Telemarketing Software Featured Article

Sales has long been regarded as a numbers game: the more sales leads on hand, all else being equal, the more sales will be generated over time. But there are ways to improve the performance of leads, and a recent report from Business2Community underscores some useful ways to take the leads already on hand and improve performance accordingly. Some of these can be as simple as changing a few basic habits.

First, the report recommends not starting the day with email. This may sound shocking, but it's actually a sign of someone with a highly reactive schedule. The funny part is that the report suggests taking advantage of everyone else's propensity to check email first thing in the morning to actually make calls. Also consider shifting lunch times; already a good idea to avoid rush hour traffic at lunch, making calls at noon might be a good way to catch targets at the desk. Consider even changing the schedule to have some sales reps working after five; senior personnel may still be at work then, and may even be answering phones, having sent the gatekeepers home for the evening. Also remember to try to keep the C-level groups involved as much as possible; middle management is great to have on hand, but with the C-suite involved in the process, better chances for success emerge.

Getting in touch with an executive admin is a great opportunity, so don't just treat it as another opportunity to leave a message. These folks know much more than the average admin, so take the opportunity to get some information if possible; how the buying process works, who the right person to talk to is, and so on.

Companies are already gathering huge amounts of data on customers, so put that data to work. Find out the days where calls are most frequently answered and be sure to hit the phones on those days. Find the little things in an email that makes it more open to response.

Finally, focus on value. The old selling saw about not selling products, but selling solutions is a good start, but it's not about the solution. It's about the value that solution represents, the potential increase to the bottom line, the reduced expenses, the improved processes, the saved time. Any mention of the product should be in pursuit of one of these points. Stop selling a product and start selling bottom line improvements, and the sales numbers should climb in response.

Sales is indeed a numbers game, and requires leads to get anywhere. But leads alone will only go so far; with some changes in habit, and changes in perspective, the sales rep can go from being an annoyance that slips into the everyday process of work to being a hugely valuable resource bearing solutions to problems and company-wide improvement. When the leads start looking forward to a call from the rep, then that's how it's clear it's being done right.

It may not ever reach the point that the leads are happy to hear from a sales rep, but the more that reps can do to focus on these tactics, the more likely such a development is to happen. While the numbers game will always be there, there are things to do to improve the odds per call, and those who take this advice to heart are likely to see better results follow.