The days of cold calling have mostly gone by the wayside at this time in the sales world, primarily due to advancing technologies and new ways of doing things. However, Anthony Stears, “The Telephone Assassin,” says that you can still get results by calling people on the telephone. Get to know “The Sales Assassin,” Anthony Stears in this video interview, hosted by John Golden.
In this sales expert interview, learn:
- How attitude influences the outcome of a call
- How to integrate testimonials
- Essential steps to a great sales call
Approach with the Right Attitude
Approaching someone with the right attitude over the telephone sets you up for a successful phone call. As opposed to jumping right into a script as soon as someone picks up the phone, start with something like: “I’m sure you’re quite busy, but I have some things I’d like to talk to you about. Is there a better time to call you back?” Right off the bat, you are taking your customer’s needs and schedule into consideration, and giving them a chance to get you off the phone in an easy way. Often, the customer will say, “I have a few minutes now, what is this call about?” At that moment, you have created intrigue about the call, which is key to keeping them interested long enough to get intrigued about the product.
Stears’ Steps: Build Rapport
Stears has several steps that will help you create a successful outcome with your calls. The first is to build rapport, and be polite with the person you’re talking on the phone with, and integrate information about them as an individual. You can do this by researching the person you are calling and the company they work for in advance. With LinkedIn, and other social media profiles, it is easier than ever to know who you are pitching too.
Stears’ Steps: Using Testimonials to Brag
The second step is to build credibility. People like showing off their skills and proving themselves to customer’s. It’s a great sales tactic that works to show credibility. However, by using your testimonials from other clients to do the bragging for you, you create a more elegant approach that holds more weight because it came from a client. The testimony becomes even more powerful when targeted to a specific kind of company or organization. For example, if you are pitching to an IT company, having testimonials from past IT companies that you have worked with creates more credibility, and the client will be more likely to trust you because you have done good work in their particular field.
Stears’ Steps: Create Urgency on a Timeline
Thirdly, it is essential to work on an appropriate timeline. If you are selling insurance, but a company has already signed an insurance contract that doesn’t expire for ten months, you have to adjust your timeline so that it fits with the consumers. “Once you understand their desired timelines, you can put them in the pipeline, and strike later when the iron is hot instead of forcing the conversation when people aren’t ready to have it,” said Stears.
About our Host:
John is the Amazon bestselling author of Winning the Battle for Sales: Lessons on Closing Every Deal from the World’s Greatest Military Victories and Social Upheaval: How to Win at Social Selling. A globally acknowledged Sales & Marketing thought leader, speaker, and strategist. He is CSMO at Pipeliner CRM. In his spare time, John is an avid Martial Artist.
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