How callscripts can help improve your exhibition

It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech – Mark Twain

Having your sales properly organised is an essential factor in achieving a profitable exhibition. One part of this is having the right people involved in the sales process: office and field staff who are properly trained and knowledgeable of all ins and outs of the exhibition, so they are prepared for any and every question from exhibitors, press, suppliers and of course prospects. Most efforts of the sales team are focused on prospects, with the intention of making them exhibitors at the exhibition. Another part is providing the right tools to facilitate the sales process and to get the maximum result.

Who will be approaching prospects? And how?
Approaching prospects can be done in many ways and by several parties. Choosing the appropriate method depends on a number of factors, of which geographical location and sector are just two examples. Choosing the party to approach prospects depends mainly on one factor: the number of prospects relative to the size of the sales team. When the number of prospects is very high, outsourcing may be the right option, as all prospects must be contacted in a timely manner. However, outsourcing is only recommended for establishing the first contact; usually when outsourcing is chosen for approaching prospects, it is used for making appointments for the field staff. From the appointment onwards, the contact is transferred back to the internal sales team, as more knowlegde of the exhibition is required.

A callscript is beneficial in both scenario's
Using a callscript is beneficial to the outcome of establishing contact with prospects, independent of which party is chosen to do the work. A well prepared callscript increases the chances of making an appointment with a prospect, which in turn increases the chance of making this prospect an exhibitor at the exhibition. By asking the right questions the prospect is guided through the conversation, resulting in an appointment.

Making a callscript
Making a callscript starts with answering the following questions:
1. Why would someone want to do business with us?
2. What are current developments in the prospect's sector?
3. Which are the trends we can incorporate into our exhibition?
4. Find general information per prospect (company size, location, news, etcetera)
5. How many appointments do we want and when?

After answering the questions above, the writing of the callscript can commence:
Step 1: Greeting
"Goodmorning/Good afternoon Mr./Ms. … Is this a convenient time to call?"
Step 2: Check whether the contactperson is the right person
"Are you the person responsible for participation in exhibitions within …?"
Step 3: The reason you are calling
"I am calling you about the information/flyer/letter we sent you regarding … (the exhibition). Have you seen/read the information?"
Step 4: Check knowledge about the exhibition
"So you know our exhibition is aimed at … and is instrumental in increasing sales and introducing new products?"
Step 5: Introduce the appointment
"I would like to make an appointment for you with one of our salespersons to discuss how our exhibition can help you introduce your newest products." (trigger 1)
Step 6: Introduce more triggers if necessary
"The exhibition is also visited by national and international press."
Step 7: Objections and rebuttals
The prospect may present some objections as to why they do not want an appointment or participate in the exhibition. The answers to questions 1-4 kan help formulate rebuttals for these objections. The main objections and their corresponding rebuttals can be supplied in a supplement to the callscript.
It is important to not only ask open questions, but also to ask depth questions, listen and summarize. The information gathered in this phase of the conversation are important for fomulating rebuttals, and can be used by the salesperson during their appointment with the prospect.
Step 8: React to buying signals
Every time a prospect gives a buying signal, suggest to make an appointment
Step 9: Make the appointment
Make the appointment using the selection technique: suggest two dates and times, from which the prospect can choose. This way, appointments can be planned to reduce the field staff's travelling time, thereby maximising their efficiency.
Step 10: Summarize and check address
Repeat the chosen date and time back to the prospect and ask whether their address is correct. Write down an emailaddress to send a confirmation to.
Step 11: Leave the details of the salesperson going to the appointment
"Mr./Ms. …, should you want to contact my colleague, you can call him/her on …. My colleague's name is …. I will include this information in the confirmation email."
Step 12: Positive conclusion
"I thank you for your time and wish you a good day."

It is customary to include the possible reactions of the prospect in the callscript, with their response from the caller. In step 1, it could happen that the prospect is very busy when the caller calls him or her. The callscript could include the following paragraph:

- yes: continue with step 2
- no: write down a more convenient date and time and call the prospect back at that time. If there are doubts whether the contact person is the right person to talk to, check this (step 2) before making an appointment to call him or her back.

It is important to remember that it is okay to diverge from the exact wording in the callscript. The person who is calling should sound natural, and using wording that doesn't match with their personal style does not come across well, and neither will the caller reading the script to the prospect give the right effect. The callscript is a guide for the process, not the exact content of the conversation. When a caller continues to use a callscript, they will develop their own version of the script, adapted to their personality and flair. It is a very good idea to check in with your callers from time to time to check whether the callers' version is not too far away from the original callscript.

07 April 2011 12:49