Sales script refer to a prescribed way or advised talking points which telemarketers as well as sales reps, follow when wooing a prospective client. A sales script will usually contain descriptive information on the product and what it does and is generally used as a reference point when in contact with prospective customers.
Scripts are not always robust and straightforward; some scripts are just important talking points coupled with responses to common sales objections. The latter type of sales script is common to inside sales reps while telemarketers tend to follow a completely written down script.
Sales scripts are generally taken to be outbound selling tools, that is, ways to woo prospective clients. Inbound sales agents however regularly use them for upselling existing clients on products and services.
Qualities of a good sales script
There is the argument that a sales script turns a salesperson into a robot and this turns away clients. As such, businesses have to draft innovative sales scripts that will attract the perspective’s interest. Some of the preferred qualities in a sales script include:
No to sales-y language – many prospective customers get sales calls every day and hence turn off their attention once they hear a sales-y tone in a call. The idea is to win the customer’s interest first.
A good sales script talks less of the company’s products and services but rather more of the benefits and value that the company will bring the customer
It should be brief and to the point without sounding rude or pushy. A customer needs to know that the seller respects his/her time enough not to waste it with small talk.
The best of sales scripts will have gentle probing questions that make the salesperson sound more like a consultant and less like a pushy salesperson.
And lastly, a good sales script is equipped with ways to deal with common pain points.
Use of computer telephony integration (CTI) and voice over internet protocols
Thanks to CTI and VOIP, a company’s salesperson can tailor a sales script for targeted sales. When a customer is on the line, his/her name or number can be utilized by the CTI to research him/her. Coupled with the customer’s online activity, a sales script that holds their interest can be developed immediately and displayed on a screen for the salesperson to use.
CTI can be coupled and integrated with customer relationship management (CRM) software to greatly benefit an organization by providing tools for real-time customer relations. This system has been proven to provide accurate information logging, bring out better performance out of employees as well reduce data loss.
Sales script in mail and e-businesses
Although most sales scripts are used in phone-based selling, scripts are not restricted to this one area. Certain letters and emails declaring an interest in a tender, or outlining the benefits of a product to prospective clients can be viewed as sales scripts on their own. Sales scripts are also used in e-businesses although they are used in a less technical form.
