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Retail Sales By Phone
Accepting phone orders for goods and services has been a traditional business function for a number of years. The intelligent routing of calls to the appropriate sales person is a simple task for our call center phone system.
But our Retail Sales Phone Technology goes far beyond connecting prospective customers to sales representatives. Information can be collected from the caller prior to connecting to your sales agents. In fact, the entire order process can be programmed without the customer talking with a sales person. Product availability, pricing, and order status information can all be given to the customer using simple touch phone responses.
The following articles are related to retail sales techniques and suggestions, especially those articles relating to sales by phone.
Tips for Cold Calling
The following is an extract from the article "Tips for Cold Calling" by Danielle Kennedy that appeared in Entrepreneur.com.
"Many readers have been asking about how to make a "cold call." Don't refer to this type of prospecting as a cold call. Think of it simply as an "introductory call." Here are four key questions you should know the answers to before you pick up the phone:
1. What's the best time to make introductory calls? Research your industry.
If your prospects don't get into their offices until after 1 p.m., don't waste time calling before 1 p.m. With some clients, you need to know the times of the year when they're ripe to buy. Financial planners may need to time their calls around their client's fiscal year closeout because that's the only time of the year they have extra cash to make investments. Be sensitive to your prospects' moods and schedule, too. Making calls during dinner or too early or late in the day kills any chance of building a relationship. People seem to be happy on Friday and stressed out on Monday.
2. Should I bother leaving a message on voice mail?
Personally, I like voice mail because it gives you the opportunity to convey your message without a third party coming between you and the prospect. Even if a secretary listens first, if your message is both personable and dynamic, the secretary will likely pass it on to your prospect.
3. How do I handle the "guard at the gate"?
Never underestimate the power of your prospect's assistant. The assistant determines who gets to talk and who doesn't. Be sure you know the assistant's name before you make the call. Then say, "Hi Molly. I'm Joe from XYZ Company. I realize you and Mr. Powers are busy people, but I believe I have some valuable information to pass on regarding (product or service). When is a good time to speak to Mr. Powers regarding this?" The assistant may say: "He's free now. I'll connect you." or "Try calling back about 4:30 when things wind down a bit." Sometimes it may take several weeks of follow-up calls with the assistant before you get the appointment.
Don't forget to send a handwritten thank-you note or leave an appreciative message on his or her voice mail...."
To view the entire article, please visit www.entrepreneur.com.
Danielle Kennedy is an authority on selling, developing a peak performance attitude and winning customers for life. Call her at (800) 848-8070 or visit www.daniellekennedy.com for information on consulting for your business.
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