12 Tips for Effective Phone Presentations

You’ve done your marketing and now have leads to work with. Most likely you have snail mailed or e-mailed your client or customer additional information describing your product or service. You might have even sent your prospect a sequence of e-mails through an autoresponder. At some point in the marketing process, you must pick up the phone and actually talk with the customer. People new to telemarketing or direct marketing often feel like the phone weighs a thousand pounds, but with the right techniques, you can become confident and successful on the phone. Remember that with your phone call, you can do what is so essential to the network marketing process—build a relationship.

Here are some tips that you can follow for effective phone presentations:

1. Good Quality Leads. Be sure to start with good quality leads. When working with leads purchased from a lead company, get the best quality leads available. The best purchased leads will be phone verified or surveyed and exclusive to you. It is even better if you can purchase leads that have seen an overview of your specific opportunity. The adage that “you get what you pay for” is especially true of leads. Get the best quality leads that you can afford.


2. Self Generated Leads. Most network marketers find that the leads that they generate through their own advertising and marketing efforts are the best. When people see an ad that you have written and posted yourself, they are usually eager for the information that you have to offer and welcome your call. When people are truly ready to buy your product or join you opportunity, you won’t even have to sell them.


3. Have a Good Marketing Plan. Beginning network marketers often complain that they are having trouble signing people up, but they have invested little time and money on advertising and marketing. Building a successful business, be it an internet marketing business, a service, a product, or brick and mortar store starts with a good marketing plan. See my blog post: http://workathomemom-dad.blogspot.com/2008/06/formulating-marketing-plan-for-your-at.html


4. Show excitement and enthusiasm about your product or opportunity. Start with a product, service, or opportunity that you truly believe in. What is unique about the product, service or opportunity? Be enthusiastic when you describe these unique features, and your client will feel your enthusiasm.


5. Choose a good script and rehearse it. Do some role playing with your mentor, enroller, or even a close friend. Rehearsing your phone presentation will give you the confidence that you need for an effective presentation.


6. Your presentation should flow and sound natural. Know your script well enough to not sound like you are reading it. The best presentation will sound natural and not forced. Basically I do my presentation extemporaneously. I work with a 6 step outline on a 4 x 6 card which I use just to make sure I don’t forget any important points.


7. Build a relationship. Begin to build a relationship with your client, customer, or future team member. People will buy from or sign up with someone that they can trust and relate to. Type out notes so you can remember that their child was sick or that they have an upcoming birthday or event, etc. You can ask your prospect about it in a subsequent call. Building relationships is the essence of network marketing.


8. Be a good listener. Try to address the customer’s needs. Explain how your product will solve a problem that he or she may have. If you are in a competitive market, you can compare your product with a competitor’s product to show why your product or service can best meet the customer’s need, but do not be overly harsh or critical of another product. This will have a negative effect on your ability to close the sale.


9. Listen for signs that you are ready to close. Avoid a hard sell. People will buy your product or service or join your opportunity when they are truly ready. There are subtle ways of asking for the close. After my presentation, I will ask if the prospect has any questions. If I feel that they are really interested, I might ask them if they are ready to get started. If they are not ready, I always set a date and time for a follow up call.



10. Do have a good follow up system. Do not be discouraged if you do not close on your first presentation. It has been said that it takes at least 7 marketing exposures to close the deal. That is why good follow up techniques are so important. For more information on follow up see my blog post at: http://workathomemom-dad.blogspot.com/2008/07/importance-of-good-follow-up-techniques.html



11. Post Sales Follow Up. Post sales follow up is very important but often neglected. A buyer may have cognitive dissonance about what they have just purchased or signed up for. Cognitive dissonance can be definite as the “second thoughts” that buyers sometimes get after completing a purchase. Did they make the right selection? Can they really be successful with this opportunity? Be sure to send post sales literature. An after sale follow up phone call will certainly be appreciated. If the prospect will be joining your opportunity, be sure to provide him or her with adequate training. Keep your holiday list of customers and teammates up to date.


12. Ask for referrals. Referrals are your best source for enthusiastic customers.