Trust Triangle Selling January 2009 Newsletter

JANUARY 2009

Issue: 24

Q. Dear Dan,

As much as my sales reps dislike "prospecting", I find it a necessary part of our business. My reps complain about having to "cold call" for leads and suggest that our telemarketing division do it instead. How can I make prospecting more palatable and effective?

Robert
Bozeman, MT

A. Good question, Robert. Prospecting seems to be required at least to some degree in most areas of sales. I came up with something I call a "Power Script" for students in my Trust Triangle Selling workshops. It helps make cold calling more bearable and productive.

The Trust Triangle Selling Power Prospecting Script

Fellow sales reps, I know it is no fun to "dial for dollars". There are some things that you can do to make it easier for your fingers to do the walking. If you do your homework and think before you dial, the rewards can be amazing. Remember, go for quality, not quantity, of prospecting calls.

Before you pick up the phone, consider whether you have done your homework beforehand. Have you researched the key priorities of your subject's CEO? How does your offering tie in to these priorities? Do you know the correct spelling and name of your contact along with her administrator's? When you reach the administrator, are you conducting yourself like a true consultant and not a "typical sales rep"? Are you able to cite success stories or references of other clients you have helped in the past? The answers to these questions will help as you learn the four key components to an effective Power Prospecting Script:

1.      Introduction

2.      Pain

3.      Reference

4.      Close

5.      Action Plan

INTRODUCTION:

"Hi ______, this is ______ with _____. I'm responsible for the relationship between ____, (my company) and _____ (your institution).

PAIN:

OK (Generic): One chief concern we are hearing from the _____ (CxO's, Ph.D.'s, Physicians, Senior Managers) at other ________ (research centers, restaurants, hotels, hospitals, financial institutions, farms, etc.) is their frustration with _______ (major pain: rising costs, decreasing quality, revenue, profit pressure, etc.) associated with ______ .

OR:

Better (Customized): I have spent a great deal of time researching your _______ (company, hospital, financial statements and customers). I have uncovered some unique insights into your facility related to ________ (key CEO priority/challenges concerns).

REFERENCE:

We're working with ____, _____, ______ (well respected major institutions in the same industry) to help them resolve this same issue.

CLOSE:

Obviously, you know your business best but we think we have some ideas and strategies that are innovative and unique.

I would love the opportunity to share with you what we have done for _____ (well respected major institution in the same industry) and get your opinion as to how we may be able to assist you also.

ACTION PLAN:

I'll plan to contact (administrator's first name) on Tuesday to set up a time convenient for us to meet if I don't hear from him before then."

My cell phone number is ______________.

Dan

Cc (administrator's full name)

I hope this is helpful to you and sales reps, Robert.

Good Luck, and Close 'Em!

Dan Adams, Adams and Associates