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There are no less than a hundred thousand telemarketing tips out there waiting to help you overcome objections, reach the decision maker, get by the gatekeeper etc.
How about some advice on how to set a proper appointment once you get to that magical word “YES”?
I’d like for you to think about an imaginary website www.lf.com. In fact, don’t just think about it, print it out and keep it by your phone for easy reference.
Let’s go through each letter of this crazy acronym, shall we?
The first “W” stands for Where you will be meeting. I know this may sound basic, but is it possible that you are calling from a list that is like the ancient sea scrolls of prospecting lists? Could they have moved? Is it possible that they are in building #4 on a large campus? How about floor number 3 of a large building? So the first “W” is a reminder to confirm the address and check on the building, floor etc. I say something like this “Becky, will we be meeting at your 1,2,3 Main St. Facility?” She might say something, like “No, Jackass, we moved from there back in 1972. Why the hell aren’t you taking Castain’s advice?”
The second “W” is one of my favorites (I feel like I’m on Sesame St getting excited about the letter W but what the hell) This is your way of tactfully trying to get a key decision maker or additional decision makers in the room without making your contact feel like Skippy in the mail room. It stands for Who Else as in “Who else besides yourself should join us?”
The third “W” is a critical component. Before I tell you, did you ever get the feeling that while you are setting the appointment the other party was committing it to memory? If you never had that feeling, let me ask you . . . Did you ever show up to a meeting and get that “What in the hell are you doing here, I forgot we had an appointment, ha ha you wasted your time” look? This is simply a tactful way of asking Forrest to write it down if he was planning on leaving it to chance. I simply say “Forrest (just kidding) I am going to write this down, if you would like to do the same, my name is spelled C, A, S as in Sam, T, A, I, N like No F’n way I will let you forget the appointment”.
LF is my cue to utilize my Jedi like gorilla warfare tactics which state: Get in and get out. Don’t chit chat your way out of the appointment. Keep it short and to the point. The LF stands for . . . Looking Forward as in “Becky, I am looking forward to meeting with you on Tuesday, March 17th at 3:30 at your 123 Main St facility, 3rd floor.
COM simply means complete the call, ring the bell, moon walk, moon the others in the bull pen and get your ass back on the phone to do it again!
OK, it’s a brand new week. You are now armed and dangerous. Go sell something!
Before I forget, we have a brand spanking new group on Linkedin called Sales Playbook. Come join us!
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