Quick Pharmaceutical Telephone Sales Techniques

Here's an article I've written some times ago, and it touches on selling skills on the telephone: Telephone Sales Skill. I've learned that skill through trials and error. Even if I like to claim the credit but I was not the one who discover it. I only practice what I've learned from Stephen Schifman in one of his books that I owned.

 And what I'm about to share with you, luckily, is not what I read from the book. This is purely from my experience which I want to put down for others to benefit from. So here goes...

• Selling through phone is a mental game. The most important mental skill needed is imagining the prospect sitting right in front of you. Using phone to sell is exactly like selling face to face except the prospect exists in your mind.
• Use power words. While selling face to face allows pharmaceutical sales reps to use visual aids to detail their products; phone sales could not. So the only option left is to use power words to facilitate sales. Let me remind you also that what you say probably weigh less than how you say it, which tightly related to...
• Put attitude in driver's seat. How you say things largely depends on your attitude. For example, if I got argumentative attitude, no matter what the medium, I'll always want to argue to prove my point. Now, that could put people off and on the phone, it can be done easily. So choose the right attitude when using the phone to sell. Courteous for example, is a worthwhile attitude.
• Follow up and follow through.
• Pay exclusive attention. I can write 'avoid distraction' rather than what you just read but I want people to remember to focus on what they need to do. Focus solely on the person on the other end; just as if he or she is right next to you.
• Learn to listen well. There's a difference between 'hearing' and 'listening', and the latter takes practice. The outcome from practicing it will come back in spades.