How to Write the PERFECT Outbound Telemarketing Script
The outbound telemarketing script is your manuscript for success on the telephone. Regardless of the products or services you sell, the outbound telemarketing script trains the new employee, refreshes the veteran team member, and turns your prospects into customers. Best of all, it defines your offer and your brand better then any mail piece, advertising campaign or direct response program ever will.
What constitutes a successful outbound telemarketing script? And, what elements go into creating the perfect script? Two simple questions lead to very complex answers. However, there are true and tried answers that every telemarketing organization can follow. And, by implementing these four simple steps for creating outbound telemarketing scripts, your organization can improve their outbound telemarketing results exponentially.
1. Understand the limitations of the profession.
Even the best outbound telemarketing script is based on failure. Just like a successful baseball player who hits .300 and fails at the plate seven out of every ten at-bats, the best telemarketing script will only result in “conversion” from between three to fifteen percent of your prospects. Much of the correct number is predicated upon your audience, your product or service, and the training your team provides to your staff. Every product and service is different. So, all the work in the world to create the perfect telemarketing script, and still, as many as ninety-seven percent of your prospects say “no”? It is quite a daunting reality. Why then, if outbound telemarketing is based on failure, is there such a focus on the perfect outbound telemarketing script? Because, the improvement in even one percentage point in outbound telemarketing can easily push a campaign to the stratosphere of success. Outbound telemarketing is predicated on improving just a few percentage points in order to gain success. A powerful script easily can turn a three percent success ratio into a seven percent success ratio. And, the variation, those four percentage points, makes a world of difference. So, know your industry. Be realistic about your expectations. Understand your past results. And create the perfect script, all in order to be great at the imperfect job.
2. Understand the skill sets of your outbound telemarketing professionals.
The outbound telemarketing script should be written based on the skills and expertise of your staff. Not every script is the same because the $100,000 a year outbound telemarketing professional selling hardware components to CEO’s of Fortune 100 organizations has different skill sets than the eight dollar an hour telemarketer who works part time. Sure, every telemarketing script needs an introduction and a benefit statement. But, not every professional is trained and skilled to say things the same way. So, build the script around your staff. Tie your outbound telemarketing script into the hiring program. Ask your team to help build the perfect script. After all, it is for them.
3. Create a grid in order to understand your prospects.
Your outbound telemarketing script is written for your prospects. It is delivered by your team, so clearly they need to embrace and learn the telemarketing script like the back-of-their-hands. But the script is written so one audience “receives”, and that audience is your prospects. They receive and act through what they hear. They hear statements, features, questions and inflection based on the script. So, create a “needs-based” grid in order to define your prospect base. What motivates your prospects to say “yes”? What are the two or three acceptable end-results from a telemarketing call? How does the script guide prospects to do what they want to do. Here is the most important thing to remember: The script starts with the professional who places the telephone call. However, a good script allows the prospect to take control. The script is prospect focused so wherever the prospect goes, the script goes right along with them.
4. Include five key elements to your outbound telemarketing script.
Your outbound telemarketing script should encompass about twenty-five areas. Each one leads to the next. However, the perfect telemarketing script can start, and be complete, by understanding five key elements. Incorporate these elements into the script right away. If even one element is missing, then the whole script should be reworked.
1. Ask questions in order to get the prospect to ask questions.
Outbound telemarketing professionals tend to talk about themselves, their products or services and their features and
benefits. They also ask questions that are programmed to elicit certain responses. This is bad news. Ask a question and be quiet. Ask a fascinating, thought-provoking question and let the prospect become the expert. Ask questions that spark the prospect to ask questions of you. When they ask questions, you have won. Why? First, because you have captured interest and broken a barrier if the prospect is inquisitive. Second, because it provides you with opportunity to answer and provide information in your answer. Get them to talk, and get them to question you.
2. Differentiate your call from other calls they receive every day.
You may feel unique, but only you feel that way. Your outbound telemarketing call is an expert call defined by nobody but yourself. So, differentiate. Prospects say “no” because they see no difference or value between yourself and others calls. Make your call different. Create this “difference statement” at the very beginning. Acknowledge the fact your call appears to be the same as everybody else’s. And, if it really is, and, your organization has no differentiation, then fall back on the strongest differentiator imaginable. Yourself!
3. Provide the prospect with a reason to act.
The perfect outbound telemarketing script encourages action. You would be surprised to learn that most outbound telemarketing scripts provide little or no reason for the prospect to act. They do not have a call to action in the beginning, middle or end. Indecision should never live with the telemarketing professional. So, blend clear benefit statements with even clearer want statements. These want statements are based on emotions. Paint the picture and the concept. Generate want feelings. Prospects become customers because they “want” to become customers. This want is their reason to act.
4. Introduce the purpose-process-payoff to the call in the early stages.
Every telemarketing script should have a purpose-process-payoff program attached. “The purpose of my call” clearly states why your call is different and why it is beneficial for the prospect to listen. “The process is simple” defines what goes into the action sequences. Must the prospect say “yes”? Must they fill out a form? “The payoff for you” presents the win-win for the prospect. How many prospects become customers without believing in their payoff? The answer is none. They may not believe in the payoff you feel they should believe in, but that is ok. As long as they see a payoff, then you have the perfect telemarketing script.
5. Remember, the prospect says “no” when they feel they will lose by saying “yes”.
Virtually every outbound telemarketing script fails when it does not take into account why the prospect says “no”. Traditionally, the outbound telemarketing professional views the “no” as a straight objection, and then attempts to uncover why the objection occurs. This is a recipe for disaster. The reason the prospect objects is because they feel they are going to lose. Plain and simple. That is your objection every time. So, address that feeling up-front, and build a script that drills deeper from there. When the prospect says “no”, the prospect is saying they have not heard enough to be convinced. A “yes”, to them, would be a tragedy. So, bring that up. Tell the prospect you sympathize, can recognize their fears, even do not blame them. Then, take the telephone call to the next level. Don’t handle the objection. Handle the objection behind their feeling of loss.
