About Scripts - Why Old Pros Use Them

November 5, 2008

by Steven

I wish I had a nickel for every time someone said to me, “I can’t use a script. It sounds canned. I can’t be natural when I try to use a script.” If I had all those nickels I would be basking on a sunny Maui beach or fishing a clear blue lake in the High Sierras.

The fact is that everyone who tries to sell something uses a script. They may not write it out, but they always think out what they want to say about whatever it is they are trying to sell. Successful salespeople write out what they want to say. They may write it in the form a some kind of sales aid, or brochure or they may write it as a script. But at some point the successful ones have planned what they want to say, how they want to say it, and most importantly, when they want to say it.

The main problem with a script, you see, is that the customers don’t know their lines. They are always saying things, or asking questions that aren’t on the script. So when that happens the script is useless, right? Wrong!

When the customers don’t know their lines is when the script becomes most important. When the customer says something, or asks a question that is not on the script, the Old Pros know that they have to acknowledge what the customer has said. And they know that they must answer the question the customer has asked. But the Old Pros only acknowledge that one statement, or they only answer that one question–then they get back to their script. They immediately go back to saying what they want to say, how they want to say it, and in the order they want to say it.

Without a planned script to keep you on track the customer’s questions or unplanned remarks will take you off-track. You will then be talking about what the customer wants to talk about, when the customer wants to talk about it, and you will have lost control of the conversation.

The Old Pros plan their scripts and then practice them until they don’t sound canned. They say it again and again until it does feel natural. They learn them so well that when the customer doesn’t know his lines there is virtually no interruption in the Old Pro’s thought process. The statement is acknowledged, or the question is answered, and the Old Pro never leaves the track.

A good script will usually follow this route. First there is an introduction, or an approach, or a warm-up to get acquainted and comfortable with the customer. Next, the successful salesperson will qualify the customer, by being certain that it definitely is a customer–that there is a need for the product or some benefit of the product, that the customer has the financial ability to participate in the sale, and that the salesperson is going to have the necessary time and attention to complete the transaction. After that has been established the salesperson will usually tell the customer a little bit about the company, it’s reputation, what it stands for, and what makes it reliable.

After the credentials of the company are established an Old Pro will describe a few of the features of the product and for each feature he will emphasize the benefit, or value, of that feature. Then he will ask for a confirmation from the customer that the feature and benefit is something that would be good for the customer. If the customer does not agree that the features and benefits would be of value to him, there is little possibility of completing the transaction, and the Old Pro will terminate the conversation. That is important. When you use a script you are in control of when the conversation ends–not the customer.

After the features and benefits presentation the Old Pro will recap them, and then will ask the customer for questions. He will continue to ask for questions until the customer is finished.

When all the customer’s questions have been answered the Old Pro will ask his most important question. He will ask, “You have agreed that all my product’s benefits (and he may recap them here) would also be a benefit to you, so is there any reason we shouldn’t set it up?”

If the customer can’t think of a reason not to, the transaction is complete.

Using a script will also give you the perfect tool for your own personal performance evaluation. You know, that thing you always hated when your supervisor at work called you in for it. But if you don’t do your own personal performance evaluations you will always be thinking that your results are controlled by circumstances beyond your control. And if that were true you would have no chance of success. You are responsible for your results and using a script will let you know at what point your presentations are ending, and that will also tell you what parts of your performance you should try to improve.