{"id":137222,"date":"2024-11-29T14:55:24","date_gmt":"2024-11-29T18:55:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=137222"},"modified":"2024-12-06T17:51:36","modified_gmt":"2024-12-06T21:51:36","slug":"telephone-prospecting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/telephone-prospecting\/","title":{"rendered":"Telephone Prospecting: 4 Steps to Master Your #1 Approach"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What’s the most effective way to connect with potential customers over the phone? How can you turn a “no” into a “yes” during telephone prospecting?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sales expert Jeb Blount shares proven strategies for successful telephone prospecting in his book Fanatical Prospecting<\/em>. His four-step approach helps salespeople hook prospects’ attention, build credibility<\/a>, and make compelling requests that lead to conversions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep reading to discover the exact steps for mastering telephone prospecting and learn how to handle rejections like a pro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Telephone Prospecting<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Blount notes that, while prospecting in person<\/a> allows you to spend time face-to-face with your prospects, prospecting via the telephone allows you to speak to prospects with unparalleled efficiency. For this reason, telephone prospecting is arguably the salesperson\u2019s most powerful approach. To do so effectively, Blount recommends implementing a four-step process that\u2019s similar to his in-person approach, but with a few small tweaks tailored toward phone conversations: Hook your prospect, state your name and intention, give your prospect your reason for calling, and make your request. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step #1: Hook Your Prospect<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Once your prospect answers the phone, it\u2019s important to hook their interest by using their first name. According to Blount, most people are hard-wired to respond upon hearing their name\u2014it naturally draws their attention, meaning they\u2019ll be less likely to immediately hang up the phone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step #2: State Your Name and Intention<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Blount writes that, immediately after calling your prospect by their first name, it\u2019s essential to state your name and give your purpose<\/a> for calling. Just like during in-person prospecting, providing your name and purpose is an act of transparency that builds credibility with prospects, making them more likely to hear you out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step #3: Give Your Prospect Your Reason For Calling<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

According to Blount, after stating your purpose, it\u2019s time for the most important part of the call\u2014giving your prospect a reason why <\/em>you\u2019re calling. For instance, if you were selling memberships to a lawn-mowing service in the summer, your phone call might look something like this: \u201cHi Julie, this is Jeb from Turf Experts lawn-mowing company. I\u2019m calling to see if you might be interested in our service because <\/em>summer\u2019s approaching and many working people don\u2019t have the time to mow their lawn every week.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blount relates that, because humans naturally desire reasons that rationalize their actions, the simple act of providing a \u201cbecause\u201d statement will significantly increase the likelihood of converting your prospect into a sale. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step #4: Make Your Request<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Finally, once you\u2019ve stated your reason, it\u2019s time to make your request as straightforwardly as possible. Just like when you\u2019re prospecting in person, stating your request clearly and concisely offers you the best chance that your prospect will agree to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jordan Belfort\u2019s Alternative Approach to Telephone Prospecting<\/strong>

Although Blount\u2019s preferred approach to telephone prospecting has much in common with other approaches, some salespeople recommend a slightly different approach. In The Way of the Wolf<\/em><\/a>, for example, Jordan Belfort proposes a three-step method for telephone prospecting<\/a>:

First, introduce yourself, your product, and your company. Unlike Blount, however, Belfort recommends asking for permission to ask further qualifying questions about your prospect.

Next, ask investigative questions to determine whether your product might be a good fit for the prospect. For example, you could ask about their experience with other similar products and any difficulties their company is facing.

Finally, clearly explain how your product could benefit your prospect and highlight how easy the buying process is to assuage any anxieties the prospect might feel.

Thus, while there are commonalities, Belfort\u2019s approach is subtly different from Blount\u2019s\u2014it specifically includes time for asking further questions about your prospect, for example, and streamlines Blount\u2019s third and fourth step into one unified task.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Turning Rejections Into Conversions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While Blount\u2019s process can maximize your effectiveness at telephone prospecting, he acknowledges that frequent rejections will be inevitable. But, he contends that you can still turn some of these rejections into sales by adopting the following three-step process: regain control of the conversation with a simple statement, subvert prospects\u2019 expectations by agreeing with them, and reiterate your request<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step #1: Regain Control of the Conversation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Blount points out that, when faced with rejection, your natural fight-or-flight response<\/a> kicks in, causing you to want to exit the situation. Consequently, he recommends that you issue a quick grounding statement to gain control over your emotions. For example, if your prospect said, \u201cI don\u2019t think we need your product right now,\u201d you might respond, \u201cMany of my other customers mention that at first too.\u201d This statement gives you time to regain composure and take back control of the conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: In addition to issuing a grounding statement, it also makes sense to listen carefully to what your prospect is saying since that can reveal important information about why <\/em>your prospect is initially hesitant. After all, as Neil Rackham points out in SPIN Selling<\/em><\/a>, different types of objections require different responses<\/a>. For example, a prospect who objects to your product\u2019s price should be treated differently than one who objects to its effectiveness.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step #2: Subvert Prospects\u2019 Expectations<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Next, you should subvert your prospects\u2019 expectations so they don\u2019t believe you\u2019re like all the other salespeople who try to persuade them to change their minds. To do so, Blount advises that you make a small concession and agree with them to show your understanding. For instance, after telling your prospect that many other customers initially feel that they don\u2019t need your product, you could add, \u201cAnd those customers are right\u2014their companies were fine before I came around. However, my product might be able to improve <\/em>your company, even if it\u2019s fine without it.\u201d Such a response shows that you understand where your prospect is coming from, rather than immediately arguing with them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: In Exactly What to Say<\/em><\/a>, Phil M. Jones writes that after you\u2019ve subverted your prospect\u2019s expectations, you should attempt to remove the barrier that they\u2019ve identified<\/a> that makes them unable to purchase. Because this removes your prospects\u2019 stated reason for refusing to buy from you, they\u2019ll now feel obligated to accept your offer. For example, if your prospect objects to the price of your product, you might counter with, \u201cIf I were to drop the price by 10%, would you consider purchasing?\u201d)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step #3: Reiterate Your Request<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Blount writes that, at this point, all that\u2019s left is to reiterate your initial request to see whether your prospect might reconsider. For instance, you might follow up your previous statement conceding that they don\u2019t technically need <\/em>your product by asking, \u201cSo, what do you say we meet next Wednesday at 11 a.m. to see if my product could be a good fit for you?\u201d That said, Blount maintains that if your prospect still rejects this second request, it\u2019s time to move on\u2014after all, you won\u2019t be able to convert every prospect to a sale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Blount\u2019s suggestion that you should move on after a second failed request has much in common with low-pressure selling<\/em>, a sales approach that emphasizes letting the prospect decide to buy<\/a> rather than pressuring them into a sale. However, whereas low-pressure selling agrees with Blount that salespeople shouldn\u2019t continue pestering uninterested prospects, it disagrees with his claim about making a request in the first place\u2014according to low-pressure selling, after you\u2019ve named your product\u2019s benefits, you should let the prospect initiate the decision to buy<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exercise: Develop a Script for Phone Prospecting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Blount argues that phone prospecting should involve four steps: Hook your prospect, state your name and intention, give your prospect a reason for calling, and make your request. In this exercise, develop a script for telephone prospecting that incorporates these four steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. How could you craft a concise introduction that hooks your prospect by using their first name and also states your name and intention?\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. After you\u2019ve introduced yourself, how might you formulate your reason for calling your prospect? For example, are you merely interested in meeting to learn more about their company, or are you hoping to discuss your product in depth?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Finally, how could you phrase your request to be clear and concise?\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Are there any aspects of Blount\u2019s approach to telephone prospecting that resonate less with you? If so, how might you improve on them to write a more compelling script?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    What’s the most effective way to connect with potential customers over the phone? How can you turn a “no” into a “yes” during telephone prospecting? Sales expert Jeb Blount shares proven strategies for successful telephone prospecting in his book Fanatical Prospecting. His four-step approach helps salespeople hook prospects’ attention, build credibility, and make compelling requests that lead to conversions. Keep reading to discover the exact steps for mastering telephone prospecting and learn how to handle rejections like a pro.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":137230,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[34,103],"tags":[1686],"class_list":["post-137222","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-communication","category-sales","tag-fanatical-prospecting","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"\nTelephone Prospecting: 4 Steps to Master Your #1 Approach - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Sales expert Jeb Blount lays out the exact steps for mastering telephone prospecting and handling rejections like a pro. 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