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Please consider this free-reprint article written by:
Michael J. Beck
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Article Title: Overcoming Call Reluctance
Author: Michael J. Beck
Word Count: 1587
Article URL: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=74406&ca=Marketing
Format: 64cpl
Author's Email Address: mbeck[at]theinsurancecoach.com (replace
[at] with @)
Easy Publish Tool: http://www.isnare.com/html.php?aid=74406
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Everyone in marketing faces it at one time or another -
reluctance to pick up the phone and make calls. Logically, it
makes no sense to feel that way. We believe in our product or
service. We have a script that�s either been given to us or one
that we�ve carefully written out. We have a list of prospects
that are at least somewhat targeted. We know that when someone
says �No�, it�s not directed at us. And still� the phone weighs
a ton.
OK. You decide that the pain of being broke is greater than the
pain of �cold� calling, so you commit to making calls each and
every day. Or at least commit to try. Or try at least some
days each week. For a while anyway�
We�ve all been through all of this before, and guess what? IT
DOESN�T WORK! We�re still reluctant to make the calls we know
we need to. So what�s the deal? Are you just �bad� at calling?
Is it that calling only works for some but not most of us?
The answer, of course, is that calling can work for any one of
us. It�s a matter of finding the right �key�(s) to open that
door of calling success. We need to address why the typical
�cold� call isn�t effective. We�ll start with the obvious
issue. Calling strangers causes most people some amount of
anxiety. Why does it make us feel so anxious and apprehensive?
I�ve found that there are four reasons that cause people to
feel anxious about calling. If any one of them exists, anyone
would feel anxious about making a call. Here they are:
1) We feel that we sound like a telemarketer. Somewhat
unprofessional and/or insincere.
2) We aren�t sure how to effectively start the call.
3) We aren�t sure how to effectively steer the conversation.
4) We aren�t sure how to comfortably and professionally end the
conversation.
Let�s look at each one of these issues separately and find out
how to put them behind us.
1) We feel that we sound like a telemarketer
What makes a telemarketer sound like a telemarketer? Think
about it for a moment. You know the drill � we�ve all received
telemarketing calls both at home and at work. What is it about
that call that marks it as a telemarketing call? There are
several factors that make us cringe at these calls. First off,
telemarketers are either overly friendly to start with or they
sound completely disinterested. Both make the caller sound
insincere. Secondly, telemarketers talk and rarely ask. The
call is all about their product and service and not about the
person who received the call. Thirdly, they usually plow
through their script, not allowing us to get a word in
edgewise. And fourth, it�s always evident that they�re reading
a script to you rather than speaking to you as a person. Those
four factors generally mark the call as a telemarketing call.
How do you keep people from viewing you as a telemarketer?
Simple. Don�t do those things!
a) When you call, don�t be overly enthusiastic and don�t be
disinterested or matter-of-fact in your tone. Speak in an
appropriate, natural tone and manner.
b) As you get into your conversation, ask questions. Be
consultative. Remember, this is about your prospect, not about
you.
c) & d) Practice your script so it is as conversational as
possible. I always write out my script so it reads as naturally
as possible. It�s usually not perfect writing but it is always
natural and easy to say.
2) We aren�t sure how to start the call
The thing that annoys most of us when a telemarketer calls is
that they dive right into some sales pitch without even knowing
whether we have the time or interest in hearing about what they
have to say. The most effective way to be viewed as a
professional is to act like one. As an example, here is the way
I start my marketing calls:
�Bob? Good Morning. This is Michael Beck. How are you today?
(pause) Bob, I�m an executive coach (pause � I want to make
sure they understood what I just said) and have worked with
insurance managers for a number of years. Do you have a few
minutes to chat?�
As simple as the above exchange is, it serves a number of
important purposes:
a) In short order, I�ve told him who I am and what I do.
b) I said his name two times. (People love to hear their own
name. Read �How to Win Friends and Influence People�)
c) I began to establish credibility. (�I�ve worked with
insurance managers for a number of years.�)
d) I asked permission to take some of his time.
3) We aren�t sure how to steer the conversation
We ended the start of our phone call with a question: �Do you
have a few minutes to chat?�
There can only be three answers to that question � �Yes�, �No�,
or �What is this about?�
� If the answer is Yes, you�re off and running.
� If the answer is No, you could say you�ll call back or ask
when a good time to call back would be, but why not use the
opportunity to get more information? Since you�ve already told
him who you are and what you do, why not ask: �Would you like
me to call back?� The answer will either be Yes or No! Either
way you should be happy. Either you�ll know not to waste your
time trying to reach a disinterested prospect or you�ll have a
somewhat pre-qualified prospect on your list!
� If the response is, �What is this about?�, have a short
explanation of why you�ve called prepared, something like: �I
wanted to share some of what I do, find out what your
initiatives are, and see whether what I do could help you reach
your goals faster and easier.�
Pretty straightforward isn�t it? �
If you approach the meat of your conversation in a way to see
if you can help your prospect, rather than sell them something,
it�s quite easy to have a stress-free, effective conversation.
No matter what the goal of your call is, at some point the
discussion needs to draw to a close with a �trigger� question.
�Can we set up an appointment to go over this in more detail?�
or �Here�s what we should do next��
4) We aren�t sure how to end the conversation
How you handle the end of your conversation will determine you
well you protect your attitude. We ended the middle of our
conversation with a question (see a pattern here?).
There can only be three answers to your question � �Yes�, �I
need more information�, or �No�
� If the answer is Yes, again you�re off and running.
� If the answer is a request for more information, have a
simple process ready to provide prospects with additional
information and/or credibility-building materials, get a
commitment for a follow-up call, and set it up as an
appointment in both your calendar and theirs. Don�t leave the
follow-up as a vague process. Inotherwords get a phone
appointment and avoid endless voicemails and phone tag.
� If the answer is No, my preference is to thank them for their
time and candor, ask them if they�d like me to give them a call
back in 6-12 months, and then hang up!
Let me close with a couple of perspectives that have served me
and others well over the years.
One perspective is that if you find that any one prospect means
a great deal to you, it�s a sure sign that you aren�t finding
enough prospects. Put in more effort. Then everything else
takes care of itself.
The other perspective that I have found helpful pertains to
rejection, and is illustrated in this story:
Imagine you have a recipe for fantastic chocolate chip cookies
and bake them to perfection. They�re absolutely delicious! You
take a tray of these cookies around to people, asking them
whether they would like one. The first person takes one and
loves it. The next person you offer the cookies to declines -
they are full, don�t like chocolate, or don�t want sweets. Here
is the key question: �Does the fact that the second person
didn�t want your cookies affect the quality of the cookies or
the skill of the baker?� Clearly the answer is no. Their
decision doesn�t have anything to do with the cookies or the
baker. Their decision was about what�s going on in your their
life, not yours.
When you create an effective phone process � knowing how to get
into and out of conversations � and understand that a �No� truly
is not about you at all, calling becomes more comfortable and it
becomes easier to make many more calls. The result? Financial
Success!
About The Author: Written by Michael Beck, �The Insurance &
Advisor Coach�. Michael, an Executive Coach and Recruiting
Activist, helps insurance and financial professionals succeed
faster and easier. He can be reached at 866-385-8751 ,
mbeck@theinsurancecoach.com or mbeck@theadvisorcoach.com Visit
http://www.TheInsuranceCoach.com ,
http://www.TheAdvisorCoach.com ,
http://www.InsuranceAgentRecruiting.com or
http://www.ClientProspecting.com to learn more. Permission to
reprint with full attribution. � 2006 Exceptional Leadership,
Inc.
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