It’s Official. Outbound Script Reading Is DEAD. RIP 2012.
Scripts are today’s cockroaches for B2B business development teams. Don’t allow word-for-word script delivery at ANY point of prospect interaction in your revenue lifecycle. Exterminate script reading out of your organization.
Today’s Buyers Don’t Tolerate Scripted Delivery
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Buyers can smell script reading a mile away! Think of when the tables are turned and you walk in the shoes of a buyer --- What do you think when you find someone reading from a script to entice you? You find them to be completely devoid of value. Someone reading from a script is a dead-end. There is zero expectation of value.
A buyer’s mind focuses on one activity; “What is the quickest way to flush this time waster?”
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Scripts vs. Talking Points
Scripts can be an effective tool when used to instruct and model natural talk tracks. Script examples can help reps develop their own natural talk tracks. The value of a script comes as an example of solid conversation that should be emulated. Natural delivery is the key to success.
Download a proven Role Play Exercise to transition from scripting to natural delivery. To download the exercise click here.
The blog article below provides guidance on how to approach training and role play exercises for transitioning your legacy staff.
Where is the old Outbound Script most common?
- Inside Sales may rely heavily on script delivery in outbound phone selling
- Lead Development Representatives perform Lead Generation follow-up using scripts
- Telesales staff performing appointment setting by reading word for word scripts
Script reading is tough work in today’s highly competitive selling environment. Having callers read word-for-word scripts is the perfect de-optimization of your efforts. I can’t think of a more difficult path. Script reading is literally swimming up-stream against a raging current. Re-orient your teams.
Evolving Legacy Telesales, Lead Development and Inside Sales Staff
Scripting is the lazy alternative to real training. How do you as a leader guide your teams to evolve past Script reading? Solid preparation is the answer. Invest in your teams.
Step 1: Knowledge Immersion
In a complex B2B sales process, your representatives require solid product/service training to confidently talk about the business application. The training should be performed from a field perspective first to focus on the problems that are solved and the results realized. Once the business application is understood, then the nuts & bolts of features can be trained.
After an understanding of the business solution is accomplished, then the Lead or telesales representative is ready to develop and practice their natural talk tracks.
Step 2: Talk Tracks & Role Play (Replacing Scripts)
The end game is to train caller reps to incorporate key points into their natural delivery. A caller should arrive at a point where they can enter a natural dialogue. There’s only one way to accomplish this and that’s through practice. The hard work produces fantastic results.
Start by documenting talk tracks for the most common scenarios. The talk tracks are script examples developed from best practice aids from a sales consulting firm or advisor. These replace the old Outbound Script. The best practice approach talk tracks are then customized to your company by top reps and through product marketing input.
Role Plays serve as the foundation for success. Whether they are Lead Generation lead development reps, inside sales reps, or telesales reps, the path to excellence is practice through role plays. The Reps must undergo a regular cadence of role plays where they develop their natural talk track. Practice scenarios are required to develop the ability to dialogue at a natural level. The role plays should be done with a combination of peers, managers, and product marketing managers.
Ideal Role Play Exercise for Your Company
Your team leaders require solid role play scenarios for their teams to practice so they ramp up quickly. The bulk of the role plays should include the most common scenarios. However, it is important when driving behavior change to offer some role plays from outside your industry. This opens the mind to new approaches more quickly.
Download a proven Talk Track Exercise that you can use to sharpen the skills of your teams.
In Summary, exterminate scripts by changing behavior of your teams. Drive business understanding and push role plays to build natural delivery. Your Prospects will thank you with increased conversions of qualified opportunities into your pipeline.
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Vince Koehler on Google+
