Telemarketing Lead Generation Blog

How to Guide a Conversation, Not Script It

Posted on Jul 23, 2010 by Ashley Rist, Lead Quality Manager

In a blog he wrote last November, Jon Plant explained the difference between a script and a call guide. In it, he referenced 6 considerations, which are important to the development of an effective call guide. There were two items on that list (of equal importance) that I thought warranted further exploration:

1. Create multiple open-ended questions that engage your prospects in the conversation. No one wants to answer the phone and hear a recited script. Having multiple open-ended questions allows for different pains and challenges to be identified while engaging in a back-and-forth conversation.
2. Make sure your team has a clear understanding of what information should be uncovered.

When people hear the word “script” they automatically think of a verbatim script. Of course, that’s not what we use. It’s a guide that includes open-ended questions geared to get the prospect talking, as well as closed ended questions to capture specific data points of interest. In developing a call guide, achieving a balance between these two types of questions is important in order to ensure the potential for detecting a qualified opportunity is maximized.

The Value of Open Ended Questions
Open ended questions are more likely to truly engage a prospect. Phrases like: “Tell me about…” and “How do you…” are great ways to encourage the contact to share information without conveying any obvious expectation of the specific information you are looking to obtain. Often, they will deliver the information you are hoping to uncover without realizing they are giving you exactly what you need in order to determine if a potential sales opportunity exists. The answer to that first open ended question will usually provide a wealth of information about which you can ask your prospect to elaborate further. Not only does this allow them to feel in control of the call, it also lets them know that you are genuinely interested in what they are telling you. This perceived curiosity often takes people off the defensive, as they find themselves involved in a totally relaxed, unscripted (yet guided) conversation.
Examples:

• Can you tell me a little bit about your role at your organization?
• How have those challenges affected your business?
• You mentioned_____________. Will you tell me more about that?

The Necessity for Closed Ended Questions
Closed ended questions should not be left out of the mix. It is with these questions that we are able to obtain specific information necessary to determine the nature of an opportunity. It is necessary to determine which data points are most valuable to sales during program development in order to make sure those points are addressed in the final call guide. These kinds of questions should be kept to a minimum so that the call does not take on the feel of a survey. Direct, simple questions are often part of the flow of any conversation and they certainly have a place in a lead generation call. Closed ended questions should be used to capture important details not already uncovered by the use of open questions.
Examples:

• What applications do you consider critical to your business?
• How many users does your current infrastructure accommodate?

Tagged: lead generation, targeted lead generation, lead nurturing, telemarketing lead generation, telemarketing lead generation script, lead generation call guide

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