Always have one of these classic sales hot buttons ready to lead and another in reserve, before dialing the call to the prospect or decision maker (“DM”) to request a meeting. (In many ways, these are similar to the short “elevator pitch” you should have ready—we’ll talk about elevator pitches in another article.)
(As a good practice, you should be aware of these sales buttons even before you first dial the prospect’s secretary, so you’re ready when the screen prompts you.)
Sales Button #1: You’re following a personal referral from someone the prospect knows and respects.
This particular sales button also tends to be a very powerful gateway. But be sure to clearly pronounce the name and organization of the referral, so the prospect makes the connection quickly. Here’s a model to adapt:
“My company recently completed a project with Lucas Industries, and Mr. Lucas suggested that we contact you. He felt that we may have areas of mutual interest. Perhaps he has already spoken to you about this?”
Sales Button #2: Highlight key stories from your successful journey.
Again, be brief. Talk about “bottom line.” That is, emphasize what these cases imply that you can DO FOR the prospect or organization, not the technical details of the product or service you offer.
A sales button is just that: a button to press, not a long “download of information”. If the quick access button works, you will know and then you can fill in the details.
These first models are appropriate if you already have experience that is directly on target.
“We’ve been able to help other law firms in the area reduce their overall costs. This translates to an average of 10 percent higher profitability. I’d like to meet with you to discuss how we can help your firm as well.”
Or, “As an art consultant, I work with others in the Great Falls area who are interested in art for both aesthetic and investment reasons. In about 15 minutes together we can determine if this is right for you.”
Or, “I design training programs and recently worked with two large banks in the Midwest. As a consultant to these banks, I developed teller training that increased teller productivity by more than fifteen percent. I believe I can do what same”. the same for your bank. I’d like to meet with you for half an hour to explore the possibilities.”
But suppose you don’t yet have an independent experience to refer to. That is, what if all your work has been for someone else, and not as a consultant or freelancer? One approach is to modify your introduction. So you could rephrase the last model above as,
“When I was at BigBank, I led a team that developed teller training that increased productivity in…”
Alternatively, if you’ve just set up your business and don’t yet have successes to refer to, you can suggest an area of potential need, letting the DM infer that you have the ability to successfully fulfill it:
“As you know, one of the most vexing issues most law firms face is how to store and access key data. We can offer you a solution that will save your firm a significant amount of money in the first year and increase your access to this information.”
Or, “I’m an art consultant. I think it would be worth your while to meet with me for a half hour at your convenience to discuss a program I offer, as I believe it may have significant investment potential for you.”
Sales Button #3: BRIEFLY summarize what you think you can do for this organization.
Again, since sales hot spots are to capture the DM’s interest, emphasize what you can do FOR the prospect or organization, not the details of what you DO. What people really intend to buy are results, not products or services. The product or service is a means to an end for them.
An effective sales button is a concise, “netted” statement, typically no more than a couple or three sentences. You’ll lose the prospect’s attention if you’re too wordy. Here’s a model to adapt:
“I’m calling because I have ideas to share on how my company can reduce the turnaround time for accounts receivable.”
Notice how this sample sales script is designed to intrigue the prospect through a mention of an area of interest: how you can speed up payments, thereby improving cash flow and profitability. It does NOT go into the technical wizardry of the software program you have developed and expect to install.
Your earlier assignment in researching the organization may trigger some initial thoughts about ways you can help:
“My reading about the difficulties your company is having in meeting the demand for its products told me that…”
However, please make suggestions from your experience as to how organizations like this might need help:
“I’ve been able to help a number of start-ups just like yours, and in my experience, you may be experiencing some typical difficulties at this stage of your growth.”
Don’t get bogged down at this point in the details of how you will do what you propose to do: save that for the face-to-face meeting.
Sales Button #4 – Explain that you are calling to provide information that the key decision maker previously requested.
If you’re calling in response to the lead’s request for information, that’s clearly an open door. But as you go, be sure to make it clear that you’re following the lead’s request.
You may also need to refresh your memory on the context in which that request was made:
“We met after my talk last week at the local CDE Association, and you asked me if I had ever heard of the method applied to your industry. I was intrigued by the question and did some research and came up with some interesting results. I would like to meet with you to share these findings.