8 Techniques On How To Better Handle Your Next Inbound Sales Calls
- August 18, 2022
We've all been there: You're sitting at your desk, ready to take on the world. Your phone rings, and you answer.
The person on the other end of the line is asking about your company's services or products, and they're interested in buying.
If only it were that easy!
Inbound sales calls can be challenging, especially when it comes time to close the deal. But with these eight techniques, we'll show you how to make those calls go as smoothly as possible so that closing customers becomes second nature:
1. Understand the customer's perspective
Customers are human beings with fears, hopes, dreams, and goals—they may even have more than one of these at once!
They want to be happy with their purchases ( think about this carefully before you start trying to make them).
They also want value for money and quality products from companies they can trust—it's up to you as an inbound salesperson to help them find what they need within those parameters.
After all: if there were no customers, then there wouldn't be any business! If a customer isn't buying something from you, you're losing out on potential revenue streams—and if enough people do this, then you’ll lose out on your job security (which isn't very nice).
So you must find ways of understanding both sides of this equation so that everyone ends up happy.
2. Be Human
This can seem like common sense advice, but you'd be surprised how many people on the other end of the line forget about this simple fact.
For example, if you ask someone what they do for a living and say, "I'm a doctor," don't ask if they're an internist or a general practitioner. You're not going to get any new information by asking that question; instead, try something like "How long have you been practicing?" or "What made you decide to go into medicine?"
The goal here is to get your prospect talking about themselves so that you can establish some rapport with them.
Don't just ask questions—listen carefully to their responses and engage with them by responding in kind. If they tell you about their kids, then tell them about yours. If they talk about their job, then talk about yours!
And remember: don't just ask once; ask multiple times throughout each conversation.**
3. Be a listener
Customers can tell if you’re not listening to them.
This is especially true if you are in a B2B sale, where the person on the other end of the line might be considering buying something from you.
It doesn’t matter if they have decided to purchase your product. They want to be treated like that customer who's made several purchases from you.
So how do you listen? Well, for starters, put down all distractions around you. This means no cell phone on speaker mode, playing music through your headphones while checking email with one hand and typing notes with another hand...you get the idea!
We know that sounds so simple, but trust us, just take a few minutes each day to work with clients on their calls and focus solely on them without any outside distractions.**
4. Do your homework
The next time your phone rings, and it's a potential client on the other end, don't just pick up and start spouting off your sales pitch.
Take a moment to do some research. You will not sell anything if you don't know what you're talking about—and we're not talking about the latest trends or buzzwords that are hot in the industry right now. We mean that you need to understand the customer's needs, their buying process, and their budget.
This is especially true if this is someone who has already contacted you once before. Inbound sales calls are more like inbound sales emails than cold calls; they're more likely to be people who want something from you than people who don't know who you are.
When they call again (or email again), ask yourself: What are they looking for? What do they need from me? What do I have that would help them achieve their goals?**
5. Don't be pushy but don't apologize.
The trick here is to be clear about your intent, not pushy. You want to get the attention of customers interested in what you’re selling, but if you come off as aggressive or apologetic, they may turn away. Here are some tips on how not to be too pushy:**
Be ready for objections
When you're selling something, it's essential to be prepared for any objections that might come up.
If someone is hesitant about making a purchase or signing up for your service, it's not uncommon for them to have concerns about price, timing, or some other essential detail. Be prepared with answers, so you aren't caught off guard when they come up!**
Have an elevator pitch ready
An elevator pitch summarizes what you do and why it matters—it should only take 30 seconds! This can help ensure anyone who hears it has the right idea about what you do and why they should care. Give this pitch whenever possible so people will start recognizing and connecting with your business.
6. Understand your data and Use it
Data is the ultimate weapon in your sales arsenal. It allows you to improve your skills and processes and those around you.
To get started, ensure you have a comprehensive view of your team’s performance and goals to identify opportunities for improvement. This will be valuable not only when it comes time to evaluate individual performance but also when identifying actions that could help everyone achieve more collectively.
The first step is to understand what information you currently have at your disposal.
At Myphoner, we offer numerous integrations, including CRM tools like Salesforce, Pipedrive, and Hubspot CRM.
So in case you’re using Myphoner and have integrated it with a CRM tool like Salesforce, you’ll have quick access to valuable reports on metrics. These include the revenue per person per month, or an average number of deals closed per month by an individual rep.
7. Have an answer for everything.
Inbound sales calls are an excellent opportunity to improve your marketing skills. You can learn what your customers want, how they think, and how they make purchasing decisions. But the best way to do that is by having an answer for everything.
You can't just wing it on inbound sales calls—you need to be prepared. If a customer asks you about the return policy on your product, you need to know how extended returns are accepted and what kind of proof of purchase is required.
If a customer asks about shipping times, you need to know when your products are expected to ship out and which carriers you use for deliveries. And if a customer asks about your company's history or plans, you better be ready with some facts!
Being prepared with answers makes it easier for customers to trust you and makes them more likely to buy from you. In fact, this Salesforce reports show that 89% of consumers are more likely to make another purchase after a positive customer service experience.
8. Follow up constantly and politely
You can't just sit around waiting for the phone to ring. If you want someone to buy something from you, you must make that happen yourself! And it's not just a matter of dialing numbers until one of the answers (although that's part).
You also have to be polite; no one wants to deal with an annoying person on the phone asking them questions all day long. So keep these tips in mind:
- Don’t be pushy or irritating.
- Be courteous at all times.
- Don’t follow up too soon after your initial contact (or else people will get annoyed)**
The Key Take Away
In the end, however, how you handle yourself when it comes time to close the deal matters. It's not just about getting through all those objections—it's about being able to do so in a way that makes your client feel confident and comfortable with their purchase decision.
It's also important to remember that no matter how well you do on an inbound call, there's always room for improvement.
Always be open-minded and ready to learn new techniques—no matter how experienced!
Written by
Daniel Vincent
I'm Daniel! Head of Customer Success here at Myphoner. Over the past (almost) decade, I've worked with multi-national corporations as well as a handful of start-ups to transform their support experience into something truly exceptional.
At Myphoner, I spend most of my time trying to understand our client's experience and thinking of ways to improve it. My wish is for all our clients to be enabled to unleash the power of Myphoner within their businesses.
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