When people think of the word script, they think of actors reading lines. However, that’s not really what a sales script is. Rather, it’s a way for sales reps to prepare for a sales call and the issues that may arise.
It’s kind of like how an interview host knows what subjects they will discuss with their guests. While they don’t know the exact answer each person will give, they have prepared certain lines and an overall strategy for guiding the interviewee down a particular path.
In this article, we’ll discuss how you can build a sales script that works for your business.
Research Your Target
The first step to creating a useful sales script is to make it personal. This means researching your target and finding out about their pain points and the kind of opportunity they may be looking for. Research and personalisation are especially important if you are creating a cold calling script.
As for how to personalise scripts, in an interview with BizJournals, Oren Klaff, author of sales books “Pitch Anything” and “Flip the Script” suggests mentioning “specific points about their articles, speeches, or videos you’ve seen of them.
The level of detail you can go into when researching your target will depend on several things.
If you need a script to help your sales team make multiple calls every day, researching every lead on an individual level may not be practical. In this situation, you can still create sales pitches that are tailored to segments of your customer base.
For example, if you provide services to both investment bankers and accountants, you can create general scrips relating to the needs of each set of customers.
Define How Your Product Can Help Them
Now you know a bit about your leads, you can think about ways your product can help them and frame these benefits in a way that resonates.
An accountancy firm that offers solutions to small businesses or freelancers could frame their service as a cost-effective product that helps them free up time to focus on building their business.
On the other hand, when targeting larger, more established businesses, the same firm could position their service as extra help with specific tasks, such as mergers or during tax season.
A bonus here is if you can include statistics or case studies to show exactly how you have been able to help companies like theirs in the past.
Come up With Questions to Ask the Lead
A vital part of a sales call is finding out more about the lead. This allows you to tailor your sales efforts towards their specific problem in a way that general research is unlikely to allow.
Beyond this, asking questions also encourages the lead to feel like part of a sales dialogue. It gives the impression that the salesperson is working with them to help their business, rather than simply selling a product.
The type of question you ask will depend on the product you offer. A SaaS solution that claims to simplify employee expenses, for example, could begin by asking business owners questions about the problems they face in this area.
Once you have discovered your lead’s problems, you can focus the rest of your sales efforts on showing how your solution solves these problems.
Consider Potential Objections
Overcoming objections is a significant part of any sales process. Considering customer objections is, therefore, a crucial part of any sales script. The exact objections you will need to remove will depend on the stage of the sales process you are at.
For example, while price can be a major objection, it is unlikely to be so in an introductory call as the chances are you won’t get down to discussing pricing.
Instead, you may need to prepare for the lead being unsure about the value your product offers, or if they feel like an existing solution they pay for already covers what your service provides.
Be Clear About Your Next Steps
In the movie Glengarry Glen Ross, Alec Baldwin’s character Blake introduced the world to the sales mantra of “ABC” or “Always Be Closing.”
In the movie, this didn’t work out so well for the characters. However, there is an element of truth in the statement. Each sales activity you make should have an ultimate goal that drives the lead towards making a purchase.
It is vital that you think about the next steps when creating a sales script.
If you’re making an introductory call with the goal off setting up an in-person meeting, consider how everything you say pushes the lead down this path.
Additionally, it can also be a good idea to have some backup for the next steps. For example, if the lead says they are too busy to take your call, can you schedule another time to speak?
Get Feedback and Practise
The final step to creating a useful sales script is to gain feedback and to practice it.
Practicing the script doesn’t mean memorising it word-for-word. It means being aware of how it can guide you in different situations. Knowing this will give you an advantage when it comes to reacting to situations effectively.
Additionally, asking for feedback from others in your department or company may point out ways you can improve your script. For example, a customer success manager may have realised that a particular segment of your customers finds a specific part of your product to be particularly useful.
If this is the case, it could be a good idea to include this in your script.
Bonus: Adjust Your Script
A final point, especially if you are using the same script repeatedly, is to adjust it as you learn what is and isn’t effective.
For example, if your sales team notices that one of the segments you target doesn’t appear to see the value in the product based on the benefits you have laid out, consider how you can convey these points in a way that is more appealing to the customer.
On the other hand, if reps report that one part of the script works well, you can come up with a way to emphasise it during calls.
B2B Sales Script Example
In the final part of this article, we have included two B2B sales scripts you can use for inspiration when creating a sales script of your own.
Example One
Company: Accountancy firm.
Target: Small businesses and freelancers
How the product helps: “I’m calling because I know tax season is coming up and our accountancy firm specialises in helping small businesses like yours prepare for tax-season. In fact, last year we estimate our average client saved £xx on their tax bill using us rather than filing their taxes themselves.
Question: “We were wondering how your tax preparation is coming along and if you are experiencing any difficulties?
Objections and solutions:
- “I currently take care of my own taxes, and while it’s a pain, I’m happy not to have the extra expense of an accountant.” – Reaffirm the value of using a professional. For example, time savings, and the potential
for rebates, etc. - “I actually don’t take care of accounting. My co-founder does that, and they’re busy right now.” – Ask to set up a call at a time that suits them.
Next Steps:
Primary Goal: Set up an in-person meeting.
Secondary Goal: Set up another call.
Third goal: Ask for an email address to send a case study about how your service helped a business similar to theirs.
Example Two
Company: SaaS expenses solution
Target: SME founders with under twenty employees.
How the product helps: “Our company helps small businesses save time and money by providing prepaid cards that automatically track company expenses. Our solution automates the whole process, removing the need to collect receipts. Our customers report average time savings of 60 hours per year.”
Question: “How long do you spend each month tracking employee expenses?”
Objections and Solutions:
- “I don’t think it will save enough money to be worth it.” – Use a case study of a similar company. Point out other benefits.
- “We are already locked into a deal with a competitor.” – Ask if they have any problems with the service. Find out when the deal runs out and ask if you can contact them closer to the time.
Next Steps:
Primary Goal: Set up a trial.
Secondary Goal: Set up a face-to-face meeting or call.
