Are Your Sales Scripts Working For or Against You?

Sales scripts are a double edged sword. On one hand, they can help you present your selling
points and sales rebuttals in an organised, strategic way. Used incorrectly, however, they can
undermine your sales effectiveness and actually cause you to lose sales.

Here’s a caveat worth considering: Although sales scripts may contain tried and proven tactics for converting sales prospects into customers, a clear way to drive a wedge between you and your prospective clients is to sound like you’re reading a script or regurgitating memorized lines. Bridging the
gap between salesperson and sales prospect often requires a conversational, informal delivery
that won’t come across if you’re reciting a script.

The Big Stage

One thing we often forget about in the world of business and in the business of life is to
‘lighten up’! Being too intensely serious and rigid can not only impair your ‘likeability factor’,
but it can also cancel out a lot of the enjoyment you might derive from your business or
career. Developing the ability to inject your presentations with a dose of personality, humor,
and spontaneity can help you avoid sounding rehearsed and pushy. A certain amount of
experimentation may be necessary to find out what works best for you, but that’s all part of
the process.

Getting on the Same Wavelength

Flexibility is vitally important in developing rapport with a prospect and winning their
confidence. If you’re adhering to a rigid script, then you’re not being responsive to their needs,
concerns, and questions. Granted, listening and being empathetic is more of a challenge for
some people than others, but if your success hinges on the ability to persuade and influence
(and whose doesn’t?), then it’s a skill well worth cultivating. Very often the most fascinating,
likeable, and persuasive people are the ones who have perfected the art of active listening.

Focus on Bullet Points

Rather than memorizing a sales script word for word, consider writing up an outline or a set of
bullet points that you can impress on your mind. You may need to review the original sales
script, every couple weeks, to make sure you’re ad-libbing effectively and accurately; but don’t
lose sight of the way you’re communicating non-verbally, because that’s what your sales
prospects are paying the most attention to.

It's How You Say It

A lot of sales and marketing people tend to talk too fast, either because they’re so excited
about what they’re selling or they’ve had one cup of coffee too many. Some may feel the need
to talk fast if they have a lot of information to impart in a short period of time. Every situation is
different, but in most cases, talking fast is major tactical error. First of all, it may make it
difcult for your prospects to absorb the information you’re giving them (and if they’re
confused, they’re not going to commit); and secondly… well, you know what they say about
‘fast talking salesmen’. One way to get a reality check, once or twice a year, is to videotape and
critique mock sales presentations involving you a few of your colleagues. Getting their
feedback and seeing yourself as others see you can be an effective way to iron out some of the
wrinkles that may be thwarting your sales performance and limiting your income.