The sales script is not an invention. They have been around for a long time, and above all, they have been used extensively among telemarketers.
You have probably received the occasional generic sales call where the person on the other side of the phone draws their pitch verbatim based on an impersonal sales script. Probably, it did not leave a good feeling with you. You were just one in the crowd and the person didn’t seem to have any reason for them to contact you.
But, of course, some sales scripts can help you sell in a personal and genuine way. In this article, we’ll go over when a sales script can be helpful and how you can use it.
But above all, you will get concrete tips and examples on how to create a sales script that is the exact opposite of generic and impersonal. We also go through alternative solutions for those times when it is not appropriate to use a sales script.
What is a sales script?
A sales script can be described as a guide a salesperson uses for cold and initial calls. These scripts can take different forms and be more or less detailed depending on the company and sales techniques.
Some companies use extensive sales scripts, with a literal predetermined conversation that is expected to be followed to the letter. Other companies use sales scripts as a framework for conducting cold and initial conversations. Then the scripts are often designed as a list of important steps or talking points.
The purpose of a sales script has traditionally been for a salesperson to be able to pitch a solution quickly and efficiently to a prospect. The script can, for example, help the seller convey the same message to each customer, get a good overview of common scenarios, and serve as a template with tips on follow-up questions.
Today, however, many customers are far too well-read and sought-after for a generic and impersonal sales script to work. Therefore, it has become increasingly common for a sales script to primarily arouse the interest of the prospect.
Since we at Salesonomics want to create a world where we stop selling and instead get customers to want to buy, we believe that a sales script should be designed for the purpose mentioned before.
Template – 5 steps to creating the perfect sales script
Since every company and sales process is different, you need to adapt your sales script to suit your conditions. Here we have gathered some overall tips and points that should be included in your sales script — no matter what type of sales, customers, and companies you work with.
Instead of creating a script that you follow word for word, you can put together a sales script that will help you lead the conversation in the right direction. Feel free to design a script that will guide you through the sales conversation step by step.
Your sales script should include, among other things, the following:
- A clear step-by-step setup, such as introduction, sharing an insight, curious questions, sales pitch, and booking meetings.
- Clear goals and sub-goals for each step.
- Examples of questions and sentences that you can use if you suddenly get tongue-tied during a sales call.
However, it can be good to break down your sales script even more. Here’s a five-step template to help you set up a great sales script that can guide you through cold calls:
Warm up the conversation
Before you pick up the phone, it is important that you first do what you can to make the call not as “cold”. The reason is that the person you are calling is more likely to talk to you if you have any connection to the person.
To make your conversation warmer, you can, for example, connect with the person on LinkedIn, send an email, ask for an introduction from someone you know, build your brand, and many more things that make you less alien to the person you want to call.
Introduce yourself
The purpose of the introduction is to introduce you and ensure that the customer can talk to you. Here you want to quickly answer the person’s question “Who is calling me?”. The reason is that the person is more likely to listen to you when they know who is calling and what company you represent.
The introduction to the conversation should include your name, the company you represent, and something that makes the other person understand who you are. For example, by saying that you are connected on LinkedIn.
Tell us why you’re calling
The third step in a great sales script consists of a clear reason why you are calling this person and this particular company. Why do you want to talk and what do you want to talk about?
The more specific you can be about the reason you’re contacting this person and why you’re doing it now, the better. After that, it’s time to turn the spotlight back on the person you’re talking to.
Ask open-ended and curious questions
The purpose of asking open-ended and curious questions is that you want to make the person feel important while looking for common denominators. Keep asking curious questions until you find a problem, challenge, or opportunity in the person. Once you’ve got enough information from the customer, it’s time for the final step.
Book a time to meet
The last step in a good sales script is to book a meeting. When working with complex B2B sales, a short phone call is far from enough to understand the customer in-depth, recommend a solution, and close the deal.
Therefore, a call script must end with scheduling a meeting. To make it easier for the person you’re talking to, we usually recommend that you give two suggestions for dates and times. This makes it easier for the customer to decide.
Sales scripts in B2B sales — what to keep in mind
In B2B sales, there are many complex aspects to consider. Not only do companies often have extensive guidelines and rules of conduct, but B2B sales often revolve around big deals and developed strategies. Then it is often very difficult to set up a sales script that works for all prospects.
In B2B, you should therefore keep the following in mind when creating a guiding sales script:
- Every customer is unique.
- It is common for many questions to arise that you cannot have answers to in advance.
- Every business customer often has a unique need where a tailor-made sales process is necessary.
In addition to the fact that every customer in B2B is unique, there are more things to consider when developing your sales script. A common mistake is to start selling over the phone. Remember that the purpose of your sales script and the phone call is to arouse a lot of interest.
The goal is to build the relationship and book a meeting to understand the need. Then you can agree together on the next step and whether your solution is right for the person.
3 Examples of Modern Sales Scripts That Work
If you need inspiration for different types of sales scripts, you can find 3 different examples of modern sales scripts that work here. The different examples work well in different contexts, depending on what you sell, your sales process, and what prospects you have.
You can of course mix the different examples so that you get a sales script that suits your conditions and prospect.
Sparking interest — sales script that’s perfect for telemarketing and cold calls
A convenient way to get the person on the other side of the phone to check into the call is to share an insight. In this example, we have therefore included a teaser that is linked to the person’s everyday life. An additional benefit of using an interesting sales script is that it positions you as an expert in the person’s eyes.
Introduction:
- “Hi Amanda, it’s Anna from Salesonomics.”
Reconcile time:
- “I was hoping to talk to you for two minutes if you have time?”
Share an insight:
- “Did you know that only 33% of salespeople reach their budget? In addition, 8% of sellers account for about 80% of the revenue.”
Challenging question:
- “How do you work to ensure that more salespeople reach their budget and that you do not miss out on high performers when recruiting salespeople?
Go from cold to warm conversation – Start with a short introduction over email
We’ve previously said it’s important to turn your cold calls into warm calls. Therefore, in this sales script, we include an interesting email to the person before we pick up the phone. With an interesting email, you get two clear advantages.
Firstly, you have something concrete to refer to on the phone. Second, it makes the person more likely to talk to you because you spent time writing up an email.
Interesting emails:
- What problems do you solve, and what do you think you can enable for the person?
- End the email by telling them that you will call the next day.
Interesting introduction:
- “Hi Anna, Amanda here at Salesonomics. Does it sound familiar?”
Feedback:
- “You probably read the email I sent yesterday that refers to a recent survey showing that 90% of salespeople would like more sales training with their current employer.”
Curious question:
- “So, I was curious about how you work with sales training and development of existing salespeople today?”
The appreciation — arouse interest through a genuine and personal appreciation
We have previously mentioned that generic and impersonal sales scripts and sales calls rarely lead to success. Therefore, a genuine and honest appreciation can be not least pleasant but also lead to arousing an interest in your prospect. Feel free to show appreciation and tell us why you want to talk to that person or prospect.
Honest and genuine appreciation:
- “Hi Simon, great to get in touch with you! First, I just have to say that I have been following you for a while on LinkedIn. Your posts about how you can enable sellers to both succeed in reaching a budget and at the same time be happy are very inspiring. They have led to several interesting dialogues in our office.”
Present a common challenge:
- “I’ve talked to a lot of other sales managers in the automotive industry lately. Many of them have experienced challenges in maintaining sales levels in the current economic environment.”
Curiously ask how they deal with the challenge:
- “So, I was curious about how you work with sales training and development of existing salespeople during this economic environment?”
Ask about the meeting:
- “To get back to the beginning of the conversation, I would love to hear more about your thoughts and goals going forward, and bounce ideas on how we can enable the smartest solution for you. Could it be relevant to have a face on each other over Teams next week on Tuesday at 11:00 or Thursday at 14:00?”
Succeed with sales — Salesonomics helps you
At Salesonomics we have extensive experience in training organizations to increase sales engagement to sell more. We can help you set a sales strategy, develop parts of your sales process, or train your salespeople.
In addition, we work daily to recruit and onboard new salespeople for ambitious companies. Contact us today to book your sales reps for sales training or to start an accurate recruitment.
