MEMBERSHIP SELLING AND
SALES MANAGEMENT INSIGHTS

Change This One Thing To Make Sales Calls Go Smoother

Many membership reps assume that they must grab a prospect’s attention as soon as a prospective member picks up the phone. They abruptly jump into a sales pitch or immediately start asking questions.  

Don’t be that rep.

This practice inadvertently sabotages any chance of success.  After all, nobody wants to pick up the phone and hear a sales pitch.  Do you?  As a result, the salesperson’s attempt to grab the prospect’s attention has the opposite effect.  The prospect feels overwhelmed, tunes out, and starts planning how to escape.  

Another common approach is to open with a pleasantry, such as “How are you?”

It seems polite; however, the people you call probably don’t know you, and aren’t expecting your call. On top of that, you are surely interrupting their workflow.  

What seems like a polite question, often comes across as disingenuous and even a bit awkward.  It can make prospective members defensive and leery of the sales pitch that is surely forthcoming.  

They are likely thinking, “You don’t care how I am; you just want to sell me something.”  Wouldn’t you feel the same way?  It is certainly not the best way to transition into a meaningful conversation.  

THE PLEASANT INTRODUCTION

We recommend the “Pleasant Introduction” as a refreshing change.  

Every phone call interaction should begin the same way.  We always ask, “Did I catch you at an okay time?”  Or something of the like.  

Right off the bat, you may be concerned that this approach could allow prospective members to end the call. Though there is a chance for that, we find that more often than not, it results in a rapport-building exchange.

The “Pleasant Introduction” quickly conveys how you understand that the person you’ve called is likely busy.

If you listen for it, you’ll hear a change in their demeanor.  Most of the time, “Pleasant Introductions” are met with a chuckle, followed by something like, "It's always a bad time, but what can I do for you?"

The magic in this approach is that prospective members choose to have a conversation.  Thus, they are far more likely to engage and participate in a two-way exchange.

So, give it a shot, and let us know how it goes.

Remember, we’re easy to talk to. Feel free to reach out with questions about this technique or other issues.

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