Phone Prospecting Without a Script
People hate to be sold to. So, the days of cold calling and reading from a script are long gone. It’s too fake. It screams, “I don’t know what I’m talking about“. And, if your upline tries to tell you to read from a script, go the other way!
Conversational Phone Prospecting
The best way to align with your prospects is to get to know them, have them tell you what they need or want, and then determine if you can provide a solution. If you can you move on to inviting them to a presentation, but not before you do the first two steps!
People don’t want information pushed up on them. They want to make sure you know who they are and what they want. So step 1 is to Get To Know Your Prospects.
And, how do you do that?
By politely introducing yourself on the phone, tell them the purpose of your call (you understand they were online poking around looking for some information on working from home), and ask them some questions.
Ask them…
- What prompted their interest in working from home?
- What are they hoping to gain from working from home?
- How much money would make a difference in their life right now?
- How would that money/free time affect their current situation?
- Have they ever worked from home in the past? If so, doing what?
Active Listening
Throughout this conversation make sure you’re listening. That means that instead of looking at your script or thinking of what you’re going to say next, actually listen. People respond to people they know are listening. So, how would your prospect know you’re listening?
Active listening! Active listening is when you repeat back what they said in a way to clarify or confirm that you heard them correctly. So it might sound something like this…
So, if I understand you correctly, you’re saying that you want to start a business from home so you can spend more time with the kids, make about $1,000 extra each month, and save money on daycare. Is that right?
When you do that you’re telling your prospect that you care about what they’re saying, and you have a genuine interest in them and not just selling your opportunity. When your prospect feels heard, they open up to you, and begin to trust you. And, people only buy from people they know, like and trust.
Determining a Fit
If after you’ve heard your prospect’s situation and desires, you determine they are a fit with what your company provides, then you can invite them to a presentation. Don’t invite just everyone. Consider their situation. Do they have a credit card or the financial means to start in your program? Can they dedicate the time commitment required to be successful with your company? Do you offer the products or services they need or want?
As much as you want to believe the opposite, your opportunity is not for everyone. So make a judgement as to whether your prospect is someone who you want to work with long term. If yes, show them your presentation. If not, politely explain that you may not see a fit for them.
Conversational prospecting is the most natural way to establish rapport with new prospects, build trust, and ultimately create a lasting business relationship.
