MLM Training: What To Say When You Get An Answering Machine - Scripts Included!
Tim Sales
January 02, 2009
One of the most damaging things you can do to your MLM success is call a good prospect and leave a bad phone message. Why? Well, you may have just blown your chance at continuing a relationship with a very qualified MLM business prospect! Continue reading to learn what to say and to learn other valuable phone message tips.
You're ready to call your prospect and ask him to check out your MLM business by watching a video, listening to a conference call or attending a meeting, only to discover that you get his answering machine.
What do you do?
No, you don't freak out. You leave a message that conveys such confidence that your prospect will want to call you back the minute he hears it!
"At the sound of the tone, leave your message...beeeeep." "Uh, uh...hi...uh, I was just calling...um...I'll just try back later."
The above only happens when you're not prepared; so you might as well get the proper MLM training and learn it now. Then practice it, so you're never surprised by an answering machine.
I recommend that you read the following material over, rehearse it several times, and then call your own answering machine and leave yourself a message and listen to it.
Listen to how you sound; you may be surprised. Make corrections and do it again. Continue practicing until you can leave a confident message that sounds really good.
Generally, for a warm market person (someone you know), you can vaguely state the reason why you are calling and leave it at that. He's your friend and should call you back. How ever you "normally" talk, I suggest you keep it that way. Don't suddenly sound like a different person.
Here are some examples:
"Hi John, this is Tim, how are you? I'm calling to talk a little business with you."
"Hi John, Tim here, give me call. I've got something I want to run past you..."
"Hi John, Tim here...haven't talked in a while. I'd like to catch up on what you've been up to and run something by you..."
"Hi John, this is Tim. Hey man, something's come across my desk that you may find interesting…"
"Hi John, this is Tim Sales, we haven't talked in a VERY long time. Give me a call when you can, I want to hear about what you've been up to...."
And if you're normally goofy on the phone, by all means be goofy:
"Hey John, did you see the Gators beat up on the Bulldawgs? I'm calling to rub it in a little—(laugh) not really—I want to talk a little business with you..."
Of course, with a cold market prospect (someone you don't know), you want to be smart with how you handle the call. Give yourself the authority in the situation, in a non-assertive way of course:
"Hi I'm calling for John Smith. John, you filled out a questionnaire indicating that you have an interest in a business that you can work from home. I'm calling in regards to that. I'd like to get to know you a little bit and find out what you had in mind to see if it's a fit with what I have. Let me give you my number..."
I don't have a lot of examples on this one because this is the message I always leave. The only thing that varies is how I got his number.
I don't recommend that you leave long-winded messages, nor very short messages such as: "This is Tim, call me back."
All of those examples are the first part of the message. The last part of the message should ALWAYS be the same. Let me repeat that, the last part of the message should always be the same!
Here's the last part:
"...let me give you my number, 888-888-8888. I'll give that to you again, 888-888-8888. Look forward to talking with you."
NEVER ASSUME HE HAS YOUR NUMBER.
NEVER ASSUME HE HEARD YOUR NUMBER THE FIRST TIME.
ALWAYS ASSUME YOUR PHONE (OR HIS) HAS A BAD CONNECTION AND THE ENTIRE MESSAGE DIDN'T GO THROUGH.
Many times, people leave me messages and they rattle their number so fast (because they know it very well) that I have to rewind the recording several times to hear it.
Do not leave anything of value after you give your number. The prospect may hang up after hearing you say, "I'll give that to you again." So, if after the number you leave something like, "I'm available after 7" which is very important information, your prospect may not get that because they hung up before it played.
These phone message tips have helped me strengthen communication with MLM business prospects, because I have found them to be much more willing to call me back and to talk to me. Learn and master these scripts and always be prepared to leave a message!
To your success,
Tim Sales
Tim Sales helps network marketers gain the confidence and skills to be an MLM success. Learn how to become a true network marketing professional and sign up for his free MLM training newsletter and listen to free training at Tim Sales' First Class MLM Tools.
You're ready to call your prospect and ask him to check out your MLM business by watching a video, listening to a conference call or attending a meeting, only to discover that you get his answering machine.
What do you do?
No, you don't freak out. You leave a message that conveys such confidence that your prospect will want to call you back the minute he hears it!
"At the sound of the tone, leave your message...beeeeep." "Uh, uh...hi...uh, I was just calling...um...I'll just try back later."
The above only happens when you're not prepared; so you might as well get the proper MLM training and learn it now. Then practice it, so you're never surprised by an answering machine.
I recommend that you read the following material over, rehearse it several times, and then call your own answering machine and leave yourself a message and listen to it.
Listen to how you sound; you may be surprised. Make corrections and do it again. Continue practicing until you can leave a confident message that sounds really good.
Generally, for a warm market person (someone you know), you can vaguely state the reason why you are calling and leave it at that. He's your friend and should call you back. How ever you "normally" talk, I suggest you keep it that way. Don't suddenly sound like a different person.
Here are some examples:
"Hi John, this is Tim, how are you? I'm calling to talk a little business with you."
"Hi John, Tim here, give me call. I've got something I want to run past you..."
"Hi John, Tim here...haven't talked in a while. I'd like to catch up on what you've been up to and run something by you..."
"Hi John, this is Tim. Hey man, something's come across my desk that you may find interesting…"
"Hi John, this is Tim Sales, we haven't talked in a VERY long time. Give me a call when you can, I want to hear about what you've been up to...."
And if you're normally goofy on the phone, by all means be goofy:
"Hey John, did you see the Gators beat up on the Bulldawgs? I'm calling to rub it in a little—(laugh) not really—I want to talk a little business with you..."
Of course, with a cold market prospect (someone you don't know), you want to be smart with how you handle the call. Give yourself the authority in the situation, in a non-assertive way of course:
"Hi I'm calling for John Smith. John, you filled out a questionnaire indicating that you have an interest in a business that you can work from home. I'm calling in regards to that. I'd like to get to know you a little bit and find out what you had in mind to see if it's a fit with what I have. Let me give you my number..."
I don't have a lot of examples on this one because this is the message I always leave. The only thing that varies is how I got his number.
I don't recommend that you leave long-winded messages, nor very short messages such as: "This is Tim, call me back."
All of those examples are the first part of the message. The last part of the message should ALWAYS be the same. Let me repeat that, the last part of the message should always be the same!
Here's the last part:
"...let me give you my number, 888-888-8888. I'll give that to you again, 888-888-8888. Look forward to talking with you."
NEVER ASSUME HE HAS YOUR NUMBER.
NEVER ASSUME HE HEARD YOUR NUMBER THE FIRST TIME.
ALWAYS ASSUME YOUR PHONE (OR HIS) HAS A BAD CONNECTION AND THE ENTIRE MESSAGE DIDN'T GO THROUGH.
Many times, people leave me messages and they rattle their number so fast (because they know it very well) that I have to rewind the recording several times to hear it.
Do not leave anything of value after you give your number. The prospect may hang up after hearing you say, "I'll give that to you again." So, if after the number you leave something like, "I'm available after 7" which is very important information, your prospect may not get that because they hung up before it played.
These phone message tips have helped me strengthen communication with MLM business prospects, because I have found them to be much more willing to call me back and to talk to me. Learn and master these scripts and always be prepared to leave a message!
To your success,
Tim Sales
Tim Sales helps network marketers gain the confidence and skills to be an MLM success. Learn how to become a true network marketing professional and sign up for his free MLM training newsletter and listen to free training at Tim Sales' First Class MLM Tools.