Smooth operator: Ban these 8 statements when closing inbound sales

Ban these 8 statements when closing inbound sales

Fielding inbound sales calls can be more an art than a science. And contrary to popular belief, it isn’t always easy.

Sure, the caller has already shown an interest in your product or company. But that doesn’t mean every conversation will go smoothly from start to finish. Your sales professionals must understand effective call marketing sales techniques and how to guide each prospect using strategic statements and responses.

Recording your sales calls can be enormously helpful in that regard, allowing you to show your staffers concrete examples of patterns that work and those that do not work.

“You need to do everything you can to put your best foot forward,” advises Jeff Quipp on ProfitGuide.com. “We call this approach ‘inbound call optimization.’ If you train employees in phone-answering best practices, then ensure they consistently follow these practices, you’ll give your firm an edge over most of your rivals.”

A short list of language your sales associates should avoid when conversing with incoming callers:

  1. Complex product descriptions or explanations. “Trying to look smart by using sophisticated language or talking in technical jargon is just dumb,” writes Neil Patel on QuickSprout.com. “When you tell them more than they want to know by trying to throw in something that’s mind blowing, sometimes you’ll increase the likelihood of closing the deal — but in most cases you’ll just bore them to death.”
  2. Copy straight from a script. Scripts work great as guidelines, but reading them verbatim almost always comes across as disingenuous.
  3. Overuse of the caller’s name. Skilled sales professionals casually mention it a couple of times, but repeating the name over and over can seem manipulative.
  4. Negative responses. While you can’t say yes to every request, you must give the impression that you’re doing everything you can to help meet the caller’s needs. For example, “Here’s what I can do for you” works better than, “No, I can’t do that for you.”
  5. Blunt rebuttals. Avoid statements that seem to ignore what the caller is saying, or anything that sends the blunt message: “You’re wrong and I’m right.” Empathize with his objection, ask him why he’s hesitant to buy, listen quietly, then pause. Finally, present a solution using wording such as: “Based on what you’re saying, here’s why this will work for you.”
  6. Closed-ended responses. Instead of responding to questions with a simple yes or no, further your connection with the caller by adding extra information that may be of interest or follow up with a probing question.
  7. Too much verbiage. Callers will be turned off if you keep running your mouth about irrelevant details — especially after they’ve already indicated they wish to buy.
  8. Textbook goodbyes. Instead of just thanking the caller, say something more engaging such as, “Thanks for being our customer. We hope you think of us again the next time you need (our product).”

Perhaps most importantly, remember not to say anything to a prospect that implies you’re not listening.

“When people talk to you it is because they want you to know how they feel, what they believe or what they want,” advises a recent white paper by Caras Marketing & Training. “The more they talk, the better chance you have of making a sale. Getting people to talk and hearing what they say actually makes the job of a salesperson easier.”

Dial800’s software effectively tracks and records your incoming calls to help make your sales training easy and efficient. Call us today at 1-800-700-1987.

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