Now, I consider myself a seasoned and professional cold caller but his comment made me take a step back and realize that while I need to hold the attention of a potential prospect, I also need to deliver information to my audience in a way they can absorb.

If you are in the Inside Sales game, you probably average 52 calls a day.  Industry data proves that 80% of that time you are leaving a voice mail message.  So what do we do when someone actually answers the phone?  We are all guilty of trying to get out as much information as possible.   Subconsciously you may be thinking, I've finally connected with the person . . . here's my chance! 

But before you race through that bedtime story, remember the following:

• Carefully Target Your Audience - Do you know what your Ideal Customer Profile looks like?  Do you understand the role and responsibilities of the person you are prospecting?  Are you prepared to talk to them about issues that are relevant to their market? 

• Be Prepared, Do Research - Learn as much about the organization as you can before getting on the phone.  Focus on the key areas where your company can bring value to their organization.  Be ready to articulate how your solution can eliminate the challenge(s) they may be experiencing.

• Be Concise - Outline what you want to say on paper before calling.  If you reach voice mail, use your outline to help you remain clear and to the point.

• Clearly Articulate Your Contact Information - Clearly state your first and last name as well as your company name.   When leaving a voicemail, remember to say your phone number slowly as if you are writing it.  I like to say my phone number twice (I know others will argue this point, so use your own personal preference).

So, net/net, whether you are speaking to a 7 year old or a "C" level executive, it's important to know your audience and communicate with them in a way they are comfortable with and that delivers the message.  

(This post is the first communication, in what will be an ongoing series of Ask the Experts questions, put to members of LinkedIn's Inside Experts Group - request to join here.  Whether you are a member or not, please share your thoughts and experiences by posting comments!)

Seth Gummere, Director of Inside Sales for Eduventures has a 2 part question he would like to pose to Inside Sales practitioners.

Background:
Seth's team is comprised of Inside Sales Reps that are responsible for setting meetings for the field. All face-to-face interaction is driven through this team.

Questions:

1. If you have a similar model, what is the ratio of inside rep to outside rep?
2. What methods do you use to drive an equal share of meetings for each rep?

We all recognize that LinkedIn is one of the most powerful social networking sites in existence.  There are dozens of blog postings, and even books, being written on how to leverage LinkedIn for business. 

One of the ways to get the most out of this network is to join groups where you have a common interest.  I have joined several marketing and sales groups on LinkedIn.  So far....

• The good news is that I have permission to connect directly with all the other members in the group. 
• The bad news is that I have yet to receive value add from being a member.  

This got me thinking about what I would like to see from a group focused on Inside Sales so I created one!  Here are my initial thoughts on how it will work:

• Inside Sales Practitioners - We are targeting members that are Inside Sales Reps or Inside Sales Executives.  We will deliver information on best practices, compensation trends, training, technology etc. 

• Recruiters - Yes, this group is a great place to find new talent but we are going to ask you to give as well as receive.  On a quarterly basis you will be asked to submit an update about what is going on in your industry.  What trends you are seeing and what challenges you are facing? This will be a great way for us to understand more about you and your business!

• Vendors - Call center and technology vendors will also be asked to contribute.  What is new?  How can we as Inside Sales practitioners most effectively utilize your product or service?  What guarantees success when we work with you?

Networking events, job fairs, seminars, group discounts on products and services....these are all under consideration.

So, sound good?  If you are a member of the LinkedIn Inside Sales Experts Group and you have ideas about what you would consider value add, please post your comments.  If you are not yet a member and are an Inside Sales practitioner, please feel to request membership via this link.

To make this work we all need to contribute so don't be shy!  This is our forum to share information so let's make the most of it.

I took my daughters to New York City because of their fascination with American Girl Dolls.  For those of you un-initiated with the world of little girls, these are 18 inch dolls that come from a specific period in time, have a life story, and dozens of accessories that accompany them.  Frankly I think it may be a cult, but...

We went to The American Girl Place; the mother ship, the Mecca; the capitalist capital for legions of 8 and 9 year old girls.  Now, what struck me about this place was the way in which:

• They knew exactly who their target was. 
• They knew exactly how they went about making buying decisions. 

They knew each girl would want more then they could get, so the store provided each girl with a "wish book", a small folder that held trading cards the girls picked up from the shelves.  They could fill their folder with their desired items, then "negotiate" with the parents about which items they would get to buy.  It struck me that these people got it!

So, do your sales people get it?  Here a few questions that we as Sales Managers need to ask ourselves:

• Do my reps really understand their target market?
• Do they understand the User and Technical buyer versus the Economic buyer?
• Do they understand that each prospect has to negotiate internally for budget?
• Do they understand what and who drives decisions?

It drives me nuts to hear a salesperson say, "I am targeting the Fortune 1000."  Are you kidding me?  That isn't a target; it's the entire Eastern Front. 

You want a target?  Who are your current customers, and why did each of them buy?  How did they make that buying decision? Who was involved, and how long did it take? These questions have to be asked by the sales people.  We should know ourselves on a macro level.  Answer these and there is your target.

People buy...not companies.  People buy business technology for simple reasons:

They buy solutions to problems that they have, or jobs they can't, won't, or don't want to do themselves.

If you want your sales team to target more effectively, help them start having real conversations.  Stop having conversations that only revolve around getting an order this quarter.  Spend time figuring out the real reason customers are buying in the first place, and have conversations that will build stronger relationships.

Steven Harper is a guest blogger on the Inside Sales Experts Blog.  He is a certified sales coach and CEO of Sharper Performance.  To find out more about Steven and his business, visit www.sharper.org .

Objection handling is embedded in the natural flow of every sales process.  How we think about objections can tell the tale about our ability to move the sales process forward.

Most salespeople view objections negatively.  They believe that the prospect is looking for excuses.  In reality, objections are a positive!  They show that the prospect is engaged with you, is thinking about how your product or solution can assist them and is trying to work through what appears to one or several stumbling blocks.

So, how do we prepare our teams to handle objections more effectively?  Spend a little time on the following and you will be well on your way!

1. Arrange a meeting or conference call with your reps to discuss this one issue alone.


2. Ask each rep to come prepared with the top 3 objections they hear.


3. Discuss the various objections and select the top 3 or 4 that are the most common and crucial.


4. Assign the reps homework.  Have them create a response to each objection that is short, succinct and powerful.


5. Select a "winning" response to each objection and create an Objection Handling worksheet.


6. Role play with your reps.  This will ensure that they can deliver the responses in a comfortable and natural manner.


7. Review quarterly to make sure the objections and responses continue to be relevant.

Don't take it for granted that your sales team is good at handling objections.  Make an investment in defining, documenting and communicating best practices and you will reap the rewards!

If you have responses to common objections that you would like to share...please post a comment...thank you!