Improving your Voice Mail Call Backs by 10%

I just listened to an on demand webinar from Michael Pedrone from Sales Buzz. I found the Webinar on Gitmer’s Sales Rant newsletter. http://www.salesbuzz.com/

He suggests that we create a voice template to use when we make a telephone call. When you call, you will get a Gate Keeper, the prospect or their voice mail. Sometimes you can get all of the above. If you have not prepared a script to leave a good voice mail, then the prospect will not call you back.

Cold Call Template #1

Prospects Name, this is (Your Name) with ( Your company)
The reason for my call is that I have an idea on how to help you avoid (specifics of a common pain in your industry) and would like to get your feedback.
I can be reached at 888-555-1212 Again my name is (your name) with (your company) at 888-555-1212
Thank you, Ms or Mr Prospect.

You can add a time when you will be available or when you will call back. If yourmessage is weak you will not get to the prospect with this call, nor when you call back.

Another Template is used to let the prospect know that a friend has recommended you to them or a referral template. Even as a referral you have to handle it as cold canvas call.

Referral Template

Prospects Name, this is (Your Name) with ( Your company)
I was speaking with (Referral Name) over at (Company name) regarding (common pain in that
industry) and he suggested that I give you a call to get your feedback.
I can be reached at 888-555-1212
Again my name is (your name) with (your company) at 888-555-1212
Thank you, Ms or Mr. Prospect.

The Competition or Industry Friend Template

Prospects Name, this is (Your Name) with ( Your company)
Our company recently helped (competitor 1, 2, 3 avoid (common Industry pain) while at the
same time (desired benefit) and wanted to get your feedback on how you are handling this
issue at your company.
I can be reached at 888-555-1212
Again my name is (your name) with (your company) at 888-555-1212
Thank you, Ms or Mr Prospect.

FOLLOW UP EMAIL

After you have left the voice mail, send an Email with the Subject “Voice Mail” restating your message.

Prospects Name, this is (Your Name) with (Your company)
Mr Prospect, I just left you an email regarding ( common industry pain) and I will be available
at 1:30 to get your feedback on this issue. Repeat Name and phone number
If you would like to take class to improve your voice mail skills contact Michael Pedrone. You
can Train as an Individual or as a Team!
To get class dates, availability and pricing, click here. Or call 888-264-0562 Ext. 1 for details.

April Speaker: Don Gallagher - Change Your Conversations...Change The World

Sales Pros Kansas City invites you to our April program titled: Change Your Conversations...Change The World. 

It will be presented by Kansas City ASTD member Don Gallagher. Don is a trainer, speaker, consultant, and a former project manager in John Deere's Ag Training group.


Sales Pros KC and Don Gallagher present: Change Your Conversations...Change The World, April 19th from Don Gallagher on Vimeo.

About Don Gallagher

After earning a BSME at Iowa State, I launched into a diverse career of nearly 30 years, including 25 years in engineering, marketing, sales and training roles with Deere and Company. Along the way, I earned an MBA, ran my own engineering recruiting firm, trained to be an internal performance coach while at John Deere, and developed a personal passion for helping individuals and groups enhance their performance.

Since 2010, my speaking, workshops and coaching have focused on helping client companies to improve their business performance via their people. My work focuses heavily on teaching employees at all levels how to have more effective workplace conversations, be more productive, be better leaders, build stronger teams and enjoy better relationships.

In addition to my current career roles, I’m also a proud father and husband. My wife of 29 years, Linda, and I live in Olathe, KS, and have three college-age sons. When not working, I enjoy running, wakeboarding, snowboarding, reading and volunteering for Harvesters Community Food Network and Operation Breakthrough.

Learn more about Don and his business at www.dongallagherllc.com

Join Us April 19, 7am-8:30am at First Watch in Shawnee, KS for this great program!

Upcoming Events in the Second Quarter

Join Us Friday's 7am - 8:30am
at First Watch in Shawnee, KS

3.15 Garett Gardner, Full Voice, "How To Have Credibility at a Moment's Notice"

4.5 Roundtable, "Back to the Basics of Selling" - Linda Smith

4.8 Royals Home Opener Fundraiser vs. Twins - Sell newspapers to attend the game

4.19 Don Gallagher, Don Gallagher LLC, "Change Your Conversations....Change the World"

5.5 Roundtable, Paula Switzer

5.17 Mr. Hunt, Dean of Business, KCKCC

6.7 Roundtable, Glenda Analla

6.21 Rick Tirrell, Navigator Group, "The Wisdom of Resilience Builders"

9.20 - 9.22 SalesProsUSA Convention Kansas City, KS - we host it! Sign up today!
Click here for more information: http://www.salesproskansascity.com/2013/01/2013-sales-professionals-usa-national.html 

To Sell is to talk to Strangers

While we all sell to current customers the majority of our sales calls are to people that we do not know and for some sales calls, the prospect is so remote that we may never meet them.

That thought made me consider a new way to look at how each of us approaches the sales call, beginning with the opening statement and leading the prospect to the heart of our product demonstration or presentation. As a sales rep we are all in service to our product and in a sales call we are all in service of the client/prospect.

- Mel

Opening sales statements

A topic of conversation with sales people needs to be about their opening statements. We should all be constantly looking for ways to improve that initial statement, when we are in a sales call. To test your opening statement, then you might use it on a friend or colleague.

Much has been written about opening statements … and two of the most frequently heard recommendations, are: 

• Create immediate interest for further discussion 
• Make it compelling

To write is to talk to strangers

If you replace the word write with sell, you would have defined what we do each and every day. We begin most of our sales talks, talking to strangers. In the sales process we have to move them from being a stranger to being a friend who will trust us with their needs and their hard earned dollars.

You want them to trust you. You might well begin by trusting them. No doubt you know some things that the prospect does not—and that is why you are here. You must also take time to understand that that the prospect has knowledge that is unavailable to you. This isn't generosity; it is realism.

Good selling creates a dialogue between sales person and the prospect. What you "know" isn't something you can pull from a shelf and deliver. What you know in sales is what you are discovering in the course of this sales call. In fact you and your prospect are discovering together.

Beginnings are an exercise in limits. Sales Reps are told that they must "grab" or "hook" or "capture" the prospect with their opening statement. But think about these metaphors. They suggest the relationship you might want to have with a criminal, not a prospect.

You can't make the prospect love you in your opening statement, but you can lose the prospect or their interest in you and your product.

You don't expect the doctor to cure you at once, but the doctor can surely alienate you at once, with brusqueness or bravado or indifference or confusion. There is a lot to be said for the quiet beginning.

Consider the most memorable first line in American literature: "Call me Ishmael." These three words, if cited out of context, can be taken as a magisterial command. It's actually more properly heard as an invitation, almost casual, and, given the complexity that follows, marvelously simple. If you try it aloud, you will probably say it rather softly, conversationally. (Say the three words out loud and then consider how their presentation impacts how the reader or listener perceives what is coming next)

Meek or bold, a good beginning achieves clarity. A sensible line threads through the sales call; things follow one another with literal logic or with the logic of feeling. Clarity isn't an exciting virtue, but it's a virtue always, and especially at the beginning of a sales call.

Clarity simply falls victim to a desire to achieve other things: 

• To dazzle with style or to bombard with information. 
• While you want the prospect to get on your side of the sales call, know:
• That Skill, talent, inventiveness, all can become overbearing and intrusive.

The image that calls attention to itself is often the image you can do without.

In writing, the writer works in service of story and idea, while always in service of the reader.

In Selling, the Sales Rep works in service of product and always in service of the prospect.

That is a unique sales concept that you may not have considered in your sales calls. As Sales People we are in service of our product and always in service of the prospect. You can't tell it all at once. A lot of the art of beginnings is deciding what to withhold until later, or never to say at all. Take one thing at a time. Prepare the pathway of your sales call and only tell what is needed to move on, No More.

Journalists are instructed not to "bury the lead"—instructed, that is, to make sure they tell the most important facts of the story first. The beginning is designed to get the reader (prospect) to the: 

• The heart of the story, what is coming next,
• Needs to arrive in conjunction with the opening statement.
• The care that you take in this two step process gives the prospect a reason to continue listening and cooperating with the Sales Rep.
• The best reason for them to stay connected is a simply confidence that the sales rep and the sales call is going someplace interesting.

Mel Carney

How to Have Credibility at a Moment’s Notice

Presented by Garrett Gardner, Full Voice 

Host: Linda Smith

Check out the information and join us for our 3rd Fri. Breakfast Speaker... Guests Welcome!!

When: Friday, March 15 from 7:00 AM to 8:30 AM
Where: First Watch Restaurant
11112 Shawnee Mission Parkway Shawnee, KS 66216

Come participate with your fellow sales professionals and hear how credibility wins more deals!

Listen, learn and implement for success in 2013!

Breakfast $13 - Networking starts at 7:00 AM

You’ll come away with skills and insights you can put to use, immediately:

. to find your voice’s clear vocal channel to other people.

. to enhance your personal brand image, so people will take you seriously.

. to bring an air of self-confidence to every situation, especially group presentations.

. to direct your eye contact, effectively, so your listeners will know you are talking to them.

. to develop an effective 15-second personal introduction, so you’ll feel confident and be more effective in networking opportunities.

. to become a spokesperson for your organization.

. to influence others by keeping your attitude in sync with your actions.

. to adopt a follow-up system, to turn introductions into long-term relationships.

. to enhance your interviewing skills, so you’ll be able to listen non-judgmentally and be able to find

out others’ hidden agendas and be able to provide solutions.

. to use empathy to control your reactions to others’ statements.

. to bring your physical movements into sync with your mind, so you’ll appear together.

. to express yourself in meaningful statements, so you’ll be understood the first time, more often.

. and, to trust your awareness to give you the words, so you can un-script your presentations and act more authentically.

ABOUT THE TRAINER…

Garrett Gardner is the founder and president of FULL

VOICE™, a vocal communication training and image adjustment firm located in

Kansas City, Missouri. Gardner is a consultant, instructor and personal trainer in

interpersonal communication dynamics and physical attitude for effective business

development, career enhancement and life enrichment. He is the author of the text,

YOU CAN SOUND LIKE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’RE SAYING…so people will

take you seriously.