Tired of pushy telemarketers?
Sales training changed my shyness into boldness minus the pushiness of it all. So when the pushy telemarketers make the mistake of calling me, I’m aware of the sales game and know how to negotiate a fair conclusion. By sharing the following tips, perhaps together we can change the way this industry operates!
The Script Reader
You must have received calls where the person never offers an opportunity to respond. They are reading a script word for word. Interruption grabs their attention and stops this nonsense. Politely say, “Excuse me, but why do you believe I would be interested?”
Only a personal dialogue will get to the true interest of the potential client while scripts rarely work. By interrupting the caller, you either get someone who will hang up the phone due to their not knowing how to respond, or, you might actually enter into a meaningful conversation.
On occasion, you might actually need the service being sold. By softening the conversation and taking the lead, it’s quite possible to earn a better price than would otherwise have been offered.
Referred Tele-Marketing
The first person reaching you sounds intelligent and you might have a need, so you agree to have their salesperson follow-up with a call. But the salesperson follows up by delivering this nerve-wracking news,
“You need to make a decision by 5:00 p.m. today because that is the latest I can lock this amazing offer in – just for you.”
Make it a habit to get the name, company name and telephone number of the first person from now on for the “just in case” scenario. In this scenario, call that first person back to complain about the aggressiveness of the salesperson. Two steps are thus achieved.
While receiving an apology, you also raise your status to that of equal status with all concerned. Second, they are in a required position to make right on what went wrong. Should you be the least bit interested, you will be provided a better price than the initial offer; at the very least, you are positioned to ask for a better price.
Aggressive Behavior
Take the “Sales Expert” stance by providing insight as to how sales should actually be conducted. Ask that aggressive salesperson:
Did you know people buy from people they know, like and trust?
Ask how they know you and what is their plan for building trust?
Another tactic is to use sales related vocabulary. Salespeople traditionally apply the word “prospect” to those to whom they are trying to sell. A good response is to use that vocabulary by saying,
I’m sorry but I’m not a good prospect for what you are selling. You will do better to find someone else who is.
There is no way the salesperson can argue with that response because it’s the truth, and they will release you from the phone.
Just as we need to find our own well-qualified prospects, perhaps if we train telemarketers properly, we will receive better-qualified calls ourselves. Wouldn’t that be nice?!
My goal is to help others get on the wave of the Smooth Sale!
Author:
Elinor Stutz, CEO of Smooth Sale, (800) 704-1499; was designated as a “Top 25 Sales Influencer for 2012.” Elinor authored the International Best-Selling book, “Nice Girls DO Get the Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results”, Sourcebooks and best selling, “HIRED! How to Use Sales Techniques to Sell Yourself On Interviews”, Career Press.
