It sounds easy, but telemarketing is the most difficult sales process there is. In order to make it more pleasant and effective, you must make some preparations before you pick up the phone. Arguably, the most important part of the telemarketing process is the script. You may feel that you can sale your services better by being spontaneous, but always have a script that you can rely on to start or lead the conversation and create a sale. The script should include a brief introduction followed by the reason for your call. If you met the person before, or were referred by an acquaintance, it may be appropriate to mention this while introducing yourself.
The script should be simple, and contain an introduction, the reason for your call, and a number of questions that you can ask the prospect. The questions should be primarily open ended (questions that need more than yes or no answers) and should be worded so that the customer is inclined to agree with you. Along with the list of questions, you should include a couple of phrases to close the sale. The script should have a boiler plate introduction, but should also contain an assortment of questions and closes so that you can use it as a resource for a variety of conversations.
A simple script will have an introduction, followed by the reason for your call. After stating the reason for your call, you may ask a question that will get the customer to agree with you. You may start with general questions and gradually lead into questions that are personal to your prospect. An example would be to ask the person, if he/she believes that proper exercise and diet are necessary for a healthy lifestyle. Followed by a couple of questions regarding your prospects opinion of exercise and diet. Gradually, lead the conversation into more specific questions about the person. Try to use questions that cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. Open-ended questions provide you with valuable ammunition to determine the best way to sale the person on your services. Use the information that they provide to determine the best way to close the sale.
After you have determined the best approach to close the prospect, ask them if they would be interested in your services. Use the information that they provided while answering your questions to justify their need for your services, and above all, ask them if they would like to meet with you. The biggest shortcoming of most sales people is that they do not try to close the sale; they never ask the prospect to buy, or meet with them. You will most probably not be using the script by this point in the conversation, but you can refer back to it for help in closing your sale.
There are some things that you must keep in mind when telemarketing. Most of your conversations will be less than one minute, so prepare your script accordingly. Also, be prepared for rejection and don’t give up. Selling yourself through telemarketing is entirely a numbers game, and you will only succeed if you don’t give up and keep calling. Prospecting for clients is a long hard process, but it is the most cost-effective way to ensure your success as a personal trainer. In order to be successful, you must take a proactive approach to marketing yourself. It is the only way to ensure your success.