3 Easy Steps to Sound More Natural on the Phone

“What can I do to get my sales reps to sound more natural on the phone when making sales calls?

One of the biggest reasons sales reps and managers recommend not using a sales script is that they have a hard time sounding “natural”. All sales reps have faced this problem at some point.

Sales reps do not sound unnatural because of the script. Every Oscar-winning actor had a script. They just didn’t make it sound like a script. If you want to start winning more deals, following a well-written sales script and mastering your tone is critical.

Here are three things I did to get my sales calls to sound more conversational:

Sound More Natural on the Phone Step #1

1) Know the Road Map

Just like you would have more confidence driving from point A to point B if you had a detailed road map showing you how to get where you want to go, you need the same thing for sales calls.

Knowing exactly how to execute the sales process (Talk track) from your Opener to Qualifying, to Presenting, and finally to Closing is a critical step for sounding more natural on the phone. Knowing what your destination is will also better prepare you for when a prospect gives you a detour to handle.

Note: Some salespeople would think that their destination is the “Close”, but if you go into a first-time sales call with that mindset, you are sure to fail more often than you succeed. There are lots of small “destinations” you have to hit along the sales journey first in order to increase your likelihood of winning more sales.

Sound More Natural on the Phone Step #2

2) The Best Friend Referral Mindset

Sometimes you have to “fake it till you make it.”

Meaning if you’re nervous before a sales call, so be it. Just don’t let the prospect know/sense that you are worried.

One of the ways I learned to get past that unnatural “tone” while making sales calls was to pretend that the person I was calling was referred to me by my best friend.

Having the mindset that the person I’m calling was a relative of a friend who said they may require some help allowed me to quickly find the right “tone” for the conversation, even if, on the inside, I was still a little apprehensive.

Sound More Natural on the Phone Step #3

3) Iron Sharpens Iron

Once you have your road map/sales process down (You know exactly what to say on voicemails, gatekeepers, or if you get the actual prospect on the phone), you have to role-play and practice with your peers. There simply is no faster way to get better other than role-playing with your co-workers. Just 5 minutes a day will help salespeople fix improper tone.

To avoid reinforcing bad sales tactics, make sure your sales manager is involved in ensuring the right sales techniques are being used.

And if you need fresh new sales techniques or a resource to help build customized sales scripts that work, visit our online courses.

– Michael Pedone

Michael Pedone is the CEO & Creator of SalesBuzz.com’s How to Sell with Confidence Online Sales Training Course