Telemarketing: Getting The Order (1984)

[Music] Hello, I'm Richard Maize and this is Betsy Lauren and our subject is getting the order. Betsy, do you want to punch in our first little demonstration? >> Sure. >> Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Uh, listen, may I interrupt a minute? I want to give you the order. >> It's true that happens. Some salespersons get so wrapped up in their presentations, they don't know when they have the customer sold. No matter how friendly, conversational, or persuasive you are, if you don't know how to get the order, the whole thing is a total waste. Getting the order is what it's all about. We'll discuss four aspects of getting the order. How to ask, what to ask, when to ask, and when to push. How do you change from presenting the benefits to asking for the order? Let's listen in and see what conversational changes Betsy makes. >> And anyway, I'll be away at that meeting. >> How many of your salespersons are going to be at that meeting, Jim? >> All of them. About 200. Oh, that will be an excellent opportunity for them to get acquainted with the new lines, won't it? >> Yes, that's that's part of it. >> Jim, I could be a big help to you there. Would you like to have 10 or 12 of our units right there for the meeting? >> Well, might not be a bad idea. >> 12? >> Better make it 10. >> When is the first day of the meeting, Jim? >> What did she change in her delivery? Nothing. She was already asking the prospect leading questions. She's simply asking one more. >> Questions are conversation controllers. With questions, I keep the customer involved. Asking for the order is just asking one more question. Don't change your tone or manner at all. Don't set off the customer's warning signal so he thinks, "Uhoh, this is where I really have to be careful what I reply. When you ask for the order, use the same natural manner you've been using and with the same expectation. >> The key word there is expectation. As they say in Star Wars, the force will work for you. In selling, the force is an attitude of polite expectation. Let me illustrate the power of expectation with something that actually happened. This is a reenactment of a true incident. A man was browsing in a camera store. Just browsing, not seriously thinking of buying. He picked up a camera he was sure was too expensive for his taste. Just out of curiosity, he showed it to the clerk. >> How much is this camera? >> The clerk had been distracted and all she heard was this camera. She promptly took it, boxed it, and packaged it carefully. While the man watched in silence, she recorded the serial number, made out the invoice, and with total expectancy, she presented him with the package. >> That will be $286 with the tax. >> If you've ever watched candid camera and know how people react, you can guess what happened. He did what was expected of him. Did you ever attend a meeting where they surprised you by taking up a collection and you wound up contributing to a cause you'd never heard of before? We all have because we tend to do what we sense is expected of us. Now, that doesn't mean prospects are going to buy what they don't want. People resent being driven, but they respond to leadership. And if they're hanging undecided, your attitude of expectation tends to lead them your way. The third point in how to ask is being prepared to ask in a variety of ways. Some prospects decide quickly. Others try to avoid decisions. You must have more ways of asking for the order than they have excuses for not buying. For that, you'll want your plus and minus list firmly in mind. Under pluses, you list all the benefits to them of giving you the order now. and under minuses all the reasons they should not postpone buying. Since you know what you're selling, your list should be much more detailed. Because for real confidence, you must have more ways of asking for the order than they will have excuses for not giving it to you. And that brings up the second major point, knowing what to ask. During most of our sales presentation, we encourage the customer to speak freely. But when we ask for the order, we'll settle for just one word. Yes. At this point, what we want is simply agreement. In truth, we should rarely ask for an order. What we should always be asking for is agreement. When you've presented the benefits of your offering and the customer has agreed those benefits are valid, you then ask him to agree that he should possess them. To show you the difference, Paula here will simply ask for the order. >> From what you've said, Tom, our units would take care of all three of those jobs for you, wouldn't they? >> Yes, probably would. >> It sure would be nice if you could give me an order for 10 of them, would you? >> I can't do that. How many would you care to order? >> None really. >> That was asking for the order, which unfortunately many salespersons are instructed to do. Mary will now hold the same conversation asking for agreement. >> From what you said, Tom, our units would do all three of those jobs, wouldn't they? >> Yes, probably would. >> It would take three units for each job. Is that what you said a moment ago? Yeah, about three a piece. >> And earlier you mentioned a spare. So that would add up to how many? >> Uh 10 altogether. >> 10. And you'd want me to guarantee that they would reach you before the end of the month. Is that right, Tom? >> Yes. I'd have to have them by then. >> You'll have them. >> Paula asked the customer to give her something, an order. Mary continued to agree with the customer and simply asked the customer to agree that she was agreeing. You'll never again be uneasy about asking for an order if you remember all you ever have to ask for is agreement. >> Another thing, ask in specific terms when you're closing. Never talk in generalities or alternatives. Specify. ask for agreement on something specific. Let me show you the difference between the general and the specific in the approach of two real estate agents. >> Uh this is our book of listed properties. I'd be happy to show you any of them. They're all good ones. >> Do you see what's wrong with such a general offer? The prospects can't say yes. There's nothing to agree to. Consider that as opposed to this. I have a lovely ranch house in the Belmar area that should be perfect for you. Now, this is one you must see. Shall we go look at it? >> A specified action. All the prospects have to do is indicate yes. >> Yes. >> Watching real estate agents, we may say, "Of course." It's easy to see that a specific suggestion is more effective. But let's see how it applies. as two telephone reps ask for the order agreement. Charlie uses the weak general approach. >> So, I have to think about it carefully. >> Well, if you decide to buy, Phil, how many do you think you might need and how many models? >> I don't know. I haven't decided if I want any yet. >> Charlie only thinks he asked for the order. What he really did was ask the customer to stop, review his needs, and make up his own mind about what to do. If the customer cannot answer yes, you have not asked for a specific agreement. Let's replay Charlie again and see if it's possible for him to get a yes. >> Well, if you decide to buy, Phil, how many do you think you might need in how many models? >> I haven't decided if I want any yet. Now, in contrast, Mac will ask for a specific and listen to how he deals with the same model choices. >> So, I have to think about it carefully. >> Yes, you do. From what you said, you want to begin modestly, Phil. Would 200 units be enough to meet your needs? >> Yes, that ought to be plenty. >> You'll probably sell more of the lowerc cost unit. Has that been your experience? >> Yes, probably twice as many. I suggest we make it 100 of the lowcost units and 50 each of the other two. That will give you the right mix. Do you agree? >> Yes, that sounds reasonable. >> Good. Well, I'm putting in the order for 200. Now, check me on this. You decided on 100 of the lowcost units and 50 each of the other two. Is that right? >> Yes. >> Good. Okay. Well, we can have that for you by Friday. >> The lesson here is specify. Ask for agreement on a specific When to ask? The answer is anytime you think you can reach agreement and as often as possible. Mac has an interesting little device on his desk that he made himself. Mac, would you explain the significance of those five numbers? >> Sure. Years ago, a university study revealed that more than 50% of all sales were made after the fourth request for an order. So, this is to remind me to ask for the order at least five times during my sales presentation. Each time I ask for the order, I flip a card. If I'm turned down by a good prospect and all of these cards haven't been tipped, I know I didn't try often enough for the order. >> Even if you have a prospect who converses, surely you can't always ask for the order five times. >> I can. It's true. Sometimes in the first conversation, I find only three chances to ask for the order. But if it's a live prospect, I write a follow-up letter. Number four, then I make a follow-up phone call to see if the prospect received the letter. Number five, >> and that's how you go after the other 50% of sales. >> Right? With some products or services, you'll make as many sales on the fifth request for the order as you do on the first contact. >> Which brings up the question, how do you try to close a sale several times in one conversation? >> It's done with what we call the test question. Test questions are invaluable tools to any sales presentation. If you ask a test question and the customer says no, you can still continue on because that's not a rejection of your main offer. On the other hand, if you ask a test question and the customer says yes, you practically have the order. You can't ask for a better sales tool than that. Let's demonstrate. Mary is now doing telephone prospecting for representatives who sell group life insurance. She wants the prospect to agree to have a salesperson visit him. For Mary, that agreement constitutes the order. Here is her usual close. Would Tuesday or Thursday be more convenient, Mr. Norman? >> She doesn't want to spring that too early in the conversation. Yet, occasionally, she detects that the prospect is responding favorably. So, she tries a test question. >> Normally, you would want higher coverage for key persons. Is that right? >> Yes, >> you're right. They're more expensive to replace. But would coverage that began at 75,000 be high enough. >> If he says yes, Mary is on her way to making the appointment. But suppose the customer box. >> I'm not ready to think about this yet. >> The test question misfired, but notice it doesn't shoot Mary down. She goes right on probing for the customer's interest and later tests with another question. >> Then your concern is as much for the families as it is for the company, isn't it? >> Yes, it is. >> Then you would want to discuss both types of beneficiaries, wouldn't you? >> Oh, definitely. >> Would Tuesday or Thursday be more convenient for you, Mr. Norman? >> When a test question gets agreement, it's a quick step to getting the closing order. And if it gets an O, the door is still open. So practice the art of asking test questions. >> And with test questions, those five chances to get the order come very easily. >> When to push? There's one type of refusal that shouldn't be taken as a rejection at all. I'm referring to stalls, such as, I'll have to think it over, or I'll think about it and call you back sometime. >> Don't sit up nights waiting for that call back. Every day, thousands of people say no. Why doesn't that prospect just say no? Probably because your offering has impressed him. You agree? >> When they say, "I'll think about it." What they're telling you is this. I don't want to say no, but I'm afraid to say yes. What they need is reassurance. That's when you should get them to review the benefits again. >> We should almost never take I'll think about it as a final rejection. Take it as your cue to find out what it is they have to think over. And don't ask about cost right away. They'll deny that it's the objection, although it usually is. First, eliminate all other objections by getting the customer to review the benefits in his mind. We'll demonstrate. >> All right, Betsy. Um, I'll have to think about it and I'll let you know. >> Fine, Richard. I'm sure you have questions on your mind. Is the advertising package something you have doubts about? >> Uh, no. Uh, I like the advertising help. >> I knew that because now I'm getting his mind back on the good benefits. Is it the color selection, Richard? Uh, >> no. They're pretty good. >> Is the quick service feature more than you can handle? >> No, that's really one of the assets. >> And so on through a list of the benefits. The last thing I get to is the cost, especially if I think that's the real objection. Is it the cost? >> Well, that really is a pretty big cash outlay, especially at this time. >> Now, we've gotten there. No more vague I'll think about it. Now, we're down to one specific objection that you can handle. Well, you're right. It would be a big cash outlay. Richard, may I tell you a plan I have for reducing your cost? >> Sure. Go ahead. I can now discuss payment plans, financial benefits, built-in discounts, and if all else fails, I can even trade down by offering a smaller transaction. Whatever you're selling, I'm sure you have several ways of dealing with cost objection. If you need more, the next film in our series, Telemarketing 5, will show you ways of dealing with price and other customer objections. And those are the points we've covered. >> If you're in a group, talk them over and together you should be able to recall and jot down all the points we've made. In any case, you can always rewind us and run us by again. And we promise we'll do the whole thing exactly the same way. [Music] [Applause] [Music]