It’s amazing the many methods we have for communication. Email, phone, instant messaging, social media messaging, and texting are just a few of the ways we can connect with people.
Phone Fear
When I started my direct sales business almost 15 years ago, I learned the benefits of being brave enough to get on the phone. At first, I experienced a fear of the phone when calling customers. The feeling like the phone weighs 100 pounds when it comes time to make business calls is pretty common.
I’m still a proponent of using the phone to connect with customers. If you experience “telephone fear” and you overcome it, you’ll make more money. There’s no ifs, ands, or buts about it. The exciting thing is that texting and private messaging have become more common and efficient forms of communication then they were 15 years ago.
Through trial and error, I learned some effective methods to communicate when using the phone. Most of the methods are also effective when texting.
Here are four simple techniques to try when reaching out to current clients you’re following up with, helping them reorder products, or when they’re deciding on new product purchases. These techniques are easy, you’ll feel 100% authentic, and they’ll increase the likelihood of your customer replying and purchasing.
- Don’t mention your company or product.
“Why wouldn’t I mention my product?” you may ask. Because people feel like they’re being pressured to buy something as soon as you mention the name of your product or company. What people respond to are inquiries about the things they’re interested in.
Look on Facebook and see what’s happened in their lives lately. Send them a message via text on Facebook and ask: “How is your daughter feeling?” “How was your vacation to Disneyland?” “I love your new haircut. Who did your hair?” People love to talk about themselves. They’re much more likely to respond to a personal question than one about your product.
After they respond, often they’ll mention the product you sell. If that doesn’t happen, then ask, “I’d love to find out how the product you ordered is working for you. Do you have a minute for me to ask you a couple of quick questions?”
Asking permission to discuss the products they’re using easily transitions the conversation from a friendly chat into one between a concerned consultant and an interested client.
- End every message with a question.
How many times have you had a conversation on Facebook or via text and the conversation seems to end without warning? I have a challenge for you. Go back to those conversations and see if the last thing you said ended with a period or a question mark. Did you make a statement or ask a question? When you ask questions, people feel compelled to respond.
You may have just answered their question or given them information about a product. Now add a question at the end of your comment. For example, if a question is asked about makeup, you could say, “Yes, the eye shadow is natural and doesn’t have any chemicals. What colors do you normally wear?” For health and nutritional products, you might say, “Many people use this product to lose weight and have increased energy. What do you use to increase your energy?” For cookware, you could say, “Yes, the pan you’re interested in is nonstick, so you’ll never need to use oil to keep food from sticking. What are your family’s favorite meals?”
Can you feel that emotional tug to answer your question? When you dig deeper in order to understand a client’s needs, you accomplish two things. First, you keep the conversation going long enough to create a high level of interest in a number of products. Second, you increase the likelihood of closing a deal.
- Invite them to buy.
You may think that answering their questions and sharing information about a product you love and use will be all that’s needed to encourage the individual to say, “Please, order me some of that!” It’s not.
In our culture, people seldom buy something without an invitation. You wait until the server comes to your table and asks what you’d like to order. When you walk onto a car lot, into a sports store, or want to buy a suit, a salesperson is immediately at your elbow asking how they might assist you, showing you options that meet your expressed needs, and eager to help you buy what you’re seeking. Even web sites have pop-up boxes that suggest you join their tribe or buy their products.
The social expectation is that we wait for an invitation before we make spending decisions. This rule is the same when you are messaging someone. They’re waiting for you to ask them to purchase or invite them to visit your web site.
- Keep it short and sweet.
Texts and messages on Facebook are skimmed, not read thoroughly. If you text a comment on their posts in more than two sentences, it will come through in multiple messages. This increases the chances even more of the text being ignored. Remember Rule Number 1 above, and keep your comments focused on their lives.
Send the first inquiry message as a test to see if they’re too busy to have a conversation. On Facebook, only message when you see the green light. They aren’t always online when it’s green, but the chance is a little higher if it is. After you get a response, reply to what they say, no matter what they say. “I’m sorry that happened.” “Congratulations!” “That’s so exciting.” Validate what they say. Ask ONE additional question and then WAIT again before you move into a business discussion.
Using these four simple techniques will result in repeat business, more recruit interview appointments, and growth in your overall business.