Email + Telemarketing to Your Advantage

1. Create a subject line that gets open because majority of the people automatically delete email messages from those they don’t know.

2. Create a custom message by including your prospect's services and/or what business category your prospect is.
3. You can get more yeses to your cold email by making it easy for your prospects to say no to you; asking specific questions that uncover your prospects true motivations and what their needs are.
4. In your industry, someone else getting phone appointments and building relationships while you are waiting for recipients to response to your email campaign - you are putting your business in a significant disadvantage. You need to utilize both email marketing + telemarketing to your advantage.

Subject: Phone appointment for Diana Jones

Diana Jones
XYZ Medical Process Improvements
123 Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 14
San Francisco, CA 94111
www.xyz-medical.com

Hi Diana,

My name is Andrew Borda and I am sending this email in hopes to set a phone appointment to know more about your independent advisory company. I am just curious if would you be open to chat about generating the clients you’re looking to accomplish?

ABC Web Marketing in San Francisco provides solutions for generating clients to companies in the Health Care and Social Assistance Industry. Some companies include EFG Memorial Hospital, Mountain View Hospital, and Evo Chiropractic.

Brenda, the solutions we provide may or may not be for you; may I set a phone appointment to discuss this in a little more detail?

Thanks,

Andrew Borda
Account Manager
ABC Web Marketing
814 Shellane Ave., Suite 5
San Francisco, CA 94111
www.abcwebmarketing.com

415-333-8888

Hi Diana,

Thank you for responding to my email.

It would be helpful if beforehand we know what your current situation is or what your concerns are.  So I need to ask the following questions.

1. What motivated you to be more than happy to speak and accept my invitation to phone appointment?
2. If you get everything you want from online marketing, what would that be?
3. What is most important to you when choosing a company for this?

ABC Web Marketing has been in business since 2003 and has over 40 years of combined web development, programming and online marketing experience. What this means to you is - we are here to honor our commitments to you.  You can check our credentials at the California Secretary of State's website through this hyperlink Viewing Business Entity - ABC Web Marketing.

The objective for the phone appointment is to find out if there is a fit between what you're company is looking to accomplish and what our company has to offer.  How about tomorrow at 10am?

Kind regards,

Andrew Borda
Account Manager
ABC Web Marketing
814 Shellane Ave., Suite 5
San Francisco, CA 94111
www.abcwebmarketing.com

415-333-8883

"I was attracted to the language you used in your initial contact with me. My first impression was that you were giving me the option to help make the "fit" decision between my company's mission and the services your company has to offer. It had a collaborative effect. My services include mediation, so I'm always willing to discuss topics and options. Your email was a refreshing approach. I tend to bristle at the "hard sell" approach to human communication. Unfortunately my 3pm slot has been filled tomorrow but my morning is now open. Please let me know if that works"

My Career in Telemarketing

When I first got a job as a call center agent, I was 27 years old. We were given a month to train before we were brought to the production area. We had to practice our English and grammar skills, master our script and rebuttals, and know our product in that period of time. By the second week, some of the trainees already wanted out. Somehow, the adjustment of reporting to the office at 2:00 a.m. for training felt awkward. I didn't like the idea of quitting. I continued the training and after 8 months I got promoted to a team leader.

Personal change takes time, and the impulse to quit or change direction should not always be an immediate option. Coincidentally, I have seen this parallel relationship to people who work in call centers, but the sole difference lies in the level of commitment. A huge number of agents tend to resign from the company after six or seven short months. If ever they stayed beyond that, the drive to continue working begins to wear thin. Without a doubt, there are valid reasons why this occurs; some are affected by the physical strain, while some agents simply get bored.

There are no shortcuts to success and I believe that. You just expand the confidence that's already inside you, because this will ultimately reflect on how you perform in the workplace, should you decide to choose the career of a telemarketer or a call center agent.

There can never be a perfect job in terms of doing things at your pace, unless it's your own business. Then again, running your own business is twice as hard as being an employee. So I think working for a call center will give us our fair share of pressure, and will also require us to put in the effort. Now it's up to us to sustain that effort and continually understand how our long term goals are connected to it.

If you are a salesperson or a business owner, then finding new business is an essential part of your job. And deep down you probably know that finding new business involves getting on the phone and calling complete strangers. If you are not making unsolicited calls to potential prospects in your target market and your competitors are, then you will put yourself at a significant disadvantage. Cold calling does work, because it is the only form of marketing that guarantees you some sort of response from the individuals in your target market.

Some people are phone shy, they feel that calling is boring, they hate the phone, they can't take rejection. Cold calling is not for everybody - there are a few - that is where and why I exist.

Telemarketing Call Log

I think that the most neglected lesson of all in sales is the importance of keeping track of one’s personal statistics.  Many salespeople are ignoring their own numbers.  

You know that in order for you to make X sales, you have to set XX appointments.
 

In order to set XX appointments, you have to talk to XXX prospects and ask each one for an appointment.

In order to get XXX completed calls, you have to make XXX calls to begin with.

The point I’m making is that by understanding your ratio and monitoring it with an ongoing method, you can be much more successful.

Appointment Setting Advice

1.  Stand Up - Talk Loud - Be Confident - You will come across more confident if you are standing up or walking around.

2.  Phone calls are never longer than two minutes.  The phone call is an invitation, not a presentation.

3.  Whoever is more certain will always win.  You call to tell them, not ask them to come.

4.  The mistake people make is to try to recruit them or to sell them.  The outcome is to get an appointment only.

5.  We are not calling to inquire if they want to sit down with us or not.  I am calling to set-up the appointment and assuming that they are interested - that they want in, they just don’t know it yet.  Everybody likes structure and to be guided what to do through good questions.

6.  They ask one question: 75% will meet.  Two questions: drops to 20% and three or more: is near 0% - you have given a presentation, not an invitation.

7.  If they have other questions, say “That's a good question.  Let’s get together at the place of your business and discuss this further, and if I’m with you more than 30 minutes, it’s because you have a bunch of questions.  Fair enough?"

Telemarketing Objections and Rebuttals

Whether you have been selling for a day, a week, or a number of years, you know that whenever you make sales calls, there are objections. But objections are really your opportunity to sell. They give you a chance to focus on the major issues that concern your prospect, and turn them to your advantage in order to make the appointment and later the sale.

An objection has to be treated as a hurdle. You must know how you plan to turn around each objection you face.

In a lot of seminars and trainings that I have joined for telemarketing, I have encountered common objections that come up again and again. We’ll be discussing them here; if you’ve been selling for a while many may be quite familiar. Look closely at these and at the ways you can jump each of these hurdles.

You know I'm glad to discuss this with you sometime, I am busy right now.
Mr. Jones, it’s not my intent to inconvenience you. I’m not going to waste your time; I don’t have a lot of time anyway. I’ll be as brief as possible. If you don’t like what you hear, please stop me and I’ll get out of your way, ok?

I am not sure. I am not interested at this time.
You know something, maybe this is not for you but let me just ask you one more question and I’ll get out of your way. If I can show you a service that you and I will benefit each other, would you give it any consideration?

I am not interested and I am satisfied with our marketing right now.
I can appreciate that. You know something some of our clients told me exactly the same thing until we had a chance to discuss them all the ways we could save time and money by allowing you the advantage of being in front of the customers in your market area. Mr. Jones, if you allow me let us set an appointment at the place of your business to discuss this in a little more detail. Tomorrow afternoon at 2 o’clock, is that a good time for you?

Send me an email or literature.
We don't send out materials Mr. Jones, instead I’m glad to explain it to you now on how we can (benefits) while saving time and money, I’ll be as brief as possible and if you don’t like what you hear I’ll be the first person to advice you to pass on this. Fair enough?

The prospect gives you resistance on the money.Response # 1: I can appreciate that. I know it's not about the money. Let me ask you this, have you ever bought something and you knew you can't afford it? If you want it badly enough you get it, is that right? If you believe and see how you benefit by (benefits), you're going to invest for it, you get it.

Response # 2: I can appreciate that. Is the money the only thing standing in the way? If you have the money would you get started? Well if you believe and see how you benefit by (benefits), you will somehow find a way to do this, like maybe you can borrow the money or let’s put it your credit card. If you really what to do this, you will do those things. It’s not really about the money, right?

You get more yeses to your cold calling by making it easy for your prospects to say no to you.

• Hey, I can appreciate what you're saying. If I were in your shoes, I’d feel the same way. I certainly wouldn't expect you to take my word for it. Mr. Jones, with your permission, I'll take my case in less than 5 minutes, if you like what you hear, then let's discuss the next step, but for any reason you feel this is not for you, then I'll be the first person to advice you to pass on this. No hard feelings either way. How does that sound to you?
• You can accept it or reject it as you see fit.
• I would have no hard feelings whatsoever. If you look through this program and feel it's not for you, hey no hard feelings whatsoever. In fact I'd be the first person to advise you to pass on it. I wouldn't even want you in my business if you didn't feel completely comfortable. Fair enough?
• If you like the program/our services, we can discuss the next step. If not, I'll have no hard feelings. Fair enough?
• If you'd like to take a look at my program, that's fine! When I’m finished if you like what you see, we can discuss the next step. If not I’ll have no hard feelings, in fact I'll be the first person to advise you to pass on it. Fair enough?
• You might like this, you might not. Either way is fine with me.
• I'm the easiest person in the world to get rid of. All you've got to do is say - this is not for me.
• Mr. Jones, this may or may not be for you. You can accept it or reject it as you see fit, that's fine by me. And by the same token I can decide if I want you to be a part of this program or not. I'm particular about who I'm looking for. So with your permission I'll show the program to you, and if you like it we can discuss the next step. If not, hey no hard feelings. I'm the easiest guy to get rid of. Is that fair Mr. Jones?
• This may or may not be for you, with your permission I need to ask you a few question. May I do so?"
• You know something, based on what I'm hearing, I don't really believe this program is for you. But I do want to thank you for your time and courtesy anyway. Do you have any questions before I go?

Whenever Someone Is Giving You Resistance

• I can appreciate that.
• I know what you mean, I’ve been there myself (only if you have been there).
• I know how you feel. I felt the same way until I found out that...
• I don't blame you for feeling that way.
• We belong to the same club.
• I’m sure I would feel the same way if I were in your shoes.

Inquiring Buffers

• May I ask?
• It would be helpful to me if I could understand more about your situation, so may I ask you a few questions?
• No problem, I can appreciate that. May I ask why? (if people say no to you)

Prospecting Buffers

• I’m sorry to bother you.
• Is this a convenient time to talk?
• Do you have a moment to talk about this now?
• I don't know if you could help me or not.
• I’m sorry to bother you. I don't know if you could help me or not, but did I hear you say that you're concerned about...?

Cushion Buffers

• With your permission...
• May I make a suggestion? (when you want to close or make an appointment)

Comfort Buffers

• It’s not my job to inconvenience you.
• It’s not my intent to inconvenience you.

Agreement Buffers

• I agree with you, you shouldn't have to do that either.
• That makes sense to me.
• I wouldn't expect you to take my word for it.

If You Need to Apologize

• I think I’ve caused you to misunderstand me. May I re-explain what I mean by that? 
• I want to thank you for bringing that to my attention. (if someone is mad)
• Oh! I'm so sorry. I did not mean to imply this was a "get rich quick deal." There is hard work involved in this for people who make the big money. May I explain what I mean by that?
• I can see by your expression that I'm not explaining this correctly.

Face-to-Face Meeting

• Folks with your permission, I want to show my program to you and I have a tendency to talk to fast and I don't know why, but if I talk too fast as I go through this, would you please slow me down?
• Mr. and Mrs. Jones, with your permission, as I go through this program, if there's any part you feel uncomfortable with, please stop me. I'm very easy to get rid of. It's not my job to inconvenience you, so please stop me if you see or hear something you don't like. Would you do that for me please?
• If you feel the least bit uncomfortable, please stop me.

If Someone Is Really Resistant

• Hey! Welcome to the club and I can certainly appreciate what you're saying. You know something, with your permission; I'll show this program to you. If there's any part of this you feel the least bit uncomfortable with, I'll be the first person to advise you to pass on it. 
• I can appreciate that. I wouldn't want you to be a part of this if you felt the least bit uncomfortable. It wouldn't be good for you, it wouldn't be good for me, and it wouldn't be good for my company. How does that sound to you?