Ive built rapport , an interest, but they want to think about it.

I usually rebuttal by saying:

1. you dont have to commit right now ... thats why you get 30 days to check it out.

2. Where not asking you to make a decision right now
but to check it out then think about it.

What kind of NLP techniques can I use to look into more options and favor the option of giving me their credit card number to check out the software?

Change your own state during the call. If you have a feeling that you need to get a sale the customer will know. They will feel pressured and will not want to buy.

Make a call from a different place in yourself, believe that you only want to supply the software to someone who will really benefit from it. If it is not the best thing for them then you don't want to sell it to them.

This is not about pretending, it is about believing it to be true and being happy to lose a few sales if it is not what they need.

Try it for a day and let us know how well it works.

Im sorry ... i mustve triggered something in your brain when I said telemarketing ... no im not a greazy, sleazy salesperson ...

Maybe if I said educational consultant ... it would have been more appealing ... but it is what it is ... telemarketing ...

Also I am not pretending ... I do believe they need the sofware ... and they do too.
We have guaranteed results

The only difference is that when I ask to secure it with a credit card they feel like they are committing right away when they are not ...

Its a state that they are in ... they automatically ... through hardwiring ... think that they are committing ... but they arent... Money can be "well spent" or not spent at all.

Im looking for some help in breaking that pattern they are in ...

So please chime in with any help.

"Buy" the way ,,, thanks South Nick

jgzaaw@gmail.com wrote:

The only difference is that when I ask to secure it with a credit card they feel like they are committing right away when they are not ...

I don't blame them at all. Giving a telemarketer a credit card number is a commitment even when the telemarketer claims it isn't.

Incidentally, "to secure" is a synonym for "to purchase," soi what you're saying to them is ambiguous.

The smart thing for your business to do is to find another way to "secure" your payment.

That said, what you want to do is bring up their objection before they get the chance to do it themselves.

It's disingenuous to suggest that giving a credit card number is not a commitment, and as Michael suggests dealing with that by some form of innoculation would be helpful. One example: 'Now, I'm going to need your credit card number for that, but remember that you have 30 days to change your mind, and I'm going to make sure you're fully informed on how the process works'. Most people don't want to go through the faff of the 30 day process, so letting them know upfront about it helps you become their ally.

You need to find out why they don't want to commit. This is more important than using a "technique" to get round them.

Perhaps they don't trust someone who has rung them up. Perhaps they would feel happier putting their details into a website with a known credit card processor.

Would they be happier with another business model.
Traditional Shareware.
Software that requires activation after 30 days and no upfront billing.
Perhaps they would like to call a trusted number to give their details.
If the software is as great as you say then they won't want to be without it when the 30 days is up.

You will never know what will work unless you ask.

Once you know then you can refine your sales techniques.


Remember that people buy for emotional reasons. They may dress it up with facts but in the end they will buy your product because it makes them feel good, not because it will be good for them or because they know they "ought" to buy it.

Hi Jon

All of the above comments are valid.

1) You should inoculate, and take them through the process.

2) You should guarantee that you will email them / will call them on the 23rd day to remind them they can cancel (if your product is good, this shouldn't be a problem).

3) Change your model (can they have 1 or 7 days access for free / a limited cost, that won’t mean they have to make a big commitment now.

4) Can they provide there credit card details online, on a secure site so they don’t have to give them to you over the phone?

HOWEVER,

I haven't read your sales script. Do you have any social proof like testimonials from other companies / names that they would recognise?

Do you have any newpaper reports that you could email them?

What’s your website like (the first thing i do when someone cold calls me is Google them)?

It seems to me the credit card isn't the issue, it’s the fact that they don't necessarily trust you yet (It’s the biggest problem all salespeople face with a new customer).

Trust is the most important thing a salesman can create. If they don’t trust you, they won't buy from you!

I recently wrote an article for New business Magazine on "How to generate sales in a downturn."

http://www.marchoganonline.com/public/department43.cfm

It’s not about Tele sales but it may help you look at your script, and how you can change it to generate more trust in your product.

Telephone selling can be tough, but if you are creative with your script and you can make sales.

I'd also look at your sales figures, what’s your call to sale ratio? What type of customers’ buys from you etc? How do you compare with your colleagues? What are they doing?

This could help you profile your customers and change your script accordingly.

Hope that helps

Marc

Marc Hogan