Get to the Next Level in Your Sales Cycle with the Right Call Etiquette by lisaf

[Doha]

Get to the Next Level in Your Sales Cycle with the Right Call Etiquette
by lisafugere

The pre-call research phase of the sales cycle doesn?t always end when you get a prospect on the phone. When you have to call through an organization to get to the right prospect, keep a few pointers in mind to help you move through obstacles and gatekeepers.

Politeness
The words ?please? and ?thank you? go a long way. So do ?good morning,? ?good afternoon,? ?good evening,? and ?good night.? Don?t interrupt when others talk, and if the person on the other end of the line tries to interrupt you, be patient and let them speak. If people can?t get a word in edgewise, there?s a good chance they?ll hang up on you. No matter to whom you talk, always lead with your manners.

Listening
Listening to someone on the phone is a lot harder than listening to someone sitting directly across from you. Keep distractions to a minimum when you?re on the phone. Sometimes that means going into an empty conference room and disconnecting from the Internet. In order to listen, you have to tune out your own thoughts. If you?re waiting for an opening in the conversation so you can put forth you opinion, you?re not listening; you?re thinking. It?s very hard to listen and think at the same time. Great listeners can give the impression that they are rapturously interested in what someone has to say. They rephrase concepts that people say to reinforce their attention, and ask a lot of questions. Asking yes or no questions is akin to putting words in a prospect?s mouth; asking open ended questions encourage a prospect to open up and reveal significant insights.

Consideration
If you take a customer service representative, secretary, or anyone who is not the decision maker you want to reach, don?t take offense if that person can?t or won?t help you. They?ve taken time out of their day just to pick up the phone and say hello, and they?re doing you a favor if they answer any questions for you.

Preparedness
When you call someone who doesn?t own decision-making power, you have to get to the point right away. If you want the email address for the Sr. Vice President, ask for it up front. The easier it is for someone to determine what you want, the more likely you are to get an answer. Come into every call ? no matter with whom ? knowing what you want to get out of it.

Respect
If you speak to a gatekeeper, show this person respect. The gatekeeper holds the power to put you in contact with the decision-maker, and can offer useful insights that may help you in your sales call.

Stay on your best behavior when you make sales calls, and you?re much more likely to move on to the next level.