Sales

Proceed as before except record the name and address of each company or business. Use the thorough door-to-door coverage as suggested above.

Here are some suggestions and hints —

When you start, write the street name on top of the sheet of paper. Then write the names and just the street numbers of the companies or businesses in the order you pass by them. If you use a fresh sheet for every street, there is no reason to write the street name after each number.

Try using a digital camera to photograph the business building its address and so forth. Do it through the windshield. People tend to get uncomfortable when they see a photographer walking throughout their neighborhood photographing everything in sight.

This will give you a visual record of your territory from which you can start to create your telephone list as described herein.

A digital recorder which has a start and stop switch on a remote mike may be helpful for this type of work also. It is a simple matter to drive slowly down the street, starting and stopping the recorder to record the name and address of the companies or businesses from the front of the building.

When you write out your list, list name and address of the companies or business in order so that when you do set up the appointments, they will be in the same area. This will save you time and gas when going for your presentations. Time and gas are money.

Hint — As you turn on to each new street, write the name of that street on a card. When in a new area it is very easy to forget the name of the street you are on. Also, when dictating the names into the recorder, it is a good idea to spell out the name. It makes it easier when transcribing your notes later. A sample transcript of your dictated recording which you might make would read as follows, " . . . I am turning on to Main Street. Main spelled . . . M-A-I-N . . . Jean Company . . . J-e-a-n . . . 123 Main . . . Duce Manufacturing . . . D-u-c-e . . . 125 Main . . . ."

Have your list on a long legal size tablet and leave plenty of space between the names for any comments or notations. Look in the Telephone Directory for the telephone numbers of the names on your list. Also, verify your spelling and street address of that name.

If the name has two or more telephone numbers listed, make sure you use the number which has your lowest unit cost. Your Telephone Company may have a list of MESSAGE UNIT CHARGES FROM TELEPHONE NUMBERS BEGINNING WITH YOUR PREFIX NUMBER. Ask them for a copy of that or some similar type of list.

Some Telephone Companies have Street Address Directories for the areas in which you want to call. The directories list in accordance to street addresses in lieu of name. This may help you to determine the name and telephone number of the businesses in which you are interested. They usually list alphabetically by street name followed by street number, then by apartment number, and then by building room number. This type of directory may also indicate if the telephone is a business phone. These directories may be leased to you. Check with your Telephone Company.

Telephoning for an Appointment

First prepare a script of exactly what you want to say. Have this script typed out and in front of you when you telephone so that you use the precise wording you have developed as getting the best results for you. Notice that I have said that you have to develop the script that works best for you. This is done by trial and error over a period of time. When you find the one that works best, that's the one you want to use.

Following is a suggested script that I have used quite successfully. It works for me. Try it — may work for you. At least it is a starting point for you.

To The Receptionist-Telephone Operator

"Good Morning - My name is Robert Perrett. I am with a website development company. Can you tell me the name of the person in your company who could use our service or buys photography?" "How do you spell his name?" (Get his or her full name. You may be asked later which Smith you wanted to see or talk to.) "Thank you. Now, may I speak to him or her?"

To The Prospect

"Good Morning, Mr. _______. My name is Thomas Perrett. I am a website development specialist. I understand that you are the authority on the Internet at your company. Is that true?"

• Note — I make it a practice to tell everyone who I talk to on the telephone my name. When trying to sell to a new prospect it is the only thing I have to sell at the beginning of the relationship. If I didn't tell them my name then, if they ever needed what I was selling, how would they ever know to contact me? I also go out of my way after the establishment of relations to do things that help my client remember my name and the name of my company. If I don't do it, who is? Not my competitor.

Wait for an answer.

"Fine. I've been working on some new and exciting website techniques and I need your expert advice and opinion on what you, as a connoisseur, think about what I've been doing. Can I have an appointment, say Friday at 10:00, to show you some really great websites and get your opinion?"

Be prepared to set a specific time and date which may or may not be acceptable to the prospect. If the prospect indicates that the time and date is not acceptable to him or her, then another mutually acceptable time and date is set. It's a good idea to have the time and date for the appointment in mind before you call.

"Thank you. I will see you Friday. Have a nice day."

The End

Also have typed up on separate sheets or cards the exact wording of replies you wish to make of the half dozen or so possible questions that may be asked of you. These cards or sheets should be laid out in front of you on your desk so that your eye can readily pick them out when the question is asked. The replies should be given as if they were impromptu and not as if they were read off the card. You should have no problem. You can't forget the answers. They are there, right in front of you.

Now you are ready to start using the list you've already made out. The one which has the name, address and telephone number of the companies or businesses. Start at the top of the list and use the number of the business. Then you use the script of exactly what you want to say when the telephone is answered. Be sure to write the person's name in the space provided on the list of names.

On the list of names, you can also use symbols or abbreviations to describe the results of your call. For example - An "X" might mean drop name from further consideration. A "0" (zero) might be used to indicate that the prospect was not in. And "C B" might mean call back because he or she is busy or he or she is on another line.

You never, never let the operator or anyone else place you on hold. If you do get into that situation, hang up. When you do call back, be nice about it. Say you got disconnected or something which doesn't place the blame. Or if you call back in a day or two don't say anything. They probably forgot you even called. Remember, you call back later. Try to find out when he or she will be available to you. The reason you don't hold is because the prospect could be gone or on another line for a long time. You could be holding on for fifteen or twenty minutes before you talk to someone or are disconnected.. During that time you could have made several other calls.

Never leave your telephone number and expect him or her to call back. If you do, the initiative passes from you to the prospect. Persistence is a requirement for any sales effort. Seldom if ever do they call back. If they do, you may not be available to talk to him or her. Sometimes they may call back a day or two later and you (if you're like me) will have forgotten that you even tried to contact a person of that name. What could happen is that you will have your script and answers put away. You may even have forgotten what you wanted to say. This could be embarrassing!

Therefore, you should indicate that you will call back later and try to find out when they expect him or her to be available. This response should be typed on a card so that you can read it exactly.

An example of the proper response would go like this: "Your party is out of the office at the present time. Could I take your name and number and have him or her call you back?"

Your script should read, "When do you expect him or her to be available?" Or, "No, I don't know which phone I will be at. I will call back later. When do you expect him or her to return?"

Remember this and I can not stress this point too strongly. You want to be in control of the appointment making situation. You can't have this, if you spend your time waiting on the phone or waiting for some prospect to call you back. Never, no never relinquish the initiative.

Setting up the initial appointment.

1. Don't ask questions that can be answered yes or no.
2. Ask questions that when answered no means yes.
3. Ask questions that must be answered affirmatively. Such as, "When would be the best day, Monday or Tuesday?"
4. Sell the appointment, not the product. Use the appointment to sell yourself and your product. Unless you're selling a black box, you don't sell and probably can't sell visually endowed products over the telephone. Remember, products are visually compensated to enhance their acceptance and desirability. You sell it when you are showing your presentations.
5. Flexibility and accommodation are what your prospect needs.There is nothing wrong with meeting your prospect early in the morning before business hours, at lunch, or after 5:00 p.m., if the prospect wants to meet then. Some experts point out that the prospect is exerting his or her power and, as some others have suggested, superior position over you. Nevertheless, one of the goals of your business is to establish a profitable relationship. Remember, they are the ones that are going to be paying you. You're there to be someone that the prospect can easily work with.
6. If the prospect is fighting you, find out why. Don't fight or argue with the prospect. Your object is to build a profitable relationship. The object is not win arguments and fights. Don't assume that you are right and the prospect is mistaken. Just say, "I understand."
7. Don't push to get an appointment. Understand that maybe they are not ready to go ahead right now. Suggest that you follow up in a month to see what stage they are at then.
8. If the prospect indicates that he or she is not interested, do not bother him or her, and do not call again, think about if you really want to do business with him or her.
9. When the prospect agrees to meet with you, set a definite time and date using the either/or technique. "When would be the best day to meet? Thursday or Friday?" Be specific and don't say, "Do you want to meet this week?"

Should you call a day before to confirm the meeting? Some say yes. Some say no. Confirmation is up to you.