Over-the-phone sales can sometimes be a frustrating process, most salespeople regularly experience; difficult clients, uncomfortable calls and not knowing when to reach out again.

To help you improve your success rate, we’ve collated tips and techniques that will make a real difference that you can implement today. 

1. Approach each call with confidence

Confidence is vital, regardless of the call being inbound or outbound. For a person to purchase or take the action you want, the customer has to see the caller as someone who knows what they are talking about. Many people make outbound calls with hesitation or fear in their voice – leading to a poor impression of themselves, their company and their product/service.

2. Don't make assumptions

A typical example of this situation is when the caller starts finishing off the other person's sentences. This assumption irritates the customer and sometimes leads to them putting the phone down. Usually, when the caller finishes off the customer's sentence, they get it wrong – resulting in the other person correcting them and a loss of rapport.

3. Remember you’re speaking to another human

If you're the individual who has to make many outbound calls in which you are saying similar or the same things on each call, then this is likely affecting you. If you have delivered the script numerous times in a day, by the time you get through to another person, you sound like it's the 70th time you've said that script. The issue is that it's the first time this particular customer has heard it. 

Don’t be afraid to inject some personality. You’ll find it far easier to establish the foundation someone needs to trust you with a sale. 

4. Ask questions

Asking questions beyond the general script will help you uncover valuable information that can assist you to discover what is essential to the customer. It also brings out their interest, which is key to building rapport and thus boosting the chance of a sale.

5. Repeat a customer's word or phrases

Repeating a word or phrase the client has used can encourage them to expand on their thoughts. By doing this, you are allowing the customer to open up and provide valuable information.

6. Clarify vital information 

A customer will often gloss over a vital point that can influence a sale; this is why it is essential to say something along the lines of "can you tell me something about that, please". This clarifies the issue for both you and the client and may further uncover crucial information.

7. Listen to previous phone calls

A great way to improve performance over the phone is by listening to your previous calls. This will give insightful clues about where improvements for the future can be made. Listen to calls by other representatives and get new ideas that you can test out on your calls. Sticking to the same rigid process for every call will lead to boredom and a lack of customer engagement.

8. Be prepared for objections

Fear and hesitation can come when a client challenges your assertions and suggests you do not know the product well. This is why it is best to prepare for common objections; a good technique is to write bullet points of responses in a script that will help you feel assured at all times.

9. Use the customer's name at least three times in a call

Using the customer's name regularly demonstrates that the caller has been actively listening to them and makes it easier to develop the conversation. People are likely to take more interest in your thoughts and ideas when they hear their names; this can get you their full attention.

10. Summarise what the customer said

Summarising the call is a crucial part of call closing. When you summarise what the client has said and repeat it back to them, the customer will acknowledge that you were listening to them and that you understood their situation. 

11. Rephrase instructions

Sometimes it can be hard not to make assumptions, especially when the customer doesn't fully disclose certain information after considering a prompt. If such a situation arises, it is best to replace phrases such as "you should" with "let us" so that both parties are fully aware of the following steps and that this is a shared mission.

12. Offer solutions

Clients are not usually interested in the product's design; they are generally interested in what it does for them. This is why you have to listen carefully to what is being said; it will help identify how the product can help them individually.

A successful sales team needs a successful and reliable system to work on. If you run a business that uses sales over the phone as the primary practice, consider CircleLoop; we offer a business phone system for sales teams that boasts a range of features and integrations. 

CircleLoop is compatible with small businesses and startups as well as larger organisations. We also offer competitive VoIP system prices and a flexible plan for beginners.

For a closer look at CircleLoop’s smart features, book your place onto our free weekly webinars with Product Demonstration Specialist, Dom.