Page 43 - GS180202

Inspiration

What does your personable, welcoming tones to your speech that will make your pros-
pects warm up to you and your message.
voice say? • Be careful with first names. Always ask if you may use your prospect's
first name. Merchants come from a diversity of backgrounds; some are
easily offended by those who simply assume it's OK to be on a first-name
hile technology pro- basis.
vides an increasing • Put enthusiasm in your voice. Without raising your voice, practice speak-
array of options that ing so that your prospects get as excited about why you're calling as you
W enable ISOs and mer- are. However, modulate your voice to avoid sounding like a preschool
chant level salespeople (MLSs) to teacher. Don't be afraid to speak in a lower tone than usual.
communicate with merchant cus- • Listen. Don't perfect your speaking skills only to lose the sale with rude-
tomers and prospects ‒ social media ness. No one likes being interrupted. Focus your attention on your pros-
platforms, text messaging and video pects. To sell to them, you have to listen to their needs. It's a two-way
conferencing among them ‒ the old- conversation.
fashioned telephone remains an
essential tool. • Focus on your prospect's needs. Don't plan your next words while your
prospect is speaking. Ask questions that force you to concentrate on the
Those involved in telesales are reli- answer, and show the prospect that you're interested in his or her needs.
ant on their speaking skills, and ac- • Treat numbers with care. When speaking numbers, go slowly. Being pre-
cording to Paul H. Green, author of cise will decrease errors. Take notes. Read numbers back to verify accu-
Good Selling! SM: The Basics, the manner racy, and ask to have them read back to you. Reiterate figures you have
in which one speaks during a phone quoted toward the end of the conversation.
conversation constitutes 85 percent of
the message conveyed. To help ISOs These are commonsense actions, but, as Green said, they can determine
and MLSs achieve an eloquent, pol- whether your sales will stagnate or skyrocket.
ished delivery, Green offered the fol-
lowing tips:
• Answer your phone with a Kate Gillespie, President and CEO
smile in your voice. If you an-
swer rudely, only to quickly
adopt a warm, friendly tone of
voice, you risk sounding phony.
Always use your best phone
voice; you never know when
your most important prospect
might call.
• Speak slowly and clearly. Your
prospects need more time to
absorb what you're saying over
the phone than in person. Speak
carefully when saying your
name and company name. When
leaving a message, be sure to re-
peat your name and number.
• Use body language. Your pros-
pect can't see you; however, your
body language translates over
the phone through your voice.
Physical animation adds anima-
tion to your voice, which makes
you more engaging.
• Smile. A smile translates into
a pleasant voice that will hold
your prospect's interest. Place
a mirror in front of you as your
speak and smile as you converse
with the person on the other end
of the line. Smiling will bring

43