Starting a conversation the right way often takes effort and preparation. Casually approaching etailers usually leads to talking about the weather, and although that's a legitimate conversational topic in normal social settings, mentioning the dreary cloud cover doesn't drive you closer to getting the sale.
Here are three strategies the best salespeople use when striking up a conversation with their eCommerce leads that you can use too.
1) Ask About Them
Let’s be honest—sales conversations can be uncomfortable, especially for a lead who has never spoken to you before.
The best way to diffuse that discomfort is to ask about the lead's job and interests—two things they know a lot about and will have no trouble discussing. Even the most humble people like to talk about themselves because it’s easy.
Researching past projects or interests of your lead on LinkedIn will only make it easier to hit on topics they enjoy talking about, and hopefully, that’ll help your conversation smoothly flow into your agenda.
2) Share An Interesting Stat
It never hurts to have a repertoire of interesting stats that you could mention going into a conversation. Before ever picking up a phone, I would make sure to have at least a couple in your pocket. Even if you don't use them during that conversation, you might be able to use it during the next one.
Casually slip in an industry-related fact to get the etailer’s attention and hopefully spark further discussion.
“Nice to meet you, Jim. With the eCommerce apparel space growing so quickly this season, I’ve really been looking forward to this call to see how we can help you.”
It shows the customer that you know a bit about his industry, building trust, and it avoids making him feel like he's just one out of the dozens of calls you're making that day.
3) Create A History
Again, the beauty of LinkedIn is that it gives you the ability to get to know your prospects before ever meeting them.
Use the available information to create some sort of history between you and your lead, something you can use as a foundation to move the conversation forward. If he’s been to a conference you’ve attended in the past, bring it up and ask him about it. Use anything that’ll make it seem less like this is the first time you’ve ever spoken and more as you’ve already been through the awkward get-to-know-me phase. Find common ground.
Even when it's storming outside, the best salespeople avoid mentioning the weather and are intentional about how they open conversations with prospects.
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