• What problems do warm calls solve for clients?
• Warm calls: advantages and features.
• Sample script for a warm call for a sales manager.
• An example of a warm call using a ready-made script.
• How to make warm calls even more effective.
• How a salesperson should behave during a warm call and what mistakes should be avoided.

Before we talk in detail about warm calls, you need to clearly understand what to compare them with. Therefore, first we will decide on other forms of telephone sales.

1. Cold calls. The operator calls a potential client who is not familiar with the products offered. Moreover, in this case, the person does not expect a call at all and often has no idea where the company representative got his number. Therefore, the manager must, within the shortest possible time, not only tell a possible client about the proposed product, service and their advantages, but also try to make the listener believe him.
2. Warm calls differ from cold calls in that you are calling a person who already has some idea about your products or services. But the potential client is not yet familiar with the manager. Most often, the purpose of warm calls is to tell the interlocutor about new offers or loyalty programs, promotions or discounts. The person on the other end of the line this topic You may or may not be interested.
3. Hot calls. Contact with a potential buyer has already been established; the person has already collaborated with the company in the past, ordering certain goods or services. There is another type of hot call: the client has not previously had any business with the company, but is interested in the offer received and is already “ripe” for a purchase. Communication with this person occurs on a closer level than with interlocutors from the “cold” and “warm” sectors.

In the first case, contact center operators are looking for new customers. In the latter, they specifically agree on cooperation.

What problems do warm calls solve for clients?

It's simple: in this way the company does not allow itself to be forgotten. Their functions are mostly aimed at promoting products, but often such communication with a potential buyer leads to a sale.

1. Returning lost customers or those who have not purchased goods from you for a long time. What time period are we talking about here? It may be different for each type of product. Usually this is a period of time sufficient for the buyer to want to change the product or feel the need to do so. For example, the shelf life of a jar of sour cream is several days, but many people prefer to purchase new smartphones every two to three years.
2. Providing information to the client about new products and services. There is no permanent cooperation with the consumer, but at one time he bought a product from the company or was at least interested in it. A warm call is a way to convey to a person information about new products produced by the company. The manager can also advise the client to purchase goods produced by companies that this moment able to solve this consumer's problem. This tactic works well if the communication is personalized. If you offer a person a product, then only the one that he really needs.
3. Company promotion. A warm call is a way to remind the buyer about yourself.
4. Determining needs. One of the most difficult tasks facing the operator. He must work as a psychologist and get the person to talk, find out if he has problems that the company’s promoted product can help overcome in one way or another.

Test your sales scripts: 11 scary mistakes

People are put off by formal, memorized phrases and a few other mistakes. Find out about them from the article electronic journal « CEO» and do not allow it, so as not to scare off your customers.

Warm calls: advantages and features

Warm calling in sales has certain advantages.

1. With their help, you can gain the client's trust.
2. Products are sold more often after warm calls.
3. Potential buyers do not experience negative emotions during a conversation.

Such calls require a certain style of communication between the operator and the interlocutor.

First, you need to make it clear to the client that he is very important to the company. Secondly, we need to talk as equals. Thirdly, communication should be friendly, but not unceremonious. And, of course, the manager must know perfectly well the characteristics of the product he is offering in order to, if necessary, provide answers to all the client’s questions.

Companies that for some reason do not have their own sales department working in the field of telemarketing often enter into contracts with contact centers or outsourcing organizations. The fact is that the task of attracting clients can best be handled by specialists with professional persuasion skills.

However, this does not mean that they cannot master the technique of warm calling ordinary people. There are no obstacles to this if you carry out certain preparations and follow a well-written script. Based on a pre-compiled warm call script, you can feel confident enough in a conversation with a potential buyer and not get lost if the client suddenly asks complex issue or put forward an unexpected counterargument. To correctly structure a conversation during a warm call, you need to follow certain rules.

• Telephone sales: how to create scripts and avoid mistakes

Sample script for a warm call for a sales manager

1. Greetings. Without it, it is unlikely that you will be able to establish normal contact with a person. After saying hello, you must introduce yourself, then name the company of which you are an employee and indicate the type of activity of the company.
2. A question of relevance. Perhaps the call was made at the wrong time. Therefore, it is necessary to clarify whether the person is comfortable talking now. If not, then you can ask when is the best time to call back.
3. Reminder. Most often, warm calls are made to those people who have already spoken with representatives of the company before. The interlocutor needs to be reminded of this. Sometimes warm calls are a response to a request left by a person. Or they are sent to customers who ordered the company's products via the Internet. These people also need to be reminded that they have already done business with this company. Such tactics increase the chances of a successful transaction.
4. Purpose of the outgoing call. The interest of a potential buyer will increase if you tell him about the purpose of the call. This could be a notification about the release of a new product, advice on placing an order, a story about a promotion being carried out by the company, etc. Such information will help not only attract the client’s attention, but also increase the degree of his trust.
5. Presentation. A person who has shown genuine interest in the conversation needs to briefly talk about the product promoted by the company. The client must believe that he really needs this item or service, and ultimately complete the transaction.
6. Fixation and completion. If a potential buyer has doubts, you need to dispel them and answer all questions and counterarguments. When a person has agreed to purchase a product or order a service, you need to take his contact information, assure him that you will call him back as soon as possible, and politely say goodbye.

It is preferable to employ experienced operators or managers to work with warm calls. In such a conversation, you often have to deviate from the written script and improvise.

An employee making warm calls must:

• be able to win over a potential buyer and have good communication skills;
• speak competently;
• do not let the interlocutor wander away from the main topic;
• be able to navigate difficult situations.

An example of a conversation using a ready-made script

Greetings. Say hello by calling the person by name and patronymic. Introduce yourself:

Good afternoon... My name is..., I am a representative of the company... Can you spare me a few minutes?

Clarifying question. Aims to clarify the situation for the interlocutor:

Not long ago you purchased from us... Is this information correct?

Voicing the goal. If the client answers in the affirmative, then briefly tell him why you are calling. When presenting a product or service, do not forget to mention its advantages:

Starting next week, our company is holding a promotion...

Today the price of our products has been reduced by...

Our company is expanding and we are offering you new products and services. It's about O…

In connection with the release of new market our company plans to start collaborating with other companies, in particular with yours...

Determining the level of interest. If the client has expressed interest in the offer, then specify how he would like to receive the data:

Would you like to get acquainted with our offer in more detail? How would it be more convenient for you to do this? personal meeting, by phone or send information by mail?

Showing activity. Check with your interlocutor, he alone makes decisions on this issue or is there anyone else:

Can you tell me if any of your colleagues are interested in the services we offer? Who can I talk to about this?

Further arrangement. Agree on the date and time of the next conversation:

Then I will call you back at... and answer all your questions.

Establishing communication. Find out the person's contacts:

Please dictate your email address.

Parting. Politely end the conversation and call back the next day to find out if the person received the promised information.

How to make warm calls even more effective

Even experienced contact center employees cannot always solve the tasks assigned to them through warm calls. Here a lot depends on how competently the preparatory stage was carried out.

Preparing for a warm call

Before contacting a potential buyer, you need to determine his area of ​​interest as accurately as possible. This is the only way you can make a person a business offer to which he will most likely respond. Having identified a client's problem, advise him on a way to solve it. Having learned about the buyer's needs, offer him the right product.

The effectiveness of a warm call directly depends on the preparation of an individual commercial proposal. The client needs to be told exactly what he wants to hear. For such tactics to work, he must be convinced that the product offered by the company will certainly improve the current state of affairs. The client should not feel pressured. On the contrary, do everything to ensure that the client understands that you are calling only to help him. In this case, he will willingly listen to your proposal, without looking for a reason to hang up the phone as quickly as possible. Advanced managers know how to turn the conversation in such a way that the client himself comes to the idea of ​​​​the need to purchase this product. This technique will significantly save time - you won’t have to waste it on “empty” calls. It also protects against excessive intrusiveness, which people do not like at all and only pushes them away. Pre-prepared warm calling scripts increase company sales by a fairly significant amount.

How to turn warm calls into a system

Having analyzed the client’s needs and past contacts with him, you create an individual commercial proposal, and then present it. If everything is done correctly, a person will definitely become interested. It is not necessary to force the client to make a purchase immediately; you can simply remind him once again about the benefits of this offer and the advantages of the products offered. Also, a warm call allows you to find out if a person’s plans have changed. It happens that a client has firmly decided to purchase a product, but has not yet done so. We need to understand why this happens. Along the way, you can find answers to the buyer’s counterarguments that he put forward during your last conversation.

With the help of warm calls, the “conversion length” is reduced, that is, the time from the moment when the client has just become familiar with the commercial offer to the time of making a purchase is reduced. The manager’s goal in this case is to finally push the person to complete the transaction or, if this does not work out, to schedule a meeting for a full presentation. This is the maximum task. The “minimum” task is to form a positive impression on the client about the product and the company offering it. If this is not done, a person may prefer another company or completely lose interest in the product.

The effectiveness of warm calls

Operators who comply with the above rules are rarely rejected by potential buyers. But you need to remember that if you make promotional offers to people that do not meet their expectations, then even the warmest target audience can perceive these calls very skeptically.

IN Lately companies are gradually moving away from cold calls, SMS mailings and email spam, preferring more high level interactions with clients – so-called calls by mutual agreement.

Work with potential buyers begins only after a thorough analysis of the client base. Specialized programs record the history of communication with each person, and then subject it to detailed research for the fundamental characteristics of the client, the reasons for his refusal to purchase and classic objections. Thanks to all this, the operator calls not an impersonal potential buyer, but an almost specific consumer. Such warm calls are made at the most convenient time for the client and under the most favorable conditions. Nowadays, such innovative programs are so developed that contact center operators plan their work in accordance with these developments. And the data from the analysis helps in researching the consumer audience, its needs and financial capabilities.

How to make warm calls more effective? There are several ways.

1. Particular attention must be paid to the contact database. You need to not just create a list of potential consumers, but select them as carefully as possible. The parameters for entering into the database can be very different, for example, the presence of requests to the company, questionnaire data, place of residence. It is advisable for a contact center operator to know about a person’s field of activity. All phone numbers must be valid.
2. The employee making warm calls must perfectly know all the characteristics of the product being offered, remember its pros and cons, but be able to present the product in the most attractive light. The operator must also be able to emphasize certain unique properties product to make it more interesting for the client than similar products from competing companies.
3. You need to set the right goal. The manager must be aware that the client rarely agrees to the deal after the first contact. When making warm calls, the operator is obliged to strictly follow the assigned tasks: tell the consumer about a product, service, promotion, etc. If this is not done, the conversation will not bear any fruit, and the company’s image in the eyes of the client may suffer.
4. It is necessary to prepare a warm calling script in advance. Above we have already given an example of a scheme for such a conversation. But this is a simplified version. The conversation can take many different paths, some of which will be challenging even for a very experienced employee. Therefore, the script for such a call should be worked out literally to the smallest detail and contain as many options for developing the conversation as possible, as well as counterarguments to any possible objections of the potential buyer.

How should a salesperson behave during a warm call and what mistakes should he avoid?

There are many mistakes you can make even at the very beginning of a conversation. For example, you should never start a conversation like this:

Andrey Ivanovich?

Are you comfortable talking now?

Try starting a warm call differently.

1. Say hello to the person and introduce yourself.
2. Remind the client that he has already spoken with you or another representative from your firm.
3. Ask if it was a good time for you to call.
4. Tell us about the purpose of the call.

If you immediately provide a person with information about who you are, why and from whom you are calling, he will not have time to become wary. Once the client understands that there are “friends” on the line, he will become interested in why they are contacting him. You, in turn, will keep the intrigue for a while and instead of immediately talking about the purpose of the call, ask: is the person comfortable talking? If you immediately voice the reason, the interlocutor can easily say: “You are at the wrong time!” - and hang up.

Every person is moderately curious. And most remain interested until the reason for the call is found out. However, most people are also not particularly patient, and therefore the operator making a warm call has about 15 seconds to establish contact with a potential client. A person who has satisfied his curiosity can either end the conversation, or express his point of view on what is happening, or continue a constructive conversation. The last option is the most optimal, as it means that the client is interested in the offer.

So, we said hello, then:

- Andrey Ivanovich?

- He is…

- Andrey Ivanovich, my name is Alexander Volkov, ABC company. You worked with us in September of this year, purchased a bedroom set from us, my colleague Evgeniy Perov spoke with you, remember him?

Everything needs to be done according to the algorithm: first introduce yourself, then recall the history of communication, and then perform an intermediate closing.

- Client: I remember.

- Is it convenient for you to talk now?

- Client: Yes (no).

The man recalled a conversation with a representative of the company. If it is uncomfortable for the client to communicate at the moment, then say the following phrase:

- What time can I call you back, Andrey Ivanovich?

If you have time for communication, then:

- Andrei Ivanovich, Evgeniy has been promoted since November, he is now the head of the sales department and handed over his clients to me. I'm calling you just to get to know each other and maybe answer some questions.

- Client: Yes, thank you. I wish Evgeniy good luck.

As a rule, by starting a conversation this way, you set the client up for a positive attitude, which is expressed in his response. The man calmed down and realized that they were calling exactly “their own” - people with whom he could talk. Do not forget to constantly use the interception method - end each remark with a question.

The purpose of a warm call does not have to be an introduction. If so, then it also needs to be voiced:

- Andrei Ivanovich, Evgeniy has been promoted since November, he is now the head of the sales department! And he handed over his clients to me. I'm calling just to meet you and inform you about new arrivals.

So far everything was elementary. But how to continue the conversation further? When the operator’s task is to introduce himself and establish communication, the conversation will continue in something like this:

- Glad to meet you, Andrei Ivanovich! Once again, my name is Alexander Volkov. I’ll send you my contact information via SMS so you can contact me with any questions at any time, okay?

– Client: Yes, okay, Alexander.

- By the way, I wanted to ask: is everything okay with the headset? Are you satisfied? (Interception, sincere interest)

- Client: tells.

- We are glad that we were able to help you then. Andrey Ivanovich, thank you very much for your time! Goodbye, good luck to you!

Please note: there was no request on your part to send an SMS to the client. More precisely, it was, but rather in the form of a statement. This is how you showed the person your confidence. You should not be afraid of such phrases, because if the client decides to refuse the offer, he will definitely do so.

Introduction, agreement on SMS, expression of interest in the product, gratitude, polite farewell. A favorable impression is made on the potential buyer, and after a few days the success can be consolidated. True, this will no longer be a warm call, but a hot one (for example, with an offer to participate in a promotion).

Often, a conversation has several goals at once: to make acquaintances, offer new products, find out about the interest of the client’s friends in these products.

- Glad to meet you, Andrei Ivanovich! Once again, my name is Alexander Volkov. I’ll send you my contact information via SMS so you can always contact me with any questions, okay?

- Client: Yes, okay, Alexander.

- Andrey Ivanovich, the latest collection of furniture has just arrived at our warehouse. In addition to the furniture, new hallways, kitchen corners and many other interesting things have appeared. How do you feel about coming to us and seeing if you like something? (Closing)

Client: consent or refusal. Your reaction in the first case:

- Which days suit you better – weekends or weekdays?

In the second case, if the client has no desire to come, you should not put pressure on him. Instead ask:

- Andrey Ivanovich, perhaps one of your relatives or friends is currently renovating the interior. Do you think I could invite them to come and look at the range?

Again, there are two possible scenarios. Either the client will prefer not to provide any contacts, or will share them. You should write down the person’s name, phone number, and also find out who he is related to Andrei Ivanovich. After this, be sure to clarify:

- Andrei Ivanovich, do you mind if I tell them that I am calling on your recommendation?

Even if you didn't get what you wanted, the person still needs to express sincere gratitude:

- Andrey Ivanovich, thank you for taking the time! If anyone around you is interested in furniture, please direct them to me, okay?

- Client: Yes, okay Alexander.

- Thank you, Andrey Ivanovich, for your time! Have a good day!

Of course, if after asking about the headset a person becomes indignant at the work of your company, then asking for recommendations in this situation would be at least stupid. Instead, you need to find out what happened and promise the customer to forward his complaints to the service department. The promise, by the way, must certainly be fulfilled.

Warm calls for B2B businesses will be slightly different in structure

You need to be well prepared for a conversation the purpose of which is to obtain an application for a product.

1. Find out the name of the potential customer.
2. Find out which manager worked with this person before.
3. Find all available client data in the database and analyze it.
4. Study his past applications.

The conversation begins as usual:

- Hello, Sergei Petrovich?

- Yes...

- Sergey Petrovich, my name is Andrey Nesterov, and I represent the ABC company. You already collaborated with us in December last year and ordered a batch of office furniture. The work went through my colleague Viktor Nazarenko, remember?

- Client: Yes, I remember.

-Can you talk now?

- Client: Yes.

- Sergey Petrovich, Victor was promoted to head of the sales department, and now I deal with his clients. I’m calling you to get to know each other, and also to tell you about the opportunity to make a profitable bid.

- Client: Yes, very nice. Congratulate Victor from me!

- Definitely! Glad to meet you, Sergei Petrovich! Let me introduce myself again: Andrey Nesterov. I’ll send you my contact information via SMS so you can contact me with various questions at any time, okay?

- Client: Yes, okay, Andrey.

- Sergey Petrovich, I studied your previous order from December last year. You purchased a product similar to the one I would like to offer you. I'm sure you will find this very interesting. (Next is a description of the product, its characteristics, market demand.) How do you feel about making a trial application? (Closing)

If the client raises objections, you begin to slowly convince him. There is one great question that many successful salespeople have adopted:

- What bothers you?

If the person agrees to accept the offer, say:

- Sergey Petrovich, what do you think about doing the following? Within the next half hour, before 14.20, I will send to your email detailed offer. You read it, and at a quarter to three I’ll call you back, answer all your questions, and we’ll talk about further cooperation, okay?

- Client: Yes, okay. (If the client is not satisfied with the time, he will say so)

- Great! Then I'll send the data package now. I'll call you as agreed. Thank you for your time, Sergey Petrovich. See you in touch!

The customer must hang up first. At the agreed time, you contact the customer again. If he has any questions, answer them in detail. You suggest making an application. Only this will no longer be a warm call, but a hot one.

A call made through the database consists of 11 steps.

1. Call the client by name, and do this at least twice.
2. Introduce yourself and also tell us about the company you work for.
3. Remind the client about past cooperation: what happened and when.
4. Ask if the other person is comfortable talking at the moment.
5. Remind which of your employees the client communicated with before.
6. Tell us about the purpose of the call.
7. Get acquainted and agree to send contacts via SMS or email.
8. You invite them to the office or, after an offer has been made, you agree to send information to fill out an application.
9. Take recommendations or decide when to call next time.
10. Summarize.
11. Express your gratitude and say goodbye.

If necessary, this warm call scheme can be adjusted in points 8 and 9.

conclusions

Having a customer base not only saves time and simplifies work, but also retains potential customers. All this has a positive effect on profits.

The difference between hot and warm calls is that in the latter case you do not know the person you are calling. But, since he has already worked with your company, you know his name and history.

A warm call on the basis consists of 11 steps.

You need to prepare for such a call in advance, namely:

• find out the name of the potential buyer;
• find out the name of the employee who worked with the client before you;
• find all available data about the client in the database and analyze it; it would also be useful to view the client’s personal website;
• review his past applications;
• You need to ask whether a person is comfortable speaking after the person has recognized you, but before voicing the purpose of the call.

The “limit of curiosity” - the time during which the client is ready to listen to you without additional motivation - is no more than 15 seconds.

Hello! In this article we will talk about such a telephone sales tool as a script.

Today you will learn:

• What is a script for talking with a client on the phone;
• How to write a telephone sales script correctly;
• What types of telephone sales scripts exist? .

What is a telephone sales script?

For a marketer, a telephone is not only a means of communication, it is also an excellent channel for the promotion and distribution of products.

To understand how to sell a product using only a telephone conversation, you need to remember the specifics of communication over the phone:

• Solution. Usually, modern man makes calls to find out or agree on something, in other words, to solve a problem;
• Brevity. A conversation on the phone is always shorter than a conversation on the same topic in person;
• Dialogue. A telephone conversation always involves a dialogue between two people.

Not every sales manager is able to briefly describe to the client his proposal to solve a problem that needs to be identified during a telephone dialogue with the client. Therefore, in order for a conversation between a seller and a potential client to turn into sales, it is advisable to use pre-written dialogue scripts or scripts.

Script – a dialogue scenario between a sales manager and a client, designed to increase the efficiency of the former and attract the latter.

You need a telephone sales script if:

• Do you sell over the phone?
• Your office employs at least three managers to implement telephone sales and provide telephone consultations to clients (a smaller number is easier and cheaper to train to work without scripts);
• You want to improve your overall telesales performance. At the same time, the effectiveness of individual managers may decrease.

If you agreed with each point, then we need to move on and decide what types of telephone sales scripts are suitable.

In total, there are four types of scripts, depending on the level of development of the client and the market in which the client is represented. Each type of script involves its own telephone sales technique.

	Warm customer base	Cold customer base
Consumer segment	A “warm” script is used if you call a potential client who has recently performed a targeted action in relation to your company: made a purchase, registered on a website, visited a store, and so on. That is, you know that this client is interested in your product. The manager’s goal is to remind about the company, offer products that may be of interest to this consumer, and convince him of the usefulness of this product	In this case, you are calling “blindly”. Your interlocutor probably doesn’t know about your company or product at all. The manager’s goal is to inform the interlocutor about the company, identify the client’s problems and offer solutions to these problems. That is, the manager must get a completely new client for the company
Industrial segment

Any of these types is based on the following principles:

• Equality. You and your client are partners. You should not persuade the client to take the target action or agree to unfavorable conditions. Your job is to see the client's problem and offer a solution. It is up to the client to refuse or agree. Otherwise, you will lose the client's respect for your company;
• Cooperation. You should not argue with the client, you must prove to him that he really needs your product and the purpose of your call is to help. To do this, you need to ask your potential client questions to which you know the answers in advance. For example, manager: “You spend a large number of paper per month?”, client: “yes”, manager: “you buy a new pack of paper every week”, client: “yes”, manager: “would you like our company to deliver paper to your office every week at a convenient time?” time for you?

IN in this example We offer a solution to the client’s problem and at the same time use the law of three “yes”;

• Knowledge. A sales manager must know the specifics of the company and understand its products and services.

Script structure

Now that we have decided on the types of script, let's decide on its structure. Since scripts for the consumer market are significantly different from scripts for the industrial market, we will analyze them separately. Let's start with the consumer segment.

Script structure for the consumer segment

To clearly show what the difference is between scripts for a warm and cold customer base, we will display the structure of the scripts in a small table.

	Warm base	Cold base
Greetings	Introductory phrase: good afternoon (evening, morning)	Introductory phrase: good afternoon (evening, morning)
Performance	“Client name”, my name is “manager name”, I am a representative of the company “company name”	“My name is “manager name”, how can I address you? I am a representative of the company “company name”, we are engaged in ....” There is no need to mention the client's name, even if you know it!
Finding out the circumstances	We find out whether it is convenient for the interlocutor to talk now (if not, then we discuss the time when it will be possible to call back)	We find out whether it is convenient for the interlocutor to talk now (if not, then we discuss the time when it will be possible to call back)
Clarifying questions	We remind the client that he recently purchased our product or performed another targeted action. For example: “last week you purchased our product “name”. Did you like him?	We identify the client’s need: “Are you familiar with the problem...?” “Would you like to get rid of her?”
Purpose of the call	We indicate the purpose of the call: “Yesterday we received a new product, complementing “the name of the product that has already been purchased previously.” It will allow you to achieve a double effect and save you from the problem for a long time...” Here the consumer either purchases the product or objects	We offer our product/service to the client. If the client objects, we move on to the next stage
Reply to an objection	We use all the positive characteristics of a product or company to convince the consumer of the need for this product	We identify the reason for refusing to purchase the product. We solve the problem for which the consumer refused, as a rule, it is necessary to solve three such problems
We say goodbye	“Thank you for your time, we will be glad to see you in our store. Goodbye"	“Thank you for your time, we will be glad to see you in our store. Goodbye"

Structure of a cold calling script for an industrial client

In this case, it would be advisable to omit the conversation script with the industrial client from the warm base. Typically, it matches the conversation script for the warm base of the consumer segment.

for industrial clients will consist of the following steps:

1. Preliminary. We send your commercial offer to the potential client by email. This must be done half an hour before the call. We write down the goals of the conversation;

1. Search for a contact person, who makes a decision in the client company on your issue;
2. Secretary's rounds. As a rule, the secretary of the responsible person will answer you first, who has his own script for refusing people like you. You need to get around it. To do this, adhere to the following rules:

• It is necessary to show by intonation and manner of speaking that the person in charge needs this cooperation more than you;
• Clear, correct, confident speech;
• The following phrase should be heard in the conversation: “Who can I talk to about this issue” (“Contact me with the person responsible for this issue”).

1. Conversation with the decision maker. The structure of the script for a conversation with the person in charge of the company will look like this.

Stage	Action
Greetings	Introductory phrase: good afternoon (evening, morning) “Name of interlocutor”
Performance	Say your first and last name
Clarification questions and product introduction	Do you use communication services from our company “name”? Now we have a new offer, for regular customers it will cost half as much. It will allow you to “name those benefits that are of interest to your interlocutor.” For example, for the boss - cost reduction and profit, for ordinary employees - simplification of work
Work with objections	We identify the reason for refusing to purchase the product. We solve the problem for which the consumer refused. Typically, there are three such problems that need to be solved
We say goodbye	Thank you for your time, we will be glad to cooperate / see you / tomorrow our specialist will come to you at the appointed time

An example of working with objections

At the end of the article, I would like to focus on this block, since it is the most dangerous from the point of view of losing a client.

Objection	Answer
We don't need this product	“The product can solve the problem with...”. It doesn’t help, you can offer an alternative product and name its useful qualities for the client
I have no time to talk (after the clarification stage)	“It won't take more than 10 minutes. I can call you back at another time. At your convenience?"
We already have a supplier, he suits us	“We do not propose to replace your current partners, we propose to supplement them so that everyone can work comfortably and problems such as “listing the client’s problems” do not arise.
Expensive	Many of our customers pointed out the high price, but all questions were resolved after they tried our product. Let us give you a 20% discount on your first order so you can be sure of this

In fact, there may be many more objections; we have given only the most common options. It is important to think through each one and work it out so that the manager can give a clear response and not lose the client.

Sample (example) telephone sales script

Finally, here is a complete telephone sales script. Let's say we sell shampoo for dry hair to a cold customer base.

1. Greetings: Good afternoon
2. Performance: " My name is Anna, how can I contact you? I am a representative of the Volosatik company, we produce natural hair care products. “Customer Name, we have a special offer for you.”
3. Clarification of circumstances:“Are you comfortable talking now?”
4. Clarifying questions:“Are you familiar with the problem of dry and brittle hair?”, “Would you like to get rid of it?”
5. Purpose of the call:“Great, we offer natural shampoo for dry hair. The fact is that licorice, which is included in its composition, retains water, and the absence of sulfates allows you to preserve the structure of the hair. Did you know that 90% of shampoos in stores contain sulfates, which destroy the hair structure, slowing down growth and making it brittle? (No Yes). When making our shampoo, we focused specifically on the absence of harm to hair. At the same time, the price of our shampoo corresponds to the market average and is 500 rubles per 400 ml.”
6. Work with objections: Examples of working with objections are given in the table above.
7. Saying goodbye:“Thank you for your time, we will be glad to see you in our store. Goodbye".

Video about telephone sales scripts

If 10-15 years ago not every business owner knew about the need to use scripts in the work of call center operators, today any serious work with a client over the phone includes following a pre-prepared script.

This approach has many advantages, and it’s not just that the operator’s work is significantly simplified and accelerated. Using scripts and corresponding services, we receive visual statistics - instead of listening to hundreds of hours of conversations between operators and clients, identifying weak points and subsequently making adjustments to the script, it is enough to see what kind of conversion certain script options provide. By using specialized services instead of regular spreadsheets/wiki-like pages (not to mention pen and paper), optimizing agent-customer communication becomes quick and enjoyable.

Online services for creating a telephone conversation script

There are many services that allow you to create and improve scripts for specific tasks. Most ask for a certain fee for their services, although there are quite simple free solutions.

A full-fledged service for creating scripts of any complexity and for any task. Meets the needs of any call center. There are no restrictions on the number of scripts or the number of connected employees. The service is cross-platform - you can fully use it on any device with any OS.

The interface is quite intuitive, and the created scripts can work without access to the Internet. In addition, for a quick start, templates are provided, by optimizing which you can get your own unique script.

The free period provided by ScriptON is 10 days. It is noteworthy that after termination of payment for the service, the created unique scripts remain the property of the client. The most economical tariff plan offered by the service is 5-day access for 990 rubles.

A distinctive feature of CallHelper is that the service is available not only in stand-alone form, but also as an integral part of such CRMs as Bitrix24, amoCRM and Megaplan. Like any full-fledged script designer, CallHelper automates the process of working with a client, accessing CRM databases at the right moments and providing detailed statistics on all stages of the call.

The trial period of CallHelper is 15 days. Tariff plans are flexible and allow you to work with the service either independently (using the manuals provided) or with the direct support of company specialists, which will cost more. The minimum cost of access to the service is 650 rubles for 1 month.

Completely free script creation service. An extremely simple interface, the absence of additional functionality typical of “adult” products, and most importantly – it’s free – make this service an excellent choice for small companies who do not have a sufficient budget to implement full-fledged systems.

The service performs its main task, namely generating scripts, without any complaints. The developer continues to improve the product, insisting that, despite the development of the project, SaleScript will remain free. In essence, this is the only free script generator that adequately copes with its main function.

A good product that allows you to quickly create and optimize scripts, as well as collect statistical information about the conversion and performance of each operator. The big advantage of HyperScript is a whole month of free use, after which individual tariffs are developed.

A flexible script designer with the ability to identify problem areas in conversations between operators and clients. Integration with CRM systems and ready-made scripts for various types of calls are provided. ScriptDesigner is one of the most financially accessible products - access to full functionality starts from 500 rubles per month.

Basic principles of writing a conversation script for a call center operator

Let us immediately note that there cannot be universal scripts - everything depends entirely on the needs of the company, and most importantly, on what the target audience is. If you have a good idea of ​​your target audience and know who the decision maker (decision maker) is, then you should not have any problems with the preparation and subsequent optimization of the script.

The basic framework of any script looks like this:

1. Greeting

“Hello”, “Good afternoon”, etc.

2. Presentation

“My name is Nikolay, companyX».

3. Reason for calling

“You contacted us a year ago,” “You tried to place an order on the website,” “Ivan Ivanovich Ivanov recommended that we contact you,” etc.

4. Description of how your conversation will proceed

“I propose to do this ...” - then you should explain what exactly the client will receive during the conversation. It is also important to make it clear to the interlocutor that no one will insist on selling and your business is to simply ask if he needs a certain service or product.

5. Questions

Ask your client questions that will help you better understand what exactly he really needs. Such questions may concern the size of the budget, the timing of a project, and so on.

6. Forks

One of key elements any script. You need to calculate all possible answers to customer questions and objections, maximizing the chances of a successful outcome of the conversation. This can be done by having relevant experience in communicating with your target audience. A script optimized in this way can significantly increase conversion.

Drawing conclusions

The choice of script creation method is directly related to the needs of a particular company. In cases where the operator’s work is really extremely simple and monotonous, he can easily get by with a piece of paper and a pen. In all other cases, you need to choose a service of a scale that meets the needs of the call center.

Every manager wants to know... But not where the pheasant sits, but how to sell successfully. Whatever it is - a product or a service. And for good sales you need tools such as scripts. What kind of animal is this and who eats it with? Everything is very simple. A script is a specific sequence of actions prescribed for a specific case. And these well-chosen “tips” and “guides” greatly simplify life and help in your work. Today we will look at what a creak for a sales manager consists of. An example will give a general understanding.

The right scenario for the right sales

So, for good work you need good plan. An action plan that sets a specific goal. In this case, the goal must be realistic and achievable. That is, the manager cannot be instructed to fulfill the monthly sales plan in one call or in one meeting. Sometimes companies try to create a script on their own for the sales department to work with clients. But it doesn't always work. What could be the problem? To do this, it is worth studying already proven algorithms and understanding the specifics of their actions.

As you might guess, certain algorithms exist for a variety of situations that may arise in the sales process. This includes scripts for different types calls, visiting secretaries, etc. From a correctly drawn up scenario of a manager’s actions and its effective implementation, the company’s sales level can increase by at least a third.

There are a few simple rules things to consider:

It is not the sales manager himself who should draw up the script, but the manager. The performer only adapts ready script to suit your individual style. That is, sales scripts for sales managers are not a literal dialogue that must be repeated inside and out. But there is a template by which to conduct the conversation.

The most important stage is preparation. It is necessary to collect information about competitors, the state of the market in a specific niche, and study the techniques and methods of other players in the arena. If competitors are more successful, you need to analyze their behavior with clients, negotiation format, and techniques. Ideally, hire a sales professional to write scripts.

Compilation is the prerogative of management. But company managers can also take part in the development. Collective brainstorming can yield good results. You can discuss and analyze the techniques of other companies, and find your own successful scenario.

The sales department script should help the client understand the uniqueness and necessity of your offer. Of course, to develop it you need to use the norms of etiquette, politeness and rules of negotiation. But your script should carry your individuality and be aimed at presenting the product from its best sides. Lead only to one ultimate goal - sales.

Testing. Before putting the script into production, be sure to test it to identify all possible shortcomings. First, within the team. Then - on not very important clients, so that in case of failure you do not lose profit. And only after a series of experiments, when the algorithm is verified, can it be fully implemented.

It is important to monitor the implementation of the script among managers. After launching the new algorithm, all employees of the department, without exception, must use it.

There is never a complete script - over time it will be constantly supplemented and adjusted based on realities.

Given the variability of the algorithm, the manager must always have an up-to-date cheat sheet in front of him. Today, the sticker experience is becoming a thing of the past. There are various software specially created for such purposes.

The most important thing is what the development and implementation of the company’s algorithms gives:

Making it easier for newbies to learn

Increased sales level

Control over managers

Conversations with the client are streamlined, you are sure that he receives the necessary information

Ease of business scaling

Increase in sales volumes

Structure and example scripts

In this section we will look at some example algorithms. You can safely take them into service, adapting them to your needs.

Cold call script

1. Determining the purpose of the call (making an appointment, informing the client, issuing an invoice to the client, updating the database, etc.)

2. Defining a scenario for bypassing the secretary (the simpler it is, the better)

3. Contact the person making the decision on this issue (DM)

4. Determining the client's potential

5. Identifying his needs

6.Individual presentation (not of the product or service as a whole, but of what can interest the client at a particular moment)

7.Dealing with objections

8. Closing the call (moving to the next stage - setting a meeting, the next call, discussing the sale)

During the call, it is important to smile and express your emotions. This will give the interlocutor an understanding that they are really interested in him. If the purpose of the call is not a sale, but a transition to the next stage, you should not drag out the conversation for more than 5 minutes.

What would such a scripted call look like? Let's give a simple example of a conversation directly with a decision maker.

Greeting: “Good afternoon! (Good morning!)"

Manager introduction: “My name is Alexandra, how can I contact you? I am a representative of the Soft Paws company. We offer high-quality and natural pet care products. "Name LPR", we have a special offer for you"

Clarification of circumstances: “Is it convenient for you to talk now?”

Leading questions, identifying needs: “Have you noticed that your pet’s fur becomes dull and lifeless? Would you like your pet to feel comfortable and look full of energy?”

Individual presentation: “We offer a natural pet hair care product. Its natural components strengthen and nourish hair follicles, preventing excessive hair loss. Included are natural vitamins, which will give the pet everything necessary for the body nutrients. Thus, an integrated approach will help eliminate both external and internal problems of the animal. And the price of the product is only 300 rubles per 500 ml bottle.”

Working with objections: working through answer options - “Expensive”, “I already use cosmetics for animals from another company”, “I don’t need this product”

Secretary bypass script

Bypassing the secretary and contacting the person who is truly authorized to make decisions on this issue - important point. Often managers cannot get past the “guard”, encountering the latter’s reluctance to miss the call. It also happens that when asked who is doing specific task, you will be informed and connected. But this happens, alas, not always.

There are several universal techniques that will help you “break through”:

Big Boss

Bykov is on the line, connect with the director!

Just like that, clearly, without unnecessary sentimentality. The way he calls serious man, not wanting to waste time on details. It’s difficult to object to this if the voice is still tough, confident and authoritative

The concept of a cold call applies to the first communication between a seller and a potential buyer, which is realized through telephone conversation. With such interaction, on the client’s part, in most cases, emotional “coldness” and low interest in cooperation arise, which the sales manager must overcome.

Goals of cold calling

Many managers put the main goal of a call to sell, which is wrong. The likelihood of finding a person willing to buy something from a stranger immediately after a telephone conversation is very small. That’s why sales experts recommend choosing more realistic goals that lead to further sales. This includes:

• Set up a meeting with the buyer.
• Informing potential clients about the appearance of a new company or services on the market. The result of such communication may be the sending of a commercial proposal.
• Checking the database to assess the relevance and sort clients by level of possible profit and likelihood of cooperation.

How customer bases are formed

Telesales techniques are not applied to randomly selected subscribers. In actual practice, a database of potential clients is prepared that meets certain criteria (field of activity, regional connection, need for services or goods). Such databases are formed independently, by tracking existing companies in a given region and field, or ready-made ones are purchased. Purchased databases may turn out to be irrelevant or inactive.

Working with call databases is divided into two stages:

1. Ringing- assessing the relevance of data, reconciling and updating information;
2. Calling- direct calls to offer a product or service.

Which companies can use cold calling?

Taking into account the peculiarities of the domestic market, cold calls are not effective for all types of goods and services. In the B2B sector, this method is suitable for:

• Forwarding services;
• Companies that trade in construction materials;
• Wholesale suppliers of consumer goods to retail outlets;
• Advertising agencies;
• Sales of retail space and commercial real estate;
• Suppliers of raw materials for production;
• Suppliers of stationery and consumables for large organizations.

In the B2C sector, cold calling is effective for the following areas:

• Real estate agency;
• Telecommunications service providers;
• Financial services (lending, deposit).

How cold calling is done

In order for the conversation to be as effective as possible, it is necessary to plan the sequence of the dialogue, while trying to turn a “cold call” into a “warm” one.

How to Create a Cold Calling Plan

IN professional field The plan for the first telephone dialogue between a seller and a buyer is called a cold calling script. Since the conversation is carried out over the phone, you can pre-compile a list of questions and hypothetical answers (objections) of the client, for which appropriate arguments are selected. This scenario is often presented in a flowchart format, which is in the seller's view as a guide.

Each manager develops his own script based on the main points:

• Introduction (greeting, introduction). In order not to lose a client already at this stage, you need to minimize mentions that you want to sell something. When introducing yourself, speak on behalf of the company, not the sales manager. Find a third-party reason to call that is not related to selling products or presenting services.
• Establishing contact, creating a friendly atmosphere and identifying client needs. To make this stage more effective, it is necessary to find out minimal information about the interlocutor in advance. The first thing you need to ask is how to address the interlocutor (if this is not indicated in the database) and how much time he is willing to allocate for the conversation.
• Provoking interest(presentation of a product or service).
• Achieving a goal (making an appointment). To obtain consent to conduct a personal meeting, it is necessary to put the client in comfortable conditions by offering several options.

There are two types of sales scripts:

1. Hard- these are scenarios for selling simple and understandable services and goods that have a limited number of characteristics and, accordingly, answers (objections). It does not require the ability to improvise and is built according to a clear pattern, so it can be used by an unqualified employee or manager with little work experience. Often used to dial the base.
2. Flexible- used when selling complex products with wide functionality and a large list of evaluation criteria. Such scenarios require extensive managerial experience and the ability to quickly adapt to the situation.

Cold calls: scheme of conversation with decision makers

For a cold call to be effective, you need to analyze and evaluate the company you are calling and determine which of its employees will be your caller based on your existing contact.

This could be a secretary (assistant manager) or a person with the authority to make purchasing decisions (DM). If you are forming a database yourself, you should initially select the appropriate contacts (supply department, company manager, advertising manager, technical director, development manager, regional sales director).

You can spend time and effort on a secretary, but only if the main client is absent (at negotiations, a meeting) and you are sure that the secretary brought to your side will inform the manager about you, preparing him for the second call.

In most cases, the secretary simply does not want to give you the decision maker’s contact, and therefore it is necessary to provoke him to do so. When bypassing the secretary you cannot:

• Demonstrate your intentions to sell, introduce yourself as a sales manager.
• Be rude and aggressive towards your interlocutor, considering him just an obstacle. Very often it is the assistant manager who suggests choosing one company or another.
• Use obvious lies to obtain decision maker contacts.

You can bypass the secretary by offering him an alternative reason for contacting the decision-maker:

• Agreeing on the conditions for a test drive of equipment or services. Example: " Good afternoon. I represent the AAA company, your company was selected as one of the applicants to test new equipment. For final approval of participation, we need to ask your CTO a few questions. How can we contact him?»
• Direct invitation to a presentation, forum, seminar. Example: " Good afternoon. I represent the BBB company. We are planning to hold a seminar on issues of trade development in the regions. How can I contact your regional sales director to find out what issues he would like to discuss?»

Overcoming the difficulties of communicating with decision makers

The duration of communication with the decision maker should not exceed 5 minutes. As a rule, people holding responsible positions are very busy and, starting from the 3rd minute of conversation, their interest drops and irritation arises.

The script for a conversation with the decision maker, in addition to the main plan, should begin with confirmation of the fact of communication with the person you need. Example: “Tell me, are you responsible in the company for the supply of raw materials for the production of semi-finished products?” This provides two benefits:

• Are you confident that you are communicating with the decision maker;
• You got the first "Yes".

Arguments not in your favor can arise at any stage of communication. The most common objections and effective examples their processing:

• “We already have suppliers”. With this answer, you must agree with the client, find out the name of the competitor, evaluate its merits and offer to discuss options for expanding existing capabilities in a personal meeting.
• “Your offer is expensive”. This response occurs if the price has been announced, which is not recommended when making a cold call (except for promotional discounts). You can correct the mistake by offering to make an appointment to explain the wide range of services included in the quoted price.
• "We are not interested in your offer". Cold calling scripts in such cases may contain responses in the following format: “ I understand that our offer is difficult to evaluate over the phone. Let me come to you and tell you in more detail. Is Thursday afternoon convenient for you?»
• “Now is not the right time to talk.”. In this case, it is better to end the conversation with an offer to meet or contact by phone at a more convenient time.
• "Send us a commercial proposal". This answer seems like a success for many managers, but sometimes it is just an excuse to end the conversation. Therefore, after some time, after sending, it is necessary to make a second call (sometimes from a different phone number). At the same time, it should start with a reminder that you have already communicated and there is an offer to meet. Example: " Good afternoon, Pavel Ivanovich. We communicated with you regarding the supply of raw materials for the production of semi-finished products. You have found interesting positions in our commercial offer? We are ready to provide you special conditions for a test batch. When would be convenient for you to meet and discuss details?»

In most cases, it is enough to handle three objections, ending the last one with a request for a meeting.

Improving overall call efficiency

The effectiveness of cold calling sales techniques is affected by:

• Number of calls. The maximum duration of a conversation is on average 5-10 minutes. Based on this, the daily norm should be set at 40-50 calls. In practice, there may be more of them, since many subscribers will not answer or stop communicating in the first stages.
• Constant updating and replenishment of the database. For this purpose, information is used from directories, online catalogs of companies, social networks, manual search of sites of potential clients.
• Continuous work with the script. Scenario analysis to identify critical stages (where a higher percentage of conversation dropouts or refusals occur).

In most companies, cold calling is carried out by the sales manager himself. This significantly reduces its operating efficiency. To solve this problem, you can turn to less qualified personnel for help, who will ring the database for relevance and sort interested subscribers.

Perform the following tasks:

• Call centers - large organizations, which will help not only to call clients, but also to prepare a script. The disadvantages of this method are high price services and the impossibility of personal control.
• Freelancers- remote employees hired via the Internet. The advantage is the low cost of services. Disadvantages - high risk of deception.
• Trainees and lower level managers. The advantage of this option is to provide control over the work and the ability to analyze the script to identify and eliminate errors. Disadvantages - staff training and psychological training are required.

Advantages and disadvantages of cold calling techniques

Despite the negative reviews about this technique, it still brings results.

Advantages:

• Cold calling technique is the most accessible and effective method create a client base for the sales manager. Over time, you will be able to attract a sufficient number of regular customers and the need to use this method will significantly decrease.
• When making a preliminary call, in contrast to working “in the fields,” visits for meetings are carried out only to clients with a high potential for cooperation. This saves a lot of time.
• Using a script as a prompt simplifies communication and gives the manager confidence.
• A telephone conversation speeds up the communication process and allows you to immediately assess the client’s reaction to the offer.

On the other hand, this is hard and psychologically difficult work, which only sellers who are passionate about their work and have an active position can cope with.

Disadvantages of cold calling:

• A potential client becomes annoyed at a manager who is distracting him. This happens regardless of whether the product is needed by the buyer or not.
• The interlocutor may quickly leave the conversation or refuse.
• There is no visual component of communication and product presentation. It is impossible to analyze the client’s facial expressions and demonstrate visual images and characteristics.
• A large number of “idle” calls.

It should be understood that cold telephone sales are not suitable for every manager. If they do not bring results, it is necessary to check the correct application of the technique, reconsider the time of making calls, learn to overcome the fear of rejection and cope with personal negative emotions.

Cold calling is a telephone sales technique that should be included in the customer acquisition complex for both young and large companies. The effectiveness of this method is difficult to evaluate in the short term, but in the long term, it will become the basis for a significant share of your success.