Saving time from pestering sales calls

[gibby]

Although I dont like it you do sometimes have to take the hard (rude) stance with sales calls

the point of my original post is that we are all trying to run a business and waste so much time with unrequested sales calls.

From experience in sales there are two types of approach.
Run some ads & get enquires & follow them up. These have much more chance of becoming a sale than cold calling & often far cheaper time & money wise.

Many sales ppl think they have the right to waste your time or pester you until they get a deal. they don't have the right to waste my time or my staffs time and if they get pushy then they deserve to get abuse.

To give a perfect example, a sales rep came into our premises today, parked her car in the middle of the in road stopping other traffic in & out, asked questions about our products for 10 mins infront of other customers & then tried to pitch me on business services.
We are actaully in the process of getting quotes for this but she wont get our business as she wan't honest in the first place & wasted my time

G

 

[Successful Selling]

This whole thread started because someone was fed up with receiving sales calls, yet spent a lot of time and effort coming up with a plan to 'beat the salesman'.

I think this demonstrates where both the saleperson and the person on the other end of the phone can improve their communication skills.

So many salespeople don't know when to shut up. I would agree with that, but also, so many businesses don't know how to explain they are not interested.

The most common 'moaner' I get is the 'remove me from your database-I don't want to be called again' guy! Yet, if I remove you from our database, I will probably call you again in a few months time as I didn't realise I wasn't allowed to. The right response is to say 'Please put a note on your system saying I do not wish to be called again'. Then I will know not to call.

It's very simple to lose a saleperson, you just need to learn how. By saying 'no' you are not really helping yourself.

 

[Mattonella Tile Studio]

I don't agree with arguing either, however, I have to say this demonstrates my point.

You had a genuine objection-you didn't think it would be cost effective. Therefore the salesperson should reply; 'If I can prove the yellow pages is cost effective, would you be interested?'

You would then reply Yes or no.
If you reply yes, then the salesperson then needs to find out what is required for you to believe the advert would work.

If you reply no, then it suggests that this isn't your only concern. They would then need to continue questioning you to discover what your other objections are.

As I said, 'No' or 'not interested' is not a reason for a salesperson to end the call.

Few problems here - yellow pages can't prove that they are cost effective. If they could then they'd offer a free trial to prove it. I've said to them before you give it me free for six months, if it's cost effective I'll then pay.

It doesn't really matter what my objection are. It is my business to run how I wish. If I decide that Yellow Pages plays no part in my advertising plan I don't need to justify that to anybody. I may not always get it right but I don't need questioning. And I'm not being arrogant as I will ask for advice when I need it and am always learning on this forum.

By saying I'm not interested more than once is THE most important reason to end the call.

Had they have done that then I wouldn't have reported them for breaching TPS rules. As they peed me off then I submitted the report.

 

[David Griffiths]

So many salespeople don't know when to shut up. I would agree with that, but also, so many businesses don't know how to explain they are not interested.

The most common 'moaner' I get is the 'remove me from your database-I don't want to be called again' guy! Yet, if I remove you from our database, I will probably call you again in a few months time as I didn't realise I wasn't allowed to. The right response is to say 'Please put a note on your system saying I do not wish to be called again'. Then I will know not to call.

It's very simple to lose a saleperson, you just need to learn how. By saying 'no' you are not really helping yourself.

So now we need training because salesment don't know the meaning of the word "no"?

 

[Successful Selling]

Few problems here - yellow pages can't prove that they are cost effective.

Agreed. (I personally think they are rubbish and couldn't prove this).

However, if, just if, the yellow pages 'could' prove to you that they are cost effective would that make a difference?

If you are willing to consider them if they had hard evidence, then may be their is the oportunity for them to find out from you, what proof you require.

If you are open minded enough to say 'Yes, give me hard evidence and I will purchase a small ad', then it gives them something to look into. If you say 'No, even if you can proof it, I'm still not interested', then the salesman knows 'cost effectiveness' isn't your key objection.

Of course you can run your business as you wish, but why turn down an oportunity to potentially increase your sales?

 

[Successful Selling]

So now we need training because salesment don't know the meaning of the word "no"?

If you want to get them off the phone quicker, then may be you do.

 

[Mattonella Tile Studio]

Agreed. (I personally think they are rubbish and couldn't prove this).

However, if, just if, the yellow pages 'could' prove to you that they are cost effective would that make a difference?

If you are willing to consider them if they had hard evidence, then may be their is the oportunity for them to find out from you, what proof you require.

If you are open minded enough to say 'Yes, give me hard evidence and I will purchase a small ad', then it gives them something to look into. If you say 'No, even if you can proof it, I'm still not interested', then the salesman knows 'cost effectiveness' isn't your key objection.

Of course you can run your business as you wish, but why turn down an oportunity to potentially increase your sales?

I don't see how anybody can prove that advertising will be cost effective other than trying it out. Yellow pages rattle on about they can track how many calls you get - they can't show if these calls result in sales. I suspect some calls will be other people trying to sell you advertising.

But putting yellow pages aside, I still stand by the fact that if you tell anybody you're not interested, ok they may challenge that at first, but they have to accept when it's time to go. If I turn down an opportunity then that's up to me.

 

[gibby]

good point - but - what your saying is that we don't need a salesman we need a marketing expert.

I used to market freephone numbers & ran a team of sale ppl.

we had 2 type of guys working with us - they heavy sales guys - who didnt last & those that looked at what they can do for the customer.
Infact we got paid a small percentage of the call revenue so it was in our interest to get that business more calls.

sadly most sales ppl are not business ppl. they just want the sale & out fo there.
YP sales guys are just this.

As part of our policy, we ask for the info to be emailed/sent through & then if we like the publiction we ask for a trial ad of 2 or 3 months. Ofetn we will give something back such as a competiton for the readers making the mag look good.

If it works for us we would be daft not to reuse it as every business want to increase business & profits.

It would be far better to train sale ppl to look at what we need, show examples of other businesses that have done well & even be able to ring them for a testimonial. I do refer others to firms that have been good for us & happy to take a call for that effect.
This would actually stop the need for a free trial period for most of us if 3 firms would happlily give a postive feedback.

Would this not be far better for everyone.
the first sales book that I read (failure to success in selling - bettger)
was written in the 30's & covers this & get goot referrals.
To me that is true salesman ship - not cold calling just looking to take out money.

Everyone in buisness needs to be good at selling - no matter what we do.
But we need to treat others as we would like be treated.

I think we do lose opportunities to increase our business purley on the way sales ppl handle us.
However - good results do get talked about and we always talk to our competitors.

For anyone wanting to increase their biz ethicall try getting the book the Diamond Cutter by Michael Roach
it covers all of this and really giving us & others great results in the last 2 months.
failure to success in selling - bettger also made a big difference (70K worth) in my first biz

Possibly the UK is very poor for sales & communications?


G

 

[Successful Selling]

But putting yellow pages aside, I still stand by the fact that if you tell anybody you're not interested, ok they may challenge that at first, but they have to accept when it's time to go. If I turn down an opportunity then that's up to me.

Oh, I totally agree.

As I said earlier, there are people out there who give the whole indsutry a bad name and when they sell to me, if they are sh*t I let them know.

My job is hard enough as it is, without fools like this messing it up for me.

 

[Successful Selling]

As part of our policy, we ask for the info to be emailed/sent through & then if we like the publiction we ask for a trial ad of 2 or 3 months. Ofetn we will give something back such as a competiton for the readers making the mag look good.

If it works for us we would be daft not to reuse it as every business want to increase business & profits.

Lot's of business do this.

The only down side for you is; some businesses will be able to tailor their specific product to your business and sometimes this is lost in generic introductory letters, brochers etc.

The other issue is; lets say you already have a product that does the job, the info that you receive in the post may be able to do a better job, more productively at a cheaper price. That value may not be apparent in the info you recieve, as once again, it tends to be generic.

 

[gibby]

this opens up an opportunity!

If someone was to market themselves to us professionally, who we could direct all the cold calls to & would find out which would work, & negotiate a good discount - we could be interested.

Then those ppl could build up clients & ad firms and save all this hassle

what do you think?

G

 

[Vacman2000]

The best way is to hang up, if they are good at there job, they just go on to the next number

 

[Mpg]

The best way is to hang up, if they are good at there job, they just go on to the next number

Or a newer thread this ones 2 years old

 

[Doug]

so how would you all feel if these tactics were adopted by your potential clients and your sales dried up because all the prospects told you reps that they were boring or can kill someone with cheese?

this is a game of give an take, to get sales cold calling is necessary. If everyone did this then how would anything get sold?

Obviously there are some unscrupulous business out there, one events company call us all the time despite us telling them not to, and even making up ficticious names to get through to people! But then these tactics wont just stop them, they will stop those callers that will actually be of benefit to your business.

 

[telemax]

Or a newer thread this ones 2 years old

Why do people dig up these pre historic threads?

 

so how would you all feel if these tactics were adopted by your potential clients and your sales dried up because all the prospects told you reps that they were boring or can kill someone with cheese?

this is a game of give an take, to get sales cold calling is necessary. If everyone did this then how would anything get sold?

Obviously there are some unscrupulous business out there, one events company call us all the time despite us telling them not to, and even making up ficticious names to get through to people! But then these tactics wont just stop them, they will stop those callers that will actually be of benefit to your business.

Well said!

This really is a singularly smug, self-satisfied thread (albeit a very old one). I am fortunate not to have to cold call any more, but still remember well when the growth of my business depended on it.

If you don't have to sell to get business, good luck - but I can't help thinking that most of you do..

 

[3trades]

who lies more

buyers or sellers?

This seems to be the theme in the majority of posts through this thread.

what goes around comes around, unfortunately.

 

[Vacman2000]

Try hangin up, trust me it works, without getting all worked up about it
and it is no good being on a prefrence list when you cannot trace the number.

And when you just say no they are one closer to a yes

This is taught in the basic tele can training
If someone hangs up go staright to the next number, and rember to dial and smile

 

[MASSEY]

I recently placed all mobile numbers related to my business on the tps register and i must say it seems to deter people because my phone has stopped being raped.

If only it worked for the companies you owe money to aswell.

 

[dedwardp]

so how would you all feel if these tactics were adopted by your potential clients and your sales dried up because all the prospects told you reps that they were boring or can kill someone with cheese?

this is a game of give an take, to get sales cold calling is necessary. If everyone did this then how would anything get sold?

Obviously there are some unscrupulous business out there, one events company call us all the time despite us telling them not to, and even making up ficticious names to get through to people! But then these tactics wont just stop them, they will stop those callers that will actually be of benefit to your business.

Agree with this; I've been making a few calls lately myself and it certainly makes you appreciate more the people who do occasionally call you to try and sell. At the end of the day, everyone is just trying to make a living and everyone will have had to do it at some stage.

Like you say, ideally you'd reach the stage where it was unecessary and all your sales could come from referrals and brand awareness but it's certainly not as simple as that.

 

[Vacman2000]

I say here here

 

[utilitiessavings]

Shame it's never been enforced! Not a single business has been fined for ringing people registered with the TPS. It really is a toothless tiger.

Yes, but the threat of reporting them is enough to get anyone off the phone instantly, it works for us anyway. We had more of a problem with faxes... and FPS, the Fax Preference Service seems to haver stopped it entirely. Hated those faxes that wast ALL of your ink!