Top Network Marketers execute the simple phone call in a much different way than most people. They are exceedingly prepared for each call and resist the urge to just “wing it” like the novice marketer. If you follow the 3 keys to mastering the telephone below, you will see your success double or triple in the next few months.
1) Pre-Call study
A successful phone call to a prospect starts before you ever pick up the phone. It is essential that you initially gather all of the information about the prospect you can. Know who you are going to speak to, where they live, and prepare to open the dialogue with ice breaking questions to create some rapport.
2) Pre-Call Objectives
Write down the questions that you want to ask your prospect and create an agenda to follow. Adding structure to your conversations will establish you as a leader in the mind of your prospect and keep the conversation on track. Your calls will be shorter, gather more information, provide more value, and be more effective with this extra level of preparation.
3) Post-Call Analysis
Immediately after the call ends, write down every fact that you can remember. Do not trust your memory by waiting until the end of the day. Review your own performance and identify ways you can make improvements on the next call. Did you answer every objection? Did you give a call to action? Where were you weakest? Focus to improve your areas of weakness and your results will skyrocket.
Start to assemble your database by inserting all of the information you gained from the phone call about your prospect. Then, prior to speaking with your customer again, review your notes. They will be impressed that you have done your homework and view you as a true authority.
You willingness and capability to prepare thoroughly are critical to your long term success. When in doubt – over-prepare. You will notice immediate results if you apply these 3 principles to your prospecting telephone calls.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Benefits Of Telephone Answering Services
When a potential or existing customer calls into a company, they want to receive prompt attention. Even if the issue or question is minor, to the customer it is important. To show every customer that they are a top priority, business owners need a method of taking, processing, and tracking phone calls in a timely and professional manner. While there is a cost for outsourcing telephone answering services, the money invested would be well spent.
Regardless of the size of the business or industry type, telephone answering services ensure customers are given optimum customer support. Having a remote receptionist, someone that takes all incoming calls quickly and as a great representative of the company will result in happier customers, which means more business. Although recording machines are convenient, people still appreciate having a real person answering the phone. Therefore, when the office is closed, telephone answering services allow human contact that customers want.
Having a business answering system also ensures that important or emergency messages are handled properly. This way, if a customer, vendor, or other professional needs to get in touch with someone within the company after hours, the remote receptionist would take the call and have the ability to page someone so the message is passed along to the appropriate individual.
Additionally, depending on the type of service a company chooses, some telephone answering services use highly trained people to man the phones that could provide callers with information for resolving an issue immediately. With this, the caller would not have to wait until the next business day to get resolution.
Telephone answering services for situations such as this result in all types of problems being handled in an efficient way. Let us say a tenant had a major water leak at night and desperately needed to reach the landlord. The telephone secretary could provide that person with the names and numbers of utility companies that need to be contacted for the water to be shut off while also advising the tenant that the landlord would be in touch first thing in the morning. The tenant has a good solution and the business owner does not have to get up in the middle of the night to provide the tenant with the same information the call center provided.
Regardless of the size of the business or industry type, telephone answering services ensure customers are given optimum customer support. Having a remote receptionist, someone that takes all incoming calls quickly and as a great representative of the company will result in happier customers, which means more business. Although recording machines are convenient, people still appreciate having a real person answering the phone. Therefore, when the office is closed, telephone answering services allow human contact that customers want.
Having a business answering system also ensures that important or emergency messages are handled properly. This way, if a customer, vendor, or other professional needs to get in touch with someone within the company after hours, the remote receptionist would take the call and have the ability to page someone so the message is passed along to the appropriate individual.
Additionally, depending on the type of service a company chooses, some telephone answering services use highly trained people to man the phones that could provide callers with information for resolving an issue immediately. With this, the caller would not have to wait until the next business day to get resolution.
Telephone answering services for situations such as this result in all types of problems being handled in an efficient way. Let us say a tenant had a major water leak at night and desperately needed to reach the landlord. The telephone secretary could provide that person with the names and numbers of utility companies that need to be contacted for the water to be shut off while also advising the tenant that the landlord would be in touch first thing in the morning. The tenant has a good solution and the business owner does not have to get up in the middle of the night to provide the tenant with the same information the call center provided.
The Positive Aspects Of Virtual Telephone Systems
800 Number
The system you use for your company ought to allow you the ability to secure an 800 number for your organization. The positive aspects of this specific feature is that it's instantly going to make your business appear more professional. Not only that, it becomes very much less difficult to market yourself to those outside your local area. You must also have the choice to choose a number from any locality you wish. For instance, if your company is five hundred miles from New York City, it is possible to still choose a number from that location for your organization to utilize.
Answering Features
Several systems have several characteristics that will also help your organization to sound more professional. Being able to record a answering greeting which will permit your clients to press 1 for sales or 2 for customer service may possibly be all that your organization needs to expand. Numerous entrepreneurs who operate from home discover that this feature can effortlessly assist them to gain a lot more buyers. Unfortunately, a lot of individuals have preconceived notions about businesses operated at home and this could be a great advantage for those who do business in their homes.
Connection Options
In case you function out of your house or you have a extremely little office and staff, there will be times that you miss essential calls coming in. The virtual phone techniques have several choices to aid you to connect to your buyers. From call forwarding and call screening to faxing capabilities and voicemail, they will provide many advantages to your company. When your buyers can’t get through to your organization, their very first thought may be to go with another enterprise. By improving your alternatives, you can receive calls, regardless of where you're.
Any company owner, regardless of the size of the business, must have a goal of improving communication with their buyers. Virtual phone systems can assist your organization to achieve its goals and can easily supply you with numerous advantages over your long list of competitors.
The system you use for your company ought to allow you the ability to secure an 800 number for your organization. The positive aspects of this specific feature is that it's instantly going to make your business appear more professional. Not only that, it becomes very much less difficult to market yourself to those outside your local area. You must also have the choice to choose a number from any locality you wish. For instance, if your company is five hundred miles from New York City, it is possible to still choose a number from that location for your organization to utilize.
Answering Features
Several systems have several characteristics that will also help your organization to sound more professional. Being able to record a answering greeting which will permit your clients to press 1 for sales or 2 for customer service may possibly be all that your organization needs to expand. Numerous entrepreneurs who operate from home discover that this feature can effortlessly assist them to gain a lot more buyers. Unfortunately, a lot of individuals have preconceived notions about businesses operated at home and this could be a great advantage for those who do business in their homes.
Connection Options
In case you function out of your house or you have a extremely little office and staff, there will be times that you miss essential calls coming in. The virtual phone techniques have several choices to aid you to connect to your buyers. From call forwarding and call screening to faxing capabilities and voicemail, they will provide many advantages to your company. When your buyers can’t get through to your organization, their very first thought may be to go with another enterprise. By improving your alternatives, you can receive calls, regardless of where you're.
Any company owner, regardless of the size of the business, must have a goal of improving communication with their buyers. Virtual phone systems can assist your organization to achieve its goals and can easily supply you with numerous advantages over your long list of competitors.
Achieving Sales On The Telephone - Effective Outbound Calls
Define your ideal customer – The best way to predict who your future customers will be is to understand who your past customers have been. For instance, if by looking at your past client base you realise that the majority of your orders have come from the 18 – 30 year old bracket, then this would likely be the best people to focus your attention on. Of course age isn’t the only consideration to make. You may also want to look at geography, past buying patterns, interests etc.
Develop a good ‘script’ – A good script or series of specific questions is the most important thing you can do to improve your effectiveness when selling on the telephone. This becomes even more important when you are making outbound calls.
Some people resist the idea of using a script. They argue that it is better to sound natural and this will help build the relationship with the customer. The trick is to use the script as a series of prompts or reminder of what to say rather than reading it verbatim. This way you can concentrate on how you say things as opposed to what you are saying. More importantly, it allows you to focus on what the customer is saying and helps you tailor your conversation to suit.
The script should be seen as a method of allowing you to be flexible in your approach as opposed to being a restraint.
Eliminate – The trouble with making outbound sales calls is you usually have absolutely no idea of the level of interest of the recipient until you have called them. It may be that the first ten people you call are all interested in what you have to sell. Alternatively, it may be the last ten! You role is simply to find those people that are interested and temporarily eliminate those that are not. It is useful to methodical in your approach to calling customers.
It is tempting to disregard the customers that you couldn’t reach or did not show an immediate interest. However, a good salesperson will ensure that they follow-up on all of these opportunities. In order to ensure you keep track of the customers you have previously called, it is useful to create a system of note-taking. If a customer is not available then you should make a good clear note of this next to their contact details, or you could mark their level of interest from 1 – 3. By using this system you will ensure that you are fully prepared when it is time to call them again. Although this may seem tedious, it is a lot better than having to call a prospect ‘cold’.
Persist – A good telephone salesperson will develop a thick skin throughout their career. You will need to accept rejection as part of the job and consider each new call as a new opportunity. Even the most hardy individual will get despondent at times, it is useful to set your expectations early on and realise that you will not be able to convert the large majority of calls you make. This does not mean that the customer will never buy from you, just not today.
By making clear notes on your call list, you will be able to re-work an old list and even convert some previous rejections. The key to outbound sales is to never give up!
Develop a good ‘script’ – A good script or series of specific questions is the most important thing you can do to improve your effectiveness when selling on the telephone. This becomes even more important when you are making outbound calls.
Some people resist the idea of using a script. They argue that it is better to sound natural and this will help build the relationship with the customer. The trick is to use the script as a series of prompts or reminder of what to say rather than reading it verbatim. This way you can concentrate on how you say things as opposed to what you are saying. More importantly, it allows you to focus on what the customer is saying and helps you tailor your conversation to suit.
The script should be seen as a method of allowing you to be flexible in your approach as opposed to being a restraint.
Eliminate – The trouble with making outbound sales calls is you usually have absolutely no idea of the level of interest of the recipient until you have called them. It may be that the first ten people you call are all interested in what you have to sell. Alternatively, it may be the last ten! You role is simply to find those people that are interested and temporarily eliminate those that are not. It is useful to methodical in your approach to calling customers.
It is tempting to disregard the customers that you couldn’t reach or did not show an immediate interest. However, a good salesperson will ensure that they follow-up on all of these opportunities. In order to ensure you keep track of the customers you have previously called, it is useful to create a system of note-taking. If a customer is not available then you should make a good clear note of this next to their contact details, or you could mark their level of interest from 1 – 3. By using this system you will ensure that you are fully prepared when it is time to call them again. Although this may seem tedious, it is a lot better than having to call a prospect ‘cold’.
Persist – A good telephone salesperson will develop a thick skin throughout their career. You will need to accept rejection as part of the job and consider each new call as a new opportunity. Even the most hardy individual will get despondent at times, it is useful to set your expectations early on and realise that you will not be able to convert the large majority of calls you make. This does not mean that the customer will never buy from you, just not today.
By making clear notes on your call list, you will be able to re-work an old list and even convert some previous rejections. The key to outbound sales is to never give up!
The Invention Of The Telephone
According to dictionary.com the telephone is “An instrument that converts voice and other sound signals into a form that can be transmitted to remote locations and that receives and reconverts waves into sound signals.” The word telephone originates from a combination of the Greek words “tele” meaning “afar, far off,” and “phone” meaning ““sound, voice.”
Some historians suggest Francis Bacon predicted the telephone in 1627 in his book New Utopia, where he described a long speaking tube. This might have been foreshadowing since not enough was known about the transmission of electricity to make the concept a reality in that era. It was not until 1854 that a French investigator Bourseul suggested that transmitting speech electrically over distance could be possible.
Antonio Santi Giuseppe Meucci (1808 – 1896) is the earliest endorsed claim to the invention of a voice communication apparatus. Meucci constructed a form of telephone in 1857 as a way to connect his second-floor bedroom to his basement laboratory. In Italy, Meucci is recognized as the inventor of the telephone. The Enciclopedia Italiana di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti recognizes Meucci as the original founder of the telephone in 1860.
European physicists credit German inventor, Philip Reis, as the first to transmit a sentence by telephone in 1860. Reis demonstrated his device 16 years before Bell took out a patent for a similar device. In 1872, Prof Vanderwyde demonstrated the Reis device in New York where it was supposedly seen by Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell. On March 22, 1876, a New York Times editorial entitled The Telephone, endorsed Philip Reis as the first inventor.
Bell evolved ideas from Reis's device in his subsequent development of the telephone. Bell enlisted Thomas Watson, an experienced machinist, to assist him in his research. In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell patented the electro-magnetic transmission of vocal sound by undulatory electric current.
Elisha Gray was another inventor who had been working on the development of the telephone. Gray submitted a request to the patent office the same day but was beaten by a matter of hours. No one has ever determined why both patents were filed on the same day. Some have suggested that Bell was aware of Gray’s intention and rushed to thwart his rival.
The paper trail of Bell's patent application show substantial evidence that his lawyers Pollock or Bailey did acquire the basic ideas of Elisha Gray's liquid transmitter. On March 7, 1876, Bell subsequently incorporated this technology successfully into his apparatus to transmit "Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you".
The inventor of the telephone has been one of the most contested patents in United States history. Many lawsuits challenged the rightful owner of the patent but none were successful.
Today, there still exists great debate over the founder of the telephone. A 2002 a resolution by the U.S. House of Representatives, gave its endorsement of Antonio Santi Giuseppe Meucci as the originator of the telephone. HR 269 said Meucci "set up a rudimentary communication link in his Staten Island home that connected the basement with the first floor... he demonstrated his invention in 1860 and had a description of it published in New York ’s Italian language newspaper.... and was unable to raise sufficient funds to pay his way through the patent application...".
Today, the telephone is the most vital communication tool of our world. Telecom has become a giant industry that provides solutions far above what Meucci, Reis, Gray or Bell ever envisioned. If not for the efforts of these great inventors there would be no telephones, facsimile machines, personal devices, computers or the Internet. Today most people cannot phantom such a primitive existence. Communication is the link that allows our world to function at its torrid pace. The telephone is the single most significant invention in the modern era bringing the world closer together.
Some historians suggest Francis Bacon predicted the telephone in 1627 in his book New Utopia, where he described a long speaking tube. This might have been foreshadowing since not enough was known about the transmission of electricity to make the concept a reality in that era. It was not until 1854 that a French investigator Bourseul suggested that transmitting speech electrically over distance could be possible.
Antonio Santi Giuseppe Meucci (1808 – 1896) is the earliest endorsed claim to the invention of a voice communication apparatus. Meucci constructed a form of telephone in 1857 as a way to connect his second-floor bedroom to his basement laboratory. In Italy, Meucci is recognized as the inventor of the telephone. The Enciclopedia Italiana di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti recognizes Meucci as the original founder of the telephone in 1860.
European physicists credit German inventor, Philip Reis, as the first to transmit a sentence by telephone in 1860. Reis demonstrated his device 16 years before Bell took out a patent for a similar device. In 1872, Prof Vanderwyde demonstrated the Reis device in New York where it was supposedly seen by Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell. On March 22, 1876, a New York Times editorial entitled The Telephone, endorsed Philip Reis as the first inventor.
Bell evolved ideas from Reis's device in his subsequent development of the telephone. Bell enlisted Thomas Watson, an experienced machinist, to assist him in his research. In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell patented the electro-magnetic transmission of vocal sound by undulatory electric current.
Elisha Gray was another inventor who had been working on the development of the telephone. Gray submitted a request to the patent office the same day but was beaten by a matter of hours. No one has ever determined why both patents were filed on the same day. Some have suggested that Bell was aware of Gray’s intention and rushed to thwart his rival.
The paper trail of Bell's patent application show substantial evidence that his lawyers Pollock or Bailey did acquire the basic ideas of Elisha Gray's liquid transmitter. On March 7, 1876, Bell subsequently incorporated this technology successfully into his apparatus to transmit "Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you".
The inventor of the telephone has been one of the most contested patents in United States history. Many lawsuits challenged the rightful owner of the patent but none were successful.
Today, there still exists great debate over the founder of the telephone. A 2002 a resolution by the U.S. House of Representatives, gave its endorsement of Antonio Santi Giuseppe Meucci as the originator of the telephone. HR 269 said Meucci "set up a rudimentary communication link in his Staten Island home that connected the basement with the first floor... he demonstrated his invention in 1860 and had a description of it published in New York ’s Italian language newspaper.... and was unable to raise sufficient funds to pay his way through the patent application...".
Today, the telephone is the most vital communication tool of our world. Telecom has become a giant industry that provides solutions far above what Meucci, Reis, Gray or Bell ever envisioned. If not for the efforts of these great inventors there would be no telephones, facsimile machines, personal devices, computers or the Internet. Today most people cannot phantom such a primitive existence. Communication is the link that allows our world to function at its torrid pace. The telephone is the single most significant invention in the modern era bringing the world closer together.
1920's Telephones
Today's teenagers find it hard to believe there ever was a time when their ancestors didn't spend 3 hours every night gossiping on the telephone. Decades ago that would have been unthinkable.
Antique telephones hearken back to a simpler time when life was less complicated. Perhaps that is one of the reasons antique telephones have become increasingly popular in recent years. From appearances in movies, television shows, on desks in magazine layouts, everything old is new again. However, unlike many other collectibles, most antique telephones can still be used today, adding a touch of style and uniqueness to any home or business.
Antique telephones made in the 1920's are among the most popular old phones, mainly because the Roaring Twenties were when candlestick phones became more widespread, starting to appear in the houses of the wealthy. Candlestick phones were made out of mostly brass and still look great today.
The 1920's also saw the introduction of the desk phone, sometimes called a desk set. Desk phones were made out of Bakelite (an early form of plastic), or metal. Wall phones from the 20's are also available, although they are more rare and were normally made out of wood and metal.
Candlestick phones and desk phones often had the bell and other equipment in a separate box that was often hidden. The square or rectangular box was the what actually rang, not the phone. Thus the term 'set' is used to refer to the phone and the box.
Telephones made before 1910 did not have a rotary dial. The person placing the call would pick up the ear piece, hold the mouthpiece up, and ask the operator to place the call. An example of a non-rotary candlestick phone can be found in almost any television episode of the Andy Griffith Show. Andy would ask Sarah the operator to help place his call.
By the 1920's almost every phone had a rotary dial, which is one of the reasons they are more popular with collector's today.
Desk phones were introduced in the 1920's and quickly gained widespread popularity. By the end of the decade manufacturers had phased out candlestick phones. The desk phone of the 1920's would also introduce the shape of the traditional home telephone for the rest of the century.
For most antique telephones with a rotary dial, the only updating needed to use the phone with today's phone lines is putting on a modular jack, which costs less than a dollar and can be done in minutes.
Some collectors offer restored antique phones for sale. They replace worn parts, install a modular jack, clean and repair the base if needed, and the phone is ready to plug in and start calling.
Antique telephones hearken back to a simpler time when life was less complicated. Perhaps that is one of the reasons antique telephones have become increasingly popular in recent years. From appearances in movies, television shows, on desks in magazine layouts, everything old is new again. However, unlike many other collectibles, most antique telephones can still be used today, adding a touch of style and uniqueness to any home or business.
Antique telephones made in the 1920's are among the most popular old phones, mainly because the Roaring Twenties were when candlestick phones became more widespread, starting to appear in the houses of the wealthy. Candlestick phones were made out of mostly brass and still look great today.
The 1920's also saw the introduction of the desk phone, sometimes called a desk set. Desk phones were made out of Bakelite (an early form of plastic), or metal. Wall phones from the 20's are also available, although they are more rare and were normally made out of wood and metal.
Candlestick phones and desk phones often had the bell and other equipment in a separate box that was often hidden. The square or rectangular box was the what actually rang, not the phone. Thus the term 'set' is used to refer to the phone and the box.
Telephones made before 1910 did not have a rotary dial. The person placing the call would pick up the ear piece, hold the mouthpiece up, and ask the operator to place the call. An example of a non-rotary candlestick phone can be found in almost any television episode of the Andy Griffith Show. Andy would ask Sarah the operator to help place his call.
By the 1920's almost every phone had a rotary dial, which is one of the reasons they are more popular with collector's today.
Desk phones were introduced in the 1920's and quickly gained widespread popularity. By the end of the decade manufacturers had phased out candlestick phones. The desk phone of the 1920's would also introduce the shape of the traditional home telephone for the rest of the century.
For most antique telephones with a rotary dial, the only updating needed to use the phone with today's phone lines is putting on a modular jack, which costs less than a dollar and can be done in minutes.
Some collectors offer restored antique phones for sale. They replace worn parts, install a modular jack, clean and repair the base if needed, and the phone is ready to plug in and start calling.
Ebay Powerseller Tells Sellers To Use Ups Telephone Number And Account To Keep Customers Happy
This is one thing powersellers have found out the hard way and something that people entering the industry can avoid easily.
If you are willing to absorb the costs of sending products around the country and around the world, launching a DDU policy for your business is recommended.
A DDU policy is the shortened term used to describe delivered duty unpaid. Here, it is where the seller handles all of the costs which are associated from distributing their products, without the buyer having to contribute more money.
Some couriers like UPS can expect the buyers to pay any of the additional taxes and charges which are involved with sending packages internationally.
With some of the buyers unwilling to pay these costs, there can be a lot of inconvenience between the courier, the buyer and the seller. As a result, a UPS account is recommended to boost productivity and limit confusion.
A UPS account can be set up online with minutes, with the system being used as a hub for the distribution stages of a business. A company can organise all of their shipping through this channel, with UPS sending a weekly bill outlining all of the charges which have arisen as a result of the activity of that company. This can result in many advantages, mainly increased customer satisfaction - which can result in repeat trade in the future.
If you analyse the amount of money which you are spending in total on shipping (including taxes, postage and packaging) over a set number of time, you would be able to make an informed decision on how much you are spending on a weekly basis. As a result, you can determine how much you need to invest into your UPS account in order for you to allow the expenditure of your shipping activity to take care of itself.
If your business is growing, placing more money than is necessary into your account could be wise to prevent any unnecessary surprises to your account when you are being debited.
If you are willing to absorb the costs of sending products around the country and around the world, launching a DDU policy for your business is recommended.
A DDU policy is the shortened term used to describe delivered duty unpaid. Here, it is where the seller handles all of the costs which are associated from distributing their products, without the buyer having to contribute more money.
Some couriers like UPS can expect the buyers to pay any of the additional taxes and charges which are involved with sending packages internationally.
With some of the buyers unwilling to pay these costs, there can be a lot of inconvenience between the courier, the buyer and the seller. As a result, a UPS account is recommended to boost productivity and limit confusion.
A UPS account can be set up online with minutes, with the system being used as a hub for the distribution stages of a business. A company can organise all of their shipping through this channel, with UPS sending a weekly bill outlining all of the charges which have arisen as a result of the activity of that company. This can result in many advantages, mainly increased customer satisfaction - which can result in repeat trade in the future.
If you analyse the amount of money which you are spending in total on shipping (including taxes, postage and packaging) over a set number of time, you would be able to make an informed decision on how much you are spending on a weekly basis. As a result, you can determine how much you need to invest into your UPS account in order for you to allow the expenditure of your shipping activity to take care of itself.
If your business is growing, placing more money than is necessary into your account could be wise to prevent any unnecessary surprises to your account when you are being debited.
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