Create Fireworks with Your Call-to-Action
Every great performance goes out with a bang, right? My favorite finale has always been fireworks. Whether it's the end of the day at Disney World or a Fourth of July Celebration, I enjoy the bright colors and loud sounds of the explosions. They bring to mind a sense of power and impact that finishes off a great day.
Why not take that concept and include it into copywriting for your next direct mail campaign? The three most import aspects of any sales letter/flyer/postcard are:
1. Openings that get your mail read
2. Copy that sells
3. And yes… a call-to-action that makes a big bang!
The call-to-action must be direct and to the point. A simply click here, buy today, or save money isn't enough. It's kind of like hanging up a "Wanted Dead or Alive" sign around town without supplying a name. It doesn't lead to the capture of many "wanted."
The three basic aspects of a strong call to action are…
1. Communicate your expectations.
If you want your reader to pick up the phone, visit your Web site, or bring a coupon to your store, say it. Be direct! Let them know exactly what you want them to do.
2. Make it easy.
We live in a busy world. Don't make it hard for the reader to figure out how to contact you. After you communicate the action you're looking for, put the information right there. Include Web addresses, phone numbers, or even a map to your store. Your busy readers will appreciate it.
3. Make it emotional.
Love, fear, guilt, and pride are emotional factors that directly affect response and buying decisions.
Once your copy is written, make a checklist of these three vital aspects of your call-to-action, and guarantee explosive results!
Who is Allyn Cutts, and why should you care?
Allyn has spent over 24 years helping businesses like yours find new customers and increase sales to current customers. Allyn is a marketing and sales fanatic, providing measurable marketing solutions that drive huge results for small-to mid-size business clients. Allyn works personally with clients to design and deliver off-line and on-line direct marketing strategies that focus on metrics and measurable results. You can learn more about Allyn Cutts at www.AllynCutts.com and you can call 610.437.4106 between 10 AM and 4 PM Eastern Time Tuesdays and Thursdays.
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Cold Calling:Spectacular Structure for a Script
Copyright 2006 Top Dog Consulting
There are so many wimpy cold calling scripts out there that if your try them all, they'll make your head spin.
You'll find some scripts tell you to introduce yourself and bond before you get to the point, as though you'll build a lasting relationship within a few seconds on the phone.
Other scripts direct you to tell prospect all about the company, as though your company's history will justify the fact that your call that has interrupted the prospect's day.
Some scripts even start out with the unconvincing words "This is not a sales call…" Yeah, right. Who do they think they're kidding!
By the same token, you and I both know that the power of any sales presentation is in the words.
Face-to-face you have all sorts of visual cues that let you know whether or not you and your prospect are strolling down the primrose path, together.
In the blink of an eye you pick up cues such as a prospect's crossed arms, broken eye contact, and other body language that lets you know when your words have taken the two of you off the profitable path. With these cues, you quickly figure out how to get back on track and can easily adjust your sales presentation accordingly.
On the phone, however, your cues come from background sounds, tone of voice, pacing, and the words themselves.
To stay on course self-control is key.
Say too much and you'll hear, "If he's interested he'll call you" and wonder, "What happened?" Say too little and the gatekeeper will ask questions, to keep you talking, find out what she thinks she needs to know, and then get you off the phone.
Since sales professionals have a gift for gab and thrive on social interaction, we are most comfortable talking with people face-to-face. We prefer to be around people and usually dread cold calling on the telephone. When we do our cold call prospecting, it is easy for us to talk too fast; too spew out way too many words for the prospect to grasp on the phone, and to relinquish self-control altogether. We experience failure, not our favorite lesson, and quickly build an aversion to making cold calls.
Successful sales professionals turn aversion to attraction by using scripts that are, in essence, a sophisticated sales presentation. Scripts that are stripped down to the essential words, not too many and not too few words that "make the sale" in their 90-seconds of time on the phone with an executive or executive assistant.
Yes! A script can be that good and yield results of 6-8 appointments out of every 10 calls.
How do you come up with a script that's so good? First, you must craft a script so that it contains each of the components of an effective face-to-face sales presentation. Then you must streamline the script for successful transition to the telephone.
A spectacular structure for a cold calling script is this:
1. Use the prospect's name, in the form of a question, as your opening line. 2. Identify yourself 3. State the purpose of your call 4. Build a benefit statement that tells your prospect precisely what he/she will get out of meeting with you—in terms of bottom line numbers. 5. Maintain self-control by knowing what you want out of the call and asking the questions you need to ask to get there.
Here's an example of such a script:
"Mary?" "This is Leslie." "I'm calling from ColdCallingExecutives.com to see whether or not I can double John's revenues in 90 days or less." "When's the best time for him to meet, this week or next?" "I appreciate you. Thank you."
Even the best cold callers are struck by how much effort it takes to relax during cold calls to executives, how few words actually need to be spoken during a structured sales call, and the power of a carefully crafted sales call.
You've heard the phrase "KISS … Keep It Simple, Stupid!" You can modify that a bit to help you with your own spectacular script for successful cold call prospecting. KISS… Keep It Simple and Structured. Then, enjoy your success as your new, simply spectacular cold calling strategy pays off!
Forward this article to friends—they'll thank you for it!
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Author/Publisher Leslie Buterin (like butterin' bread), is a published author, speaker and founder of Top Dog Consulting. She coaches sales executives and recruiters world-wide in techniques for changing the point of entry to the executive level. For your FREE mini-course "Jealously Guarded Secrets to Cold Calling Company Presidents" visit http://www.ColdCallingExecutives.com !
