Phone Skills

Helpful hints from a former cold caller

What makes an effective call?

Know what your point is and keep it brief

Keep in mind: we are here to help!

Even when asking for paperwork, etc.

Keep notes and use them in conversation

We CANNOT use these helpful hints,

however, before overcoming…..

Call Reluctance

Call reluctance is NOT limited to new or untalented employees!

Call reluctance occurs in successful, goal-motivated, and goal-directed salespeople

Instead of investing 100% of their energy into prospective students, a significant amount of energy is spent coping with some form of sales call reluctance

http://www.salespromagazine.com

Types of call reluctance

Stage Fright

This shows up in “bull pen” calling

This person doesn’t like to feel like they’re

“onstage” when making contact with

prospective students

SOLUTION: Close your door!

(it’s NOT rude!)

Yielder

This person avoids conflict like CRAZY and is

more interested in being liked than producing

results

“Mondays are bad because people are

coming off of the weekend”

“People are getting ready to relax on Fridays

and won’t want to talk”

You’ll run out of days this way!

SOLUTION: Set aside time EACH DAY to call

Social Self-Consciousness

This I.I. is intimidated by people with a

different background, first language or

age

Because they are intimidated it’s harder

to build a referral network

SOLUTION: focus on what needs to be

accomplished in the call, not the barriers

to making it happen

Referral Aversion

This I.I. is afraid of jeopardizing relationships and won’t ask for referrals

SOLUTION: think of asking for a referral as giving a compliment!

“You are a well known, well-liked individual with the power of influence over your peers!”

Role Rejection This is the I.I. who is secretly ashamed of the

sales aspects of their job

This can lead to the scenario of

“Quitting While Succeeding”

SOLUTION: Yes, we are in sales… and that helps the students! BELIEVE in what we’re selling

Keep thinking of Solutions!

Tools of the trade

Keep a notepad on your desk at all times. Use it to write down NAMES and notes.

Use the names you hear!

Bad advice

Ever heard the advice “smile before you

answer the phone”? STOP IT!

Stop it! Anyone can “hear” a forced smile

Instead, take a deep, cleansing breath

before you pick up the phone and think

of your PERSONAL MISSION STATEMENT

But Christine, What’s my

mission statement? “We are performers who communicate the mission

of MBC while influencing, empowering and encouraging students to make a purposeful plan for their future.

We are leaders in the industry who ethically provide individual attention and empathy for students and their families.

Our customer service is driven by ethics and knowledge.

Our reward is working in a fun and challenging environment while making a difference in people’s lives.”

This is a mouthful! So…

Make it your own!

Everyone needs to come up with their

own one phrase mission statement that

describes the work they do

Examples of personal mission

statements

I am here to help!

Empower and inform

I care about your options

I am a mover, a shaker and an accounting

major maker!

What is your mission

statement?

Share amongst the group

Use this EVERY TIME YOU PICK UP THE

PHONE

Laminate it to your computer!