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The Twelve Steps to Successful Telemarketing – Step
Three: Respect Their Time
By Kathy Sisk
November 2011
The first two
steps for successful telemarketing are properly presenting your introduction and
communicating how you acquired the prospect’s name. In the third step, we will
discuss how to respect your prospect’s time. The goal here is to get to the
probing step (Step Five), where you will qualify your prospect, establish his or
her wants, and create the need for what you are offering. Even if you are not
selling and only generating qualified leads or making an appointment, use these
steps to gain a higher level of quality and productivity.
Respect Their
Time:
It’s important to convey to your prospects that you are aware of their time and
respect it. In today’s busy world, time is a valued commodity. How do you get
prospects to share some of their time with you without allowing them a “way out”
of the phone presentation?
There are three
possible functions in Step Three, all of which are designed to give your
prospect a feeling of control without you actually relinquishing it. The key is
respecting their time. This lets your prospect know that you realize their time
is valuable; when you acknowledge this, they will generally allow you to
continue with no or very little resistance.
How would knowing
that you have permission to continue affect your attitude with the rest of your
presentation? Would this increase your confidence level? Would this help you
present your products and services better, knowing that your prospect has given
you the go-ahead signal to continue? Of course it would!
1. Assume It Is a
Good Time:
There are many
ways to request a prospect’s time, such as “Did I catch you at a bad time?” “Do
you have a few minutes?” or “I know you’re busy, but….” However, these encourage
negative responses and relinquish control. Here are two ideal phrases that
encourage a positive response:
Using these
phrases, you assume it is a good time. After all, the prospect did
answer the phone. When you acknowledge your prospect’s time and show your
appreciation for taking your call, the prospect is less likely to use this as an
opportunity to get you off the phone and will usually allow you to continue.
However, you may
receive other responses, and you should know how to respond to those with
confidence as well. If it is truly an inconvenient time, your prospect will
interrupt and tell you so; then you proceed to the second function in this step.
2. Dealing with a
Negative Response:
The second
function is used only when the prospect gives you a negative response. For
example, your prospect might say:
Prospects who
claim to be busy fall into one of two categories, and you need to be able to
separate them. The first type is truly busy, and you should respect that and
call back at a more convenient time. In return, your time will be respected when
you recontact the prospect. This type of callback has a high probability of
success because you have established some positive communication with your
prospect.
The second type
of prospect is not busy but is trying to find a way out of the
conversation. You can distinguish between the two by using an assumptive
statement request such as: “Why don’t I call you back in about an hour. Would
that be all right with you.” (Note that there is no question mark at the
end of this statement.)
You are assuming
that if your prospect is truly busy, an hour from now will be an appropriate
time to recontact him or her. Remember not to give a questioning lift to your
voice at the end of the request. You are not asking for permission. Instead, you
are making a statement.
3. The Easy
Close:
If your prospect
responds with “No, I don’t want to be called back,” interrupts, or cuts you off
at any time during the first four steps of your presentation by saying, “I’m not
interested,” or “I don’t like solicitation phone calls,” then use the third
function of this step, the “easy close,” by saying:
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“I respect
that. If I could provide you with information about (describe what
you can send) that you would have an interest in, would that be okay?”
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“I respect
that. I would like to provide you with more details about our
services. Would that be all right with you?”
Notice the use of
the word “provide,” not “send.” The prospect may think you are going to send
information, but you may not; it all depends on how the probing step goes. When
prospects agree to you providing them information, you must then qualify whether
they truly have an interest in the information (some really do) or they are
gracefully “blowing you off.” You can qualify their interest by saying:
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“To ensure
that what I have to provide you with would be something you would have an
interest in, I need (pause) to verify some information, if you don’t mind.”
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“To
determine if you will benefit, I need (pause) to ask you just a
couple of quick questions, if you don’t mind.”
It’s only fair
that if you are going to provide information, your prospect will allow you
obtain some additional information so that you can determine if they would
benefit. Amazingly, you will find many prospects who will allow you to continue
and answer your qualifying questions. No longer are you sending information to
never be looked at and thrown away. Additionally, using this scenario gives you
an opportunity to ask questions to build rapport. Essentially, you are able to
enter into Step Five (the probing step) without the prospect realizing it. The
easy close is just another technique that will help you to maintain control and
make your contacts count.
Keep the Dialogue
Going:
The easy close
keeps the dialog going. It also tests your prospects to determine whether they
are in the 10 percent “no” category or simply not in the mood at the time of
your call. About 10 percent of the market will say no to everything;
therefore, expect it and don’t be dismayed. It’s not a rejection but rather a
statistical reality. Actually, you have just weeded out, in fewer than twenty
seconds, someone with whom you don’t want to waste additional time. The prospect
that is truly busy will agree with your request to call them back or suggest a
better time.
The prospect that
only claims to be busy will use the “respect their time” statement as a
way out of the presentation and will not want you to call back. Their
response will be along the lines of “What’s this all about?” or “What are your
selling?” or “Get to the point!” In this instance, be aware that your prospect
might be trying to catch you off guard, disrupt, or take control of your
presentation. If this happens anytime during the first three steps, then proceed
to Step Four, Purpose of Call.
The easy close is
actually a modification of the fourth step. When you use the easy close, you do
not need to go to Step Four; you can just proceed to Step Five. However, if you
did not use the easy close and so far your presentation is going smoothly, then
proceed to Step Four.
By following the
Twelve Steps, you will not be sidetracked. When your prospect gives you
permission to continue or asks, “What is this all about?” you will be prepared
to answer, because the next step has already been preplanned for you. Following
these steps will keep you in control and help you remain confident throughout
your presentation.
Kathy Sisk is
president of Kathy Sisk Enterprises Inc.
[Read more of
the series "The 12 Steps to Successful Telemarketing": the
prior article or
next article.]
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