The financial services industry is continuously evolving, and it is essential to optimize collections strategies to maintain liquidity and minimize risk. One of the most critical choices for credit un...
Marketing & Sales
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3 min read
Technology has had a major impact on many industries and the financial services industry has certainly not gone unaffected. The future is here now and the financial footprint has become global. To ensure a share of market, it’s vital to prepare ourselves to maximize multiple delivery channels and telephone and email are two of those. There are two thoughts regarding building customer relationships and selling products/services over the telephone and email:
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It’s much easier than selling face-to-face
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It can’t be done
Depending on your perspective and looking at it mathematically, you have a 50% chance of success! Consider using the ideas below to increase your likelihood of success. The first thing to remember is you have to be comfortable on the phone and sending email. If not, then you may want to consider another vehicle. Second, if you plan to use email marketing, make sure you know the Do’s and Don’ts of Email Marketing.
There are five essentials for telephone and email selling success: Passion, Purpose, Preparation, Personality, and Patience.
Passion
If you don’t get up every day excited about what you’re doing, then how will you get your clients excited? You must love what you’re talking about. The passion for what you do and what you provide comes through when you’re talking about your products and services. You must be enthusiastic about what you do and what you can provide. Without passion, you become just another solicitor. “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” —Steve Jobs
Purpose
What is the specific reason for the call or email and what do you want to achieve? If you’re making the initial contact, perhaps it’s building rapport. Is this a follow-up call or email to gather more information or to review information previously sent? Clarify the purpose or reason for your call before launching into the conversation.
Preparation
Alexander Graham Bell quoted, “Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” It’s vital to keep your ax sharpened and prepare for each call. Don’t rely on luck or past experiences and consider research as formalized curiosity. Remember, each call is unique—at least to the individual you are calling! Some important questions you can ask yourself include:
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What am I doing to prepare?
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Do I have the information necessary for the call?
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How well do I know my products and services?
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How will they enhance my clients’ financial well-being?
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What do I know or want to know about my client?
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What questions do I want to ask?
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Have I prepared answers to questions that my clients may have?
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Have I prepared for their concerns/objections?
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How will I summarize “next steps?"
Personality
Be yourself—you are a unique brand! Without being too scientific, basically, your personality is the combination of your behavior and characteristics. For telephone and email sales, focus on your confidence, delivery, and sense of humor:
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Confidence: Be confident in your capabilities to help your client. It’s important to have the ability to transfer your confidence to the client in order to build rapport and gain their trust. Don’t doubt yourself and be comfortable with sharing your views. Don’t apologize for interrupting their day with your call.
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Delivery: How do you come across on the telephone or in your email? Your tone, pace, volume, and clarity can deliver a message in a positive (or negative) manner. Practice these by recording and listening to yourself. Use gestures when you’re on the telephone; these lead to facial expressions and people hear the difference. Have an objective co-worker review your email for both grammar and spelling, and also for clarity.
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Sense of Humor: A smile is more powerful than a frown. Put up a picture of a friend, colleague, or favorite historian/actor. Imagine you’re talking to a person and not a disembodied voice.
Patience
Always be ready to listen, don’t interrupt, don’t disagree. Ensure you have the capacity to accept or tolerate what your client is asking/saying without getting upset or angry. The hardest test in life is having the patience to wait for the right moment. If you ask for the sale too soon, you may be pushy, if you wait too long, you miss the opportunity.
One essential not listed above is practice. Don’t just read this—take action. Commit to perfect the five essentials listed above. Develop your action plan and practice. We become what we want to be by consistency. Practice leads to consistency and consistency leads to success!
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