M a r k e t i n g  t i p
Enhance your phone sales skills by adapting the benefits of face-to-face selling

Most brokers do the majority of their selling over the phone. Even if you do have the opportunity to meet your applicants and vendors, you probably exchange more words by telephone than face-to-face. Problem is, the telephone is a terrible sales tool. You would probably prefer to do your sales in person. In person you have a captive audience and can take advantage of body language, environmental cues and sales collateral. Most importantly, you are a better salesperson when you are face-to-face. The same salesperson offering the same product will sell better in person than over the phone, but reality limits most people from tallying that many frequent flyer miles.

To take advantage of the sales-enhancing benefits of face-to-face sales when you are actually selling over the phone, follow the steps below.

• Act enthusiastic. Enthusiasm begets confidence, excitement and action.
• Use the customer's first name often.
• Speak louder than is comfortable. In this era of cell phones and VOIP, clarity is more of an issue than it was ten years ago. And, a loud voice implies confidence.
• Act the way you want to be perceived. If you are new to the industry but want to be perceived as a knowledgeable veteran, slip into character and act like a veteran. Act like who your customer wants you to be.
• Stand up when making calls. No one makes an in-person sales presentation sitting down. Try it a few times; you'll feel the difference.
• Smile. This is an oldie, but a goodie. Yes, thousands of sales managers aren't wrong - customers can hear you smiling.
• Use hand gestures. Again, this is natural when presenting your product face-to-face. Don't fight it when on the phone.
• Put a picture on your desk or wall of what your average customer looks like. Speak to that person, not to your computer or window.
• Know your story. Too often on the phone we rely on a rigid script or slip into the same pattern of communication. Know your product, then learn the customer's needs, then connect the two.

Following these simple steps can raise the success rate of your sales calls.