By Joel Lerner
www.themagicsalesletter.com
©
2008
Getting a prospect to call or email you back is not
always an easy task. Sure, in a perfect universe every prospect would lap up your
offer like a ravenous animal. Naturally, that's not always the case. A wise salesman
by the name of Elmer G. Leterman once said, "The sale begins when the customer
says no". Truer words may never have been spoken.
A
skilled salesperson doesn't immediately take no for an answer. The prospect's
"no" simply means you've not given them a reason to say "yes"
yet. By not calling you back after repeated attempts to contact them, the prospect
is essentially saying no, but you don't know why. In order to learn their objections
you must get them to return your call or email. If you don't then you stand no
chance at closing the deal, and adding them to your list of satisfied clients.
Below are some ways to get your prospects to respond.
Before
you make your call you should be prepared. This includes knowing how to pronounce
the prospect's name properly. It may help to spell it out phonetically. In many
scenarios you can call their office. Ask the receptionist how to pronounce their
name before you call the prospect's personal line. Do your homework on the prospect
and their company. Let them know you've done your due diligence. If you know the
prospect received a promotion, you might say, "Congratulations, I have an
idea on how you can achieve similar success in your new position, and I'd like
to run it by you". Write notes of what you plan to say, and practice them
aloud. Write the notes over and over again to drive them into your brain. The
last thing you want is for your call to come across canned or rehearsed.
If
leaving a message, don't provide all the details. Leave something for the imagination,
and speak with enthusiasm. You can't expect your prospect to be excited about
your offer if you're not. So be animated, and don't speak in a monotone voice.
Your prospects will often mirror your emotions so concentrate on being positive.
Make sure your confidence and belief in what you're offering shine through. Do
not try to sell your product in the message. Instead sell only the return call
or email.
Leave just enough information to "tease"
them, but make sure it's not an empty promise. When they call back you don't want
them to feel as if they've been tricked. You might say something like "Our
company will help you in ways no other company can. I'll explain exactly how when
you get back to me". Intrigue them, make them curious, and leave them wanting
more information. Use language that makes the prospect feel as if they're already
doing business with you. For instance, "You're going to love the incredible
results you'll achieve with our product, but your competition isn't going to like
you very much. Can you live with that?"
You can even
offer your prospect a reward if they get back to you. It doesn't have to be anything
expensive, but it must at least be useful. If selling a product to realtors you
might offer a guide to creating a professional and striking listing presentation
book, or an online resource kit. Whatever incentive you offer, be sure to repeat
it at least twice during the message. Mention it once near the beginning, and
once at the end so it's fresh in their head. An analogy that comes to mind is
a boxer who "flurries" at the end of a round to leave a lasting impression
on the judges. Your objective is to get them to call back, and if it takes a little
bribery then so be it. Be creative and sincere, and make sure your integrity is
worn on your sleeve.
Try to connect with your prospect.
Find commonalities of interest. Do you have children the same age? Do you enjoy
the same types of sports? Show them that you care. Differentiate yourself by going
the extra mile. Don't give off the impression you're only after their money. Be
their friend, and really want to help them. Be genuine and not contrived. This
will go a long way toward assuring a return call, gaining their trust, and eventually
winning their business.
Ok, so what if none of the above
tactics work? It's true that most salespeople will call a prospect 3, 4, or perhaps
5 times before giving up. After all, what else is there to do? What's worked for
me is to craft a brief letter that I use as a last resort instead of simply giving
up. In fact I've been using the same one for two years, and I've achieved a 92%
response rate over that period! That was not a misprint, and is in no way an exaggeration.
A strong letter can work wonders. You can come up with one of your own or you
can visit www.themagicsalesletter.com
and use one that's time tested.
