Telephone training in business customer sales –
Winning new customers through telephone acquisition
Telephone training in business customer sales –
Winning new customers through telephone acquisition
Telephone training in business customer sales
Author: Stephan Kober
In today’s digital age, it seems easy to rely on digital media to make business contacts and close deals. However, telephone canvassing is still an essential component of business sales as it reaches the customer directly and allows for immediate interaction.
Goals of telephone acquisition
Telephone canvassing has two main objectives:
Telephone training in business customer sales
You should observe a few basic rules when making calls:
Do’s
- 1
Prepare thoroughly by researching the call recipient’s company and industry.
- 2
Starting the conversation: Short, concise, address customer problems in the industry immediately and outline a solution (as long as they have a solution – of course!)
- 3
Listen carefully and ask questions to find out more about the customer’s needs.
- 4
Remain polite and professional, regardless of the call recipient’s reaction.
Don’ts
- 1
Don’t be discouraged or give up if you encounter rejection.
- 2
Avoid interrupting or interrupting the customer.
- 3
Avoid being too pushy or aggressive.
The basics of successful telephone canvassing
- 1
Good preparation: Research the contact person (e.g. via LinkedIn) and their company before you make the call. If you can’t find out who the target person is, ask to be put through (“Am I in the right place for XY?”).
- 2
Dealing with assistants: You will be asked what the issue is. Proceed with assistants and the like in the same way as with the actual decision-maker – see point 3
- 3
Arouse interest: Have a short, concise introduction ready to make a positive first impression. Be specific about the problems that customers in this industry have – and how they can solve them. Briefly outline how you solve the problem and what benefits you bring.
- 4
Arrange an appointment: Leave it up to the customer to decide whether they would like to have a virtual or on-site meeting. If you have aroused their interest at the beginning, phrases such as “when is the best time for you, why don’t you check your calendar” work well.
Even in times of digital communication with the customer, serious, professional telephone canvassing still works to acquire interesting new customers.
What is telephone training?
Telephone training is characterized by not developing a guideline that is then learned by heart. Telephone training courses are successful when participants quickly feel the benefits of pragmatic application in practice. The following approach makes sense:
1. define what the target group’s current perceived problems are
2. Based on this, define a precise interest alarm clock for the telephone
3. In particular, practise the start and end of the phone call
4. And then: get started.
If the customer is not annoyed with superfluous rhetorical questions and you get to the point honestly and quickly, the likelihood of the decision-maker agreeing to a virtual or on-site appointment increases.
Why are telephone calls necessary in sales?
Even in times of digital communication via video conferencing systems, videos or social media, the good old telephone is still a tried and tested means of acquiring new customers – especially in sectors that are not generally considered to be particularly digitally savvy.
5 golden rules
Closing techniques on the phone
- 1Speak slowly, get straight to the point and address a topic that is perceived as a problem for decision-makers in this target group.
- 2Ask open questions.
- 3Understand that rejection is a normal part of this task. It can never be avoided, but with the right approach, the likelihood of success increases enormously.
- 4Good preparation (customer lists, interest alarms, good mood, good atmosphere in the office).
- 5Number of strokes. 50-100 dialing attempts in a row or a time quota of, for example, 3 hours. During this time, nothing other than telephone canvassing is carried out.
Stephan Kober
Stephan Kober
I advocate for activated sales teams that sell more at higher prices to convinced decision makers at business customers.
Stifling the skepticism of new communication methods, igniting the joy of pattern-breaking selling – that’s what my team and I stand for. These lines should help you to get to know me better.
Born in 1980, grew up in the countryside with animals and tractors, still an active member of the volunteer fire department, provincial lover. I am East Westphalian and still love to laugh!
