Tel-E Sales Tip of the Week
 

September 25, 2009

Published By Art Sobczak, Business By Phone Inc.
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Join me at one of the next
Fall/Winter 2009 Telesales College Seminars
Quit making call-killing mistakes and learn exactly what
to say to get YES more often by phone.
http://businessbyphone.com/college.htm

Orlando, October 28-29
Phoenix, December 8-9

Save by registering now. Incentive offer expires next week.

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This Week's Tip: 
Questions Like These ARE Dumb

Greetings!

I don't care what anyone says: There are dumb
questions.

I called up my favorite local pizza joint to get
my regular two-slice-and-a-drink lunch special.
The guy asked, "What would you like to drink
with that?"

"Coke," I answered.

When I arrived and gave the same guy my name
at the counter, he took my money and again asked,
"What would you like to drink with that?"

Letting it pass as a simple oversight, I again
told him I wanted Coke. He retrieved the slices,
and asked me--you guessed it--"What would you
like to drink with that?"

Busting out into laughter, and looking for the
camera, I said, "I still want Coke."

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SALES POINT
This is simple, but obviously not always
followed: LISTEN to the answers. Sometimes
we're so concerned about what we'll say
or do next we ask a question and don't
pay attention to the answer. Dangerous,
to be sure.
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Later that day I was getting ready to whip up a nice
dinner, and realized I forgot to get green onions. No
problem. I hustled to the grocery produce section,
took a plastic bag from the dispenser, and selected
a nice bunch.

The high-school-aged checkout boy rang them up,
gave me my change, handed me the bag of onions
and said, "Would you like those in a bag?"

Me: "Well, they're already IN a bag."

Him: (a bit embarrassed) "Oh, yeah."

_______________________________________

SALES POINT
Beware of those questions that are habitual
and part of some jobs, but perhaps not always
applicable. It's easy to mindlessly ask certain
questions, even when not appropriate.
_______________________________________



After the first day of a customized Telesales College
I did for a client, I hunted down a nice restaurant for
a quick bite (I just noticed all of these examples are
food-related!).

A nano-second after the server set down my food,
my waitress appeared, and before I could even
lift a utensil said, "How is everything?"

"I don't know yet. It LOOKS ok."

_______________________________________

SALES POINT
See the previous one above.
_______________________________________



And finally, same restaurant, same waitress.
Five minutes later. Same question. "How is
everything?"

Me: "The food is great, but the flies in here
really are annoying." (I had to brush them
away from the food every few seconds. It was
a nice enough looking place, but someone must
have kept a door open for a long time.)

Her: (laughing) "Oh, I guess I should get you
a fly-swatter."

Then she walked away.

Did I expect a free meal? No, but certainly
a more concerned response, one having to do
with an explanation or cure would have been
appropriate.


_______________________________________

SALES POINT
Be prepared to DO SOMETHING with the
answers you get. Ask questions for a
reason, and then be prepared to act on
the answers, especially if they're answers
you'd rather not hear.
_______________________________________


See an Entire Article on Avoiding DUMB QUESTIONS
See my article "Dumb Questions=Dumb Answers."
at http://www.businessbyphone.com/dumbqst.htm

 

QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"There is no failure except no longer trying.
There is no defeat except from within, nor
really insurmountable barrier save our own
inherent weakness of purpose."
Ken Hubbard

Continue having your best week ever!

Art

=========================================

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_______________________________________
 

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Reprint These Tips In Your Own Publication
We encourage you to reprint these Tips in your own email, online, or conventionally-
printed publications. It's free, as long as credit is given. Reply with your
request. Contact: Art Sobczak, President, Business By Phone Inc. 13254 Stevens St.,
Omaha, NE 68137, (402) 895-9399.  Or, email:arts@businessbyphone.com

 ______________________________________________________________________

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