Using Phone Sales Tools
Selling by phone is big business. Fortunately, technology has given telephone salespeople dozens of invaluable tools that make their job easier and more efficient. The future will bring even more. Currently, there are phone systems with a variety of features, teleconferencing tools, voice mail, and powerful e-mail systems. Your sales office or call center will have many of them at your disposal.
Phone Systems
Phone systems range from one or two phones to hundreds interconnected in a call center. Smaller systems are connected to individual outgoing lines. Phone systems with more than ten telephones typically are connected together in a Private Branch Exchange (PBX). The largest systems have a large dedicated line, called a trunk, to the telephone company's service office.
All telephones used to be physically wired to terminals, branches, and trunks, called landlines. Now, many are sent over network cable and the Internet in a system called Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). In addition, businesses and consumers have come to rely on cellular, or cell, phones. Using these handy gadgets, you can make voice calls transferred through cell sites or towers connected to the main phone system using the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).
In addition, cell phones can be used to send text messages (SMS), and photos and videos (MMS). Satellite telephone systems are also available, but they are costly and typically only used in remote locations that aren't covered by cellular phone service.
Most inside salespeople use landlines or VoIP systems in the office and cell phones if they travel. Most PBX and other business phone systems can be set up for automatic call forwarding to other phones as needed.
A boon to people who talk on the phone all day are the numerous hands-free microphones available for various phone systems. Some are wired to the phone, but many are wireless and allow the person to move around without being tethered to a desk phone. In addition, many cellular phones are compatible with wireless personal area networks (PANs) that can interconnect cell phones, laptop computers, and other electronic communication devices. The standard for these devices is developed by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, so the devices are referred to as Bluetooth-compatible.
The most popular use is to wirelessly connect a cell phone to a separate headset that the user wears on one ear. These phones are especially popular with salespeople, engineers, and other businesspeople who must stay in contact with others as part of their job but need mobility.
Voice Mail
One of the greatest inventions to be added to phone systems is voice mail. Voice mail systems (VMS) function as a directable answering system. The main difference between voice mail and answering systems is that voice mail systems are centralized while answering systems are installed on individual phones. Callers can directly access or be referred to a person's voice mail system and leave a message, a fax, a page, or other communication, depending on the system. The person receiving the message can access it from any telephone using a security code. Receipt of a message can be forwarded to another phone. Messages can be replayed, saved, deleted, or forwarded.
Salespeople appreciate the benefits of getting callback messages when they are on another phone or at lunch. However, salespeople usually don't like to leave messages on people's voice mail system. They want to talk with a live person. Of course, many prospects don't want to directly talk with salespeople, which is why they love voice mail.
Salespeople can turn voice mail systems into selling tools. Professionals have short scripts they use for voice mail systems, depending on the function of the call. The scripts help them remember to include pertinent information without wasting time. Script topics include:
Returning your call. Sorry I missed you. Here's how to contact me again.
Following up on your question. Please call me back for the answer you need.
We have a new product or feature that may be profitable to you. Please call me.
Calling to make sure that your product arrived safely and to answer any installation questions.
Of course, your script will be more conversational and will include needed contact information, such as a reminder of your phone number, alternate numbers, and your availability. However, having scripts like these near your telephone can help you take advantage of voice mail without having to strain your brain. It also reminds you to leave a call-back number.
As a professional seller, make sure that you have a legitimate reason to call first. Chances are that the person you call is busy, too, and may not appreciate a how-ya-doin' call in the middle of a deadline project. In fact, you may lose some trust points for the call. Instead, determine the call's objective — announce a new feature, offer installation help, offer a discount, etc. — before you pick up the telephone. And have a short and relevant script nearby in case you get switched to voice mail.
Electronic mail (e-mail) is another technical advance that has benefited selling. Unfortunately, it also has been gravely abused. Most people with e-mail accounts get dozens and even hundreds of unsolicited e-mails each day. Software programs called spam filters can remove many of them from e-mail inboxes, but enough get through to make people fearful of the words “You've got mail!”
Make sure that any spam filters or security systems that you use offer you a second chance to see e-mails identified as spam before they are deleted. Some will put them in a separate inbox that you can quickly review by subject line or sender and keep or delete. No one likes spam messages, but you don't want to throw out those from prospects and customers along with the spam. Just in case, ask your computer system administrator if backups are kept of e-mails and, if so, for how long.
Like voice mails, e-mails can be valuable sales tools that can succinctly present your information to others with the least effort and expense. Depending on what you are selling and to whom, you can develop standard selling and response messages in your e-mail software's draft box, then customize and send them as needed.
When sending e-mail to others, make sure that the subject line clearly states something of interest to the receiver, such as “Widget upgrade reduces downtime” or “20% Discount Thru 12/31.” Also make sure that each of the e-mails you send out includes a
Teleconferencing
In many forms of sales and in larger businesses, meetings need to be held among multiple people. In years past, all members would have to travel to a specific location for the meeting. Technology, again, has dramatically enhanced opportunities for meetings without requiring travel. Teleconferencing is a real-time exchange of information and ideas among many people over telephone lines. Telephone sets are readily available that can help connect buyers in Houston and Seattle with wholesalers in Toronto and the manufacturer in Poland. The call can be set up in minutes and phone lines can be encrypted for security.
One step farther, videoconferencing systems offer two-way real-time audio and video signals so all participants can both hear and see each other, making presentations possible. With a fax machine nearby, product orders can be sent and signed, reducing the necessity for travel. Videoconferencing is also used by schools to conduct classes and by governments to gain agreement on accords.
The earliest videoconferencing systems used landline phone systems. Many now use satellite services, and a growing number are Internet-based videoconferencing systems. They are used for product demonstrations and sales, customer service calls, and even personal calls. Teleconferencing and videoconferencing are dynamic tools for professional salespeople.
Web Presentations
Through the magic of telephones and electronics, salespeople can offer full visual presentations to prospects and customers via the Internet. Businesses have used Microsoft PowerPoint, Adobe Persuasion, and other presentation software programs for many years. Other products are now available that can easily be delivered over the Internet as either real-time or on-demand presentations. They even can be interactive, allowing multiple users to move pointers anywhere on the screen.
Web presentations are powerful tools for selling prospects and servicing customers without physically traveling. They are used by Fortune 500 companies as well as one-person sales offices that contract with web presentation services as needed. There are dozens of options, including WebEx, an online meeting center. For a current list of web presentation and web conferencing packages and services, search for these terms using your favorite online search engine.
