A telemarketer’s dependence with scripting is one of the aspects of telemarketing where people have divided opinions of. While some people think it actually helps telemarketers in systematically conversing with prospects, others opine that it does nothing but destroys the chances of making a personal connection and, eventually, a business relationship.
Lead generation is not a one-step process. The phone call that initially introduces the telemarketer with a prospect is just the start of a supposedly long process, and if that part alone isn’t founded on a good personal relationship, what are the odds of it flourishing into something deeper?
Despite the obvious repulsion from prospects who discover (directly or otherwise) that the telemarketer they’re talking to is reading off a script, many marketers still use it. Why? Because of the tendency of telemarketers to not internalize.
Scripts are supposed to act as guides, not lines in a dialogue:
You can use it to initiate, but not to respond. Sales pitches are meant to introduce a discussion, like telling prospects about features as-a-matter-of-factly. But as soon as they respond, telemarketers should no longer depend on the script; instead, they must reply accordingly – like a normal human being – and address the issue at hand.
Avoid parroting by internalizing. The only way a telemarketer can respond with relevance is to absorb what the prospect is actually saying, and not just merely repeating keywords. This is where active listening and offering full attention will take place. With sincere understanding of the words being said, one could easily make an appropriate comment or reaction, as opposed to using a generic response to any kind of objection from the prospect.
Give your pitch a twist. Scripts are not perfect down to each word, and they can be occasionally modified according to the mood of the conversation, the type of person on the other line, or the degree of relationship already established. One needs not to sound like a robot even in a casual conversation with someone previously interacted with.
Never read. What’s worse than using a pre-structured sales pitch? Reading it while on an actual call. If a script is absolutely necessary, a telemarketer should at least familiarize (not memorize) it by heart so that there is no need for reading while on a call – simply because one could easily tell whether the person on the other line is reading.
