I have received several Telemarketing phone calls and I cannot tell you how many times I could not get a word in edgewise. It is clear to me that the employee has had no Telephone Sales Training. The salesperson typically speaks over my statements running them over like a steamroller.
It is apparent that the salesperson is only trying to finish her story and get on to the next call. I am not your typical customer because I sympathize with the employee but I have to bite my tongue to keep from vehemently suggesting that the individual get some Telephone Sales Training. I used to do this for a living and I know that it can be a painful process. You just should not act as if it is.
This also speaks volumes about the company as well. I am hesitant to purchase anything from a company that will not invest in Telephone Sales Training. If you do not invest in your staff how can I be sure that you will invest in my interests.
One of the most challenging jobs you will ever have is the position of Telemarketer. This position poses more obstacles than a typical job as a sales person for a few reasons. Telephone Sales Training can help you overcome those obstacles and help you reach your maximum earning potential.
Many companies have scripts that Telemarketers read during their phone calls. As a former Telemarketer, I can tell you that nothing turns a customer off quicker than having a conversation with a person who is reading a script. Telephone Sales Training is geared towards helping employees work around the script in order to speak in a natural manner.
One thing that a good Telephone Sales Training program will do is to help employees use their natural speaking voices while working with a script. The important thing to remember is that the script is a guide. You have to speak naturally. If you are reading the person on the other end of the phone will probably want to hang up as soon as possible.
Keeping a natural flow of speech is more difficult than you may expect. You may think that you sound perfectly normal but the person on the other end definitely knows that you are scripting your conversation. One way to show employees how obvious reading can be to a listener is to include role-playing in your Telephone Sales Training program.
Role-playing is a great tool for exposing your employees to what it is like to be a customer. Taking the customer's point of view is crucial to your selling strategy. If the employee can be empathetic to the listener, he is more likely to make a sale. A big part of being empathetic involves listening as well as speaking.
