Sales scripts are the bloodline of sales calls.
But, here’s the problem.
Everything. Sounds. The. Same.
In fact, the state of sales scripts is so bad they give everyone a bad name.
In this guide, we’re going to go through the anatomy of a sales script.
We’ll break a sales script down into its smallest components, then we’ll explain what to do with each part.
Then, we’ll even throw in a couple of notes that you need to take a look at.
Let’s get cracking and help you with your omnichannel marketing!
Determine Your Audience
Your first step in creating a sales script is determining who your audience is.
This is done using your ideal target customer profiles.
Find out how you can determine and create ideal customer profiles.
An ideal customer profile is basically a factsheet containing the characteristics of your ideal customer.
Now, if you run a solution that spans multiple industries.
You won’t just have one ideal customer profile, you’ll have a lot.
And, this means that you need to create a slightly modified script for each profile.
Think about it this way, a young Silicon Valley startup founder and high-level C-suite executive will have very different methods of communicating regardless if your solutions work seamlessly for both of them.
But, it doesn’t end there.
You still need to personalize the script.
(More notes on personalization later.)
Saying “Hi”
Do you want to boost conversions overnight?
Change the way you say “hi”.
What a lot of marketers don’t realize is that the way you say “hi” sets the tone for the entirety of the conversation.
And, that’s a critical consideration.
Now, a lot of people can get away with saying.
“Hi, this is Houston, calling from BAMF Media”
While that’s perfectly fine, it sounds like such a standard sales or cold call that it can become monotonous.
Or, worse, you could put your prospect in a defensive mood and decrease your chances of conversions since they already know what to expect.
Switching out by using lines such as:
“Hi, how are you?”
Or, even better:
“Hi, this is Houston calling from BAMF Media, how have you been?”
Are more effective because they’re friendlier, conversational, and throws off the prospect who knows that they’re dealing with a sales call.
In fact, Gong did a study with their own data that claims that they’ve had an uplift of more than 6X when using the phrase “how have you been?” because it breaks the usual pattern.
That’s insane.
This is why every single word on every single sales script we put out on BAMF is rigorously tested to make sure it works well.
Introduce Yourself
You can do this while you’re saying “Hi” or even after, what’s important is that you keep it short and clear.
Avoid dropping what department you’re in, sometimes just your name and position is enough to get someone’s attention.
Allow for pauses in the script so that you don’t accidentally start talking over your prospect.
There is a fine line between quick pauses and taking long awkward seconds to get to the next part of your script.
You want to allow the prospect some time to process what you’re saying, let them reply quickly if they have to, but still be in control of the conversation so they don’t cut off your flow.
Why Are You Calling & How Can This Help?
One sentence.
That’s the best advice we can give you.
Think of this as your elevator pitch.
However, you can’t just tell them about what you’re selling and its benefits.
It has to matter to them.
So, for example, you could say:
“We help individuals optimize their digital marketing footprint”
Or, you could go with:
“We help individuals in *the industry of your prospect* bring in passive leads using *digital marketing platform that the prospect uses* and data-driven initiatives.
The first statement is clear and simple, but you can bet that half of the people who hear won’t care even if they know it works.
Why?
Because it doesn’t relate to them.
The pitch is so critical in sales scripts because it isn’t simply telling people about the benefits of your company.
You have to define how your solutions fix their pain points.
The keyword here is “DEFINE”.
Now if you’re using a target customer profile to build the script, this should be an easy exercise, if not, stop right here and go back to those profiles.
Time to Drop a Question
The next logical step is to get them to start talking.
You want to be listening more than talking.
And, we all know the reason behind that.
People like being heard.
In fact, people will like you more if they feel like you’re a good listener. (This advice holds true even when you’re dating.)
So, this is the chance to drop a question.
But, whatever you do, skip questions that sound like this:
- “What do you think of the solution?”
- “Do you think we can hep you out with your *insert service here*?
- “How’s your business doing?”
You just met them.
Of course, they don’t want to share personal information.
Instead, ask them more direct questions that pertain to the solutions that you’re selling their pain points.
Remember.
You don’t need to close right away.
You can use this as an opportunity for sales discovery.
Try questions that are quantifiable and not too personal, like do they depend on a particular service for a specific need?
Or, are they experiencing a certain pain point or bottleneck in the operation.
This matters because you’re concerned.
Look.
They already know you sell the solution to their problem, but right now you want to know what their pain feels like.
Take this time to qualify or disqualify your leads.
Don’t just limit yourself to one question, if the conversation is going off to a good start ask another one.
This is why it’s important to:
Build Options Into Your Script
A prospect can answer in different ways, they can say “yes”, “no”, “maybe”, ask you to explain further, or straight up hang up on you.
You need to be prepared for this.
Options have to be built into any script you create.
Think of scripts as a flowchart.
This way you can build replies to any responses they may have to your questions.
However, we always advise that you take it a step further.
You can switch out your script depending on how their mood is on the phone.
If you’re using a script that’s more serious in tone, and you find that the prospect seems a little more jolly than usual, then you can always tweak your script on the fly.
“Close”
No, we don’t mean you have to seal the deal right then and there.
A “close” refers to a call-to-action for the prospect.
It could be:
- An offer to call the prospect back
- Turn the prospect over to a “closer” on the sales team
- A schedule for another meeting for sales discovery
- An invitation to join a webinar, seminar, or event where they can learn more about your product.
Here’s why it has to be phrased as a CTA.
You need to keep a prospect moving in your pipeline.
If you leave them with an open-ended question, they might stray off from the pipeline.
It has to be directed towards maintaining a relationship between the prospect and the organization.
Find a way to create an opportunity to create another conversation after the initial conversation that you’re having.
Is it better to close later than now?
Well, that depends.
It’s rare for prospects to close immediately.
So, you want an ongoing conversation.
You want to hold their hand and lead them through your pipeline.
Plan for Your Follow Ups – The Buyer Journey
In the world of B2B marketing, the first call is just the first touchpoint.
Getting a conversion on the first call is almost next to impossible.
You need to consider the buyer’s journey and where your sales script fits in.
Plan your follow-up scripts accordingly and make sure that they tie up to the original script that you had.
It will help if you have CRM software on hand so that you can make notes on your prospects and determine where they are in the pipeline.
This helps with lead nurturing.
Important Sales Script Notes
1. Don’t Bind Your SDRs or Closers to One Script
Give your team some leeway to deviate from the script depending on how the conversation with the prospect is going.
You don’t want to set a limit on creativity or force them into an unnatural conversation with a prospect that is willing to spend with them.
Remember your high-performing SDRs and appointment setters will probably, mostly just use the script as a guide on a lot of days.
However, if they’re having an off day that’s when they can read directly from a script.
2. Hyper Personalize Your Script
Don’t just stop at asking if they’re Ms. *insert last name here*, you need to take your personalization to the next level.
This means:
- Talking about opportunities that only apply to their company size.
- Mentioning common issues in their industries.
- Dropping the name of a common supplier.
Why does this help?
It shows that the caller did the research, but most importantly, it shows concern.
Concern builds rapport and that goes a long way in building relationships.
However, you need to do this without being creepy.
Mentioning problems that are common only to their size and scope is great, mentioning that you know their spending habits on the weekends is just plain psycho.
3. Have Multiple Scripts Ready
Always have a bunch of scripts ready.
You need a different script per ideal customer profile you’re targeting, at different points in the sales cycle, and dependent on the current business landscape.
Sounds tiring, I know.
But, look.
Not all of it has to be original.
You can take your existing scripts and give them a new twist.
This saves a lot of time and effort.
Just don’t take shortcuts with personalization and you should be good to go.
4. Build Rapport
Always look for ways to build rapport.
You can do this by mentioning personal achievements that the prospect or their company has had in the past.
This shows that you’ve done your research and that you’re not blindly selling them a solution.
Active listening also helps because it shows them that you respect their opinion and that you care about what they have to say.
Remember building rapport is the first step into building a connection.
5. Keep it Short
Whatever you do, keep your script short.
That’s one of the most critical parts of building a sales script.
There is a lot of time to get on a second call with them to discuss other matters.
Keeping things concise will:
- Ensure you get on a second call with them so they slowly and steadily go through your pipeline.
- Prevent feelings of boredom.
- Show them that you respect their time.
In marketing, keeping things simple is always the right decision.
And, it’s the same with your scripts.
Takeaways
Sales scripts work by building a true connection with a prospect.
The moment you introduce yourself, they already know that it’s a sales call.
So, what are you going to do to make sure that they don’t waste their time with you?
Sure, you can just keep pitching and reading your script to lead after lead, but that’s just a waste of time.
Many people will argue that it’s difficult.
You need to build a real connection.
You need to do it quickly.
And, you have to do all of it over the phone.
It might seem like a tall task but think about it –
How many success stories have you heard about SDRs and telemarketers bringing in thousands of leads?
They do it by building connections.
So, it’s not impossible.
Let BAMF help you with your sales scripts and the other things you need. Give us a call today.
