How would you like to increase your income by 25%? Not many of us would answer no to the question.  As a matter of fact, most would request a raise of much more than this level! So what is the secret to achieving this raise?

Get better over the telephone! Yes, just about everyone who sells something of importance must speak to their prospects over the phone–even in this day of advanced electronics. Selling over the phone is not easy. Typically we are speaking with people we don’t know very well and we are trying to develop rapport and trust in a manner of minutes or even seconds. Those who can perform better over the phone make more money than those who do not. It is that simple.

Now, becoming better is not so simple. For some, telephone skills are natural but for the vast majority of others it is a learned skill that does not come into being by accident. This article will deal with the process of improving these skills through the use of role-playing exercises. Here are some of the keys to getting better through role-playing–

You will not get better if you don’t practice! Ever hang up the phone and say to yourself–“I should have said…..” Well, you don’t get “do-overs” over the phone. Like an Olympic athlete who trains for years and years–if you trip out of the starting lane, the quest is over. So what do they do? They practice again and again.

Role playing is not the same as benchmarking. Benchmarking is very important to those who would like to improve their sales processes. After all, there are others who are good at what you want to become good at. So why should you re-invent the wheel? Find out what they say over the phone and use what works for you! But remember that watching is not performing the task. Nothing substitutes for practice.

Practicing the wrong way will make you worse! If you don’t believe me–ask your golf pro. If you have a bad swing, going to the driving range and playing more often will only make you worse.

Practice does not make perfect–practice makes permanent!

So if you are saying the wrong things or saying the right things in the wrong way or at the wrong time, doing it more often will only make you comfortable at losing the opportunities you have to increase your income. Do not become comfortable losing money!

So what is practicing the right way? First practice in front of observers–experts who can help you get better. They do not even have to be from your chosen field. Role playing without feedback is just a bit better than not practicing at all. Without feedback, you will never get better. And those who do not improve every day will stay stagnant.

Try out new techniques in different situations. It is said that the true definition of insanity is doing the same thing again and again and expecting a different result. You must practice many different situations such as those who need help urgently and those who are procrastinators. The more you practice different situations, the less you will be surprised by anything. And believe me–that is a good position to be in.

Confidence is the key word. Those who are great over the phone can react quickly to just about any situation. What is the real key to sales over the phone? Confidence. Your prospect or customer wants to hear confidence in your voice. And it is this type of practice that can make you confident. The one thing that is easy about telephone sales is that we know what prospects are apt to say. All the objections have been documented so many times before. You just need to be prepared–and role playing will do just that.

Finally, in today’s busy world–where can you find the time to role play? Try early in the morning before the world gets crazy. Schedule it in your calendar. If you don’t schedule it–you won’t do it. It is that simple.

If you role play on a regular basis in the right way–we guarantee you an increase in income. How many people, situations or techniques can guarantee such results? It certainly seems like it would be worth practicing a few hours a week, doesn’t it?