This is a Guest post by Art Sobzcak.

“Show me the money Jerry!”
Rod Tidwell, character in “Jerry MaGuire”

Once into his questioning, the sales rep asked, “So you’re finding that the last stage of the manufacturing process is a challenge.”

Prospect: “Well, yeah, we’re having to do a few repetitive tasks to get it done.”

Rep: “We have software that can make that job easier and it’s only $5,000.”

Prospect: “$5000 just for making that part easier. That’s crazy.”

So what happened here?

The sales rep uncovered a problem. However, he was so eager to talk about how his product solves that problem, he failed to continue walking the prospect down the path to realizing what the problem was costing him. He didn’t see the problem as being painful enough in the short- or long term.

For most business-to-business transactions, it’s all about the money. The return on investment.

It’s pretty simple: you will always sell more when you help the prospect or customer understand the cost of the problem or potential problem, and then the payoff of the solution and/or the result of taking action

Dollarize the Situation

In his great book, “How to Become a Rainmaker,” Jeffrey Fox calls it “Dollarizing.” He says, “Rainmakers don’t sell fasteners or valves or washing machines or double-paned windows or tax audits or irrigation systems or training programs or golf clubs. Rainmakers sell money! The sell reduced downtime, fewer repairs, better gas mileage, higher deposit interest, increased output, decreased energy usage, more wheat per acre, more yardage per swing.”

When you analyze it, we buy thins because the price we pay for something is perceived as being less than dollar value we attach to the result. Our job, then, is to be sure they realize that the value of the result is high and the price is low.

The classic book, “SPIN Selling” uses the term, “Implication Questions.” It’s taking a problem that a buyer perceives to be small (or nonexistent in some cases) and building it up in a problem large enough to justify action.

Using the earlier example and dollarizing with implication questions we could get a different result.

Prospect: “Well, yeah, we’re having to do a few repetitive tasks to get it done.”

Rep: “What do you have to do?”

Prospect: “In the final stage, one of the operators has to go back and re-input the command codes to keep the line moving.”

Rep: “Please explain.”

Prospect: “He has to leave his main station, move over to the other console, input the codes he already put in, and then go back to his position.”

Rep: “How often is that happening?”

Prospect: “Geesh, over a hundred times a day?”

Rep: “Isn’t that slowing up the line and cutting down production?”

Without belaboring this, you can see where the rep is going with this, and ultimately would get the prospect to tell him exactly how much lost production is costing the company every day! Extrapolating that out over the course of a year might mean hundreds of thousands in lost profits. Now then, wouldn’t that $5000 software be a no-brainer?

Monetize and Quantify

Whenever you uncover a problem, a pain, or a desire, attach numbers and dollars to it. For example,

“How much is that costing?”

“How many?”

“How often does it happen”?

“What are the other expenses involved?”

There are hundreds of questions that could apply. Matter of fact, you should define them for yourself.

Your Action Item

Pull out a legal pad. At the top of the first page, describe a result of your product or service, such as, “High quality plastic, meaning fewer returns due to defects.” Then, list all the possible costs of returns due to defects for a customer, such as customer service phone time to take the call, cost of replacement part, all shipping costs, return of defective part, possible lost sales because of poor quality, and more. Finally, develop questions designed to get your prospects and customers talking about the problem. Take if further and brainstorm for their possible answers, then your next questions to keep them talking, and attaching costs to the problem, and the payoff for a solution. Rinse and repeat. Start new pages for each of your results.

Just think of what lost sales might be costing you now, and how much more you could make by doing this.

Art Sobczak has helped sales pros say the right things by phone for over 27 years.  Get a free ebook of tips at http://www.BusinessByPhone.com, and see more free sales and prospecting tips, hear recorded calls, and watch videos at http://www.TelesalesBlog.com

This is a Guest post by Art Sobczak.

“I leave voice mail messages all day long for prospects,” the salesperson bemoaned. “Why don’t people call me back?”

I didn’t need to listen to his calls to give an answer. The same reasons apply to all telesales people leaving voice mails. Pick any three (or more) of the following reasons:

• The message is too long. Grab their attention within 10 seconds or you’re “sixed” (or whatever their delete key is.) Picture someone picking up their voice mails in a busy, noisy airport; they don’t have time to listen to your life story.

• It’s not about them. They don’t care about you, your products, or that you’re their new “account manager.” And really, why should they?  They’re just like Toby Keith in his song, “I Want to Talk About Me.”

• You sound salesy. Mention that you have a new product, a service, that you want them to advertise with you, or that you want to meet with them, and you evoke the same resistance as when the retail store sales rep says, “May I help you?”  Face it: most people run the other way when a salesperson approaches them.

• Most people don’t return voice mails from telesales reps. News alert: They’re swimming upstream as fast as they can just to stay up with their daily piles of work. Very few say, “Oh, good. Another call from a telesales rep. Move that to the top of the to-do list.”

• You only called once. Even if someone returns the occasional voicemail, who do they call? Probably not the one-time caller. A buyer I interviewed told me that he never returns calls, and the only sales reps who have the remotest chance of even getting through his screener next time are those he recognizes as having left several interesting voice mails.

So is voice mail a lost cause for sales reps?

On the contrary, it’s a great tool to separate you from the majority of reps making mistakes. Here’s what to do:

• Learn about them first. Be a detective. Glean info wherever possible. Go to their website. Enter the company name and prospect’s name into search engines. Use LinkedIn and other Sales 2.0 methodologies. Read trade publications, your local Business Journal, and the ones in your territory. Then use that information in your message as it relates to how you might be able to help them get or avoid something.

• Talk to others in the company. Anyone and everyone. Continue your info-gathering. Identify yourself and company and say, “I hope you can help me. I’m going to speak with Ms. Byer, and I want to be sure that what I have would be appropriate.” Then ask questions.

• Be prepared. Voice mail is not new technology. It shouldn’t be a surprise that you will be asked to speak after the tone. So why not be dead-on prepared for what you’ll say?  (Just notice how many messages you get that begin with, “Uhhh.”) There’s no excuse to not be smooth and confident.

• Use a “possible results” statement. This is the grabber. Mention what you might be able to do for them. Personalization increases their interest level: “I understand you’re now looking at ways to increase the number of long-term leases at your Highland Park property. We specialize in some unique marketing methods that help property managers minimize vacancies…”

• Use a multi-media approach. Don’t rely on voice mail to carry the entire load. Back up your message with an email, a fax, a letter, or a message that you ask the screener to write on the pink message pad and give to the boss. And don’t overlook the lowest tech, but highest touch approach: handwritten letters.

• Say YOU’LL call back. You need to control the communication. It’s your responsibility to reach them. Tell them you’ll call back Thursday morning. Then DO it. But do give them options to reach you, leaving your phone number and email just in case they want to contact you.

• Use a “last resort.” At some point of repeated futility, depending upon their future potential and the size of your prospect pool, you need to punt and leave a final, firmer message. What is that point?  If you sell office supplies, everyone could be a prospect, so the magic number at which you let go would be smaller than for someone selling train locomotives to railroads. What to say?

“… I’ve tried several times to contact you about how we might be able to help cut your cost of customer acquisition by 20% like we have for B.O. Industries. If I don’t hear back from you I’m going to assume this is not something you’d like to discuss at this time …”

This often elicits a response (I’ve even heard apologies) from people who are interested and simply were too busy to reply.

While most sales reps are ensuring they never get through because of their voice mails, you can set yourself apart and pave the way for a productive conversation. Avoid these mistakes, use these ideas, and the sound of the tone will be like the music of a cash register!

Art Sobczak has helped sales pros say the right things by phone for over 27 years.  Get a free ebook of tips at http://www.BusinessByPhone.com, and see more free sales and prospecting tips, hear recorded calls, and watch videos at http://www.TelesalesBlog.com.

This is a Guest Post by Mark Hunter.

Many times when I’m working with inside salespeople, I hear the common complaint how they don’t feel they’re at their best until later in the day. The first few people to whom they talk on the telephone wind up being disastrous calls. What makes this painful is these same salespeople are usually the ones who are not making their numbers. These are the same salespeople who spend way too much of their time – and the time of their fellow salespeople – complaining about how screwed up things are.

Rather than wasting the first several calls on customers you know are going to answer, take the first 10 minutes of each day calling people you know won’t be there. In other words, their voice mail will pick up. In fact, go one step farther and make the first call to yourself – yes, yourself. Here is why: By calling yourself first, you have the opportunity to engage your mouth, to get your brain working and to warm up. Consider it similar to the way an athlete warms up before a game.

Make the first call to yourself as if you were a prospect and leave a voice mail. But don’t just leave a quick voice mail to yourself. Go ahead and share with yourself one key benefit as to why you should buy from yourself. By leaving the message to yourself, you’ll get a chance to hear yourself later when you get the message. More importantly, you’ll start warming yourself up by sharing a benefit of what makes you different.

After you have left yourself a message, then call 2- 3 people who you know will not answer their phone. Leave your normal voice mail message.

Using voice mail as a way to warm up will help you be more focused and engaged when you do talk to somebody live. It will prevent you from stumbling through your first several live calls. Only after you’ve had several live conversations and you’re fully engaged should you then even think about sitting down.  Yes, that’s another tip: Standing up when making a phone call will always increase the strength of your voice and help you be focused. It gets your energy going!

Mark Hunter, “The Sales Hunter,” helps individuals and companies identify better prospects, close more sales, and profitably build more long-term customer relationships. He is a consultative selling expert, specializing in custom-tailored sales programs. You can read his blog at http://thesaleshunter.com/blog.

This is a Guest post by Jill Konrath of Selling To Big Companies.

Kevin Writes: I have a long-standing client. One noteworthy group asked us for a meeting to converse about a project and we geared up a moderately complex Statement of Work in just two business days.

We sent it, followed up with an e-mail several days later, followed up with one telesales call each week the following two weeks, and with another e-mail the next week. Ultimately, having hear nothing from the folks we were working with, I elevated to higher ups.

As you can imagine, I got a reply from my Director contact, and of course, ire and frustration from the unresponsive project folks.  Was I wrong to elevate? The logic of the project folks (my prospect) is that if we weren’t hearing from them, we should continue contacting them.

Now, where is it written that only telesales people or sellers have to exhibit professionalism, not the client?

—————————

My thoughts: The game has varied in the corporate world today. However, honestly, it is not that they are bad individuals. They are literally expected to do too much in too little time.

They are running so lean and mean that it is impossible for them to keep their head above water. I have preferred to have compassion for them. Personally, I would have hate to be in an environment like that.

However, that doesn’t mean that we need to change what we do. With each project you do, ensure you have full communications going at all times with multiple people in the organization.

Let the prospects know that you are communicating with the executives. Be completely  transparent about it-  it’s how you work.  That way, it won’t seem like you’re going around them.

What would you suggest?

Jill Konrath, author of Selling to Big Companies, helps sellers crack into corporate accounts, shorten sales cycles and win big contracts. She’s a frequent speaker at annual sales meetings, kick-off events and professional conferences. For timely and provocative sales advice, visit www.SellingtoBigCompanies.com

The following is a Guest post by Alen Majer, CEO of The Science and Art of Selling.

Many sales are lost because salespeople assume they know what the customer wants. Sales people like to make assumptions of knowledge about what the buyer wants and needs, or sometimes more importantly why the buyer might be motivated to buy. Using one’s instincts and sixth sense is fine in the equation of success, but it should be only part of your expertise.

Consequently, through unorganized hit-or-miss methods, a telesales professional’s cost of selling is high simply because his telesales methods are not as efficient as they should be. This does not mean you shouldn’t use your instincts and be training well. But it does mean that your sales assumptions must be based on a finding of facts, and not guesses.

Using the dart game in the sales profession can lead to failure. You have limited time on your sales call to a prospective buyer and your darts must hit their mark. It’s even more crucial when you use the phone for your sales prospecting activities: several telesales calls miss their mark as being off-the-shelf calls that aren’t developed with a specific buyer in mind. Dartboard selling is a quick way to go broke.

Top notch salespeople advise that 75% of a successful sale is due to the pre-flight work. You must make sure you know what direction you want to go in, and you have to ask precise questions that will lead you to confirm needs you recognized through trigger events. You must know what direction to fly before you takeoff.

Most sales people out there are making a huge mistake meeting (or talking over the phone) with their clients unprepared. These sales professionals think it is enough to schedule the meeting and they will work their magic and close the deal. They will try to break the ice with the customer by talking about the stuff inside the customer’s office. Then the next misstep is to ask a few questions and not even wait for the answers, but to start with the same old sales pitch.

This kind of salesperson knows all the answers and few features and benefits later they will ask for the business. After hearing few “No’s” from customer the salesperson may give up and leave the office with the promise of a follow up a few days later. Unfortunately, the down side is that the customer will probably never return the calls.

Majority of sales people don’t take the time to have a conversation with their customers, because they assume that every other customer is like all the others. You will discover that your previous assumptions in sales were most fatal. Keep those times in the past.It was necessary for you to learn a lesson that every salesperson needs to learn, and now is the time to grow and develop your skills and knowledge. You will do so in developing your knowledge about trigger events. It is time to replace assumptions with research.

When you start learning how to recognize trigger events, rather than trying to assume or guess at them, not only will you enhance your professional sales career and knowledge, but will increase your sales knowledge to what the customer needs.

It is mind-boggling to receive a telemarketing call and the caller spits out a menu of mechanical words. The customer isn’t even, it seems, invited to be part of the conversation. It’s all about the need of the seller. Now when you contact your customers with information collected from recognized trigger events, you will have right questions to ask them, and all you need to do is listen to their answers and reshape your presentation accordingly.

Start with understanding customer’s actual situation and have their needs on your mind, but also find the way to put them on the market by making them realize their yet uncovered needs.

I hope you realize how often you barked up the wrong tree in your prospecting activities, talking to companies without the real need, following up and leaving numerous messages to someone who doesn’t see the value in your product.

It is time to move on. Of course, at one time when we were starting sales, we all may have wasted our time that way, telemarketing people from the long list of unqualified prospects we got from our manager, simply because they were in our territory or vertical market.

Now you will have a very powerful tool to change your approach to selling.

You have to understand the positioning of the company, what they need. It does not matter if these needs are hidden or visible to public eye. You need to do this ahead of the first contact as part of your trigger events research. You have to know the customer’s situation better than perhaps they know it, because at the time of presentation of your product, you will have their needs on your mind and prepare your sales presentation accordingly to the information you hold.

Think value. Give to the customer what they ask for; give them what they need and more, drive the conversation to the customer’s wants and needs.

Impress them with the depth of your understanding of their position on the market and recent events that can trigger buying process, and they will sign on dotted line.

Very often you can hear how selling is a form of art, how sales people need to be creative and use their imagination, but I am not agreeing with that – sales is more science than anything. Yes you can use imagination and creativity, but only after using tools available to you. With the proper tools and techniques you’ll replace guesswork with success.

Even if your company does not have automated system to generate new leads for you, when you learn more about trigger events, you will be able to find your next customer on your own. This will send the message to your manager that you care about your job and you really want to develop your career further, without waiting for someone.

Becoming the best person in the team is an achievable goal and your self-confidence is growing as you establish a competitive advantage towards your colleagues and towards your competition.

You don’t need to use old sales excuses anymore, like “territory is too small”, “need more training”, “inadequate sales tools”, “marketing provides no leads”, “we are overpriced” etc.

Numbers of sales people who lose their jobs or miss their quota each year are not really important to you anymore, because you are more confident that you know what you doing in your sales role and all thanks to getting new customers from trigger events.

Now you are becoming a real Sales Professional. And it is a good feeling having control over your sales career, isn’t it?

Alen Majer consults and trains entrepreneurs and salespeople how to harness their (sex) energy and use it for the success of selling. He is the founder and CEO of The Science and Art of Selling – a sales training, coaching and consulting company in Toronto, Canada; co-founder of Sales Academy – Croatia and Sales Institute of Croatia. Visit his blog at http://www.alenmajer.com

This is a Guest Post from Paul Archer, of Archer Training.

Here’s some body language reminders for you that as salespeople, we simply must get right. I’m sitting on a busy commuter train to London Paddington. There are a few seats available and most of the passengers are relaxed and enjoying the journey.

In my carriage there are a lot of table seats. One big table and four seats. Looking around I’m reminded of the human need for territory and how this can upset people if they’re not getting their territory respected. The problem is big laptops dominating the tables. Across the way from me right now is a chap with the biggest laptop I’ve ever seen. Now this is plain rude but if you could see her face and body language. She’s furious and the odd thing is, that chap is completely oblivious to and the poor lady opposite him is being squeezed out by the size of his electronics. what’s going on around him. He can’t read the signals.

In sales the message is respect zones and territory of your customer. Desks have an invisible mid line which you just do not cross, or indeed place your laptop. Items taken over to their side of the desk belong to the customer. A nice little trial close is to place something in the middle of the desk and if your customer takes it over to their side, they might be interested.

Body zones are even more important. I’m about to jump on the tube and will suffer armpits, backs and stomachs all over me during my half hour standing room only. We put up with this because we have no choice, but when we do have a choice, we do not like anyone we don’t know personally, within our intimate zone. This is roughly half a metre. Cross this as a salesperson at your peril. Be particularly wary of the zones of people who live outside cities. If they’ve been brought up in the country they may well have a larger personal zone than people who have lived in the confines of a city all their lives.

Test it next time you’re in a lift. Notice where everyone heads to the sides to find their own space.

And the best tip for you I’ve left to the end. Ever been to a networking event, or a party and you get stuck with someone you don’t really want to talk to? If so reverse the territory rule and get into their personal zone. Why? Because they will immediately back off like two poles of a magnet and move away, feel really uncomfortable and may well leave you alone.

Paul Archer is an international sales speaker, sales trainer, author and coach based in the UK. He specializes in rapport selling and rapport coaching and can ignite his audiences large or small. For more information on Paul and his training courses, visit www.paularcher.com, where you’ll also find his own sales blog, too!

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The following is a Guest post by Mike Brooks, AKA Mr. Inside Sales.

One of the largest dupes telesales professionals tumble into is the “Just Send Your Material” objection. In their enthusiasm to set up leads to call back, majority of the telesales professionals will agree and send their demos, quotes, and other information believing that they at least have a luck to close the sale once they call back. However, the question is: “How many individuals who tell you this objection actually close?”

Most likely, if you’re like most telesales professionals, the answer is “very few”. So, how do you handle this obvious brush off? The experienced telesales professional utilize cautiously prepared telephone scripts to manage objections like this and to get prospects to reveal how interested they really are.

Below are top five telephone scripts to help split the real buyers from those prospects who will end up wasting your time:

“Just Send Your Material”

Response #1:
I’ll be happy to do that __________, but until we know if this is truly a fit for you, we’d be wasting your time.  If you’re sincere about learning how this can actually help you, then I’d propose we take a couple of minutes right now to discuss your situation.  After that, if you’re really interested, I’d be glad to get something out to you – is that fair?”

Response #2:
“I’d be happy to _________.  Quick question though and please be honest with me: When do you think you’ll be serious about moving on to something like this?

Response #3:
If you like what you see, when would you be ready to place an order?” Or, “Sure, and after you review it, how soon are you looking to make a decision on it?”

Response #4:
“Before I do, I want to make sure you’d be ready to act on it if you like it.  Let me ask you a quick question: (Ask qualifying questions on budget, decision-making process, etc.)”

Response #5:
___________, my experience is that information like this, even when it’s this good, usually just gets buried under a stack of paper and that doesn’t do either one of us any good.  Now that we’re on the phone together, I can answer any of your urgent questions and then you’ll be in a better position to make a decision whether or not it makes sense to send you information.  Let me ask you about your needs for this type of (your service or product).”

If you found this article helpful, then you will love Mike’s Ebook: “The Complete Book of Phone Scripts,” 110 pages packed with word for word scripts and techniques you can begin using today to make more appointments and close more sales.  You can read about it by clicking here: http://www.mrinsidesales.com/scripts.htm

The following is a Guest post by Mike Brooks, AKA Mr. Inside Sales.

Many business owners and sales managers ask me if I have a proven system or a way to identify and hire top telesales reps. They have tried everything, they tell me.  They check references, review similar work experiences, talk to ex co-workers, hold multiple job interviews, and sometimes they even spring for some high priced fancy telesales aptitude matrix tests.

Even with all that, however, many sales managers still haven’t found a way to identify who will actually perform well and work hard, versus who will merely show up, take up space and drive up costs by sending out brochures, running up phone bills, squandering leads etc.  “How can you tell?”  They ask me.

Well I’ve got good news for you.  There is one telesales technique that I’ve used successfully for years that will immediately separate who is for real and who’s not.  It doesn’t require any special tests, it can be done on the first interview, and it will always tell you what kind of sales rep you have in front of you. Here’s what you do:

During the course of the interview simply describe the service or product you’re selling, and ask them if they think they would do well selling it.  Almost all that will say, “Oh, of course!”  (Those who don’t, dismiss immediately!)

After that, tell them you want to get an idea of how they would handle some of the common objections you get with this sale, and then give them a couple of objections (one at a time, of course) and let them respond to them. That’s it! Several things happen here — all of which accurately reveal what kind of sales telesales rep you’re dealing with.  They usually have fallen into three categories:

The “A” Players — Top reps, or telesales reps who are well-trained and confident, will handle each objection with a recognizable rebuttal, and the really good ones will even ask for the sale at the end.  You will instantly know who they are.  You hire these reps right away.

The “B” Players — This group of telesales reps will also answer the objections, but their responses will be less polished.  With this group the lack of any formal training will show through, and you will be faced with the decision of whom you think can or can’t be trained.  Part of this group will be uncomfortable with the objections and you will be able to tell that they probably never will be comfortable with them. Your choice of who to hire from this group should be pretty clear.

The “C” Players — A common response from this group will be something like this:  “Well, I really don’t know your product so I really wouldn’t be able to answer these objections.” What they’re really saying, of course, is that they have no idea how to respond to an objection, they have no confidence, and the reason they are here looking for a job will be glaringly clear to both of you.  You pass on this group altogether.

Try this powerful technique during your next interview.  You will be amazed by how well it works.  Simply give them an objection, then sit back, listen and observe.

You will know instantly if you’re dealing with a real closer or someone who is just going to fill a chair.  Happy hiring!

Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales, works with business owners and inside sales reps nationwide teaching them the skills, strategies and techniques of top 20% performance. If you’re looking to catapult your sales, or create a sales team that actually makes their monthly revenues, then learn how by visiting: www.MrInsideSales.com

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The following is a Guest post by Mike Brooks, AKA Mr. Inside Sales

I don’t know about you, but I’m shocked every time I listen to a voicemail message left for me by telesales reps, prospects and even clients. They are filled with ‘um’s’ and ‘ah’s’, they ramble on and on, they leave no compelling reason for me to call back, and they almost always leave their number so fast that I have to listen to it two, three, sometimes four times to make it out! It’s no wonder so many voice mail messages get deleted and never called back!

If ever there was a situation that begged to be scripted, it’s your voicemail message. Isn’t this the time you want to sound your best, be perceived as a professional, and prepare the most polished message you can? Of course it is. Here are seven sample voice mail messages you can start using today to separate yourself from the other 95% of voice mails that get ignored, deleted and never returned.

The first two are voicemails for prospects you haven’t spoken with yet, the next three are for when you’re calling a prospect or client back, and the last two are for situations when your prospect or client isn’t calling you back:

Sample Voicemail Message #1:

Note: The best voicemail message you can leave is one with a specific purpose that addresses the needs of your prospect or client, and offers them a solution that is worth them taking the time to call you back to learn more about. Here is the classic template – adjust and adapt it to fit your product or service. In this and all examples, leave your phone number SLOWLY:

“Hi __________, this is ___________ with (your company). I’m calling about your new office that’s opening in Houston next month, and I wanted to provide you with some ideas that may help with your networking issues.
We work with a lot of companies in the area, and I think you’ll find it useful if we talk.

You can reach me by calling area code (800) 222-0568. That number again is area code (800) 222-0568, and ask for _________. I look forward speaking with you and thanks in advance for returning my call.”

Sample Voicemail Message #2:

“Hi _________, this is _______ _______ with (your company). You and I haven’t spoken yet, but I’ve been doing some research on your company and I think you’re a great fit for (our networking solutions – your products here). We can provide you with (BREIF list of one or two benefits) and I know you’ll be happy if we spend just a couple of minutes discussing how this can help you.

When you get this message, please call me back at (800) 222-0568. That number again is area code (800) 222-0568 and ask for _________. I look forward to speaking with you, and I guarantee you’ll be glad you returned this call.”

Sample Voicemail Message #3:

“Hi _________, this is ________ ________ with (your company). Briefly _________, I need to speak with you about how you’re handling your sales tracking (Or your kind of product or fulfillment), because I have something that can (solve their unique problem). Our clients include (list some companies they are familiar with), and I know this would work for you as well. Believe me it’ll be worth a 5 minute phone call to find out why.

Please do me a favor when you get this message and call me back at (800) 222-0568. That number again is area code (800) 222-0568 and ask for _________. I look forward speaking with you and I guarantee you’ll be glad you returned this call.”

The next two examples are for voicemails left for prospects (or clients) you’re getting back to:

Sample Voicemail Message #1:

“Hi _________, this is ________ _________ getting back with you at (your company). I’m looking forward to speaking with you because we just (give an update here – you have a new special, new product update, added a new client they would know about), and I know that based on (their specific need you uncovered during the last call) this is going to make it even easier for you to (give the benefit you both discussed). I’m excited to share this with you.

Do me a favor when you get this message and please give me call a back at
(800) 222-0568, ext. 618. That number again is area code (800) 222-0568, and I’m at ext. 618. I look forward speaking with you!”

Sample Voicemail Message #2:

“Hi ________, this is _______ ________ getting back with you about (your demo, quote, etc.). Briefly, I’ve been doing some more research on how we may be able to save you even more (or make you even more – whatever your product or service can do for them), especially in regards to your (list a specific need they told you about during the initial call), and I’m excited to share that (or discuss that) with you.

I’ll be in my office the rest of today, so do me a favor when you get this message and please give me call a back at (800) 222-0568, ext. 618. That number again is area code (800) 222-0568, and I’m at ext. 618. I look forward speaking with you.”

And for the prospects or clients that seem to be dodging you or just not calling you back:

Sample Voicemail Message #1:

“Hi _________, this is _______ ________ again with (your company). For some reason we haven’t been able to connect since I sent you (your demo, proposal, etc.), and believe me, I’ve been sales long enough to know what that probably means. I’m assuming you’ve either found another solution or this has been put on the back burner for now. Either way, that’s fine.

Do me a favor though please. So I’m not bothering you anymore, could you please give me a quick call and just give me an update so I know what direction you’re moving in? If I’m not available, just leave me a voice mail. Again, either way, it will be good to know what’s going on.

Thanks in advance for that, and I’ll look for your call. You can reach me at (800) 222-0568, ext. 618. That number again is area code (800) 222-0568, and I’m at ext. 618. Thanks again, ________.”

Sample Voicemail Message #2:

“Hi _________ this is _______ ________ again with (your company). I’m sorry we haven’t been able to get back together on this – if you’re like me I’m sure you’re being pulled in many different directions and are real busy. Do me a favor, though, and when you get this message, just call me back and leave me a voice mail with what you’ve decided to do about (your proposal or demo or quote). If you’re still interested in it, great, but even if you’ve decided not to move forward with it, that’s fine as well.
Either way it will be nice for me to know.

Thanks in advance for that, and I’ll look for your call. You can reach me at (800) 222-0568, ext. 618. That number again is area code (800) 222-0568, and I’m at ext. 618. Thanks again, ________.”

There you have it – voicemail messages for most of the situations you’ll find yourself in. Once again, by using these scripted, proven messages you’ll be giving yourself the best chance to hear back from your prospects and clients. And remember, even if their answer is no that’s a lot better than chasing unqualified prospects who are never going to buy.

Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales, works with business owners and inside sales reps nationwide teaching them the skills, strategies and techniques of top 20% performance. If you’re looking to catapult your sales, or create a sales team that actually makes their monthly revenues, then learn how by visiting: http://www.MrInsideSales.com

IMPORTANT NOTE TO ALL READERS!!! Prompted by visitor demand, we recently launched our FREE eBook on How to use Email and Voicemail to Support your Telesales Efforts. If you haven’t already got your hands on your copy of this 22-page, professionally designed eBook, jam-packed full of great, exclusive content, then download it now by signing-up for it on the right hand side of our site…!

First of all, let me welcome each and every one of you to the first post of 2010 here at Telesales Magic! What an amazing year 2009 was for us all. I must say, in the 7 months since we launched the blog we have seen a treasure trove of telesales tips, telemarketing techniques and cold calling tactics come our way thanks to our fantastic contributors and awesome readers!

We had some awesome articles posted in 2009, but there were a handful that received more attention than the rest, and so, it is my pleasure to present to you The Top 5 Telesales Magic Posts of 2009, in order of popularity. And let me say I am quietly humbled by the fact that one of my posts was at the top of the heap!

BEST OF 2009 #1: The Ultimate Tip Ten Telesales Tips

BEST OF 2009 #2: Preparation – The Key to Successful Cold Calling and Telephone Selling

BEST OF 2009 #3: Telesales 101 – How to Build Gust Busting Rapport!

BEST OF 2009 #4: 15 Steps to Easier Cold Calling Success

BEST OF 2009 #5: Softening Your Telemarketing and Telesales Questioning Techniques

As the New Year kicks-off, a lot of sales pro’s will be looking to sharpen up their skills on the phone, so I sincerely ask you all to spread the word of Telesales Magic and what we’re all about… We’ve just added the ‘Retweet’ button at the top of each of our posts, so please USE IT! Along with the ‘Social Bookmarking’ buttons at the bottom of every post. And you’ll also see that we’ve started a new Facebook Page, too – please click on the link to the right to ‘join us’…!

So, what can you expect in 2010? Well, actually, quite a lot…!

Along with the above-mentioned FREE eBook on Email and Voicemail, we will also soon be completely the redesign of the site (you’re currently seeing it at around 70% – didn’t see the point in holding it back!); including several new features, like our Podcast Library, our Video Library, and an extended Resource Area of the site, too – plus, much more!

However, the BIG NEWS will be the launch of our first Companion eBook, entitled “Telesales Magic!” (catchy, huh!?!). In fact, we hope that the eBook becomes the staple diet for all our readers and we’re looking forward to seeing what you guys have got to say about it once its launched, following a WHOLE YEAR in the making! There will be a one-off SPECIAL OFFER for the launch to all subscribers of the blog. We’ll be sending details through via email to everyone once the time is right!

Thank you again for a great first year (well, 7 months!) for the blog, and we look forward to hearing more of your comments and feedback in the coming months!

Have a killer 2010, everyone!

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