5 Ways to Start a Conversation - Part 1

Most prospects hate it when salespeople call and say, "Hi. I represent Widget World and I was calling to learn more about your widget needs."
If you want more meetings, be more interesting on the phone. It's easy when you pick one of these five topics for a selling conversation.




1.  New Hires in Key Positions-Tell who is new.
-Share one or two facts positioning the hire as an expert in their field.
-Tell the prospect why this benefits them.

Example: Hi Bob. I thought you would be interested to know we have a new vice president of manufacturing. His name is Greg Thomas. He is a long-time veteran of the industry who graduated from Purdue University. Our company is always looking for new ways to manufacture more efficiently and help customers like you. Greg will definitely make a difference in our efforts.

2.  New Products and Services-Explain what is new.
-Be a company cheerleader and tell why you're excited.
-Let the prospect know how it helps them.

Example: Hi Susan. I thought you would be interested to know we're offering a brand-new type of widget. I am excited because many customers have requested bigger widgets in the past and now we can offer them. This new widget is supersized and the largest widget available anywhere.

3.  New Equipment-Explain what is new.
-State why you're excited.
-Explain the benefit to prospects and customers.

Example: Hi Fred. I thought you would be interested to know we have just installed a brand-new widget cutting machine. I am excited about this because it increases our production capacity by 50%. For customers, that means faster production cycles.

Check back Friday to learn the last two ways to start a conversation.