Cold Call Using Your Right Brain

If you're having trouble cold calling, the problem might be which side of your brain you're using.

Research shows that left-brain thinkers are analytical, logical, and look at things in parts, while right-brain thinkers are creative, believe that everything is possible, and look at a situation as a whole, rather than as steps. This means that right-brain thinkers are more likely to look at cold calling as a way to start a conversation, and consequently face fewer setbacks when the conversation doesn't lead to a sale.

If you're not enjoying cold calling, try looking at it with a right brain mentality. Here are some suggestions from sales trainer and speaker Ari Galper.

• Before you make a cold call, think to yourself, "My goal is not to make the sale but to create a conversation based on how I can help the other person."

• Avoid changing who you are when you make your call. There's no need to be on "stage" or to sound enthusiastic. Just be your everyday relaxed self, as if you're calling a friend. People know when you're being genuine, and when you're not.

• Throw out your linear sales script and generate a spontaneous conversation based on the problems you can help the other person solve.

• Let go of thinking "buyer-seller," and view the person you're calling as another person, not as a "prospect."

• Let go of worrying about driving the conversation "forward." Instead, open your call with a problem statement that generates the response "What do you mean?" or "Tell me more."

Ari Galper is the creator of Unlock The Game, a new sales mindset that overturns the notion of selling as we know it today. Contact him at www.unlockthegame.com.

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Working with Warm Leads

If you're like most salespeople, your company probably gives you leads from website inquiries, trade shows, Internet advertising, media advertising, and more. This is good for you (more leads!) but can also be troublesome if you don't know how to deal with these "warm leads." Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales, has some Do's and Dont's for handling these leads:

#1 DO begin your opening in a welcoming, assumptive way. Try:

"Hi, this is Mike with ABC Company. I wanted to thank you for (visiting our website, stopping by our booth, your interest in) and I wanted to answer any questions you had. What specifically were you interested in?

DON'T be vague:

"Ah, this is Mike getting back with you. I see you went to our website and I was wondering how I can help you?"

#2 DO be prepared to ask qualifying questions and LISTEN to uncover their specific buying motives. Try:

"What motivated you to take the time to fill out our request form?"
"What specifically were you interested in?"
"What part of our (product/service) appealed to you most?"
"Many of our clients like that we provide X. Is that what you were looking for, too?"

DON'T start pitching! 80% of your competitors make the critical error of assuming a warm lead is interested in your product or service so they start pitching. Don't go into pitch mode!

#3 DO use a script. The top 20% of sales closers (who account for 80% of sales revenues) understand how important it is to make a connection, stay in control, uncover buying motives, and disqualify prospects who are just looking. Only a carefully crafted script allows you to do that.

DON'T ad-lib your way through your presentation. 80% of your competition still make the mistake of assuming that a warm lead is a good lead and so they often quickly make appointments, send demos, etc., without properly qualifying. Big mistake! Treat a warm lead like any other and qualify it using a script.

Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales, specializes in helping sales reps avoid rejection and make more money. Check out his free ezine at http://www.mrinsidesales.com/ezine.htm

Got voicemail? No problem!

Are you leaving message after message with no response? If you answered yes, try these quick tips from sales trainer and speaker Mark Hunter. Your phone just might start ringing off the hook!

• If your goal is to get the phone call returned, don't leave information that would allow the person to make up their mind. Add a call-to-action to your message by providing a key date or something of interest that will encourage the person to return the call. You have to create a reason for them to call you back.

• Avoid asking people to call you back at a certain time. This gives them an excuse not to call you. For the same reason, never state in the message that you will call them back.

• When leaving a message with multiple points, be sure to immediately disclose how many you will be making. This will prevent the recipient from accidentally fast-forwarding or deleting before it is completely heard.

Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter," is a motivational sales speaker and industry expert who addresses thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information on his sales training or to receive a free weekly sales tip via email, contact "The Sales hunter" at www.TheSalesHunter.com.

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Magic Sales Words

With a wave of his wand, a magician chants "abracadabra" to cast his spell. What special words do you use in selling to open doors and close deals?

Renee Walkup of SalesPEAK has three favorite words. Here's the first: "Oh."

This versatile word can be a catch-all to assist you when:

--You have a difficult question from your customer
--You're shocked by what you've just heard
--Your customer has just shared valuable information about your competitor
--You're stumped

As an example, you are in the middle of your product presentation when your customer interrupts saying, "No need to go any further--I've heard this before."

Now it's your turn to say, "Oh?"

The customer will elaborate where he's heard the presentation (from an ad, your competitor, a website,etc.) and you'll have information you can use to advance the sale.

Remember, you have not argued with your customer, nor agreed with him, explains Walkup. You are simply inquiring in a professional, non-threatening way that you simply want more information.

Oh, go ahead and try using "Oh?" And, let us know what sales magic you create.

Renee Walkup is president of SalesPEAK Inc. and author of "Selling to Anyone Over the Phone."