The hard sell is still alive and well, unfortunately.
Many companies and their people still think that the best way to gain new business is to lead with a sale pitch. This ham-handed approach is a common one:
- Describe your offering and benefits as quickly as you can
- Then get the customer to either buy immediately or agree to an appointment.
This structure does not work most of the time. It’s too much, too soon.
Instead of pitching, think about starting a conversation. For example, suppose you’re making
cold calls. Here’s a reasonable conversation starting dialogue:
You: This is Jane Doe from Law Practice Builders. Did I catch you in the middle of a meeting? (Don’t ask about “is it a good time to talk” – it’s never a good time.)
Prospect: Yes [or No]
You: Okay, I’ll be brief. I’m calling because law firms hire us to increase visibility and new case opportunities. How are you currently getting referring attorneys and other professionals to find you and recommend you in order to build your practice?
Starting a conversation is brief and invites answers and more questions. It helps clarify understanding and interest. Because you’re not overwhelming the prospect with information, you can now discover the prospect’s needs and whether your offering may be a good match.
The same thing is true with sales emails. The conversation starter:
Mr. Smith,
I’m writing because law firms hire us to increase website traffic and new case opportunities, based on your specialty. If you’re interested in how this works, I can send you a short summary.
Jane Doe
By contrast, the conversation starter is more likely to get a response because it keeps them in control – it’s their choice whether they want to know more or not.
So, let’s say the conversation starter works. Now what? Again, go slow:
Randy, thanks for responding. Our customers hire us to write compelling content and then distribute it in the right places so you can be found online more often. We’ve helped some of our clients increase site traffic by as much as 50% in just a few short months. How are you currently driving traffic to your site?
Now you’ve got an honest to goodness conversation started. You’ve set the stage for a productive dialogue that talks about problems and the best ways to solve them.
You’ve also created a sales opportunity based on natural, non-threatening interaction that is more likely to result in real information sharing, and real results.
Have a great week.
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