A sales script is a preconceived text of a conversation between a manager and a client, which takes into account all possible answers and objections.
A script is necessary for a salesperson not to talk nonsense, feel confident and close more deals. Scripts are important if you have to call frequently. We’ll talk about the principles you should use when talking to clients.
Scope of scripts
Scripts are used in all areas. If you want the company managers to convey the right information to the client with a smile – write a script. Scripts are often used by banks, Internet providers, stockbrokers, realtors, insurers, network operators.
Direct sales
Scripts are often used in direct sales when the seller himself approaches the buyer. This occurs in the following cases:
- Apartment or office sales – when a salesperson or agent comes to the home or workplace.
- Store and street sales – when a promoter or insurance agent approaches in a public place.
- Phone sales – when the operator calls from a call center, real estate agency, or MLM company.
First Contact
Often scripts are used for first contact when starting a conversation with a stranger who is not expecting it. Such contacts are called cold contacts. For example, if you call a database of numbers for the first time – these are cold calls. If you call repeatedly only those who are interested the first time – these are warm contacts.
The “warmer” the contact, the more the person needs your service and is waiting for a call, the less the script is needed to close the deal. But if the manager is inexperienced, a script is always needed.
Forming a client base
Scripts help when the person doesn’t know about your service yet, they don’t have a need – and you need to create one. For example, if the client does not know that you can get a huge fine for copyright infringement, and it is still difficult to persuade him to register a trademark.
Another option – when a person needs the product, but not now. This was the case with online cash registers: as long as the deferment was in effect, the entrepreneurs looked around. When the postponement ended – they rushed to buy.
In such cases, the script is used to talk about the product and keep customers who are not yet interested in it: subscribe to blogs, social networks, to agree on the next call so that he waited.
Advantages and disadvantages of using scripts
The advantages and disadvantages of scripts stem from their main feature: scripts reduce the role of the human factor.
+Reduced customer value
Every customer has a cost. You pay for advertising and software, managers’ salaries. All of these costs form the cost of each client and affect the final cost of the product.
If managers don’t speak correctly and miss customers, the company suffers a loss. A good script will reduce the cost of the client in any area. Want to make sure you know exactly what your employees are saying to customers on behalf of the company – script the speech for them.
+Help for novice salespeople
There is no point in writing a speech from beginning to end for an expensive experienced consultant. Such will cope himself.
Scripts are used if managers are inexperienced. The novice salesperson may have no idea how to construct a conversation at all or have the wrong idea about it. Thanks to the script, the salesman will not forget to say something important, will not mix up the numbers, and will know what to answer a tricky question.
Strong experienced negotiators are hard to find. If you have a script – you can hire less qualified. Spend once, prescribe dialogs – and be sure of the result.
-There is little chance for an impromptu
When you follow the script, you can miss an advantageous moment in the conversation. For example, the buyer has already agreed to the deal, and the seller keeps talking.
-Loss of time
Sometimes it is clear from the context that there is no point in selling to this person, but the script does not allow you to end the conversation immediately.
-Turnover
Employees who work only on scripts burn out quickly. As a rule, there is a lot of turnover among them.
Script length and flexibility
If you have a static product range that rarely expands, and you can think through the communication from start to finish – create a complete script that contains all the possible dialog scenarios. Answers to new questions should be added as soon as they appear.
If your product is constantly changing, the assortment is expanding – then choose whether to write a full script, to constantly add and think about it or hire a strong sales manager. The head of sales or a marketer can write a ready-made sales text for each new product, and then – train managers to work with objections.
According to experts who provide write my paper for cheap service, the more elaborate the script, the less experienced managers are needed.
Creation algorithm
Defining the purpose of the call
Every call should lead to some kind of result. You need to understand what would be a good result for each call.
The result may not only be a sale: try to sell an apartment from the first call. But to get a man to see the apartment so that he can buy it later is a real goal, it can be done that way.
The manager and the client need to understand what they want from each other. To agree on something, decide at once what you are going to negotiate and what is realistic to talk the client into at this stage of the deal.
Analysis of the company
To write a script, study your company, products, competitors, target audience, what people are interested in, what parameters they choose.
Don’t sit down to write a script right away. Make at least a few calls. Understand what people are interested in, what questions they ask. If you don’t know what to answer – study your company better first and understand what you are going to answer.
Writing a script
Writing a script is a never-ending process. First, write down the main points, the first phrases, think through the main customer answers, and outline the approximate plan of the conversation.
Over time, customers will have new questions and your industry will have new technologies and laws. You’ll be constantly adding to and rewriting the script to make it relevant.
Testing the script
A good script should sell. But how much it is in numbers – depends on the product, price, call base, competitors.
The first time you set the bar by expert method – based on experience. If there is no experience so far, make up the number. With each new call you accumulate data and you can better predict the conversion rate. The script is considered effective if the actual conversion coincides with or exceeds the forecast.
Implementation and automation
Any script is live. You can’t write it once and use it further as it is. When you start working with the script, it will become clear what and where to rework and add.
The script is constantly changing to meet new objections, circumstances, goods, laws. If you have not changed anything in your script for several months, your script likely needs substantial revision.