People tend to buy from people that they like. And, as we know, effective long-term relationships develop with the people we get on well with.
Having the skills and expertise is not enough for marketing. You need to be genuinely friendly, outgoing, and pro-active. Above all, you need to be courteous.
Courtesy and thoughtfulness make a real difference. Instead of just launching in with your pitch, how about being sensitive to someone on the phone? ‘Are you busy? Is it OK to talk for a moment?’
Courtesy means that you do take ‘no’ for an answer. Occasionally, it’s worth pushing harder to see if the ‘no’ is based, for example, on a misunderstanding. But take the longer view: don’t argue the toss. When you call back, you want them to remember you as someone who is polite and sensitive to their needs, not someone who showed themselves to be selfish or even manipulative.
Sales and personality
You may be reading about phone skills and wondering if you’re not really cut out for this kind of work. Don’t worry — even quieter introverts can succeed in sales. After all, listening is a key skill in understanding a client’s needs, and introvert-type people do this well. Extroverts might even talk too much and get less real selling done!
