We need to go back to the basics when selling. Almost all salespeople prefer sending an email or a text message, rather than making an actual phone call to a customer. Why? Because they are more comfortable communicating via email than actually talking on the phone. They think it is easier and safer. Here is their thought process: “I will just sit here at my desk and spend twenty minutes typing up a beautifully laid-out email versus actually calling the customer. If I call, I may not get my contact on the phone, or they may not want to talk, or they may have bad news, so I will just send an email instead.” (See how sending emails can be thought of as the safer route to take?).
Top salespeople use the phone and they know how to talk and sell. They have practiced how the conversations may go. They know how to quickly overcome objections and put them to rest effectively, preventing minor things from possibly derailing the sale. They are comfortable building rapport, asking questions, and listening, while using the phone. Why? Because they use the phone routinely and they use email as a secondary tool to send supporting follow-up information when needed.
The best way to start doing this is to practice role-playing with your peers. Give your fellow peer the scenario and then call their cell and role-play the conversation. Build this role-play practice into your weekly schedule. You can’t be a professional or expert at anything without consistent and continuous practice.
After just one week of role-playing, your comfort level will start to rise while using the phone. You are becoming more confident in your abilities to talk things through with a customer during a live phone call. Keep doing this and your selling effectiveness will improve. You will learn quickly where things stand with your deal, the customer’s objections or concerns, what might have changed since the last meeting, and what could be keeping things from moving ahead.
If you are a sales leader, role-play with your reps routinely. Ask the salesperson to call you and act as their customer and see how they do. You will learn a lot of things and quickly realize that role-playing on a routine basis is a MUST!
In sum, as a salesperson you will gain far more insight and detailed information about your deal over the phone than waiting for a reply back to your email. And let’s face it, emails can be miscommunicated and are often the cause for the “waiting game.” This results in longer sales cycles and guessing when it comes to forecasting. All of this (and a lot of stress) can go right out the window when you get good on the phone.
Start today with your peers and role-play. Make it a point this week to use the phone more. This habit will naturally expand to the point where you are so good on the phone that you wouldn’t want to send emails!
Happy Selling!
-Patrick