An exclusive look at a telemarketer’s script, submitted to Seek Therapy from the company TM Inc., a telemarketing company that offers customized and cost-effective telemarketing services to meet the unique requirements of their client’s market.  The following 10-step script is written for one of TM Inc.’s clients, a mortgage company, and it is handed to each new TM Inc. call center employee during orientation. 

 

STEP 1:  Dial the prospect.  We recommend between 8:30-9:00PM, local time.  Families love to hear from telemarketers during this time frame.

STEP 2:  When cold call prospecting, start the call with, “I was just calling people in your area…”  People don’t want to feel like they’re the only person you’re calling… they just want to feel like one of the nameless drones you’re calling from a massive list.  No one likes to feel special.

STEP 3:  When the prospect says, “Hello”, sit in silence for a few seconds before responding.  We recommend you say, “Hello?” in return as if you could not hear their initial hello.  This always gets the conversation headed in the right direction.

STEP 4:  Just for fun, as soon as the prospect answers, say “Please hold for the next available operator” and be silent!  As the prospect begins to swear, tell them you are the next operator and how you’d like to get him or her qualified for a lower mortgage payment.  Prospects love this! 

STEP 5:  Mispronounce the prospect’s name.  For example, if the prospect’s name is “Scott Basham”, please say, “Is Basheem there?”  Prospects find this amusing.  If the prospect responds, “Are you looking for Scott Basham?” pause for three seconds and simply reply, “Basheem?”

STEP 6:  If the prospect angrily says, “Do you realize what time it is?” respond with, “Yes, it is time for you to refinance.”  If the prospect follows up with “It’s very late and I’m putting my children to sleep” respond with “I did not realize you were a veterinarian.”  People love this tongue-in-cheek humor from their telemarketer.

STEP 7:  If the prospect says, “Take me off your list!” respond with, “I do not have a list.  It is only you, me and my confirmation department makes three.  Which credit card will you be using today?”

STEP 8:  Speak very quickly.  If the prospect even tries to get in a word edgewise, throw in a “blah-blah-blah I can’t hear you!” every once in awhile.  Communication is key here.

STEP 9:  If the prospect tells you they are not interested, ignore them and continue to read your script.  Your monthly bonus is predicated on the number of times you can get through your script, not the number of completed sales.

STEP 10:  If the prospect tells you they are interested…we’ll get back to you on this.  No one has ever been interested before.  We don’t even know the extension number for the confirmation department.

"How may I annoy you?"

"How may I annoy you?"