Psychology-Based Telephone Sales Techniques That Just Work

“When the student is ready, the Master appears”.  These words, often attributed to Buddha, have been echoing in my ears the past couple of weeks.  This guest post fell into my lap just when I was  about to brush up on my over phone sales techniques.  (More about that in my upcoming post about La Femme Academy).  Over to Helen Martin of Mountain Lion Design...

Psychology-Based Telephone Sales Techniques That Just Work

Once you start getting on the phone to customers, you need to prepare yourself properly. If you think you need more confidence before you get started, you might want to check out some professional telephone sales training techniques.

Successful techniques have been researched in labs to see how psychology comes into play when making sales.

So, just how do you make effective sales calls based on psychological techniques and research? And which over phone sales techniques actually work?

• Start your sales calls with a bang – Starting out with a positive comment has been shown to improve sales and generate more money. How you start a call in sales is crucial. Just one simple, pleasant comment can increase your sales by 27%! So, don’t start out your client calls talking about bad weather, traffic or being busy. Always stay positive.
• Don’t bad mouth your competitors – Speaking ill of a competitor is a huge mistake. Saying bad things about someone else makes your customers think ill of you. Even when your customer knows you’re talking about someone else, they will associate those bad traits with you. Always answer with a no comment if anyone ever asks you about a rival company.
• Use some positive labels – Giving someone a positive label encourages them to live up to it. Tell your clients (in a genuine way, don’t be fake or manipulative) that they are your best customers. Be a pleasure to do business with, so your customers keep returning to you.
• Stay in control – Keep your calls on track and accomplish what you want to accomplish. Be in control of the conversation, whilst making your customers feel comfortable talking to you. Let your customers know what your agenda is, be clear and ask what they need from your service.
• Stand up – Changing your body language can turn a sale around in a second. Showing passion and excitement in your calls is infectious, and your customers will feel it too. Try standing up and doing your sales calls in a shared space for some great motivation.
• Put the emphasis in the right places – Adding inflection and emphasis in the right places makes your sound more passionate, articulate and a lot more convincing.

Why Courtesy And Politeness Pay Off On Telephone Sales Calls

Having positive interactions with customers can turn them into loyal buyer of your products and services. So, training yourself in the proper way to treat every customer is an absolute must.

Here are a few tips on why courtesy and politeness will result in better telephone sales for your company.

• Be courteous – Ask how they want to be addressed and use their name consistently. Speak clearly and always wait for the person to finish talking before you start. Using these simple tips will go a long way with your customers.
• Be professional – You should always maintain a high level of professionalism throughout the entire call. This is why you need the right training to make sure you are delivering quality customer service.
• Be respectful – Treat every customer with respect, like they are your most valued customer. Respect also involves understanding the customer’s needs, and accommodating them.
• Be truthful – Don’t lie or guess an answer. If you can’t solve their problem, transfer them to a colleague who knows how to deal with their query.
• Be trustworthy – Trust builds positive brand awareness for your company. If the customer trusts you fully, they will give you repeat custom.
• Be confident – Make sure you are equipped to manage any difficult situations you might face. The proper training ensures you feel confident, so you can make sales more effectively.
• Be competent – To address your customer’s needs properly, you have to be competent at what you do. When your customer needs more help, refer them to someone with the proper skills to handle their situation.
• Be genuine – Take an interest in what your customers want. It makes the process a lot more enjoyable for everyone. Taking a genuine interest in each unique call will break up the monotony of the telephone side of your business.

About the Author, Helen Martin:

I run a small, friendly, creative London based company offering web design, graphics and SEO services, heading up the dedicated, enthusiastic team at Mountain Lion Design. My complete and utter passion for both my work and my clients’ projects is the driving force behind the success of my team. We work with clients throughout the UK.

Did you find these tips useful?  Which techniques do you use naturally when making sales calls?