Wednesday, August 18, 2010

The Freight Broker and Voice Mail

I am not a big fan of leaving a voicemail with a prospect and waiting for their response. In a cold calling scenario, count on them not returning your call. Instead, leave them a brief message name and a simple statement requesting a return call, you need to stay in control of the process.

Having said that, there are a few things you can do to increase the possibility that your prospect will surprise you and return your call.

1. Know Why You Are Calling.

Your prospect is thinking the same thing. They want to know how important it is for them to hear you out. Before you call, Most of us, when we call a prospect, have no idea where to take the conversation after we finally get them to say, "You got my attention. You've got 2 minutes. What do you want?" So we revert back to announcing our wonderful services and how great you are going to make their world you have just become like the other thousands of freight brokers that call waiting their business.

Before you place the call, know why you are calling them and the desired outcome.

What's playing in their mind is: "So what? What's in it for me? What am I getting out of this?"

2. Your Name Is Not an Attention Getter in a Cold Call.

Your prospects are preoccupied with other things they need to do. Your job is to say something that is going to cut through all of their mental distractions and get their attention. Your name, company and phone number just won't do the job. Create a compelling reason for them to do business with you be there to be of service.


3. Reference Someone They Know to Get Their Attention

In sales, we often talk about the power of referrals and how much easier it is to make a connection when you have them. Referencing a person that your prospect knows or respects is a fast way to get their attention, but before you use the referral, make sure that the person you are referencing is in good standing. The last thing you want is to reference someone who has had a disruptive influence in your prospect's business. It leaves them with a bad first impression of you.

4. Remove References how great you are going to make life for them

As exciting as it may be to you, your prospect doesn't care about you. They recognize that most of these are claims made by biased fight brokers they have heard it all. Don't promise your prospect what you can do for them. Instead, let them know what you've done for similar clients in the past and state that similar results may be possible for them.

Remember, no one cares about your specialized system or service. What they care about are the business results that you can help them achieve, and you can't really address that topic until you know the specifics about their situation.

5. Leave Them a Compliment.

If you've been monitoring Google News, have Google alerts set up, or if you are following a company on LinkedIn, then you will know when people get promoted, when people leave the company, when people transition to different positions, spectacular end of the quarter results, new business acquisitions, etc. Don't be afraid to mention these changes or acknowledge accomplishments and tie them in to the reason for your call. It shows that you have taken a genuine interest in their company and their issues as opposed to someone looking to make a hit-and-run sale.

6. Use a Little Dramatic Flair.

There are plenty of ways to get attention.

“Make a statement like” Mr. Smith I understand that you are the person I need to talk with I have a question I need to ask and I understand only you can answer this so please call me back.

In a world where your competition is clamoring for your prospects' attention, you need to do something that is going to raise your message above the ever-present noise. Sometimes, using drama to emphasize your point is exactly what you need to stand out in the crowd and get your prospect's attention. Remember, however, that using dramatic flair isn't for everyone. It won't work in all situations, and it can very easily to go over the top, blowing your credibility.

As I mentioned, I'm not a big advocate of giving up control of the communications process. Keep it simple and to the point.

Check Out the services we offer

At A1 Truck Services

Watch The Video About A1 Trucking Services

A1 Freight Broker Training And Logistics Consulting We are here To Be of Service

Watch Videos From A1 Freight Broker Training

Start Today Call (706) 451-9371

Freight Broker Business Training $750.00
Freight Agent Training $500.00 with placement assistance
Freight Broker Material and 2 Hours online Training $199.00

No comments: