How to Write a Cold Calling Script for Your Cleaning Business
Have you ever decided to just pick up the phone and "wing-it"
when cold calling for your cleaning business? How did it go? My
guess is not so well...
When making a sales call you only have about 10 seconds to grab
your prospect's attention so your first impression has to be
really strong. Having a prepared (and practiced) script is
essential for your success.
Practicing your script so it sounds natural is very important.
Have you ever received a call from a telemarketer whom you could
tell was reading from a script? That's NOT the kind of script we
want to use here. Practice with friends or family members so you
can have them play the role of the prospect. You want to have
enough flexibility in the script so if the conversation suddenly
changes, you're flexible enough to go with the flow.
When writing your script, be sure to write the way you talk,
and be sure to get to the point quickly. Don't waste time by
saying something like, "how are you today"? This gives them a
chance to end the call before it's even started. Greet your
prospect by name, and then say, "My name is [John Jones], and
I'm with [company name]."
Next you want to have a simple, yet strong sentence that
explains what you do. For example, "I work with building owners
and managers who have cleaning issues that they've never been
able to resolve." You need to be creative here -- don't say the
same thing everyone else says. Use phrases that help to
establish you as an expert. Maybe something like, "we specialize
in...", or "we're known for...".
Use your niche market to your advantage. If you're calling a
bank, let them know that you also work with other banks in the
area. This lets your prospect know that you're familiar with
their type of business. Plus it's likely that they know other
bankers in town so if you can drop a name, this is a good time
to do it.
Next you want to describe your service stating benefits, not
features. At this point in the conversation, they don't care
that you're bonded and insured, but they probably do care that
you specialize in marble floor care if they have a beautiful new
marble floor. They're also interested in how you can save them
money so think about specific ways you're able to save them
money.
The goal of the phone call should be to make an appointment
with the prospect. You're not trying to make a sale just yet. So
end the call by setting up a time to meet. Ask them for 10 - 15
minutes of their time, and give them a couple choices. Don't
simply end the call by saying something like, "Can we meet next
week to discuss this?" Instead say, "Would next Tuesday at 10
a.m. be a good time to meet?"
When you have the meeting scheduled, be sure to confirm the
prospect's name, title, phone number and address, and make sure
they have your contact information as well.
To recap, here's what you need for your cold-calling script: