How to Keep Control of the Conversation in Your Next Sales Call

You sit down for an appointment with a seller, and the conversation seems to be going well. You are building rapport and gathering facts, but then the seller starts to get off track. While you want them to feel comfortable with you, and know that you are listening, your time is valuable. The same thing can be true in a sales call on the phone. So how do you keep the conversation brief, while still holding an effective call or appointment? The key is to keep control of the conversation. Keep yourself focused, and help the seller do the same.

Have An Agenda

If someone is starting to ask you never-ending questions, ones that are not relevant to the situation, or maybe questions you have already answered, you can take control of the conversation while still being respectful and making sure both you and the seller are getting the answers you need.

Before going in, know your agenda. Know the right questions to ask and make sure they are focused on the information you need to gather. It is helpful if you have practiced and know the key elements of an effective sales appointment or phone call.

Keep It Brief And To The Point

Say a potential seller calls you after receiving a direct mail piece from you and says, “Yeah, I’ve got this letter. You sent me a letter. Who are you guys? How long have you been in business? How does all this work?” Well, they just asked me three questions. You know what my response is going to be? “Oh, great, so you got one of our letters. So, you have a house you’re looking to sell?” That’s my response. And then they say, “Yeah, I do.” I can then say, “Well fantastic. I just need to gather some basic information from you to see if it meets our company’s buying criteria.

By the way, what’s a good phone number in case we get disconnected?” So, the caller asked me three questions, but I was able to answer all three with just one simple statement. You can then direct the call with a phone form so that you stay on track and get the information you need.

Now let me ask you, who was in control of that conversation? I was, right? They asked me some questions, and I asked them some questions and we both got the information we needed. And if they come back around, and ask you the same question again, you will know it is something that may be a roadblock to them working with you and you will know to give extra attention to that topic.

While you want to keep control, you need to be on the offensive, not the defensive. If you are getting bombarded with questions be calm and kind, do not let annoyance enter into your tone. Keep your cool and direct the conversation and you will be all set. Practice makes perfect, while this all may seem a bit overwhelming now by using things like phone forms and scripts like I provide in my coursework you can get a handle on holding effective sales appointments and making sales.