It's a question that we hear so often, in various forms, in sales over the phone: “Do you have a second for a short talk?” In most cases, what we get is a negative answer, because from the point of view of the prospect, there is never a good time. How should you formulate an introduction to a phone conversation, and what should be avoided?
Give the prospect a reason to spend time on you
According to INC.com, the question asking if the client is busy is counter-productive, because you're asking before you even give the prospect any reason to spend any time on you. Time is a very precious commodity. If you give the prospect a chance at the very beginning to get out of the talk using a time-related pretext, all your talks will end in fifteen seconds.
The only way to achieve success is to build the introductory sentence in a way that engages the curiosity of the prospect so that they're interested in what you're offering. At the beginning, there should be a phrase that is referred to as “elevator pitch” i.e., one sentence that is bound to catch the customer's attention, and, at the same time, is so short that it can be used in between floors to engage a stranger during an elevator ride.
How to personalize the initial part of a sales call
The key to building a successful elevator pitch is personalization i.e., adjustment of the pitch to the specifics of the person you're calling. Learn as much as possible about them, know what they are engaged in and what problems they might be having at the moment. In the introduction, use as many specific numbers and facts as possible (for instance: “Our system helps companies increase sales by an average of 18 per cent”). Ideally, you should mention an important client that is an leading player on the market (for instance: “We have now recently started providing our system to Škoda Auto”).
Don't focus on time and don't beg for it. Focus on what you can offer the prospect, and present your proposal so that they, themselves, feel that it's worth listening to you for a while.
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