An effective phone sales script uses connection and understanding of the client to drive them to action
Why is it important to have a sales script?
Today, everyone’s attention span—and certainly that of people we initiate contact with who have not reached out to us—is very short, bordering on impatience. Therefore, it is very important to have a phone sales script that is precise, focused, interesting, and above all, drives action. It will help focus both us and the client.
A phone sales call is the business’s connection with new and existing clients. Beyond customer service, sales calls are the business’s way to achieve:
• Increased number of transactions
• Increased number of clients
• Expansion of business operations
A phone sales call is typically the business’s initial contact with a new client.
Sometimes the client encounters advertising, a notice, or an article about the business, becomes interested, and reaches out on their own initiative to receive information about a service or product. At other times, it involves a client the business contacts proactively, because the potential client may be interested in what the business offers based on preliminary information we have about them (for example—senior citizens—we can interest them in assisted living; athletes—we can interest them in sports products; parents of young children—we can interest them in activities for toddlers, etc.). A good phone sales script will be targeted and focused on the needs of its potential clients.
Unlike a face-to-face conversation, when we sell over the phone, we have no visual aids that can give us information about the client. In fact, we often speak with people about whom we have no information other than their name and phone number.
A precise phone sales script will help us ask the right questions and convey the right details to our conversation partner, so we can create a pleasant and professional relationship with the client that will allow us to intrigue and interest them and drive them to action with courtesy and professionalism.
It is advisable to begin writing a phone sales script with complete details about the service or product for the phone service representative themselves: the name of the product or service, a brief description, contact details (names of contact persons, phone numbers, email, physical address) so they can retrieve necessary details at any stage of the conversation.
After that, a phone sales call should be opened by courteously confirming the client’s name (Hello, am I speaking with X?), self-introduction (I’m Y from Z. How are you?), why I am contacting them, and whether they are available for a brief conversation (You contacted us regarding X. I would be happy to give you details about it. Can you talk right now?).
From this stage, the service or product should be briefly described. The description should be written in a clear, simple-to-understand manner and in a funnel structure, meaning:
Start concisely (for those who are impatient or understand the matter immediately) and expand as you progress (for those who request more details, more information, or need more conversation time to make a decision). This information will give the client confidence regarding their desire to continue the conversation. The more details they receive from an unfamiliar representative, the more their confidence in the speaker, the conversation, and the content will grow—and they will agree to remain attentive for a few more minutes—every minute of the client’s attention is critical in such cases and moves both us and them toward the purpose of the call.
After the initial focused description, it is important to ask interested questions about the client or their business, to clarify needs through questions, to determine their general and specific approach to the subject for which we called.
The questioning phase is critical and can give us an estimate of whether it is worthwhile to invest time and energy in the conversation or to end it—so that valuable time is not wasted for either the representative or the potential client.
The substantive questions will give the client a sense of caring, interest, and desire for continued conversation, and they will give the representative interest, in-depth understanding of the client’s needs, and humanity.
It is important that the phone sales script include the details necessary to close the deal, for example:
• Location and dates (in case of a personal meeting or conference, lecture, etc.)
• Options (for example, in case of offering services), etc.
• Price and payment options (in case of a sale)
A phone sales script should preferably include responses to possible objections.
Client objections in a conversation usually stem from lack of information, concern, and worry, for example:
• What is your business’s advantage over competitors?
• How long have you been working in the field and what are your qualifications?
• What happens if a client wants to cancel?
• What guarantees are provided to clients, etc.
No less important is understanding where the objection stems from in case of not closing a deal! A good phone sales call will contain complete responses, backed by the option to return to the client with answers they are missing, the option to send them written information by email or WhatsApp, and generally the option to return to the client at a time convenient for them.
A good phone sales script is the solid foundation with which business relations
with the potential client will begin.
Sample phone sales script:
Script for scheduling treatments:
(Service name, brief description, contact details—for the phone service representative themselves, for quick retrieval during the call)
Hello, am I speaking with X? Excellent. This is Y from Z. How are you? Are you available for a brief conversation?
You left us an inquiry and I’m getting back to you to give you details about treatment options with us.
Tell me, which treatment are you interested in? Where are you located in the country? Excellent. We are Z, we have 5 branches across the country. Our branch in… is close to you and could be convenient for you.
With your permission, I would be happy to ask you a few questions so we can ensure our treatment is suitable for you:
What is the reason you considered using such a treatment?
What would you like to achieve?
Have you tried similar treatments in the past? What was the result?
Thank you for sharing. Let me give you information about us:
We offer… treatments. In our treatments, we use excellent materials and… equipment that is state-of-the-art in the field. We employ certified therapists who have undergone training and certification by the manufacturer, and they hold certificates and experience.
The treatment you were interested in is performed in 3 sessions with intervals of at least two weeks between each treatment. Our equipment has no radiation and the treatment can be done at any time, in principle Sunday through Thursday between 9:00 AM and 9:00 PM. Each treatment lasts about an hour.
The full price for all treatments is X. Payment can be made in up to 5 installments by credit card with no interest.
Would you like us to schedule a series of treatments for you? When would be convenient for you? I would like to suggest next Sunday at 4:00 PM.
Does that work? Excellent. So we have scheduled for Sunday, the… at 4:00 PM at the address…. We will be expecting you.
A sample sales script like the one presented here is a summary of what a complete sales script should include. An important part of what happens in the sales call does not appear in the script. The details in the call script are essential, but the courtesy, professionalism, attentiveness, and knowledge of the sales representative using the script and conversing with the client are no less essential.
Relative Advantage Solutions Ltd., which specializes in customer service, can assist you in writing precise call scripts that will reflect your business and what you offer in the best way, drive your clients to action, and increase the number of deals you close.
We would be happy to assist you in providing consultation for writing call scripts for your business.
Sometimes clients are interested or beginning to show interest but are still unsure or need more information in writing or verbally.
A tight and organized phone sales script will anticipate questions that may concern the client about the product or service, contact details, price, terms, commitment, and more. If we are concise, precise, and make the information accessible to clients, they will receive complete information in a way that is not burdensome or repetitive and will give them answers even to things they have not yet had time to ask…
The important thing in a sales call is creating a relationship with the client—listening to them, relating to them and their words, providing accurate and truthful responses, and supplying information as needed in a clear and pleasant manner with the help of a structured and precise phone sales script.
It is advisable to begin a sample sales script with one line that clearly describes what the representative is marketing. Then expand with details. There are clients who prefer to hear briefly and to the point, and that is how they make decisions. There are clients who need additional information that will reassure them and convince them of the necessity of the service or product for them. There are clients who need to get excited, to feel a personal connection, and then when they trust the representative and are happy to speak with them—they will transfer that enthusiasm to the product or service and close a deal.
The sample sales script presented above can serve as a skeleton that can be used to build a sales script for your business, but it is important to emphasize: a sales call script is not enough. It is important that the representatives using it have knowledge and expertise, know how to create rapport between themselves and the clients, be attentive, understand the matter, and have a voice and manner that instill confidence in the client.
It is very important already during the first call to provide maximum information and answers, to excite the client, and to drive them to action.
During the call, one must listen carefully, adapt the language to the client, gently explain complex terms as needed, and surface objections with solutions alongside them. Excellent interpersonal skills on one hand and knowledge and expertise on the other are the winning combination of an excellent sales call.
After the initial call, there will often be a need for follow-up. After sending them additional written information, after they consult, after they conduct additional market research, and generally to return to the client at a time convenient for them. A sample sales script will always include the option to return to the client for an additional conversation if needed.
Relative Advantage Solutions Ltd., which specializes in customer service, can assist you in writing a sample sales call script that will reflect your business and what you offer in the best way, drive your clients to action, and increase the number of deals you close.
We would be happy to assist you in providing consultation for writing call scripts for your business.
