Are Call Scripts Dead?
I guess it all depends on your definition of a ‘script.’ I was recently reading a question similar to this on focus.com and decided to ask myself the same thing. Inside sales folks have the luxury of keeping scripts in front of them for conversations with their prospects. The question is whether this is actually helpful or detrimental to their performance. Scripts are usually type cast as a document put together in someone else’s words, which is then relayed verbatim to the audience. If this is the ‘script’ your team is using, I believe this is disadvantageous to their performance. On the flip side, if you are an inside sales rep and have the advantage of having a guideline in front of you – use it!
There is a way to prepare a valuable ‘guideline’ for your team that translates into an effective business conversation with their prospects. A successful guideline will encourage your rep to NOT sound scripted and have a conversation that will uncover business opportunities. Here are some tips on creating an effective guideline for your team:
What is the Purpose of Your Call?
The purpose of your call should never be to talk about what you do. As soon as you verify you are speaking with the right person, always have the “purpose of your call”statement prepared. This should assure them you would like to learn about them and their business environment. Your goal is to assure your prospect that you will use their valuable time to effectively talk about their business and not yours – until the time is right of course.
The Importance of Your Transition Statement
After assuring your prospect that you would like to learn more about them, always be prepared with a transition statement. The goal here is to now engage them in conversation. This transition statement should be a question about their business as it applies to your solution. Make it conversational and don’t let it leave room for only a “yes” or “no” answer.
When to Give Them Your “What We Do” Statement
The answer to your transition question can go in two different directions. Your prospect can then start talking about their business or say, “what is it you do?” It is important to know that either answer is a great one – you have engaged conversation. If your prospect asks you about your business, there is no better time to insert a quick and compelling statement on what you do. The goal is to keep it high level, interesting, and brief until you can tailor it to their business. Every teleprospector should have their most effective “what we do” statement prepared. The trick is to NEVER give your prospect your “what we do” before letting them know the purpose of your call is to learn about them.
You Can’t Get Enough Probing Questions!
As a “cold caller,” it is important to always stay on the offense of the conversation. Have questions prepared for your prospect to always guide them to their next step. Your probing questions should be designed to learn about different areas of your prospects business as they relate to your solution. This will help you to relay better information tailored to their needs and the most appropriate next step.
All that being said, I believe scripts should be guidelines on how to set your prospect up with the next step. The most important part of your scripts should be questions designed to engage in a business conversation and thinking about challenges they are facing. From there, you can tailor the next step
appropriately.
What kind of script guidelines do you follow?