sales script is a direction that the salesperson must follow to approach leads, as if it were a plastered script with the lines that the salesperson must use throughout sales.
Do you believe that a sales script helps to sell more? Should I or should I not use a sales script? At what time is it ideal? Which isn’t it?
Back to the subject: Should I have a sales script?
My answer is very obvious and simple: yes, and no!
When can I and when should I?
In fact, we’ve talked about it many times:
There is no cake recipe, exactly what you should follow, or how to do it.
Much of how you structure your sales process and organize your business strategies is linked to:
- To your setting;
- How complex is your sale;
- What business model do you have;
- How your product works;
- How you deliver your product;
- How you format your value proposition.
The big thing you need to consider is that the longer your conversation time, the less effective your script will be.
More complex sales, for example, tend to have lengthy negotiations and longer conversations. A script, in this case, locks the seller up, leaving him very plastered.
We believe the script works well in scenarios where you need to talk briefly with the lead.
In these cases, you have a very well-targeted script because your salesperson speaks for a maximum of 3 minutes with the lead. By following the script and being very objective you have high effectiveness, and the salespersons at Sky Marketing have been trained according to this script.
Also, when working at high volume, you have relevant sampling to do A/B tests and change small points in your speech, really optimizing your script.
But in general, if you need to be more consultative, if you need to develop and qualify your lead, we don’t believe the closed script is the ideal path.
What are the main types of sales scripts?
Even so, scripts help salespeople to be more and more efficient. What are the main types of scripts that exist? From the most closed to the most open:
- Script;
- Pitch;
- Check list;
- Qualification matrix;
- Shared calendar.
Script
You only read what is in the script. This is an extremely closed type of script.
Pitch
You have a sales pitch, always very well defined, and then move on to qualifying.
This is a great way to direct the conversation and ensure you’re shaping your value proposition well.
Check list
You might have a checklist that tells you what questions you have to ask, or what information you need to raise in a meeting.
Qualification matrix
You can have a qualification matrix with the questions you have to ask according to SPIN Selling, or GPCT.
They will configure the lead scenario and your negotiation will be built on top of this information.
Shared calendar
You can also have something much closer to an open conversation: a shared calendar.
You simply tell the lead that the purpose of the conversation is to understand their scenario, show them how to help, and get some information.
This way the conversation is very open, which leaves the seller very loose.
What is the ideal script?
What I think is ideal is something closer to more open scripts, a checklist, a qualification matrix or a shared agenda.
When I was a salesperson in paradise city nowshera , I didn’t have a script, but I knew what information I should have at the end of the call.
Mostly, I knew what a negotiation flow through conversation was. I had a mind map where:
- 20% of my conversation was introduction to meeting that lead, making rapport and starting to really understand his scenario;
- 60% was to qualify and investigate the lead scenario;
- The other 20% was actually educating the lead and getting the next steps.
This is a direction. Replace the word script with targeting and I’m sure you’ll be more effective.
Must you have a sales roadmap? Because yes?
I separated 3 reasons to justify why you should have a script, or at least a direction.
Standardization and constancy
Standardization and constancy provide a direction for your commercial team. You can better understand what’s working well, or working poorly.
Scale training
You can do scale training.
You’re not actually training anyone like that, you’re just getting people to do their jobs faster.
- With less qualification? Yes!
- With less effectiveness? Possibly yes.
However, you are actually being more replicable by having a script.
Facilitates tough questions
I recorded a Flipchart Friday talking about the tough questions you HAVE to ask in sales. Unamicable!
What’s the point about the hard questions? Usually they make the seller a little uncomfortable.
If you’re not very well scripted and the salesperson doesn’t have enough experience yet, he or she will end up avoiding asking these questions.
With the script, you prevent that from happening.
Must you have a sales roadmap? Why not?
Now why not have a script? I’ve listed 5 reasons why you shouldn’t have a script.
Telemarketing
A script that is too close gives little room for the SDR, or salesperson, to actually establish a conversation, a connection with the lead.
This generates what we call the telemarketing effect.
I don’t know anyone who likes to talk to telemarketers. Why would your lead want to talk to your salesperson in a very robotic way?
Limits value generation
You are too objectifying the delivery of the SDR. He’s going little further than he could if he had a little more flexibility in:
- How to conduct the conversation;
- What specific questions to ask to bring up another topic;
- Bring a new element of education;
- Share some interesting information.
Kills creativity
A script kills the creativity of your SDR or salesperson, precisely because he is just repeating the same process.
This causes him to expand his sales skills and abilities little.
We know these are skills developed in practice.
With a script you end how to really evolve that professional, you don’t give him wings to fly.
Makes listening difficult
What do I mean by that?
When you have a script, you’re very focused on the questions, what’s the next question you have to ask, and you don’t listen very much to what the lead is saying.
You are probably missing out on a lot of relevant information that the lead is passing on to you. More than that, the script makes active listening impossible.
We also have a Flipchart on active listening and the importance of ensuring an effective connection using techniques such as tagging or summarization.
It takes time YES!
If you think you’re going to do a script and it saves time, you’re wrong.
A script needs:
- Be very well prepared;
- Have interaction;
- Have tests;
- Have continuity;
- Keep evolving over time.
How much is it worth leaving it so regulated and investing so much in improving your script? There is the provocation!
Conclusion
In the end, the conclusion I wanted to make is that you have to focus on the shopping experience.
- Is the script improving or worsening my lead buying experience?
- Is the script killing my creativity?
- Is it killing my lead buying experience customization?
We know that each lead buys in a way. People are different from each other. Is it worth following a script?
- If I have clear direction, do I really improve the lead buying experience?
- If I’m asking the tough questions, am I improving this shopping experience?
- Am I improving my sales process?
- Am I improving alignment?
- Am I creating micro-commitments with the lead?
Now, an inexperienced salesperson who is just starting out, or an inexperienced SDR who is taking his first steps in sales, does he need a script?
Probably yes. But does that mean he’s going to need to use that script all the way through? I think not.
However, you need to give him a direction so that he can get into the mood and get used to that profession and his goals. And with the sales increase in park view city it is important to make sure that as a salesperson this script is important.
Only then can it really bring efficient results.
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If you have any questions, you can leave them here in the comments. It will be a pleasure to help you meet your goals, whether you have a sales script or not.
