Telemarketing and sales is a hard act to perfect, but it is one that is well worth learning in regards to maximising revenue and business return. Not only does telemarketing help to develop leads and build up customer rapport, but it also translates to sales.
Many people mistake telesales as simply cold calling, but it’s more than that. Here at XL, the large bulk of our sales team spend their time on the phones answering customer queries and translating those enquiries into sales. In order to do this successfully, they undergo detailed training.
Our sales team is extensive and each member has their own style of telemarketing, but all share a common goal and work together to drive sales and meet targets. We have compiled some of their top tips that they all employ to nail telesales and close deals.
Research
Before getting on the phone, do your research. Know your customer, their objectives and what they want from you. Make the effort to find out as much as you can about their business in order to make the most informed decision about suitable solutions for them.
It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it
As the saying goes, it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it. According to recent research, only 14% of effective communication is down to words. The other 86% comes down to the tone you use. Don’t read off of a script because it makes you sound monotonous and uninterested. There is nothing wrong with having a guide to help you, but by talking around the points in a natural way, the conversation will flow better and make you sound more vibrant. This is a key element of closing deals.
Listen
A lot of sales are lost because the sales person isn’t listening to the customer. We understand that you have targets and want to sell a product of high value, but in a lot of cases, the most expensive product isn’t the most suitable product for that customer. Listen to their objectives and suggest the best product for their intended use, don’t just sell the most expensive solution.
Customer service
Nine times out of ten, you may be trying to follow up on an enquiry but you probably won’t get through to the person you want to speak to right away. By being polite to the gate-keeper at the other end of the line, you are more than likely going to get through faster than if you were impatient. Customer service is a key skill to nail and it needs to be consistent throughout all departments, regardless of who is on the other end of the phone.
Follow up
Patience is key. Rome wasn’t built in a day and most sales can’t be closed in a day. According to recent data, a huge 80% of sales require a minimum of five follow-up calls. Don’t be pushy or impatient, listen, advise and converse your way to a sale.
Practice
Just like anything, you will struggle to perfect your skill without adequate training or practice. Take advantage of co-workers and ask them to pretend to be a customer. They will tell you if your technique is off or whether you need more product training.
Training
Here at XL, our sales manager Lisa holds sales training for her team every week, and every two weeks the marketing department host product training sessions to ensure that the sales team are fully up to date with product ranges. During sales training, the team each discuss any issues they’ve had and other members suggest how they have overcome those issues if they have faced the same problem. Not only does this enable the team to share their knowledge and experiences, but it also helps to build rapport and relationships within the team for a more effective result.
Telemarketing is a hard craft to master, but the sales that come from it are the backbone of many businesses and they contribute to a large chunk of a lot of business’ revenue.
At XL Displays we are experts in exhibition stand design and offer a wide range of display equipment, from portable display stands to bespoke exhibition stands.
For more information on our product range or graphic design service, please contact us or call us on 01733 511030.
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