for the conversation in advance and draw up a rough outline. The conversation itself can be divided into the following stages:
- call to the secretary, switching to the decision maker (DM);
- getting to know decision makers, introducing your company, establishing contact;
- clarification of needs, presentation of a company, product or service, elaboration of objections;
- completing contact and scheduling an appointment.
Video - how to overcome the fear of making cold calls:
You should not call all clients indiscriminately. Please study in detail before calling potential client, his portrait, possible needs. According to only 20% of customers make up 80% of the profits.
How to bypass the secretary
When working with organizations, there is often an obstacle between the sales manager and the person who makes the decision - a secretary or personal assistant. Many calls go through it throughout the day. Often people call and offer something.
In order not to distract the manager, the secretary does not call him, but answers that nothing is needed and hangs up, even if the product and service are really useful for the organization. How more company, the more difficult it is to bypass the secretary.
In such cases, techniques are used to bypass the secretary. Here are some of them:
- first find out the name of the decision-maker and when calling the secretary, ask to contact the right person, calling him by name and patronymic. The secretary will decide that the call is repeated and will connect without asking unnecessary questions;
- use swiftness and suddenness, say in a confident tone: “Hello, please connect me with the commercial director.” Further questions should be answered briefly and confidently. For example, to the question: “Who are you?” We answer: “Serey Ivanov.” “What kind of company?” — “Company A”;
- instill confidence that this is not the first time you have called. You can say: “hello, company “A”, switch to the purchasing department”;
- call when the secretary is not there. This could be lunch time, the end of the work day, or 30 minutes before the start.
To get results, you must follow following rules in communication with the secretary:
- speak confidently;
- there is no need to tell the secretary about your proposal, since he does not make decisions;
- Before calling the manager, you should find out his full name, this will help you bypass the secretary much faster.
Video - how to bypass the secretary during cold calls:
How to start a conversation with a decision maker and get him interested
A conversation with a decision maker is the most important stage call. The overall result and prospects for working with this company depend on how it goes. When you make the first call, you should not try to sell. The main purpose of the first telephone conversation is to collect information to draw up a profitable offer and a meeting agreement.
Here is an approximate diagram of a conversation with a decision maker:
At the beginning of the conversation, you should introduce yourself and identify your company. Briefly tell us what she does. It is better not to mention the position of sales manager, as it evokes unnecessary associations in the decision maker, fear that something will be imposed on him.
After the introduction, it would be correct to clarify whether the person has time to talk. You can start like this: “Hello, my name is Sergey, I represent company A, which produces raw materials for companies like yours. Is it convenient for you to talk now?”
If the decision maker says that he has time, then we continue the conversation using the sales script. If not, you will have to find out what time is convenient to call him. You should offer the person several call time options so that he can choose from them. We call back at the agreed time.
During the first conversation, it is necessary to arouse the person’s interest: tell about your company, the advantages of work, say that you work with the same companies as the one you are calling. Try not to talk about numbers or a specific proposal; this information should be left for the meeting.
Basic rules for conversation with a decision-maker:
- the main goal of the first call is not to sell, but to get acquainted, interest and schedule a meeting;
- The recommended duration of the call is no more than 5 minutes; as the time increases, the effectiveness of the call decreases;
- you need to speak confidently, smile when talking, as the client feels the mood of the caller;
- your interlocutor should be called by name;
- The key to successful sales is to feel the client’s mood and be able to adapt to it.
To make a presentation that may interest the decision maker, offer something interesting that makes the product stand out from the mass of other offers and explain how the client will benefit from the offer. It could be:
- promotion or super offer;
- cost reduction;
- increase in sales;
- reducing time costs.
Dealing with client objections
At the very beginning of a conversation or after a presentation, you can hear objections from your interlocutor. The main types of objections when cold calling:
- “we already have everything”;
- “we are not interested in the offer”;
- “I don’t have time to talk to you”;
- “Send us an offer, we’ll consider it.”
Having heard such phrases, you should not convince the client otherwise and prove the benefits of your offer. This is a common mistake and can end the conversation.
To avoid objections you should:
- from the beginning of the conversation, try not to give reasons for objections, ask more, be interested in the interlocutor’s situation, his concerns, which can be solved thanks to the product or service you offer;
- If an objection is voiced, it is necessary to answer them easily, arousing the interlocutor’s interest in continuing the conversation.
To the client’s response: “We already have everything,” you can answer: “I understand that you don’t want to change anything, everything is debugged and works great for you. But we will be able to make an offer for your company that will be profitable, because new is development.”
Video - how to work with objections:
How to make an appointment
Having worked through the objections, you need to end the call by scheduling a meeting, which is main goal first cold call. You can offer several time options so that the client has no alternative - to meet or not. You should also clarify the nuances:
- date and time;
- place;
- meeting participants;
- discuss the purpose of the meeting;
- get confirmation from the client.
When ending the conversation, you need to leave your contact phone number, renegotiate the meeting agreement and say goodbye on a positive note.
Cold calling scripts
A call script is a pre-thought-out or programmed sequence of a conversation with a client, established in the company. It is convenient to use ready-made modules when making an initial call to a client. There are rigid and flexible scripts.
Video - 24 tips on how to create your own cold calling script (part 1):
Hard- used when selling a simple product, where there are not many options for customer answers. Such a script does not require the operator large quantity knowledge and skills.
Flexible- used for complex goods, involving ambiguous sentences. Such scripts require managers creative approach and preparation.
Video - 24 tips on how to create your own cold calling script (part 2):
When developing a script, it is necessary to take into account the specifics of the industry and the characteristics of clients. Standard, familiar phrases irritate people and cause rejection, so you should develop a unique script, different from other organizations, that will arouse the interest of your opponent.
How to organize: full-time managers or call center
An entrepreneur may be faced with the question of what is better to organize: cold calls on the basis of their organization and include them in the functionality of their managers or provide calling to a call center. To decide on this issue, all the pros and cons of these options are highlighted and considered.
The main advantages of outsourcing cold calls to call centers:
- there is no need to recruit and train your staff, in the call center the staff is already trained in such calls and has experience in making calls;
- no need to create sales scripts;
- receiving a full report on the work done.
The disadvantages include:
- lack of personal control;
- lack of specific knowledge about your specific product. Call center specialists are working on several projects in parallel; their employees only handle your order and know everything about it;
- minimal focus on results. Your staff, if motivated, is more focused on results than call center specialists.
Contacting a call center is beneficial when it is justified by calculations and the cost-benefit ratio. IN small organizations, where hiring an additional employee and training him is unprofitable, to increase sales you should contact a call center.
Video - an example of a cold call according to the scheme:
If an organization has many employees who interact with clients, then investing in systematic training and motivation of its own staff brings good results over time.
In this case, it is better to choose the option of training your own staff and including cold calling in the functionality of your employees. At the same time, managers should be financially motivated for good results.
Pros and cons of cold calling
The main advantages of cold calling are:
- saving time and money due to the absence of the need to travel when meeting a client for the first time;
- faster communication by phone compared to correspondence;
- the ability to understand the client’s reaction over the phone to the information received;
- the opportunity to ask clarifying questions in a conversation and eliminate misunderstandings;
- the opportunity to lay out cheat sheets in front of you during a telephone conversation and necessary documents and look into them if necessary.
Cold calling also has limitations that must be overcome:
- the interlocutor perceives the call as a nuisance, distracting him from his own affairs;
- It’s easier for a client to refuse or come up with excuses over the phone;
- the opponent can end the conversation and hang up at any time;
- it is impossible to track a person’s reaction, since gestures and facial expressions are not visible, conclusions about the reaction can only be drawn from intonation;
- there is no way to support words with graphs or images;
- When making a phone call, there is a high probability of misinterpretations.
Conclusion
Mastery of cold calling techniques does not come to most managers right away. This requires experience, patience, constant learning and motivation.
Having learned the technique of conducting such sales, writing scripts, methods of working with objections and other elements of a cold call, an employee improves his financial situation and increases the profit of the company for which he works.
A brief one will help you understand the difference between them.
What you should pay attention to when submitting the acceptance certificate for completed work.
With the help of cold calls, it is unlikely that you will be able to sell equipment for the production of self-tapping screws; in such cases, several meetings will be required.
Video - examples of real cold phone calls to set up meetings:
One of the important components that affects the level of sales is the script. Even though everyone's target audience is different, everyone's communication style is the same. Some companies develop sales scripts on their own, others buy ready-made scripts. From this article you will learn which speech modules are used and how to write a script correctly.
Script development technology
When developing a script template, pay attention to its blocks. A high-quality script for sales managers makes it possible to more effectively influence the client. There are numerous types of sales scripts: when working with, with, with direct sales, when concluding contracts, making an appointment.
Now we will present the most common script diagram used when talking on the phone. During a personal meeting, for example, the first block is skipped, subsequent stages can be left.
The script includes 8 blocks:
- Walking around the secretary.
- Greetings.
- Identifying problems or clarifying needs.
- Competent proposals for solving problems.
- Offer of current shares.
- Demand clarification.
- Processing objections.
- Completion of the transaction.
Now we will tell you in more detail about each block and give examples of dialogue.
Secretary's rounds
When you call the company, in most cases you end up with a secretary. Its task is to weed out unnecessary calls. Often the secretary receives an order from the manager to dump all trade proposals. Secretaries have their own scripts when communicating on the phone, and it can be difficult to get past this stage. Therefore, you need to be connected to a competent person. Think about how this can be done in your case.
Example dialogue:
Secretary: Good afternoon. Solnyshko Company, how can I help you?
You: Good afternoon. I'm Natalia, I represent the company (name). We are partners of many companies in your profile. So we would like to offer you cooperation. Can you connect me with the person who solves these issues?
Secretary: Okay, I’m connecting.
Greetings
After connecting with the person in charge, you open the script and start a dialogue. First, it is important to find out whether this person can really make appropriate decisions.
The dialogue might look something like this:
You: Good afternoon. I'm Natalya, a representative of the company (name). Tell me, please, how can I contact you?
Representative of the company: Valery Petrovich.
You: Valery Petrovich, tell me, are you resolving issues regarding (specify the reason for the call)?
Company representative: Yes, did you want to offer something?
Troubleshooting
After establishing contact, we move on to the next stage. The main thing here is to identify the demand and not give the person the opportunity to immediately say “no”. This can be done with the help of correctly posed questions to which the client will definitely answer “yes”. Let's give an example. Let's say you offer office supplies, the dialogue might look like this:
You: You write with a pen, right?
Company representative: Yes.
You: And do you regularly run out of them?
Company representative: Naturally.
You: Then you need to buy new ones.
Company representative: Yes, what do you want to offer?
The main thing is to identify the demand and not give the person the opportunity to immediately say “no”.
Competent proposal for solving problems
Now that the client is ready to listen to your proposal, you can voice it. After all, the interlocutor has already confirmed his need for your services. The proposal should be brief and interest the representative of the company, for this you can use various levers.
You: We are ready to offer you office supplies High Quality at low prices.
Offer of current shares
In order to strengthen the effect of the offer, tell the client about the promotions that you currently have, which you can offer when concluding a contract on a long-term basis.
You: By the way, I would like to note that we have special benefits for regular customers (state them).
By offering a promotion, you can push the client to conclude an agreement in the near future. This is a very effective method.
For example:
You: And today we have a promotion - when purchasing goods in the amount of 20,000 rubles or more, we provide an additional 10% discount.
Demand clarification
In the third stage, you have already received confirmation of demand from the client, and when you ask him the same questions again, you will naturally receive positive answers. But now you've offered him enough profitable terms, and this needs to be emphasized.
For example:
You: You said that you are interested in more favorable conditions, so this is what we are offering you, right?
Elaboration of objections
This is the penultimate stage, and the client may slip away by making claims that you are not prepared for. Therefore, think in advance about the questions that a company representative may ask you and prepare the correct answers. In this case competent technique The script will help you conclude many profitable contracts. Questions may concern not only the cost of the product, but also its delivery, quality, and the activities of competitors. Let's give an example of how you can respond to an objection.
Company representative: We already have a good office supply supplier.
You: But everything is learned by comparison, you haven’t worked with us and cannot evaluate our services and the quality of our goods. Let's try to conclude a medium-term contract and you can compare.
Questions may concern not only the cost of the product, but also its delivery, quality, and the activities of competitors.
Completing the deal
At this stage, a competent manager receives a positive decision from a representative of the company and begins to draw up an agreement and all relevant forms.
The sales department most often uses such scripts to effective promotion of your product. The value of a well-developed script is that even a beginner will be able to react correctly to certain situations and successfully sell a product.
In order for you to have working scripts, test them in action several times, evaluate their effectiveness, and if necessary, supplement and make changes. Analyze speech, intonation, sequence of questions.
We have given an example of a script that is advisable to use when selling a product. But a script can be written not only for sales, but also for setting up meetings, concluding contracts and many other actions. To do this, you need to select questions correctly and distribute them into blocks.
Sales scripts– one of my favorite destinations. And not only because they are expensive and relatively easy to write. This is perhaps the only direction in copywriting where you can see the result of your work in real time. Moreover, only here you can check the performance of certain modules yourself by communicating directly with the target audience.
That thrill when you pick up the phone in anticipation of the first phone call. The face and ears turn red, the pulse quickens, the hands become clammy, and the adrenaline goes through the roof. Honestly, sometimes it seems that it’s easier to slide down an extreme slide at a water park a la “kamikaze” than to make the first cold call using a developed script. However, over time you get used to it and the feelings dull. But that's not the point.
This is a kamikaze slide at the Brazilian water park Insano. And sometimes it seems like moving out is easier than done phone call according to the script... At least until you go upstairs.
With this article I want to solemnly open a new section on the blog dedicated to telephone sales scripts (and not only). In it, I will share my experiences and approaches to “programming” managers so that they call and sell products, services or ideas more effectively.
What are sales scripts for calls?
Telephone sales scripts(or, their other name is speech modules) are pre-prepared phrases that the manager uses in a conversation with the client. In other words, this is a kind of program, an algorithm for the manager, what and how to tell the client in all possible situations and with any remarks from the latter. If you regularly read my blog, you've probably noticed that I often compare copywriting to engineering. One of the most illustrative examples here is pure programming. Only the performers are not computers, but people. Living people.
Sales scripts– verbatim written remarks with marked intonations and explanations. This type is usually used by call centers or inexperienced sales managers.
Writing scripts is not a cheap pleasure. And this good news for a copywriter. average cost a set of speech modules, depending on the goals and objectives, varies from 60 to 600 thousand rubles ($1000-$10,000).
However, it is important to understand that this money is not paid for nothing. And despite all the seemingly simplicity of development, a scriptographer (as copywriters who write custom scripts are sometimes called) requires real sales skills. Without them, it is almost impossible to write a working script the first time.
Where are sales scripts used?
Yes everywhere. Where there is communication, there are sales scripts everywhere. And this applies not only to business, but also Everyday life. Almost every person in front of important meeting(it doesn’t matter whether it’s meeting the parents of your future spouse or an interview to get new job) creates in the imagination intellectual models of future interlocutors and plays out certain conversational situations in the mind. That's why everyone creates scripts all the time, regardless of whether they get paid for it or not. Another thing is that not everyone develops this skill and monetizes it.
If we are talking about scripts for business (for which the copywriter is paid), then we can distinguish two main areas.
Scripts for incoming telephone conversations. The simplest option, because the manager working according to the script is the “receiving party”. Those. it’s people calling him and they need something from him (information, goods, services, etc.). In other words, the manager has a strong position here, and communication is easier.
Scripts for outgoing telephone conversations. Most difficult option, because the manager is in a weak “asking” position. They weren’t expecting him, and he’s “calling here for some reason” and “offering something.” It is more difficult to communicate from such a position. Especially if you have no experience.
The approaches to developing scripts in both cases are very different, both in strategy and logic. In particular, the main difference lies in the sequence of conversation stages. In the case of incoming calls, the client is already at least warmed up, and the stage of processing objections begins immediately. In the case of outgoing calls, there are certain “preludes”: going around the secretary, contacting the decision maker, calling for interest, etc. More on this below.
How to write a sales script: “golden rule”
Do you know what I like most about scripts? This is an absolutely unpredictable direction in which there are no rules. Actually, this can be called the only, and therefore “golden” rule. You can write a script exactly following the experts' proven recommendations, and the script may fail miserably. Or worse.
A good example. I have a friend. He is a business consultant. One of his clients had scripts compiled by professional scriptographers according to all the canons. And their main tragedy was that they consistently failed at the first stage - bypassing the secretary. No matter how hard the scriptographers tried, nothing worked. And so, my friend comes to consult this company. Naturally, they immediately complain to him that there are scripts for cold calling, compiled according to all the rules, but... They don’t work!
My friend takes it, looks at the scripts, sighs and says:
- So, who is the toughest secretary you have here?
- Here in this company N - there is a beast there!
“Okay, look: I’ll show you a trick.”
- So, quickly, she connected me with the boss!!!
The secretary is shocked and starts to say something into the phone, but he doesn’t wait, interrupts rudely and begins to raise his voice even more:
- What are you telling me?! I didn't ask if he was busy or free! Quickly took it and connected it! Why should I waste my time on you?
The secretary, under such pressure, tried to simultaneously resist, dampen the conflict, and get at least some information. But this only made the situation worse. My friend got into character and interrupted her every remark, with increasing rage and some kind of angry breath in his voice:
- What do you mean, who is speaking?! Ivanov says. I-va-nov. So tell the boss. And if you make me wait one more minute...
After this, the secretary apparently realized that the lesser evil was to connect the interlocutor with the boss (out of harm’s way), and then getting the boss himself interested was only a matter of technique.
Why am I saying this? Moreover, sales and communication using scripts (or without them) is a game without rules. Moreover, 99% of novice managers will not be able to repeat my friend’s trick. And, alas, I am no exception. What is needed here is character, experience, charisma, assertiveness and unconditional self-confidence, which are transmitted through a non-verbal channel. Plus, it plays a huge role here emotional intellect, to which I also plan to devote a separate article. Subscribe to blog updates so you don't miss anything.
Two key principles when writing a sales script
Despite the fact that there are no rules as such when developing scripts, there are two principles, knowledge of which significantly increases the chances of success.
1. Initiative
In any conversation there is always someone who leads the conversation and someone who follows. As a rule, the initiative in a conversation always remains with the one who asks the questions. Unfortunately, in most companies, the manager’s conversation with the client is structured according to the scheme below. Please note that the conversation is incoming when the client calls the company himself, and the manager initially has a stronger position.
Client: Hello, hello!
Manager: Hello!
Client:
Manager: 15,000 rubles.
Client: How long does development take?
Manager: 1-2 weeks.
Client: Do you give discounts?
Manager: Yes, when ordering more than 5 CP.
Client: What if it doesn't work?
Manager: This is a risk, and it is always there.
Client: Okay, thanks, I'll think about it and call you back if anything happens.
Manager: Yes, of course, call! All the best!
Do you see? In this example, the conversation is completely controlled by the client because he is asking questions. Managers who conduct conversations according to this principle never sell. They just sit on the shipment in the hope that the client will call and say:
And here he told him:
- Take it!
And everyone seems to be fine. And it would be good if the manager worked for a monopoly company. But in practice there are many competitors, and such managers simply drain potential clients that they could “close in a deal.” It is for them that sales scripts are written.
A good specialist always takes the initiative. If the manager is weak, then the interception of initiative must be provided for in the script. See how this is done using the same example.
Client: Hello, hello!
Manager: Hello! How can I help you?
Client: Tell me, how much does it cost you to develop a commercial proposal?
Manager: Are you interested or have a commercial offer?
Client: Um... What's the difference?
Manager: Cold is when you send an offer in bulk. Hot - after a preliminary call. They differ in the principle of operation, volume, price and timing. I can guide you more precisely. Tell us what you sell, to whom and how the sales process is currently structured?
Client: Well, we are a manufacturer, we sell gas silicate blocks. First, we call and ask for a commercial offer. We tried to draw up our own, but it doesn’t work well, there are few contracts...
In this example, the manager seizes the initiative and begins to establish rapport (emotional connection) with the client. He begins to control the conversation and ask questions. With the help of questions, the manager gets to know the client, his business and problems better, which means it’s easier for him to advise something substantive, inspire trust and handle objections (“expensive”, “I’ll think about it”, “I’m not sure if this will suit us”, “no”) money”, etc.).
It would seem that in both cases both the client and the manager are the same, but how strikingly the dialogue differs, depending on whose hands the initiative is. If we abstract from the topic of the conversation and pay attention to the initiative, then the conversation between the manager and the client is somewhat reminiscent of a game of table tennis. The one who has the initiative always plays on the offensive, and the one who does not have the initiative is forced to play on defense.
A scripted telephone conversation is somewhat reminiscent of table tennis. It is easier for the one who has the initiative to win.
2. Consistency
This principle is very simple, but also very important. Many people discount it, for good reason. The essence of the principle is that you break the conversation into simple steps, and track how effectively it flows from one to another. For example, a conversation may have the following stages.
- Performance
- Output to (DM)
- Arousing interest
- Getting the point across
- Objection processing
- Translation to next stage(compred, meeting, presentation, etc.)
Managers often do not take into account the sequence and lose clients already at the stage of initial communication:
- Hello, hello! We offer wood at a price of XXX rubles per cubic meter. Interested?
- No.
- Well, excuse me then.
There are, of course, exceptions, and direct sales are successful. But only when the manager immediately gets to the decision-maker, and when the “head-on” proposal itself is strong. For example, if the price is the lowest on the market. In other cases, the results are disastrous. On average, it is believed that the effectiveness of cold calling is 2% - this is a very good result. Although, in my opinion, this is a total fiasco. Just imagine: 98 potential clients out of 100 refuse. Tough.
When you build a conversation according to sequence, you always know what stage you are at and where the main “drain” occurs. For example, if you successfully contacted a decision maker, but he doesn’t even want to listen to you, then there was a failure at the stage of generating interest, and the script needs to be adjusted. Or, even worse, if the manager cannot get around the secretary.
In any case, it is very important to know at what stage of the funnel there are problems and how critical they are. Then they can be easily eliminated. To track the effectiveness of promotion, you can enter a KPI, which is calculated using a simple formula: divide the number of stage closures by the number of conversations and multiply by 100%.
Progress of a telephone conversation using a sales script.
Another important point: when you have written a script and are testing it, it is important that the statistical sample is reliable.
Reliable sampling when testing a sales script is carrying out sufficient quantity calls so that statistical patterns can be judged. For example, if you made 1 call and received 1 consent, this does not mean that your script is 100% effective. Although the numbers all add up.
Each specific case has its own reliable sample. You need to look individually. For example, in a mass market, 300-500 calls may be required, while in complex B2B markets, where potential customers can be counted on one hand, each call is worth its weight in gold.
And one more important point. When testing a sequence of scripts, it is extremely important to get as much feedback as possible. I had a case when the script worked perfectly in the niche of selling PVC windows, but failed miserably in the niche of selling spare parts for special equipment. And the reason for the failure was identified only thanks to feedback (it was hidden in the specifics of processing applications).
Default Factors
It is believed that if a potential client calls you, then he is already initially interested in your products or services. This is in theory. In practice, everything is different. Therefore, when developing scripts, copywriters, as a rule, proceed from the “axiom of the worst evil.” It sounds scary, but don't be scared. In other words, we create scripts based on the worst case scenario of a conversation. So to speak, so that there are no disappointments. On the other hand, if the conversation doesn’t go according to the worst-case scenario, it’s better for us, the task is simplified! Worst case scenarios can be described something like this.
For incoming calls:
- The client is rather not interested in our products and in us as a seller.
- The client doesn't trust us. Moreover, he has no reason to believe us until we prove otherwise.
- The client is not going to buy anything from us.
- The client is skeptical or even hostile to everything we say until we win him over.
- The client trusts competitors more than us.
- The client intends to buy from a competitor, and calls us to once again make sure that his decision is correct.
- The client does not rule out manipulating us for his own purposes, for example, to bring down the price or “push” the current supplier.
For outgoing calls or meetings:
- The client doesn’t know us and can easily live without us for at least 100 years.
- The client does not need our goods and services, and he is not going to buy from us until we convince him otherwise.
- The client is completely uncomfortable talking now.
- The client does not want to listen to us, he is not interested in what we want to tell him until we prove otherwise.
- The client does not believe a single word we say.
- The client is convinced that cold calls are aimed at getting in, and therefore initially builds protection against any of our proposals.
In short, we develop a script based on the client’s worst psychotype and worst circumstances. If we solve a problem even in such harsh conditions, then we solve it even more so in simpler situations.
I remember when I developed scripts for one client and implemented it into the sales department, the managers were ready to kill me on the spot. I had to be such an inadequate bastard in simulated calls. But then, in practice, real sales were much easier. At the same time, they honestly told me that they had never met such inadequate clients. However, I am still convinced that it is better to play it safe, and what is hard in training is easy in battle.
Ready-made templates, samples and examples of sales scripts
There is one common misconception. Many business representatives believe that they can develop one ideal script (download, buy, underline what is needed), and then adapt it to any niche. Just know - change the name of the company and the name of the decision maker and, voila! Everything works - the principles are the same, and the speech modules, therefore, too. And this seems to be true... But, again, only in theory. In practice, everything is different.
A little higher, I already told you about how the same script worked brilliantly in one niche and failed miserably in another. And this is far from an isolated case. The fact is that every business has its own specifics. And, yes, if companies are similar in type and business processes, then the same script can work well in both places (which does not negate testing). However, to do this you need to know where, what and how it works.
Yes, you can find ready-made samples, templates and example scripts on the Internet. You can even download them for free. They are positioned as universal, but when blindly copied, without adaptation, they are usually useless. For two reasons.
Reason #1: they do not take into account the specifics of the business
When you start selling over the phone or at a meeting, the interlocutor on the other end of the line always sees whether you are on topic or not. If you are not prepared, then best case scenario They will tell you where your gaps are. At worst, they will point the way in a direction that is not entirely censorship.
Reason #2: they do not take into account the specifics of the target audience
A good example. Very often, the beginning of a conversation in scripts is based on the principles of SPIN sales. This is when four types of questions are asked in sequence:
- Situational, allow you to determine the current state of affairs (for example, “ Do you provide contextual advertising?”)
- Problematic, identify the relevance of the problem (for example, “ Does it happen that clients cheat on your budget?”)
- Extractive, increase the scale of the problem, “put pressure on the callus” (for example, “ And how much money do you lose on such clicks per month?”)
- Guides, connect the solution to the problem with what we offer (“ Do you want to protect yourself from clicks and loss of money?”)
So here it is. In some niches, this scheme is used with a bang. But try to use it when communicating with suppliers who make purchases on the stock exchange. You will learn a lot of new things about yourself. Therefore, templates can be used, but it is necessary to adapt them to the niche, target audience and specifics of a particular business. Plus, always remember to be consistent. As a rule, it is not described in script templates.
Information for writing a script
Good preparation is half the battle. And here's the good news. Most of Your work is already behind you if you have carried out the basic marketing analysis, which I have already written about. You “sew” all this data into the script, and the more factual information you have on hand, the stronger the script.
Just in case, I will present the mind map here again. Use it to structure the data you have. At the same time, remember that the more you know about a potential client’s business, the greater your chances of hooking him.
Mind map basic marketing analysis to write a sales script (click to enlarge).
How to write a sales script: practical examples
I've been looking for a solution for writing scripts for a very long time. There was a time when I drew these block diagrams.
An example of a block design for a telephone sales script
But such a solution was completely unsuitable for large projects, where the scheme was inflated to several Whatman papers in A0 format, and the connections in it could confuse even a seasoned Stakhanovite spider. In short, at first glance everything looked quite impressive and expensive, but in practice it was extremely inconvenient to use.
There was a time when I used the Axure system to create interactive scripts in HTML format. I uploaded these scripts to my secret server, and everything seemed to be convenient and clear for the client. If not for one big “BUT”. Scripts in this format were very labor-intensive to develop. And I am silent about making changes to them. Even if I had mastered all the master layers, the work of creating the interactive model itself was labor-intensive and thankless. Plus, it was easy to get confused and there was no autosave. And if you forget to renew your hosting, then... In a word, it’s also not an optimal option.
Script fragment in HTML format
Finally, as an option, there are special services. They are also called SaaS platforms ( S ite a s a S service). But I don't trust such services. Firstly, the client pays money, and most often I sign an NDA (Non-disclosure agreement). And if the service leaks, and no SaaS system is immune from this, then I could have problems. In addition, any service may also be unavailable, become a victim of a hacker attack, etc. Plus, not all services are ideal from a usability point of view. In a word, there were also some nuances here, so I also refused this option.
And quite by accident, somewhere (I don’t remember where) I spotted the ideal (in my opinion) option. It can be easily implemented in regular MS Word, Google Docs or any other text editor. The point is this.
You are drawing a table with two columns. In the left column, write what the manager says. On the right are the interlocutor’s possible answers or objections. All objections are made in the form of links. Links lead to anchors. Anchors are subheadings in the left column.
An example of a telephone sales script fragment in Google Docs.
For example, I have block A001, and the secretary’s remark “On what issue” leads to it? To set an anchor, simply select the subheading and style it as Heading 2, for example (if you are using Google Docs). By analogy, you can do it in MS Word.
If you insert a table of contents at the beginning of the script, you will get a rubricator of all possible remarks and objections of a potential client. Great, right? And just.
Finally, as you have already noticed, each replica is numbered with an alphabetic and digital index. Plus, there is a multi-colored fill in the fields. This is done in order to break the script into sequence steps. For example, the first stage for me is going around the secretary. Consequently, I number all the manager’s remarks at this stage under the letter A (A001, A002, A003, etc.) and mark them in sky blue to quickly find the desired stage in the document.
However, note that each stage of the script sequence has its own specific task. And a specific criterion for completing this task. For example, in the case of going around the secretary, your task is to get in touch with the decision-maker, and not to “inform the secretary”, “get to know each other”, “clarify the data”, “tell about the company”, etc. And the criterion here is either we have come out and can communicate with the decision maker, or not. There is no third.
The same is true when talking with a decision maker. Your task is to solve a specific problem in your sequence - to transfer the person to the next stage. That's all. No more, no less. For example, if after communication you have to send a commercial proposal, then only the decision maker’s consent to send him a proposal is important. Everything else (“met”, “talked”, “discussed”, etc.) is considered a failure in the sales funnel and requires mandatory adjustment of the script.
Summary
As I already said, anyone can write a sales script. And every person does this on a non-profit basis. A single copywriting rule also applies here: the more scripts you write and test in practice, the stronger they become. In addition, it is important to understand that there are no perfect scripts the first time. Any script, one way or another, needs to be polished and adjusted after launch based on feedback from managers and clients. Plus, it is important to understand that as testing progresses, more and more new objections will appear, which also need to be added to the script. But I will tell you how to process these objections and select the replicas for the scripts in one of the following articles. Subscribe to blog updates so you don't miss anything.
And remember: you will succeed!