From calls to cash: How to convert callers into paying customers

One would think that online shopping would become the preferred sales channel. But how often do you actually complete a purchase online? If you’ve done the whole process and skipped on clicking check out, you’re not alone. Google’s latest research shows that 61% of mobile searches result in a phone call.

It comes as no surprise that the human factor still plays a vital part in the customer experience. In fact, studies show that inbound phone calls are up to 15x more likely to convert into a sale than a web deal. Isn’t that enough reason for you to put some real thought into your phone conversion strategy? To help get you started, here are some tips on how to convert more callers into paying customers.

Get People through the Door

Before any conversion happens, the first step is to get people to contact you. Although cold calling is a widely accepted practice, there is a much higher chance of closing a sale through inbound calls. Make it easy for current and potential customers to contact you through cost-efficient options like advertising a highly memorable 1300/1800 number on your website. Better yet, customise routing configurations by time or geography, directing customers to the right person every single time so each opportunity is not wasted.

Manage Customer Expectations

So you got your customers calling, what to do next? Customers often call with a vague idea of what they need, and sometimes it is just that—vague. They have problems and they want you to solve them but most can’t explicitly pinpoint what solutions they are looking for.

Start by discussing their personal needs and ask follow-up questions to make their expectations more precise. The pitch should never be about the product, but about their needs and how the product becomes the right solution. The key here is to be patient in leading the caller to what it is they actually want and need.

Know Your Competition

Always remember that your customers are always comparison shopping. They pay close attention to your marketing, and everyone else’s. What kind of image are you projecting? Do you appear more reliable than your competition? Although these may sound arbitrary, these are real concerns for consumers.

Something as simple as having a real person pick up calls after hours make a world of difference in customer interaction. Not only do you appear more professional with a live answering service, you also minimise missed opportunities by being able to receive messages in real time and respond to urgent ones in a timely manner.

Training, Feedback and Evaluation

Who doesn’t want someone emphatic, perceptive, and yet persuasive to pick up the other end of the line when you need help with something? Entrepreneurs with these skills are more likely to generate more sales per hour. The challenge is in developing and teaching these skills to every member of your team while maintaining consistency.

Experience is the best teacher—this is also the case in sales. Use reporting tools to do call analytics and take advantage of call recording to study previous customer interactions (both good ones and those that need improvement) and make necessary changes in call processes and training to make every member of your staff more effective in dealing with customers.

Closing a sale over the phone requires a lot of time and patience, but with the right tools you are sure to see an uptick in conversion rates. For communications solutions that help convert more callers into customers, visit us at ALLTEL or call us at 1300 ALLTEL.