Have you ever decided to just pick up the phone and "wing-it" when cold calling for your cleaning business? How did it go? My guess is not so well...
When making a sales call you only have about 10 seconds to grab your prospect's attention so your first impression has to be really strong. Having a prepared (and practiced) script is essential for your success.
Practicing your script so it sounds natural is very important. Have you ever received a call from a telemarketer whom you could tell was reading from a script? That's NOT the kind of script we want to use here. Practice with friends or family members so you can have them play the role of the prospect. You want to have enough flexibility in the script so if the conversation suddenly changes, you're flexible enough to go with the flow.
When writing your script, be sure to write the way you talk, and be sure to get to the point quickly. Don't waste time by saying something like, "how are you today"? This gives them a chance to end the call before it's even started. Greet your prospect by name, and then say, "My name is [John Jones], and I'm with [company name]."
Next you want to have a simple, yet strong sentence that explains what you do. For example, "I work with building owners and managers who have cleaning issues that they've never been able to resolve." You need to be creative here -- don't say the same thing everyone else says. Use phrases that help to establish you as an expert. Maybe something like, "we specialize in...", or "we're known for...".
Use your niche market to your advantage. If you're calling a bank, let them know that you also work with other banks in the area. This lets your prospect know that you're familiar with their type of business. Plus it's likely that they know other bankers in town so if you can drop a name, this is a good time to do it.
Next you want to describe your service stating benefits, not features. At this point in the conversation, they don't care that you're bonded and insured, but they probably do care that you specialize in marble floor care if they have a beautiful new marble floor. They're also interested in how you can save them money so think about specific ways you're able to save them money.
The goal of the phone call should be to make an appointment with the prospect. You're not trying to make a sale just yet. So end the call by setting up a time to meet. Ask them for 10 - 15 minutes of their time, and give them a couple choices. Don't simply end the call by saying something like, "Can we meet next week to discuss this?" Instead say, "Would next Tuesday at 10 a.m. be a good time to meet?"
When you have the meeting scheduled, be sure to confirm the prospect's name, title, phone number and address, and make sure they have your contact information as well.
To recap, here's what you need for your cold-calling script:
? Greeting. "Hello Mr. Jones. My name is ______, and I'm with _______."
? Say what you do. "I work with building owners and managers who have cleaning issues that they've never been able to resolve."
? State your benefits. "We specialize in servicing banks with high-end surfaces like granite flooring and countertops. ABC Bank recently had us restore their granite floor and was very pleased with the results."
? Ask for a meeting. "I would like to meet with you for about 15 minutes to discuss what we can do for your company. Would next Tuesday at 10 a.m. be a good time to meet?"
? Confirm contact information and be sure to write the appointment on your calendar!
Steve Hanson is co-founding member of The Janitorial Store (TM), an online community for owners and managers of cleaning companies who want to build a more profitable and successful cleaning business. Sign up for Trash Talk: Tip of the Week at http://www.TheJanitorialStore.com and receive a Free Gift! Read cleaning success stories from owners of cleaning companies at http://www.cleaning-success.com/