It’s true, you only have one chance to make a good first impression. Fortunately, there are ways to make a great first impression and set your business apart from your competition (unless you want to be the cheapest in town). Here are some quick tips to improve your phone sales.
- Establish control of the call right from the beginning by using your name and the name of the facility.
- Be enthusiastic and professional.
- Keep control of the call by not allowing dead air and by asking probing questions, such as “What are you storing?”
- Always tell the caller your store's features and follow each feature with the benefit by saying so that ...”
- Refer to units as “your unit.”
- Say thank you and please. Use the customer's name at least twice.
- Listen intently to the customer by not multi-tasking while you’re on the phone.
- Create a sense of urgency by saying, "Hmmm, I can see we only have a few left. Tell you what we need to do ...” It’s a great way to communicate urgency. Do not lie to your caller, but rather pause when discussing unit availability.
- Upper floors should be referenced as upper floors, not upstairs.
- The price should be preceded with the word only. For example, “... and your 10 by 10 will only be $100.”
- Give a reservation number. The caller will believe you have set aside a unit specifically for him.
If you have tips for making a good first impression with callers, post a comment below or join the discussion a Self-Storage Talk.
Bob Vamvas is a partner with Self Storage 101, a full-service self-storage management solutions firm with offices in Alabama, California and Texas. Trained and certified in areas such as management consulting, process development, and sales development Bob has worked in both the private and public sectors. He has extensive experience in performance management systems, operational excellence, sales and marketing, competency analysis, communication strategies, coaching and counseling.