Know-How Exchange : Customer Behavior

Start by creating a phone script pitch, then practice it, then role play if you can with others.

When asked to make outgoing phone sales calls here are a few comments:

1) Engage the customer early- this means ask a question like - does your company have out of town guests from time to time?

2) Ask the question - Do you have an established guest house that you use now?

3) Ask the next question - If I sent you information would it be helpful in selecting a guest house in the future?

4) If they accept your offer of information - phone them in a week to see if they received it.

Hi, Sharon
I second Levon's idea of a script. Since making sales calls will be a new experience for you, prepare with the following in mind:

Write so that your presentation is "planned, not canned." What this means is that you should deliver organized ideas from your list, but not lines verbatim. This can be very off-putting to the person on the other end.

If the contact already has an established partner for guest accommodations, don't give up. They can always try you out on the next round.

This particular need might not be one that is relevant at the time. Find a way to be top of mind two months from now when your contact needs to make arrangements for a traveler and might make a few calls.

Do your homework before you call. Map the distance from your guest house to their business and be ready to provide mileage information.

Gather nearby services (restaurants, gas stations, mass transportation stops, drycleaning...) that a traveler might need and put that on a simple print-out. Send that to your contact when you follow up. This should have your contact information on it, too.


The idea is that your contact wants to look good on behalf of his/her business in the eyes of the traveler. By seeing that you offer the service of information on a simple phone call, they can feel better about trusting their credibility with you.

I know that you are a student, and some of this might seem to fall in the hands of management, but everything I listed is simple to do. You also showed just be posting your question here that you have initiative and try best to do your job well.

Best of luck to you!

Tell them your first name and the name of the guest house. Ask if they've heard of it. Ask if they would ever have the need to house an employee or guest. Ask if you can provide some information.

Then, go talk to the local travel agents. They know the companies that are bringing people in.

Michael

Agree with the script/practise/role play suggestions above.

Also: Look at existing guests as a way to gain more customers.

Find out how they heard of you, what attracted them to stay with you, were they happy with their stay. If they were happy, give them some postcards to hand on to other people to tell them about your place.

And get them to sign the guest book with some appropriate comments. Customers seem to like doing that! Use some of the best comments and testimonials on your website. (De-identified, of course).

Hope that helps.

ChrisB