To Script Or Not To Script?
Sales Prospecting Perspectives is pleased to bring you a guest post from one of our BDR's, Stephen Wolff
This is a question that I have asked myself and many others who have been teleprospecting over the past 4 years. Most of the scripts I have seen and used were for voicemails that are left as a message to a prospect. I have received a lot of feedback regarding scripting and have found that while some people dislike having or using scripts, it may be a necessary evil for others in the early stages of their teleprospecting tenure. Many people have thought that leaving a voicemail is second nature; hey we talk on the phone every day, but usually with friends or family who know who we are and we feel extremely comfortable with. Teleprospecting is a different animal all together. With teleprospecting, we are calling people that we have never talked to before and some people who have no desire for us to call them in the first place.
Here are a few guidelines that I have used to create and use scripts in my teleprospecting efforts.
1. Use simple words – Even if you are using a script, you do not want to sound like you are reading from a script. It is a huge turn off and it makes people think that you don’t know what you are talking about in regards to your product or service. Use terminology that you understand and can read and say easily.
2. Keep it short – Scripts can be used as a guide for a conversation. I think of it as giving a speech at a seminar where you have note cards with ideas on them for you to talk about. You want be able to scan the information and know what it means so you are not getting tongue tied while speaking.
3. Isolate one major pain or need that your product solves – I traditionally only leverage one major pain or need at a time in a voicemail. This is not snake oil we are selling but an actually tool. Of course it can do everything under the sun but if you try to share too much information its can come across as jumbled. Who would listen to that?
4. Practice, Practice, Practice – The more you read and learn the information you are trying to share the better you will sound. Make it your own as it will come across that you understand the product better. Again, the ultimate goal is to not sound like you are reading from a script.
5. Tweak your script – Nothing ever stays the same. There are going to be times when you need to personalize or change the concept of your script, especially if your message is not getting across to your prospects.
6. Smile – I bring this up with every new hire. A positive frame of mind goes a long way with sharing information. If you are actively engaged in a product that you believe in it will come across over the phone.
Scripting is something we all do and need to do for projects that we call on. Ultimately the goal for some is to not need a script and share the information fluidly. But if you must have a script, use these pointers to help create one that will help you get the proper message out.