To this first edition, I’d like to welcome our new subscribers…namely all of you! :) - Thank you.

Three Top Tips

Today’s tips have to do with setting yourself up well in advance (equipment wise)

-  Use a headset or hands-free phone if you can.

-  Ensure you’ve contact data, and pen and paper for taking notes.

-  Keep water close to hand and your mouth free of any obstruction (food, cigarettes, gum etc)

-  Stand and walk if possible, if not, just be sure to lean forward in your chair. If you’re slumped it will be noticeable to the people you speak with and the net effect is they’ll be less open to you. Your breathing and posture are important.

- Bright lighting is best. Try working in dim light if you’re not convinced.

-  Be free from distractions: favourite websites, music, chatter from colleagues, other internal noises aren’t conducive to conveying the right impression at all. Get rid of them at the first opportunity.

Oops, I appear to have doubled up on tips (I never was that good at mathematics :)

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Articles

Below are links to some of our most recent articles. Feel free to visit our website to read them and comment.  It will be a pleasure and a privilege to hear from you.

5 reasons why cold calling is important in an economic recession
Recession, recession, recession! Have you heard much about anything else in the news these past months? The point of today’s article is to outline why cold calling (and telemarketing in general) shouldn’t be discounted as a means of starting and developing new business relationships.

Top 10 Telephone Tunes of all time …and then some!
It seems as many songs have been written with the telephone central to its lyric than there have been songs written about any other means of communication, even including letters. Why is this?

Nine Nasty “No-No’s” To Avoid
It’s a fact: The majority of people don’t like using the telephone in business. This can apply equally to those receiving calls (decision makers, high ranking officers, heads of department), or those tasked with making calls. So why do some people make the situation more difficult than it has to be?

In later editions of the newsletter, if some of you would like the chance to be featured and even interviewed, it’ll be a pleasure. Stay tuned!

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Latest Products & Services

Launching Top 10 Targets Telemarketing Program

With the emphasis on a focused approach to a finite number of contacts at 10 selected companies, and without the need to be tied into a long contract, phoneforbusiness launches the Top 10 Targets Telemarketing Program [http://pfb.sc51.info/telemarketer/top-10-targets-telemarketing-program/]

Announcing the Launch of PhoneMentor

Finally, for those of you that hate the object on your desk that makes a noise, phoneforbusiness has created PhoneMentor

For the first time a comprehensive breakdown of every aspect of successfully using the phone for business can be delivered direct to you, in short sections by email for just 50p per day over 50 days.

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Subscriber Submission: Your Questions Answered. 

Since the only way to truly add value in this newsletter is to focus on the issues that you (as a valued subscriber) face, some people stepped forward before being asked and came up with questions and topics they wanted addressing.

The following question comes from one of our subscribers in Belgium. Thank you for this (and others you’ve sent along too):

“How do you cope with people that say they’ve no interest? How do you know whether they’re really not interested, don’t have time, etc?

The first thing to establish is that you’re speaking with the correct decision maker(s). You cannot get a “no” / “not interested” response from anyone else. Why accept it from anyone other than the genuine authority? Do not explain what exactly your company does to the front desk - the reason you’re there is to ask a question to the correct authority to determine whether they and you have anything to discuss. If you don’t know who that is, asking for the CEO’s office (and getting their PA) is a good start.

In many cases The PA to the CEO or MD is knowledgable. Describe to him/her the job titles or roles of the people you work most frequently with and if required, the two or three situations your company excels at resolving. If you struggle to put these into concise words, before picking up the phone ask your past and current clients for the answers. The answers you get from them should have nothing to do with the features or benefits of your product or service and everything to do with problematic situations and the consequences they suffered on their side.

The PA will often point you to the correct decision maker. Once you reach the correct decision maker and obtain their permission to speak, you tell them about the situations or problems you’re uniquely positioned to resolve. WARNING: If you exceed 30 seconds you risk boring them into getting rid of you.

In front of decision makers, be very deliberate. Not too fast, not too hesitant. Tell them your name, that you’re looking for their help in deciding on something, namely whether grounds exist for a conversation between you. Tell them you’re going to present a couple of situations in the next 20 - 30 seconds, and would they be happy to tell you if there’s any point in speaking further after that: You’re only looking for a “yes” or a “no”, and both of those answers are fine.

If they say “no”, before you go, confirm with them that the situations you present aren’t priority and there isn’t room for improvement . When you do close the call, ask for feedback on how you could have served them better (they may reveal a different issue that you or someone else can solve) and always ask for a referral (”no-one you know struggles with the situations we discussed?”). Rarely will you get one, but when you do, it’s usually very solid opportunity.

Getting “No” is always better than wasting time chasing people that want to “think it over” or want you to send information.

(Information should be freely available on your website)

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Jolly Jokester:

A cat is brought to the sales office of a corporation close to its home.

“Why did you ask me to see you?” enquired the cat

“Well”, said the sales manager, “in this business we need good hunters”

“Really?” asked the cat. “I’m a born hunter; I stalk and catch prey every day”

“That may be true” said the manager, “but that’s not the only reason I invited you in”. “I’ve been hearing good things about you and I need strong communicators”

“What have you heard?” asked the cat.

“That you’re not afraid of repeatedly calling on strangers” said the manager. “When can you start?”

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We’d love your feedback on this newsletter, so please feel free to drop me a line!

Better still, recommend it to an associate, colleague or friend. Here’s the link for them to sign up to the newsletter: http://www.phoneforbusiness.com/telemarketer/newsletter/

Thanks again!

Shaun Gisbourne
www.phoneforbusiness.com
T: 0203 348 8702 / 0208 133 0702
F: 0116 290 2006
e: shaun@phoneforbusiness.com
Follow me on Twitter http://twitter.com/shaungisbourne