Should you have a script when starting a conversation?
Script or No Script?
The difference between a good movie and a bad movie is the script. – William Shatner
The late, Steve Jobs would always mentally rehearse what he was going to say if he was speaking to six or 600 people. By mentally rehearsing responses to what he thought would be questions asked he was always prepared. He prepared to succeed and succeed he did!
Keyword what you want to say like working off a tele promoter. Have the bullet points to keep you on track. The worst thing is to put down the phone and realise you forgot to ask an important question. By asking a question you are showing interest. This strokes the listener’s ego.
Don’t ask stupid questions you could have easily found out by going on their website. Do your homework and ask implication questions that create conversation. Open-ended ones are the best. Be interested and interesting. One without the other simply isn’t enough.
Roleplay or not to roleplay?
Better to look like a fool in front of a colleague than to perform badly in front of a prospective customer. Preparation is the key to your success. Ask colleagues to challenge you with questions so you can fully prepare. Remember whilst practising it’s like a child in a sandpit. You will stretch your capability but the great thing is if you fall no-one gets hurt. You are in a sandpit, a safe environment.
Role-playing helps you discover your lapses in knowledge and builds self-confidence.
Choice of words
Be an economist with your words. People are on information overload, their ability to process what you are saying is limited.
Make every word count, speak in a simple, clear, and concise manner.
Punctuate your speech.
Pausing to allow the listener to keep up with you. By pausing you will also be drawing attention to important elements of the conversation.
Good conversation is about using the right amount of heart and head in perfect balance. This is done by choosing words that evoke emotions that feel good to the listener. Always give something of value through knowledge transfer. If you do that you will build stronger relationships.
Ask questions to get the conversation rolling.
Mirror what you hear, see and feel to encourage the person to open up to you. You are making the conversation feel safe. For example, “You are upset because …” This shows you are listening and care. This alone calms the person down. Helps you to see what you should do and understand what you shouldn’t do.
Paraphrase by putting some of the conversations in your own words as you don’t want to appear like a parrot.
Finally, by saying things like, “I understand you may wish to think about this in more detail, I’ll get back to you by close of business tomorrow.” You remove any feeling of heavy-handed pressured sales tactics.
The more clarity you can get around a subject it will help you fill in the gaps. Words like, “Since this is such an important issue, I’m wondering if we could meet next Wednesday at 10 am to have a conversation about it.”
If following up makes you nervous, feel stressed, or uncomfortable get over it. Get out of your own way. If you really want something you are going to have to fight for it. Nothing comes on a silver platter. If you don’t follow up you are not only letting yourself down but your organisation. Persistence is having the sweat on your brow to prove you worked really hard.
So Should you have a script when starting a conversation? Definitely YES!
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Warm regards,
Odile Faludi, Starting Customer Conversations Specialist, Keynote Speaker, Cold Calling Expert, Global Team Leader
Mobile: 0425 250 677
Email: odile@odilefaludi.com.au
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