5 Reasons Why Sales Scripts Create Rejection

We all want a sale to go well; we know that the intentions of our company are good when they write a sales script for us. The only small little problem is, we don’t feel comfortable saying it and the listener doesn’t feel comfortable hearing it. No one likes it when they are being treated as simply a “SALE”. Yet, when we are selling we always struggle with the balancing act of trying to be NATURAL and make the other person feel good about our product, and at the same time doing it the “COMPANY WAY”.

The “COMPANY WAY” can be great and can definitely close that customer here and there but when we use a sales script on the phone it immediately creates a negative image of us with the person on the other end. A script can give us a crutch to lean on and supports us through the sale, particularly for those new to a company or new to the sales process. Unfortunately the script itself could actually be ruining your chances of getting your next sale.

WHY THEY DON’T WORK:

Sales scripts are detrimental for many reasons and what you are reading could completely go against what you have learned in sales and traditional persuasive selling. But just for a moment thing about the following-

Sales Scripts Create Rejection because-

1. Sales Scripts Turn a Person into an Object- People can hear a contrived script very easily and can sense when they are trying to be sold on something. People take very badly to being treated like this and most of all wanted to be acknowledge as someone with their own unique problems and issues.

1. Sales Scripts are a one way Pitch- Although you might feel that you can tailor your script to meet each individual’s needs and create a scenario that sits nicely with the listener, a script is still about YOU. A script rarely address the listeners real issues or problems and this can immediately trigger tension or apprehension within a prospect.

1. A Sale Script can Corner the PROSPECT- If you are asking previously contrived questions of your prospects and cornering them into giving you the answers you want, have you thought about this process might make the prospect feel? Sure you might be getting those “yes” that move things along, but it will also create the biggest rejection and pressure on the prospect because they will feel out of control.

1. Sales scripts make assumptions- Yes, that is right, whenever we read through our script we are assuming that what we have is for them, the prospect! But wait a minute, how can we claim to know the situation of every single person we talk to before even talking to them about their own individual situation. The more assumptions you make the more resistance you create because people feel controlled and put under pressure. The key to avoiding that rejection is to make sure you assume absolutely nothing about your prospect. Because they don’t know anything about you either!

1. You become an ACTOR- Have you ever thought about how you come across when you are acting out or going through the motions of your script? We all know that our voice changes, maybe just slightly, maybe a lot, our tone changes and we might even speed up. However, the key thing is you sound like you are acting! No one really feels comfortable when they listen to someone who is pretending or acting out a role. We want to hear that genuine ‘care’ in someone’s voice, we want to feel special when we are being spoken to. Any sales script or preconceived sales technique will always trigger that doubt in people’s minds.

The CORE PROBLEM:

They inherent flaw in any script is that it is about YOU and YOUR COMPANY! Or about a way to take a prospect along YOUR PATH!

But wait- Selling isn’t about you or your company! It is about the prospect and their issues and their problem. So when you are cold calling, the prospect doesn’t care about your company and the benefits that you could offer them. That is the cold hard truth. They might care about what kind of problem you could solve for them though, and how what you have to offer could improve their life from THEIR WORLD.

So if you are sick of getting the dreaded No, or the Hang up or the “we don’t need any of that” kind of answer it might do to take a look at your script and see how the script itself might be triggering that reaction and maybe by shifting your approach from your world into the prospects world and what you can help them with, as opposed to SELL THEM ON, you might find a different reaction.

For language on how to make the shift and break free from your script check out…………

5 Cold Calling Myths You Need To Know

When was the last time you had a successful cold call that just “felt right”? What if you discovered that the cold calling approach you are using is based on 5 cold calling myths we were taught by the sales gurus?

Here they are:

Cold calling myth #1:  You Need A Strong Sales Pitch
This is one of the biggest myths in cold calling that is responsible for countless rejection-filled cold calls. A sales pitch triggers sales pressure and that’s the last thing you want your prospect to feel.

Plus, how does it make you feel? Does it make you feel a little like the negative stereotype of a telemarketer?

Instead of a sales pitch, try starting your cold calling talking about a problem you can help them solve. Start with a two-way dialogue rather than a one-way pitch. Think about what goes through your prospect’s mind when you start pitching your solution. They are thinking “Uh oh, here comes the sales pitch…ugh”.

If you can learn to eliminate your sales pitch you’ll start to have better conversations rather than lots of hang ups.

Cold Calling Myth #2:  Closing The Sale Is Your Goal
Another deadly cold calling myth that can get you into trouble fast.

myth, closing the sale should not be your goal, your main goal in cold calling should be is to discover whether you and your prospect are a good fit.  By focusing on the problems that you can help your prospect solve and not focusing on closing the sale and by learning to create conversation you will discover that your prospect will in fact give you the direction you need and answer the question of whether or not they are a fit.

Once you learn to let go of the idea that closing the sale is the main reason for your cold call you will discover the amazing results that can be achieved with cold calling.

3.  Rejection Is A Normal Part Of Selling
Hidden sales pressure is usually the cause of rejection.  By eliminating this sales pressure you may never have to experience rejection.

What if I told you that you are most likely the cause of rejection when it comes to cold calling?  Yes you, it is normally something that you say that causes rejection.

You can eliminate this pressure forever by simply learning to forget about your hidden agenda (the sale) and concentrate instead on trying to help the prospect you are calling.  By concentrating on their problems and the issues that you can solve you are eliminating all pressure and thus leaving your client more open to your ideas.

Remember eliminate pressure – increase your sales.

4.  Keep Chasing Till You Get A Yes Or No
Traditional sales teaching leaves us to believe that you should keep chasing until you get an answer and that if you don’t you are giving up.  This is so wrong.  There should never be a need to chase your prospects.  You should be able to get the truth about whether there is a fit or not by asking the correct questions.

Ask whether or not fixing their problems is a priority or whether it is something that may be looked into at a future date.  This is all you need to ask to get the answers you need.

Remember asking saves chasing.

5.  Defend Yourself
You should never defend yourself or what you have to offer.  This only creates more sales pressure.

A good example of this is if a prospect were to ask why they should buy your product over your competition.  Your natural instinct would be to defend your product but have you ever thought about why you were asked this question in the first place?  Have you ever considered what might be going through the prospects mind?  It would probably be something like “This salesperson wants me to buy this and I really hate being pressurized into buying something”.

Stop defending yourself, tell them that you do not wish to convince them to buy anything but that instead you would like to discuss the problems they have and how you product can help.  This will immediately remove any pressure and will leave your prospect feeling that the choice is theirs.

Removing pressure can definitely increase your cold call sales.

So there you have it 5 myths and how to combat them.  Your goal?  To start utilizing the tips offered in this article.  Using these tips and understanding the myths that are associated with cold calling is in fact the key to your cold calling success.  Believe me, once you start to apply this knowledge to your cold calls you will be amazed at the results it can bring.  Try it for yourself.  You won’t be disappointed.