The phone can be an extremely effective sales tool when used correctly. Mastering the art of pitching over the phone is essential for salespeople looking to open new doors and close more deals.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore how to craft a compelling phone sales pitch that gets results.

Why Phone Sales Still Matter in the Digital Age

Some question whether phone sales still have a place in today’s digital world. Email, social media, and online ads seem to get all the attention these days.

However, the phone remains a vital sales channel for several key reasons:

1. Breaks Through the Clutter

Email inboxes are overflowing. Social media feeds are endless. Phone calls interrupt and demand attention in a way other methods can’t.

2. Builds Trust and Rapport

Nothing beats the personalized connection of a real-time phone conversation. People buy from people they like and trust.

3. Enables Live Interaction

On the phone, you can answer questions, provide reassurance, and adjust your pitch in real time based on the prospect’s responses.

4. Conveys Enthusiasm and Confidence

The energy and passion in your voice communicate the value of your offering in a way that email can’t replicate.

5. Closes Deals Faster

Many sales require multiple touchpoints across channels. However, phone conversations tend to accelerate sales cycles compared to digital-only outreach.

The phone gives you an opportunity to directly influence the prospect’s decision in a way no other medium allows.

How to Structure an Effective Sales Pitch Call

Every sales call needs a clear roadmap to be effective. Follow this handy checklist to ensure your phone pitch hits all the right notes:

Open With a Warm, Friendly Greeting

A genuine greeting helps the prospect feel at ease from the start. Avoid scripted openers. Use their name, keep it casual, and let your personality shine through.

“Hi Sarah, it’s Marijana from Acme Software. How are you today?”

Introduce Yourself and Your Company

Briefly share who you are, your role, and what your company does. Focus on serving their needs rather than bragging about yourself.

“I’m an account manager at Acme Software. We work with HR departments to streamline their applicant tracking and onboarding processes. But enough about me…”

Transition Into the Purpose of Your Call

Now that you’ve broken the ice, explain the reason for your call. Be clear if you’re prospecting or following up on a previous conversation.

“I was calling to see if you had a few minutes to discuss ways we could automate some of your talent acquisition workflows. When we last spoke, you mentioned challenges with…”

Ask Discovery Questions

Before launching into a pitch, use open-ended questions to uncover pain points and goals. Apply active listening skills to really understand their needs.

“What are some of the biggest recruitment challenges your team faces these days?”

Connect Their Needs to Your Solution

Bridge from their concerns to your offerings. Explain how you can solve their problems and help them achieve their goals. Focus on benefits over features.

“I think Acme Recruit could really help streamline those manual processes you mentioned. Our automation tools allow you to…”

Overcome Objections

Anticipate and listen carefully for any objections. When they arise, respond with empathy and solutions, not defenses.

“I understand where you’re coming from. Many of our customers had the same concern initially. What we’ve found is…”

Close With Next Steps

End each call with clear next actions to progress the sale. Propose a follow-up meeting, free trial, custom proposal, or other logical step.

“Does it make sense to schedule some time for me to give you a demo of the platform so you can see it in action?”

Following this basic structure will ensure your phone sales conversations are focused, productive, and effective.

8 Keys to Delivering a Pitch That Sells Over the Phone

Your phone pitch needs to grab attention, build desire, and motivate action in the prospects’ busy world. Use these proven techniques to make your pitch persuasive, memorable, and hard to resist:

1. Lead With Value

Start by concisely communicating the core value you provide. Get to the WIIFM (What’s In It For Me) first.

“Our digital ad management platform will help you acquire more leads for 75% less than you’re currently spending.”

2. Focus on Benefits Over Features

Don’t rely on boring feature lists. Paint a vivid picture of how you’ll improve their world.

“Our analytics will help you clearly see which platforms and campaigns deliver you the highest quality customers.”

3. Use Vivid, Descriptive Language

Engage their imagination with vivid details, analogies, and stories. Help them visualize success.

“Imagine finally having the insights you need to spend your ad budget as efficiently as possible. It will be like gaining X-ray vision into your best revenue opportunities.”

4. Share Specific Examples

Back up your claims with evidence of the real transformation you’ve created for others.

“One client increased conversion rates by over 112% within just two months of onboarding with our platform”

5. Speak With Passion and Conviction

Your enthusiasm will spark excitement and build belief. Let your tone communicate confidence.

“I am absolutely confident we can help you start converting your traffic at double your current rates.”

6. Keep it Concise

Don’t ramble or overload them with too much information all at once. Make every word count.

“In just three clicks you can set up custom lead flows tailored to each of your products. It’s incredibly simple.”

7. Get Interactive

Engage them in a dialogue. Invite their perspectives. Ask questions. Adjust accordingly.

“What would getting those extra leads enable you to do that you can’t right now?”

8. End With a Clear Call to Action

Tell them exactly what you want them to do next and why it makes sense.

“I’d love to give you a personalized walkthrough of the platform this Friday at 3 pm. Does that work for you?”

Master these elements, and your phone pitch will keep prospects engaged, create excitement, and drive action.

Crafting a Compelling Elevator Pitch

Your elevator pitch is a vital phone sales tool. This ultra-short overview of your offering needs to capture attention immediately.

Follow these steps to craft an elevator pitch that sells:

1. Identify Your Goal

Get crystal clear on the result you want the elevator pitch to achieve. Do you want to pique their interest? Get a meeting? Close a sale?

2. Clarify Your Target Customer

Define the specific buyer persona you want to reach. What challenges do they face? What outcomes matter most to them?

3. Focus on Transformational Value

Condense your value proposition into a single compelling promise statement. How will you transform their world?

4. Communicate Benefits Over Features

Highlight the payoff for the customer, not just what you do. For example, “We’ll triple your qualified leads” beats “We offer lead gen services.”

5. Add Proof Points

Back up your claims with 1-2 credible facts, stats, or social proof examples that build belief.

6. Practice Tirelessly

Rehearse out loud until the pitch feels natural yet energetic. Time it to hit around 20-30 seconds.

7. Refine and Improve

Tweak language based on feedback. Tighten weaker spots. Amp up the parts that pop.

Follow this blueprint, and you’ll have an elevator pitch that hooks audiences in seconds.

Pro Tip: Record Yourself and Review

Want a quick win for improving your phone pitch skills? Record yourself pitching and review the playback.

This allows you to critique yourself objectively and identify areas to refine, such as:

• Pacing – Are you talking too fast or too slow? Rushing or rambling?
• Energy – Do you sound confident, passionate, and engaging?
• Clarity – Are you explaining concepts clearly and concisely?
• Flow – Does the pitch have a logical sequence? Smooth transitions?
• Persuasion – Are you focused on benefits vs. features? Includes motivating calls to action?

Regular recording/review sessions accelerate your progress by raising your pitch self-awareness. Be your own coach!

Mastering a Natural, Likeable Phone Voice

Beyond the words you say, prospects make snap judgments about you based on the sound of your voice. Here are 5 tips for honing a phone voice that builds trust quickly:

1. Smile and Speak Slowly

A smile naturally projects warmth. Slow down your pace slightly to sound calm and avoid sounding rushed.

2. Vary Tone and Inflection

Use inflection to emphasize important points. Avoid monotone robot voices!

3. Be Your Authentic Self

Let your natural personality shine through. Fake voices sound, well, fake.

4. Converse Don’t Present

Imagine you’re having a conversation versus delivering a speech. Be casual, candid, and approachable.

5. Share Passion

When you care about what you do, passion will naturally come through in your voice.

With practice, an engaging phone voice that instantly connects with customers will become second nature.

Common Phone Sales Mistakes to Avoid

Many reps sabotage their own phone sales success without realizing it. Be on guard against these common pitfalls:

Skipping the Warm Up

Diving right into business before establishing rapport puts prospects on edge. Take a minute to connect first.

Talking Too Much

Long monologues without interaction will make you lose the room fast. Dialogue is critical.

Sounding Scripted or Stiff

Canned pitches are full of buzzwords will get tuned out. Have a natural conversation.

Not Listening

You have two ears and one mouth for a reason! Allow prospects to share needs before pitching.

Focusing on Features Over Benefits

Don’t expect prospects to connect features to their own problems. Explain why your solution matters.

Forgetting to Close

Many reps make the pitch but forget to seal the deal! End each call by proposing the next steps.

Avoid these missteps, and your phone sales competence will skyrocket.

Key Tools to Enhance Phone Sales

Leveraging the right technologies can give your phone sales an added edge. Here are some top tools to explore:

• CRM (Customer Relationship Management Software): Centralizes prospect/client information so you can be fully prepared for each call.
• Call Recording Software: Records calls for coaching and reviews. Also helps resolve disputes about call conversations.
• Teleprompter Tools: Displays your script or talking points on screen so you stay on track.
• Click-to-Call Tools: Initiates calls directly from your CRM or other apps to save time.
• Power Dialers: Automatically dials lists of contacts to increase call volume.
• Feedback Software: Captures customer feedback signals (CSAT, NPS, etc) during call conversations.

Don’t rely on manual processes. Use technology to enhance reach, effectiveness, and scale.

How to Handle Phone Pitch Objections

No matter how compelling your pitch, you will inevitably face objections during phone sales conversations. Don’t fear objections. Embrace them!

Handled correctly, objections give you an opportunity to further educate customers on how you can meet their needs. Use these proven techniques:

1. Really Listen

Pause and let the prospect fully share their concern. Reflect it back to confirm you understand.

2. Respond with Empathy

Acknowledge the validity of their perspective. “I can understand why you’d feel that way…”

3. Ask Clarifying Questions

If needed, gently probe to better understand the root of their apprehension.

4. Provide a Solution

Offer insights, analogies, evidence, or explanations that counter the objection.

5. Confirm Resolution

“Does this help alleviate some of your concerns about…?” Verify the objection is resolved.

6. Thank Them

“I’m glad you brought that up – it allows us to have a more honest conversation.” Objections build bonds!

With the right mindset and skills, objections become opportunities to establish trust and credibility.

Getting Past Gatekeepers When Cold Calling

Gatekeepers are the first line of defense when cold-calling into companies. To get your pitch heard, you need a strategy for politely getting past them.

Some proven tactics:

Research Names

Having a specific name you’re trying to reach makes gatekeepers more likely to put you through or offer contact info.

Highlight Common Connections

“John Smith referred me since you used to work together at Acme Corp” can help align you with those they trust.

Communicate Your Value Quickly

“I have information that could help you reduce production costs by 30% this quarter” signals you’re worth their time.

Be Direct But Patient

Politely ask to be connected, but don’t get pushy. Building rapport with gatekeepers helps over time.

Offer a Reason to Follow Up

If they won’t connect with you now, give them a compelling reason to want to hear from you later.

Multichannel Outreach

Combine phone calls with email, LinkedIn, and even creative techniques like sending relevant samples to get attention.

Be persistent yet respectful, and even the toughest gatekeepers eventually reward good value propositions.

Following Up for Maximum Impact

The call isn’t over when you hang up. Proper follow-up is crucial for converting prospects. Best practices include:

Recapping Agreements

Send a quick email thanking them and clearly documenting any agreed next steps.

Addressing Open Questions

If you promised answers to something you didn’t know, circle back with the information.

Sending Related Resources

Forward relevant content, product samples, or other materials that add value.

Triggering Automated Nurturing

In your CRM, enroll them in pre-configured nurturing like email drip campaigns.

Scheduling Next Steps

Calendar any future meetings, demos, free trials, etc. Book it while the excitement is high!

Collecting Reviews

Ask happy clients if they’d be willing to provide a testimonial or online review. Strike while the iron’s hot!

The fortune is in the follow-up! Maximize your conversions with purposeful post-call effort.

Make Your Manager Proud: Achieve Phone Sales Success

We’ve covered a lot of ground here. Let’s recap the key skills that will make you a phone sales rock star:

• Craft a captivating pitch. Structure your call and hone your speaking skills for maximum persuasion.
• Build rapport quickly. Greeting people by name and finding common ground establishes trust.
• Ask discovery questions. Let the prospect reveal their own needs before launching into your pitch.
• Illustrate value clearly. Paint a vivid picture of how you’ll solve pain points and achieve goals.
• Handle objections smoothly. Turn concerns into opportunities to build confidence.
• Seal the deal. Conclude each call with a next-step commitment, however small it may be.
• Follow up promptly. Continue providing value after the call to nurture the relationship.

Master these fundamentals of phone sales, and you’ll be able to close business like a pro. Now go pick up that phone with confidence!