TELESALES REP TRAINING

1. TELESALES REP TRAINING ASSOCIATION OF ALTERNATIVE NEWSWEEKLIES Hilton Minneapolis - November 3, 2001 Mitchell Lieber President - Lieber & Associates Chicago, Illinois 773-325-9400 m_lieber@LieberAndAssociates.com Free TeleSales KnowledgeBurst Newsletter at www.LieberAndAssociates.com

2. Train the Trainer Session • Make This Your Own • The Big Picture • Inbound Calls • Outbound Calls • Telephone Techniques for Both

3. Section IThe Big Picture • WE’LL COVER... • Call Center Mission • How Should Callers Feel After They Have Called? • Attitude • Changing Your Mood to a Good One

4. Call Center Mission One Example • Calls answered promptly and directly (no bouncing around) • Knowledgeable and courteous • Most requests handled in 1 call to 1 person • No request requires follow-up calls from customers -- we call them with status reports on pending items • Responsive to customer’s needs and requests • Follow-up • Teamwork

5. How Should Callers Feel After They Have Called? • Valued • Helped • Better informed • Happier - having a better day

6. Attitude • Why is attitude so important? • Positive attitude • Creator of sales, voice sound, word choice • Effect on customers, work enjoyment • Can you hear a smile? • Positive words - “can do”

7. Changing Your Mood to a Good One • Cure for a bad day • Brain chemistry • How to visualize your way to a positive attitude • How to smile your way to a positive attitude

8. Section IIParts of An Inbound Call • WE’LL COVER... • Greeting • Active Listening • “Can Do” Attitude • What to Say While Checking or Waiting for the Computer • When You Don’t Know—How to Answer Anyway • Entering a Call

9. Greeting • Smile happily • Good Morning/Afternoon • Your Paper Classifieds • This is __, how may I help you?

10. What is it? What to say? Uh…. M…. Yes…or I understand What it isn’t. Active Listening

11. Positive approach Half full cup of water NOT, “we can’t…” Here’s what we can do for you... “Can Do” Attitude

12. The impact of silence on the caller I’m just entering this into the computer… “I’m checking for that now…it may take a moment” “I am making some notes…” What to Say While Checking or Waiting for the Computer

13. That’s a good question + Let me get the answer to that for you… or I will connect you with someone who should be able to get you that answer. When You Don’t Know -- How to Answer Anyway

14. Standards Reason Fields Calls requiring follow-up Once and Done Calls TARP research Close & Up-Sell/Cross-Sell Entering a Call

15. WHAT WE’LL COVER Courtesy Verifying Mirroring Vocal Strength Vocal Expressiveness Irate Caller Technique Statement-Question Technique Section III Telephone Techniques

16. Tone of voice May I… Please tell me… Thank you Courtesy

17. Repeat information received Field by field method Summary method At end of ad Demonstrates diligence – a service Minimizes errors Minimizes credits and make goods Verifying

18. Mirroring • Rate of speed of speech • Adjusting • Need not be all of the way • Other types of mirroring

19. Vocal Strength Exercise • Theatre exercise • Read or speak in a stage whisper

20. Theatre exercise Sing what you will read or say Or use the newspaper Or any written document Vocal Expressiveness Exercise

21. Invite them to tell you what happened” Listen - actively Empathize Different from agreeing Feedback Tell them what you will do for them Follow-up Deliver on your promises Irate Caller Technique

22. Statement-Question Technique • Judy McKee • Make a statement, then ask a question • Sales technique • Objection-responses • Questions control the call ?

23. Section IVParts of An Outbound Call • WE’LL COVER... • Greeting & Getting Through to the Right Contact • Building Rapport • Purpose of the Call – Create Intrigue • Active Listening • Objection-Responses & “Can Do” Attitude • Closing

24. Greeting & Getting Through to the Right Contact • Secretary or office manager • Gatekeeper • Can say “no” but not “yes” • May be influencer • They are your contact! • Make them your friend • Acknowledge their importance at their firm • Sell them first – on putting you through

25. Building Rapport • Occurs quickly and throughout call • Mirroring helps • Use their name (note B2B vs. B2C) • Relationship first • Jerry Hope approach – find commonalities • Be sincere, be yourself

26. Purpose of the Call -- Create Intrigue • I am calling about classified advertising OR I have potential buyers for some of the houses you have listed. • I am calling about the rental section in our classifieds OR 50 building managers have used our paper to rent hundreds of apartments in the last 6 months. We believe we can help you fill vacancies too. Our rental advertisers want to avoid a vacancy -- for even 2 weeks or a month. Do you feel the same way?

27. What is it? What to say? Uh…. M…. Yes…or I understand What it isn’t. Active Listening

28. Objection-Responses and Can-Do Attitude • Objection responses – not rebuttals • Few sales are made by debating the prospect • Be conversational – shouldn’t sound “read” • Be positive – say what you “can do” • Respond and then return to the call guide • Script, role play and practice • Use easel binder and indexes (or telemarketing software)

29. Closing • Listen for “buying” questions • Start with trial closes - suspend judgment • If you were to decide to place an ad, would it be for rental property or homes for sale? • If you did advertise, would you be most interested in classified or display classifieds? • If you were to advertise, what do you think would be the most important feature of the property for readers? • Transition into a close • If you were to go ahead, would you want to run in this Thursday’s issue or next Thursday’s? …

30. Section VDealing with Rejection & Stress WHAT WE’LL COVER • Dealing with Rejection • Stressors • Post Call Stress Reduction Technique

31. Dealing with Rejection • It’s a Numbers Game • It’s Not Personal • Getting to Yes!

32. Stressors • Why callers are upset • It’s not you • How stress gets stored in the body

33. Post Call Stress Reduction--3 Steps • Muscular release • Stretch or wring towel • 2. Put it aside - don’t focus on it • 3. Psych yourself positive for the next call