The Honey Badger Sales Magazine 41

Beam me down, Scotty.

Hi, good morning, everyone. I do hope you’re all having a fabulous week. And if not, fear not! You’ve definitely come to the right place to relax. Maybe even learn something new as well. That’s the whole point of my newsletters. Learn the art of using the phone or video calling to make more money and travel less. What I’ve always appreciated about telephone and video sales is that it’s a bit like being in the teleporter room on board the starship "Enterprise." Find a prospect, get a number, teleport in, and pitch. If they’re not available, teleport back out and repeat. Amazing when you think about it, right? It just saves so much time and money.

Vomit-worthy weird room smells; hyper 10-year-olds jacked up on coke and sweets.

Back in the day, when I was 16 years old and suffered from extreme shyness, I got a P/T job canvassing homes (to banish said shyness) and soliciting “double glazing window leads” from home owners. This would involve booking an appointment for a sales rep to come around and do the deed. God, it was tough. Walking for hours on end through countless “semi posh” housing estates, more often than not in damp rain, “bullseye” stepping on dog turds, dealing with provocatively dressed, drunk, chain-smoking housewife’s breast feeding, being told to fuck off more times than I care to remember and being bitten by mentally unstable Alsatians (fuckers), calculated “stare you down” undernourished Dobermans, and time sucking vampires who just wanted a chat. Those were the days...

The difference, I guess (apart from age), is that I was just learning how to read people and still am.

Therefore, this week’s newsletter fittingly covers:

1. Do not fit the stereotype of a salesman.

2. No “Uming, Ahing, and Erring.”

3. "Post It” notes prompts.

4. Using the right equipment.

   “Good luck is when opportunity meets preparation, while bad luck is when lack of preparation meets reality.” Eliyahu Goldratt

Don’t forget to sign up here. Its free, God dammit !

Do not fit the stereotype of a salesman

Breaking away from the traditional salesman stereotype is not only advisable but imperative for success. The image of a pushy, slick talker trying to manipulate customers is outdated and off-putting to today's consumers. To succeed in telesales, you need to embody a more consultative and empathetic approach. This involves understanding that each customer is unique, with distinct needs and preferences. By taking a genuine interest in solving their problems rather than just making a sale, you can establish trust and build long-lasting relationships. Successful telesales professionals are those who are authentic, knowledgeable, and prioritise the customer's best interests over a celebration of Brewskis because you “got him.”

No "Uming, Ahing, and Erring

Confidence in your delivery is what really matters. Using filler words like "um," "ah," and "err" can instantly erode your credibility, signal uncertainty, and make you sound cheap. It is simply indefensible that you practice your sales pitch and be well-prepared for each call. To minimise these verbal hiccups, consider scripting and rehearsing your key points. Using "post it" notes (as we'll discuss next) can also help you stay on track. Confidence is contagious, and when you speak with clarity and assurance, you convey to your prospects that you are the expert they can trust and share real thoughts with.

"Post It" Notes and Prompts

"Post it" notes are invaluable tools. During a call, you may need to juggle a multitude of details: the customer's name(s), specific needs, important questions, metrics, anecdotal stories, and even personal details that help you build rapport. These small notes can serve as prompts to keep you on track. Jot down essential information so you don't have to rely on memory alone. This not only ensures that you don't miss any crucial points but also enables a more personalised and engaging conversation. After the call, these notes also become a handy reference for future interactions. Post the sticky note upside down when doing a video call and attach it to the top of your monitor or laptop. This way, you can maintain eye contact with your prospect.

Using the Right Equipment

Having the right equipment is the “glue” of telesales. Your phone system should be reliable, ensuring that calls are crystal clear and don't drop unexpectedly. A well-looked-after phone, comfortable headset, or buds (I use professional buds for telework from Jabra; they are not cheap but 100% worth it) is essential for hours of conversation. Invest wisely. Additionally, access to appropriate software and customer relationship management (CRM) tools can make your job so much more efficient. And last but by no means least, a clean phone. Think about it. How many other people use your phone? All those germs on the mouthpiece are a net result of saliva being spat out in disgust at the loss of a sale or a jubilant “Fuck yeah” on a deal. Clean the bloody thing, please! That also includes all that earwax that builds up inside your buds. Ok?

See you next Wednesday! Sign up for free here and share this article and sign up link with someone you care about enough to help them succeed. I’ll be waiting in your inbox every Wednesday morning. Make it an unforgettable week. Peace. THB

How we doing. Did we rinse it? Trip the light fantastic? How can we do better? Wanna talk? Drop us a line: [email protected]