neighborhood. By using the phone book and directory assistance,
Bill has compiled a list of prospects for cold calling.
In the prospecting portion of your business, it is essential that
you gather lots and lots of prospects, even more than you could
contact. If you have too few contacts, you’ll seem desperate.
Prospective customers will detect that desperation and avoid you.
Obviously the Bensons’ referrals would be easier to connect
with, but we want to use cold calling as an example.
Bill checks the National Do Not Call List to eliminate names
that appear there. Although perhaps not its original intention, this
list will save you time by identifying people who probably won’t buy.
Understand that this is an example only. Selling is far too dy-
namic a process to use canned questions. Use the questions in the
following dialogue as a guide.
Sales Dialogue 2
Bill: Hello, my name is Bill Smith, and my company is offering
home improvements to boost both the comfort and the value of
your home. I just installed a beautiful new kitchen for Mary and
Tom Benson on Country Lane in your neighborhood. It is my
twentieth kitchen so far and I think it is one of my best. Do you
own your home?
Step 1: Right at the beginning, connect with something familiar to your
customer, his or her own neighborhood. Build credibility here by
mentioning your experience and the pride you take in your work. And ask
the most important question: whether the prospect owns a home. If the
answer to this question is no, say thank you and good-bye. Call the next
person on your contact list.
Here you are sorting and looking for qualified prospects.
Bill:Have you ever thought of improvements that could add to the
value and the comfort of your home?
Phrase this question as broadly as possible to increase the possibility of
an affirmative response. Use it to build the connection to the prospect and
to further qualify.
Note:You do not control the other person’s response, so you must
have mental flexibility here. Four possible prospect answers and four
possible responses follow.
Using the Five-Step Sales Map to Sell a Service 239