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Ann Barr's Weekly Sales Tips - Issue 268

Does Your Advertising Reach the Right People?

Ann Barr's Weekly Sales Tips is a subscription based e-digest (newsletter), and features articles on effective marketing and increasing telephone sales.

Many of our subscribers come to us from our extensive online promotions through industry web sites, as well as consistent off-line advertising with Industry publications.

You'll find the Weekly Sales Tips reader loyal and highly motivated to the right offer.

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"Ann, we use your Weekly Sales Tips every week during our sales meeting. Thank you!"

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Irvine, California

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An Amazing Opening Statement

When making a sales call, the first nine seconds of the opening statement are critical.

If the statement does not immediately get the prospect's attention (in a positive way), the caller's time has been wasted. Not to mention the prospect's time.

Preparing for the call and knowing what you are going to say to the prospect BEFORE you make the call is crucial.

Last Friday, a telemarketer called me.

Her opening statement was amazing.

I'll bet you have never heard an opening statement like this one.

This is a true story, word for word.

She said:

"Hello, I'm calling from Bank of America. Uh . . . I mean, the Chevron Corporation."

(What??? See what I mean? Amazing.)

I asked her: "Which company are you calling from?"

She answered: "The Chevron Corporation."

She then went on to say:

"I know you are busy, so I won't take up much of your time."

(She was right about that.)

She began reading from a script, but I stopped her and ended the call.

This person was obviously working for a telemarketing firm that represented several different companies.

And she did not take the time (BEFORE she placed the call) to figure out which company she was representing during the call.

By contrast, here is the BEST telephone marketing call I have ever received.

(This is from Chapter two of 102 Tips for Profitable Telephone and Direct Mail Marketing.)

This call was from a well-known credit card company.

Here is how it went after this sales professional identified herself and her company:

"First of all I want to thank you for being such a good customer. We really appreciate your business."

(I liked that. I felt valued as a customer.)

"The reason I’m calling today is that we are reaching out to our preferred customers to let them know about a special program we are offering."

She had my complete attention. She didn’t waste my time. She got right to the point. I was a "preferred customer" and it sounded as though I might benefit from this "special program." I was all ears.

The caller then went on to tell me about three of the benefits I would get if I upgraded to the Gold Card. These were money-saving benefits, including discounts with businesses I regularly dealt with. I upgraded.

This sales person had my attention from the first sentence. She sounded professional. I wanted to hear what she had to say. And she made a sale.

Quite a change from the person who did not prepare before she placed the call.

Thanks for subscribing to Weekly Sales Tips

I'll see you next week!!

Ann Barr