Some days are just plain harder to get up the gusto for work. It’s like every day is a Monday and you’re sloshing through the mud trying to get any sort of momentum. This happens to sales people too, whether you’re a veteran or newbie. But, after all, you have to pick up the phone. So here are some tips to get over your Monday (or any day) sales call blues.
Don’t be “Sales Voice-y”, be natural
Here’s an easy one. Just be yourself. If you feel like you’re putting it on, other people are going to pick up on that as well. The more genuine you sound (and feel), the easier it is to create a connection with potential leads. Pretend like you’re calling your aunt or your grandmother to give her an update.
Set a daily or weekly goal and stick to it
If you’re not feeling full of mojo, make a daily or weekly dial goal. Even if it’s small to start, you can at least hold yourself accountable and have that feeling of accomplishment by reaching it. Then as you start to get more comfortable, you can up the ante and increase your call volume.
Call early, call late
If you’re looking to make an impression and reach the high-level executives, you’re going to want to call early. Typically CEOs get in the office early and stay late—especially those in the startup world. By stretching your calling hours and showing you’re an early bird, you may just get that worm!
Always have a script (or guidelines at least)
If you’re a seasoned vet (or happened to take improv classes), you might have a little wiggle room when it comes to “winging it”, but generally speaking you’re going to want to have a script (a non-sales-voice-y one) to guide you along the way. If you get sidelined with a question, you’ll have keywords or questions to get you back on target and you’ll certainly keep the uhhh’s and ummm’s to a minimum.
Ask Questions, get them talking
Have you ever been catching up with an old friend and they just talk and talk and talk… Well if you’re on the receiving end of a call like that, you know how dreary and long they can feel. Making a sale is about making a personal connection with a stranger so much they will buy your product or service. You have to ask questions. Not only about their needs or issues with other products, but make it personal (and appropriate of course). Sometimes a simple question like “how was your weekend?” can be great insight into their lives that better connects the two of you.
Be proactive about next steps
As your call is winding up, you should have guidelines about next steps. Be proactive. Maybe they’re a bit tentative about the sale or just plain busy. Be sure to have a plan in place on when you want to schedule another meeting or see what their calendar is like over the next week or two. This shows initiative and shows you’re organized.
Follow Up
Re: everyone is busy. Everyone…is…busy. A sales call doesn’t necessarily end after you hang up the phone. If you haven’t heard back, be sure to follow up. Chances are they’ve been in the weeds and completely forgot about the next steps. Don’t be offended, just be brimming with polite persistence.