Tips On Commanding Respect While Teleprospecting Tough Prospects
A big challenge for most of the newer teleprospecting and inside sales reps I’ve worked with over the years is being able to talk the talk once they get a decision maker on the phone. Let’s assume you’ve worked tirelessly to get a high level title finally engaged in a conversation, but every word that comes out their mouth is an acronym or some industry specific term that’s way over your head. The average rep’s reaction is to panic and not know where to take the conversation. What I tell everyone I have making dials is that you are just as much an “expert” as they are.
Most of us who’ve been in the technology sales world have been there. If we don’t have our sales engineer with us to answer the tough questions we might feel that our binky is missing.
For the inside team, we never have the benefit of an SE when we cold call. What I tell my team is that you may not be a resident expert on every aspect of your technology/service, but you should be considered an expert on what the marketplace is doing. You’re on the phones all day aren’t you? A prospect that wants to be well informed should be interested in listening to someone that can provide them a real-time perspective. You can help to enlighten them on what other companies are doing and specific trends that you’re seeing based on the conversations you’re having all day long.
Here is simple example of a way to turn a conversation around that isn’t getting off to a great start:
Marketing Executive: “We’re already generating more than enough leads for our sales team.”
You: “Many of the executives I speak with on a daily basis recognize the benefit of getting better quality leads over sheer quantity. How are you making sure the best quality leads are landing in front of your sales team?”
In order to get some command over the call, you need to approach each of them with the mindset that you truly have something interesting to share with every executive you speak with - aside from your technology of course. This can at least help to open up the conversation, and THEN give you the window you need to tell them what your technology/service can do make their lives easier.
If you’re new to sales and calling high into organizations, you need to come to terms with the fact that most people you speak with will have on average 15 years more professional experience than you do. The advantage you have is that they’re not the ones cold calling all day. They don’t have the unique insight that you can provide them on their marketplace or what their competition may be up to. Leverage the hell out of that. Consider yourself on the bleeding edge of what is happening now! The average mucky-muck executive should respect that.