In the first 30 seconds of a prospect call, based on what you say and how you say it, your prospect will evaluate whether it’s worth investing time in listening to you and continuing the conversation.
You need to demonstrate in the first 30 seconds that continuing the conversation is in their interests. If you don’t, it’s very easy for a prospect to discontinue the call by saying they are too busy or not interested.
How to ensure the prospect will want to carry on the conversation
In a phone call you can control three things:
- The content (what you say)
- The delivery (how you say it)
- Your mindset
The key is to tailor your content and delivery to the world of the prospect whilst in a positive mindset.
Mastering these three elements will determine your success.
Join their world at a content level
Join their world at a content level by sharing an observation about a challenge or need that you have identified in their business e.g.
“I noticed in Marketing Week that you are launching brand x in September targeting audience y.”
Then outline a potential solution that will assist them in meeting their challenge (the ‘what’s in it for them’) e.g.
“The reason for calling is that event z is taking place in September. The event attracts 75,000 of audience y who come together over three days in one location to experience the latest industry products and services. This event would be an ideal opportunity to drive awareness and understanding of brand x and accelerate its take up among the audience.”
Conversational milestones
A call is a series of conversational milestones. In the example above, we have achieved two in the first 30 seconds: an observation about a problem and created interest with a solution.
Note: you never want to read from a script as it will sound artificial.
Join their world through delivery
The second technique is to join their world through delivery.
The mistake people make on the phone is to deliver each call in the same way: the volume, tone, pace and emphasis in their voice is the same each time.
The key and challenge is to say what you want to say and to listen to your prospect, adapting the volume, tone, pace and emphasis in your voice to match your prospect.
You also have to listen for clues that tell you what state your prospect is in at that moment, for example, do you hear someone that is in a state of urgency requiring information immediately or someone who has time to chat?
You must respond to what you hear, adapting your delivery accordingly.
Your next call
Next time you call a prospect, be ready to tailor your content and adapt your delivery.
Good luck!