Why Sales Scripts Fail & What To Do About It…
There is a huge debate on whether salespeople should be following scripts when they make their cold calls.
What do you think?
The pushback I hear from reps and managers is when they are using a script, it feels cold, robotic, and does not have any of their personality.
I am curious. Can you answer a question for me?
Do you like movies?
Great.
When watching your favorite actor in a role that really moves you, does it feel cold or robotic?
NO?
It is because that actor has taken a script. Learned its' nuances and made the script their own.
So here is how you make that scripted call work for each sales rep on the floor and allow them to message the right people at the right time.
Next time you are having a meeting with your team. Ask them to fully script out an introductory call by hand to your organization's specific buying persona.
“Using a script only works once it has been developed and absorbed by the sales Rep”
Have your team include possible responses from your prospect. Make it as detailed as possible.
As a group, read out loud a few of the scripts and make suggestions for adjustments right there. Have the rest of the team determine if those changes can be made to their script as well.
This next part can be done during your training session or as pairs outside of the meeting.
Now have each team member practice that script with a peer, the peer should respond as an interested buyer with very few objections, at first.
Remember,
Just like when you are role-playing, adding in real details will make your training and coaching more effective.
This will allow your team members to see where they want to make even more refinements to their script, and get to know the material even better.
As refinements are made have the group starts adding in more and more objections. Let them be varied so the team can make adjustments and start using their objection handling skills to move through the process.
Why this works.
The reps are speaking in their own words.
The messaging has been approved by sales leadership.
Writing the script out by hand and not typed deepens the connections to the words and helps their brain remember the script better.
The practice progresses through the process to build confidence when picking up the phone to dial.