Gail Goodman-- is THE nationally recognized expert in training direct sales people on setting more face-to-face appointments. Her specialty is working with financial services professionals, providing a unique seminar and workshop which increases their weekly appointments.
She is also a great friend, business colleague and a true expert in her field and a great person!
She just came out with her list of 100 Things About Phoning--- 50 are here and more to follow next week.
Gail gave me permission to blog about her and her list and read below and learn from her!!
4. Clear your desk. It clears your mind.
5. Your selling monster is trying to take over your call – shut him/her up!
6. Turn off your computer when you’re calling.
7. More phones in America doesn’t mean it’s easier to reach people.
8. Scripts are based on your relationship to the lead.
9. Cold calling will make you nuts.
10.You don’t build rapport on the phone. You do that in person.
11.The initial appointment is about you and the prospect deciding whether or not you want a new relationship, where you are the financial advisor and they are your client. Nothing else.
12.People don’t “object” – they tell you a problem they have with the idea of an appointment with you.
13.Cold calling is your punishment for not marketing.
14.Know the difference between selling and phoning language.
15.Don’t assume people are working with you by using assumptive language – on the phone it’s offensive.
16.The abusive telemarketing 90’s made calling harder; your script needs to be more exact.
17.Keep your script to 35-40 seconds (45 in the south).
18.Don’t say “is this a good time to talk?” Use “I know you’re busy so I’ll be brief” and keep talking (see above).
19.Use alternative choice closes that use large concepts of time.
20.Keep track of your dials. That’s all you have control over.
21.Organize leads by scripts, not any other criteria.
22.Know that about 57-60% of people will say yes to the appointment (assuming a mix of leads).
23. If you muscle people into saying yes, the appointment won’t confirm.
24.If you don’t remind people about their appointments, don’t complain when you get a no-show.
25.Your marketing affects your phoning more than you think.
26.“Is Gail there?” should be “I need to speak to Gail.”
27.Do the easy leads – i.e. people that have met you
28. Don’t keep “Hello-this-is-Gail-Goodman-with-ABCFinancial” as one word. Separate your company name from Hello and your name.
29. Don’t go on tangents about irrelevant things.
30. Don’t sell on the phone.
31. Don’t mention products or solutions when you haven’t done a fact find.
32. Direct mail doesn’t work like it used to.
33. When you are low on leads go out and talk to business owners
34. Consider a non-client, well connected person a COI for referrals and take them to breakfast.
35. Networking is an event and a verb- know the difference.
36. Prospects are people you want as clients but they don’t know it yet.
37. Don’t think you’re too good for scripts Ad libbing will get you in more trouble.
38. Don’t read scripts – rewrite them by listing the key words and then just use those as reminders.
39. You’ll sound robotic using a script if you actually read it.
40. Talking too softly on the phone lowers your credibility.
41. You don’t have to stand up to sound energized – but you have to sound energized on the phone.
42.There are no lists of people that want to buy ______(financial product you want to sell).
43. Headsets are helpful only if you like them.
44. Smiling IS important – so fake it if you hate phoning.
45. Most people have three intimidating prospects – richer than you, a generation older than you, very close friends and family.
46. “Busy work” isn’t the same as doing your phone calls regularly.
47. Schedule your phoning time and see it as a commitment to earning money next season.
48. New, initial appointments grow your business – nothing else.
49. Leads from the Home Office are like whipped cream – too many make you sick even though it tastes good.
50. Buying internet leads for insurance quotes doesn’t work if your philosophy is to do a fact find.
Scripts serve as a guide of every agent. But handling a certain conversation is up to the agent. Most call center companies train first the new agents so they’re prepared on handling an account, and know how to manage a situation.
Posted by: Sonia Roody | February 28, 2011 at 04:29 AM
Well, having creativity skills among agents is the key for winning the trust of your clients. Scripts are just a guide! In order to improve their services, business owners must focus on the needs of their computer systems. That's why having accreditation systems are advantageous because they can find ways to enhance technical needs of their data management system.
Posted by: Clark Adams | March 15, 2011 at 10:45 PM