Data is important because Telesales is a very powerful tool for businesses to connect with potential customers and drive revenue. Unfortunately, there are telesales agents that still make common mistakes that cause prospects to run away from them instead of turning them into loyal customers. Stay clear of these five common telesales pitfalls to ensure maximum success and close more deals!
1.Talking More Than Listening
Talking too much is one of the biggest telesales mistakes. Sales reps get so caught up in their pitch that they stop listening to the prospect’s needs. When customers feel like they are being heard and understood, they appreciate it.
How to Fix It:
- Use active listening, including summarizing what the customer says.
- Get them talking with open-ended questions about their pain points.
- Listen at least 60% of the time Let the prospect yap away
2.Not Researching the Prospect
Cold calling a prospect without having done research can render your pitch generic and meaningless. Customers need a custom solution, not a cookie-cutter sales script.
How to Fix It:
- Before you place that call, do your homework on your prospect’s company, industry and past interactions.
- Take advantage of CRM data, to customize your proposal according to their needs.
- Explain important facts to create confidence and trust.
3.Using a Script Too Rigidly
Having a telesales script is an important part of the sales process, but following it verbatim can make your call sound robotic and impersonal. Prospects can tell when a conversation isn’t genuine, and they do the next most logical thing: disengage.
How to Fix It:
- So the script is a guide and not a rulebook.
- Some hints to use a more human tone:
- Stay agile enough to recover naturally from customer objections and concerns.
Not Handling Objections Properly
Understanding objections in telesales Learning how to address objections in telesales is why most salespeople get defensive, hiding behind trees, or fail to know how to overcome objections. Either ignoring concerns or going too hard can leave prospects feeling at odds.
How to Fix It:
- Acknowledge the objection and show empathy.
- Ask follow-up questions so you understand what’s behind the concern.
- Don’t just dismiss their concerns, provide a relevant solution.
Have No Clear Call-to-Action (CTA)
If you do not direct the prospect to the next step, even if you had a great conversation, that will spoil it for you. Most salespeople simply leave the call open at this point, expecting the customer to call back later — but that seldom occurs.
How to Fix It:
- Clearly state the next step:What do you want the prospect to do next (schedule a demo, sign up for a free trial, make a purchase, etc.)?
- To maintain the momentum, set a time to follow-up.
- Follow up immediately with emails or links to make it easy for the customer to take the next step.
Conclusion
Telesales is based on relationship building, customer needs assessment, and solution selling. Break from these five bad habits, and watch your conversion rates and sales success rates soar: Do not talk too much, do not fail to do basic research, do not sound robotic, do not mismanage objections and do not forget a strong CTA.