Your
opener is critical to the sales call. It determines not only the direction of
the call but also whether or not the customer will allow you to continue. So it
has to be a good lead-in to the rest of your conversation.
Inside sales training experts list 3 ways you do not want to open a sales call:
- Do not assume one size fits all. Just because an opener worked once, do not assume it will work with all your customers. There are no magic words. The only magic is tailoring your opener to your specific customer and their unique situation. Choose something that you know will intrigue this particular customer or that hooks them into talking about an important problem you know they are facing.
- Do not assume your timing is good. It is always best to check that this is a good time to talk…even if you have an appointment.
- Do not spend too much time building rapport. Of course, rapport with the customer is important but too many attempts to find common ground can annoy even the most relationship-oriented customer. Make sure that you match their style so you do not waste their time.
