How to Throw Out Your Cold Calling Sales Script

How to Throw Out Your Cold Calling Sales Script Fiveis important. It means you're basing your cold call on
Ways to be yourself Again in Cold Callingwhat you have to offer, and not on what's important
Recently you may have received a cold call fromto the prospect.
someone using an old-style linear sales script. YouPitching your solution as soon as you begin a cold call
probably recognized it as a cold call because theis one of the biggest problems with linear sales scripts.
person sounded a bit robotic and kept talking withoutThat's because you trigger sales pressure by doing
allowing the conversation to "breathe."that. This causes potential clients to react with
If you've been selling for a while, chances are you'vedefensiveness or immediate rejection.
been asked to use sales scripts yourself.3.Create Openings Rather than Forcing a "Yes" Selling
Consequently, you've probably used them becausescripts are designed to be linear and step-by-step so
they were the only way you knew to start a coldyou can move cold calls in the direction you want
calling conversation.them to go. From the traditional cold calling point of
Here are some questions you need to ask yourself:view, that direction is toward a "yes." The belief is if
·How do you really feel when you use a script?you don't get a "yes" at the beginning of the cold call,
·How do your potential clients feel when theyyou're not "selling." However, that's the biggest problem
know you're using a script? (And they do know.)with scripts. They give you only one path to follow. If
·How many sales are you losing because you'reyou can start a conversation that triggers a "What do
using a script?you mean?" response from your potential client, then
When people call me and ask how they can throw outyou'll find you can explain yourself in a natural way. It
their scripts and cold call the natural way, the first thingcreates a two-way dialogue, which in turn lets you
I do is ask them whether they're willing to role-play withlearn what you need to find out. You flow with the
me using their script.conversation without feeling you're getting off-track.
After a few moments of listening, I gently stop them4.Tape-Record yourself talking with someone you
and tell them they're sounding like a totally differentknow. Then Record yourself Reading your Script.
person from the one who called me and talked withHave you ever heard yourself calling a potential client
me so naturally about their sales issues. You knowand reading your script? The answer is probably not.
what they always say. "Ari, you are so right. When IMost people who use scripts think they sound natural
use a script, I feel as if I can't be myself. I feel like abecause they've never actually heard themselves
robot or an actor, and it's awkward and uncomfortable.before. If you do this simple exercise, you'll hear the
Is there any way I can be myself again?"same kinds of differences I hear when people
Here are five ways to throw out your linear sellingrole-play with me.
script and be yourself again:In our day-to-day relationships, we simply want to get
1.Admit that Scripts Make You Sound "Scripted"to know and communicate with others. However,
When you begin your sales script, potential clientswhen we go into cold calling using scripts, we have an
detect the very subtle change from your natural voiceagenda, which is to make the sale. People sense this
to your unnatural scripted voice within seconds.immediately and put up their guard. Between our
"Fine," you might say,"I'll just work on making myselfhidden agenda and their reaction, there's no chance to
sound natural." However, that in itself creates a conflict.build trust through communication.
You can't "work at" being natural. Really, you either are5.Set a New Goal for your Cold Calls
or aren't.Focus on simply opening the conversation rather than
2.Start your Cold Call as a Conversation, not atrying to control it, so that potential clients feel
One-Way Pitch If you're used to scripts, you'recomfortable telling you the truth about their situation.
probably wondering, "How the heck will I know what toWe've been taught for too long that we have to
say without a script?"control the process. We never stop to think that
You might want to ask yourself why you think youscripts make it impossible for us to be flexible in how
won't know what to say, because the reason for thatwe communicate.