How to Communicate Value to Prospects on the First Call
How do you turn your prospects into your customers? You have to start with a conversation, dialogue, interaction, or discussion. That seems obvious, right? But just where you start can be the hard part.
In this except from my recent ebook, Prospect Conversations: How To Open the Dialogue With Your Ideal Prospect, we look at the importance in opening the prospect call in an engaging manner, with an example of how to accomplish this.
In a recent RAIN Group Center for Sales Research study, 472 sales executives and sellers were asked about their top priorities. Not surprisingly, improving the ability to communicate value was mentioned as top priority by 42% of those surveyed.
In the first few seconds, it’s imperative to communicate value to the buyer.
The Prospect Actually Answered the Phone –
Now What Do You Say?
What do you say to start the conversation? (I hope it’s not, “I can’t believe you picked up the phone!”)
I have always found the most professional opening is to state your full name and company: “Hi, this is Elisa Ciarametaro from Exceed Sales.”
The Most Critical and Essential Component of the Call –
What you say next, in my opinion, sets the stage for the success of the call and is the most critical and essential component of the call. It is also the most varied and free-form part of the call because it will be totally different for each prospect – if you want to have an impact and be a game changer for the prospect.
“That’s great,” you’re thinking, “but what do I say?” Pre-research you did about the prospect before you tried to connect with them is key. That information is what you need to use. For example:
If the prospect company has recently merged with another company and your solution helps merged companies – address it here.
How do you do this? Let me elaborate…
If the prospect company has recently merged with another company and your solution helps merged companies –
Let’s say your company offers a solution that helps merged companies improve efficiencies by integrating the companies’ computer systems so that they work together. Your company has helped other merged companies more efficiently answer their customers’ requests because of your solution to integrate all the computer systems for the newly merged company. A customer of both ABC company and 123 company can call in with a question to the newly merged ABC -123 company, and customer service representatives can provide better answers because they have access to the combined information of ABC company and 123 company.
After you introduce yourself, your discussion or conversation can address this fact. It might go something like this:
“I notice your company has merged. Other recently merged companies we work with tell us they have been able to provide better customer service since they integrated the computer systems in their merged company. How will you be integrating all the systems in your merged company?”
This is just one of three example conversation starters with prospects from my recent ebook, Prospect Conversations: How To Open the Dialogue With Your Ideal Prospect. For the full content and additional examples, see this free ebook in our Resources section.
