Have you ever decided to just pick up the phone and "wing-it" when
cold calling for your cleaning business? How did it go? My guess is
not so well...
When making a sales call you only have about 10 seconds to grab
your prospect's attention so your first impression has to be really
strong. Having a prepared (and practiced) script is essential for
your success.
Practicing your script so it sounds natural is very important. Have
you ever received a call from a telemarketer whom you could tell
was reading from a script? That's NOT the kind of script we want
to use here. Practice with friends or family members so you can have
them play the role of the prospect. You want to have enough flexibility
in the script so if the conversation suddenly changes, you're flexible
enough to go with the flow.
When writing your script, be sure to write the way you talk, and
be sure to get to the point quickly. Don't waste time by saying something
like, "how are you today"? This gives them a chance to
end the call before it's even started. Greet your prospect by name,
and then say, "My name is [John Jones], and I'm with [company
name]."
Next you want to have a simple, yet strong sentence that explains
what you do. For example, "I work with building owners and managers
who have cleaning issues that they've never been able to resolve." You
need to be creative here -- don't say the same thing everyone else
says. Use phrases that help to establish you as an expert. Maybe
something like, "we specialize in...", or "we're known
for...".
Use your niche market to your advantage. If you're calling a bank,
let them know that you also work with other banks in the area. This
lets your prospect know that you're familiar with their type of business.
Plus it's likely that they know other bankers in town so if you can
drop a name, this is a good time to do it.
Next you want to describe your service stating benefits, not features.
At this point in the conversation, they don't care that you're bonded
and insured, but they probably do care that you specialize in marble
floor care if they have a beautiful new marble floor. They're also
interested in how you can save them money so think about specific
ways you're able to save them money.
The goal of the phone call should be to make an appointment with
the prospect. You're not trying to make a sale just yet. So end the
call by setting up a time to meet. Ask them for 10 - 15 minutes of
their time, and give them a couple choices. Don't simply end the
call by saying something like, "Can we meet next week to discuss
this?" Instead say, "Would next Tuesday at 10 a.m. be a
good time to meet?"
When you have the meeting scheduled, be sure to confirm the prospect's
name, title, phone number and address, and make sure they have your
contact information as well.
To recap, here's what you need for your cold-calling script:
· Greeting. "Hello Mr. Jones. My name is ______, and
I'm with _______."
· Say what you do. "I work with building owners and
managers who have cleaning issues that they've never been able to
resolve."
· State your benefits. "We specialize in servicing banks
with high-end surfaces like granite flooring and countertops. ABC
Bank recently had us restore their granite floor and was very pleased
with the results."
· Ask for a meeting. "I would like to meet with you
for about 15 minutes to discuss what we can do for your company.
Would next Tuesday at 10 a.m. be a good time to meet?"
· Confirm contact information and be sure to write the appointment
on your calendar!
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