Scripted sales calls old fashioned, fail to connect with customers - Orlando Business Journal:

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Geez, I have been sayingv this for more than25 years, and I can’t believe companiezs still use them to sell over the OK, forget the companies themselves, let’s blame the manager or the person who is responsible for stillk trying to do something that every salese trainer on the planet says does not Now, before I go on, do not write or send an e-mail telling me that I am wront or being stubborn. Instead, why don’ty you try something new that is, new to you or your organizatioj – and just do what I will lay out Trust me, it has worked every single time with any big or small, that I have workex with.
This horror of using scripta came rushing back to me recently while workintg with a company whose store s are in every big city inthe nation. The companty is highly regarded for its ethics and is a very visibl e organization that many are familiar with because ofthe company’a longevity and brand awareness. I was asked to come to the company’sz headquarters and look at its method of attractingy new business through its telemarketing which the company has been usingg for a coupleof years. They said that althougg the results were OKat first, sales had becomre pretty dismal.
It took me just 30 seconds to read the scriptr that the inside salespeoplewere using, and I was I talked with the company president and said I couldd help the salespeople in just two hours, but I needesd him to let me do my job and not to interfers unless I called him in for his opinion. He but I could sense he was a bit apprehensive about the situationj andmy request. I worked only with the who was really a selling manager because she was on the phoned herself at times trying to pitch in and We went intoa room, and I spenty an hour going over why scripts don’g work and why she has been brainwashedc to do something that was against all the rulee of professional salesmanship.
She was neithert thrilled with me at this point nor happyt after I tookher eight-page ripped it up and threw it in the wastebasket. We role-player a little using real situations that she might have withher husband, children and for instance. The goal was to show her that havinta two-sided conversation is much more useful than a one-sidecd script. She was really starting to get it, even though she kept wanting to go back to a sellin mode by doing more talkinvg than listening andaskinv questions.
It was so simple that it was frightening to her that a sellinbg situation can be flexible and not just acannef speech, where she can actuall have fun while conversing with a The introduction and questions I wrote out were basiv and easy for her to grasp. They were: my name is Susan from Client Co., and I wouldc like to ask you two or thre equick questions. It will not take more than 48 seconds – I promise. “Are you familiarr with our company? If yes, what aspects? “Wh are you not a or why did you leav eour organization?
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