scripts in sales

The sales manager and I -- I am the marketing coordinator -- were debating
whether sales people should have scripts. He thinks they should as scripts
have been proven to work and they insure that each salesperson says the same
thing. He pointed out larger companies that use this method.

My argument was that these larger companies have massive phone rooms of
people of limited qualifications and motivation. Obviously, this is
generalization as there are certainly good people in those phone rooms. And
that scripts are a way to overcome this basic mediocrity. I said that I
thought that scripts sound like just that -- scripts -- and are less
effective than a salesperson who thinks on his or her feet. For example, the
direction of the conversation can change abruptly and the salersperson needs
to be flexible.

So far we have started writing (the salespeople are writing these)
guidelines for how to sell certain things -- and how to respond to certain
objections. We are trying to document as much as possible. These are not
quite scripts but these documents make it so the salespeople are prepared
for many situations and objections.

Any thoughts on scripts and so on?

--
Robert Anderson

"Robert Anderson" <rbanderson@nospamnwlink.com> wrote in message
news:cv0grb02toc@enews1.newsguy.com...
>
> Any thoughts on scripts and so on?

I'm sure that scripts can work, but pretty well all of them that have been
tried on me come across as written by idiots.

Robert,

The discussion you describe with the sales manager sounds like a
classic Sensing-Intuition debate (ref Jung or Myers Briggs theory).

The effectiveness of scripts vs thinking on your feet will depend on
many factors (eg: whether you are selling tangibles or intangibles) but
the personalities of the salespeople and managers in the discussion
will also make a big difference to the conclusion you reach.

Eg: in Myers Briggs terms, people with, say, ISTJ preferences *tend* to
find scripts more useful and can be more effective working in that way.
Whereas those with ENFP preferences *tend* to find it more enjoyable
and effective to 'think on your feet'. (I stress the word "tend",
because these are not hard and fast rules, but general tendencies, so
there can be exceptions). From a managerial perspective, managers with
Sensing preferences will tend to value one approach and Intuition the
other.

Imho, all sales activity involves a mix of preparation and dealing with
whatever comes up (though the balance can be different in different
environments). However, the real problem is not "agreeing a sales
process", or even "gearing the sales process to the salesperson's
preferences". It is getting the salesperson to be skilled and flexible
enough to adapt the sales approach to suit the preferences of the
client.

Steve

"Steve" <spmyers@teamtechnology.co.uk> wrote in message
news:cv2kmi01a17@enews4.newsguy.com...
>
> Robert,
>
> The discussion you describe with the sales manager sounds like a
> classic Sensing-Intuition debate (ref Jung or Myers Briggs theory).

Is there a good web site regarding these personality types. It would
interesting to learn more about this.

I am sure I can google but I bet some sites are much better than others.

--
Robert Anderson

"jmk" <compukat@videotron.ca> wrote in message
news:cv2km00264c@enews2.newsguy.com...
>
>
> "Robert Anderson" <rbanderson@nospamnwlink.com> wrote in message
> news:cv0grb02toc@enews1.newsguy.com...
>>
>> Any thoughts on scripts and so on?
>
> I'm sure that scripts can work, but pretty well all of them that have been
> tried on me come across as written by idiots.

Yes, yes, every time I talk to a salesperson who is reading a script I get
annoyed. In fact, I feel like the person speaking is stupid -- though that
is not necessarily the case. It could well be a smart person in a dumb
job -- reading a script.

--
Robert Anderson

Robert,

You asked for a good web site regarding personality types (in relation
to selling).

Most informational web sites about Myers Briggs, and indeed most
training courses, are focused on self-understanding, personal
development or team building. However, we have a couple of pages that
you could read to give a brief intro to the approach in relation to
selling. For an introduction to the Myers Briggs model, look at:
http://www.teamtechnology.co.uk/tt/t...l/mb-simpl.htm
And for an outline of how the model can be used in selling, look at:
http://www.teamtechnology.co.uk/sale...ersbriggs.html

Assuming you are in the US, if you wanted more information or to take
this further and get some training for your organisation in the
techniques, then run a web search on "FLEX selling". This is a
proprietary training program designed by Susan Brock (now deceased) but
still run by a wide range of Myers Briggs trainers. If at that stage
you have difficulty finding a good supplier, contact me via the private
email option as I have a number of US contacts in the field and could
get some recommendations for you.

Steve

"Robert Anderson" <rbanderson@nospamnwlink.com> wrote in message
news:cv0grb02toc@enews1.newsguy.com...
>
>
> The sales manager and I -- I am the marketing coordinator -- were debating
> whether sales people should have scripts. He thinks they should as scripts
> have been proven to work and they insure that each salesperson says the
same
> thing. He pointed out larger companies that use this method.
>
> My argument was that these larger companies have massive phone rooms of
> people of limited qualifications and motivation. Obviously, this is
> generalization as there are certainly good people in those phone rooms.
And
> that scripts are a way to overcome this basic mediocrity. I said that I
> thought that scripts sound like just that -- scripts -- and are less
> effective than a salesperson who thinks on his or her feet. For example,
the
> direction of the conversation can change abruptly and the salersperson
needs
> to be flexible.
>
> So far we have started writing (the salespeople are writing these)
> guidelines for how to sell certain things -- and how to respond to certain
> objections. We are trying to document as much as possible. These are not
> quite scripts but these documents make it so the salespeople are prepared
> for many situations and objections.
>
> Any thoughts on scripts and so on?
>
> --
> Robert Anderson
>
....Have waited to see what others have to say. Some good points have been
made, but in my book your question has not been answered.

I was top dog at International Industries (cemetery lot sales), Hurricane
Steel (chain link fencing wholesale) and Page & Page (Lightweight truck
suspensions as sales engineer). I got there by sharpening my presentation
skills, in effect creating a script and picture book and/or slide
presentation for delivery either at the prospects diner table, or at a
convention with hundreds in attendance. And next, getting referrals and
working them hard.

My focus was on how my product would improve my prospect's life, profits,
love life, security, well-being, etc. Always selling the end result of the
purchase and always listening very well to objections. The more the prospect
talks, the better the chance of a sale. Unlike most people who believe
salesmanship is talk talk talk, it is the opposite. It is listen, listen,
listen.

It is important to have a path in the salesman's mind that will lead from
that first cold call to walking out with a signed contract and the
celebration the following morning at the sales meeting where the salesman
can proudly show off their successes. This is the greatest stimulant of all.
It's not the commissions, it's the recognition from peers and bosses for the
job well done. Remember Maslow? The hierarchy of needs? The most powerful
being recognition and self actualization? Only in sales can these two
'needs' really be met on a regular basis. Make sure your sales force receive
that recognition as they perform and challenge them to do better and even
better on a continuing basis.

Make sure everybody has a response to every objection heard and have them
rehearse their responses at sales meetings. Sales meetings should be places
where the pat on the back takes place, but also where the underperforming
sales people can have a chance to learn how to improve by listening to how
the successful salesperson became successful.

And never forget Zig's admonition "Sell the sizzle, not the steak!" Why does
a young person buy a bright red car? To pick up girls! Why does the
housewife buy a new set of cookware? To serve a superb dinner that will
evoke great praise.

Wayne

"Robert Anderson" <rbanderson@nospamnwlink.com> wrote in message
news:cv0grb02toc@enews1.newsguy.com...
>
>
> The sales manager and I -- I am the marketing coordinator -- were debating
> whether sales people should have scripts. He thinks they should as scripts
> have been proven to work and they insure that each salesperson says the
> same
> thing. He pointed out larger companies that use this method.
>
> My argument was that these larger companies have massive phone rooms of
> people of limited qualifications and motivation. Obviously, this is
> generalization as there are certainly good people in those phone rooms.
> And
> that scripts are a way to overcome this basic mediocrity. I said that I
> thought that scripts sound like just that -- scripts -- and are less
> effective than a salesperson who thinks on his or her feet. For example,
> the
> direction of the conversation can change abruptly and the salersperson
> needs
> to be flexible.
>
> So far we have started writing (the salespeople are writing these)
> guidelines for how to sell certain things -- and how to respond to certain
> objections. We are trying to document as much as possible. These are not
> quite scripts but these documents make it so the salespeople are prepared
> for many situations and objections.
>
> Any thoughts on scripts and so on?
>
> --
> Robert Anderson
>
Tell your sales manager to send all the sales people to theatrical
improvisation workshops. If they can't think on their feet then they can
learn how.
Get them in a room and have them sell/ listen/ object to each other - a lot.
Christopher
www.yourwebvideo.com

I agree cmpletely with Wayne (above), particularly the "Listening".
Spend time training the sales staff not on how to sell - but on product/
service knowledge and how
it benefits your customers. If they believe in what they are selling they
are a lot more likely to be able
to express their enthusiasm to customers on "what the product/service can do
for them".
You could utilise a list of main points that coul arive to jog their
memories, but a script is a
little OTT for this. A script almost always will be rushed and/or read back
with little or no enthusiasm,
and will also cause the sales person to concentrate more on reading and less
on listening to the customers
responses then using their knowledge (from their quality training) to
provide the solution that best suits
the customers needs

--
Rick Holden AInstSMM
Business Development Manager
Farleys Solicitors

"Christopher Richards" <crNOTANYSPAM@christopherNOSPAMrichards.com> wrote in
message news:cv8pi402qet@enews4.newsguy.com...
>
>
> "Robert Anderson" <rbanderson@nospamnwlink.com> wrote in message
> news:cv0grb02toc@enews1.newsguy.com...
>>
>>
>> The sales manager and I -- I am the marketing coordinator -- were
>> debating
>> whether sales people should have scripts. He thinks they should as
>> scripts
>> have been proven to work and they insure that each salesperson says the
>> same
>> thing. He pointed out larger companies that use this method.
>>
>> My argument was that these larger companies have massive phone rooms of
>> people of limited qualifications and motivation. Obviously, this is
>> generalization as there are certainly good people in those phone rooms.
>> And
>> that scripts are a way to overcome this basic mediocrity. I said that I
>> thought that scripts sound like just that -- scripts -- and are less
>> effective than a salesperson who thinks on his or her feet. For example,
>> the
>> direction of the conversation can change abruptly and the salersperson
>> needs
>> to be flexible.
>>
>> So far we have started writing (the salespeople are writing these)
>> guidelines for how to sell certain things -- and how to respond to
>> certain
>> objections. We are trying to document as much as possible. These are not
>> quite scripts but these documents make it so the salespeople are prepared
>> for many situations and objections.
>>
>> Any thoughts on scripts and so on?
>>
>> --
>> Robert Anderson
>>
> Tell your sales manager to send all the sales people to theatrical
> improvisation workshops. If they can't think on their feet then they can
> learn how.
> Get them in a room and have them sell/ listen/ object to each other - a
> lot.
> Christopher
> www.yourwebvideo.com
>
>

"Wayne Lundberg" <Waynelund@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:cv7t9n012d2@enews3.newsguy.com...
>
>
> "Robert Anderson" <rbanderson@nospamnwlink.com> wrote in message
> news:cv0grb02toc@enews1.newsguy.com...
>>
>>
>> The sales manager and I -- I am the marketing coordinator -- were
>> debating
>> whether sales people should have scripts. He thinks they should as
>> scripts
>> have been proven to work and they insure that each salesperson says the
> same
>> thing. He pointed out larger companies that use this method.
>>
>> My argument was that these larger companies have massive phone rooms of
>> people of limited qualifications and motivation. Obviously, this is
>> generalization as there are certainly good people in those phone rooms.
> And
>> that scripts are a way to overcome this basic mediocrity. I said that I
>> thought that scripts sound like just that -- scripts -- and are less
>> effective than a salesperson who thinks on his or her feet. For example,
> the
>> direction of the conversation can change abruptly and the salersperson
> needs
>> to be flexible.
>>
>> So far we have started writing (the salespeople are writing these)
>> guidelines for how to sell certain things -- and how to respond to
>> certain
>> objections. We are trying to document as much as possible. These are not
>> quite scripts but these documents make it so the salespeople are prepared
>> for many situations and objections.
>>
>> Any thoughts on scripts and so on?
>>

> I was top dog at International Industries (cemetery lot sales), Hurricane
> Steel (chain link fencing wholesale) and Page & Page (Lightweight truck
> suspensions as sales engineer). I got there by sharpening my presentation
> skills, in effect creating a script and picture book and/or slide
> presentation for delivery either at the prospects diner table, or at a
> convention with hundreds in attendance. And next, getting referrals and
> working them hard.

Agreed. Getting referrals is very important. I think the goal should be to
get two referrals from each happy customer. That is, you don't ask for the
referral until after the customer has taken delivery of the product or
service and had the chance to experience the excellent quality and the
excellent customer.

> My focus was on how my product would improve my prospect's life, profits,
> love life, security, well-being, etc. Always selling the end result of the
> purchase and always listening very well to objections. The more the
> prospect
> talks, the better the chance of a sale. Unlike most people who believe
> salesmanship is talk talk talk, it is the opposite. It is listen, listen,
> listen.

Agreed. Agreed. Agreed. I hear two many salespeople to anxious to give their
pitch. Sales is also listening.

>
> It is important to have a path in the salesman's mind that will lead from
> that first cold call to walking out with a signed contract and the
> celebration the following morning at the sales meeting where the salesman
> can proudly show off their successes. This is the greatest stimulant of
> all.
> It's not the commissions, it's the recognition from peers and bosses for
> the
> job well done. Remember Maslow? The hierarchy of needs? The most powerful
> being recognition and self actualization? Only in sales can these two
> 'needs' really be met on a regular basis. Make sure your sales force
> receive
> that recognition as they perform and challenge them to do better and even
> better on a continuing basis.

Very true.

>
> Make sure everybody has a response to every objection heard and have them
> rehearse their responses at sales meetings. Sales meetings should be
> places
> where the pat on the back takes place, but also where the underperforming
> sales people can have a chance to learn how to improve by listening to how
> the successful salesperson became successful.

Yes, we have started doing a "sales lesson" followed by roleplaying
objections at each sales meeting. Since we started doing that the close rate
has gone up very significantly.

--
Robert Anderson