How to Get Customers’ Attention in Sales

A huge facet of sales is creating relationships built on trust. But before you begin a new relationship with a customer, you first need to capture their attention. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to figure out how to accomplish that, which is precisely why we’re highlighting how to attract customers’ attention in sales.

Avoid binary questions early on

It’s easy to dismiss calls that begin with “Do you have a minute?” The corporate world is busy, and no one truly has a minute to spare. Don’t give them the option to get off the phone in the first few seconds they pick up. Instead, put the call into context by letting them know “This will literally take a minute” or avoid binary questions altogether.

Hearing “no" early on stops the conversation, and it can be difficult to get it back on track. Here’s what is likely to happen when you lead with a binary question:

Admin: Good morning, Frank Williams’ office. How may I help you?

Seller: This is Joe Smith from ConnectLeader. Can I speak with Frank?

Admin: No.

While it’s possible to save the previous conversation and get on Frank’s calendar, that early “no” makes it difficult. Here’s a different version of the conversation where Frank avoids early binary questions:

Admin: Good morning, Frank Williams’ office. How may I help you?

Seller: Hi, this is Joe Smith from ConnectLeader. I’d like to speak with Frank.

Admin: I’m sorry, he’s not available at the moment.

Seller: That’s alright. I’d like to schedule some time to speak with him if you’re the one who keeps his calendar.

Admin: Yes, I keep his calendar.

Seller: Great! I’m calling to schedule a 15-minute analyst discussion. I plan to accomplish this no later than Friday of next week. I have availability Tuesday morning or Wednesday afternoon—whichever works best for him.

In this instance, the sales rep doesn’t even lead with a question. Instead, he states his intentions and waits for a response. He then makes it clear that this call has to happen. He’s gained the attention of this administrative assistant and is getting on the lead’s calendar.

Go off-script

Your sales calls should not always be bound to a script. While scripts are sometimes considered necessities within cold calling, not every prospect is the same. All calls are not created equal, and you need to have the ability to adapt. If the prospect mentions a problem separate to the one you’re calling about, listen to them.

Listening just doesn’t build trust between you and your customer, but it’s a way to stand out among the other cold callers out there. They will remember the sales representative who was willing to learn more about the problem they were experiencing (even if it was only tangentially related to the product they were selling). But be careful of straying too far from the script. Have a few phrases or topics ready to get you back to the original reason you called in case things spiral out of control.

Learning more about your prospects’ problems also gives you better insight into what solution they need. You might even begin to notice patterns in the problems multiple prospects are experiencing. This allows you to update your script, and brings me to my final point...

Be problem-oriented, not product-oriented

No one likes to hear other people brag about themselves. It’s true for face to face interactions, and it’s true for cold calling and marketing. Instead of focusing on why your solution is so great, focus on the problem your prospective customer is experiencing.

When you lead with the problem as opposed to the product you’re selling, you hit an emotional chord. You’re expressing early on that you understand their pain, so you’re the right person to speak with.