Sales Rep Tips

overcome brush-offs

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How to Overcome Brush-Offs (and Get Prospects Talking)

Let’s face it, every seller has been brushed off (and probably quite often).

“I’m not interested.”

“We’re all set.”

“I don’t have time right now.”

Sound familiar? If you’re making outbound sales calls, cold or warm, you’ve heard these before. But here’s the good news: Brush-offs are not objections. And when you know how to handle them, you can double your talk time, increase your conversion rates, and book more meetings.

I’ve broken down my 6 tips and tactics to help you beat the brush-off and turn dismissals into meaningful conversations. Let’s dive in!

Brush-Offs Are NOT Objections

Objections happen late in the sales cycle after you’ve made your pitch and the buyer has concerns, usually about price, timing, or fit. Brush-offs? They happen early, and they’re not objections at all.

sales objection examples

Think of a brush-off like an automatic reflex. It’s the prospect’s way of saying, “I don’t have time for a sales pitch right now.” That’s all it is. And it doesn’t mean they aren’t a good fit or won’t buy from you later. It just means they don’t know you… yet.

So, what’s your job? Keep the conversation going, show them you’re different, and provide value ASAP.

READ: How to Keep Prospects on the Phone

Brush-Offs Are Uninformed (That’s Good News!)

Prospects brush you off because they don’t know who you are or what you’re selling. That’s great news! It means they haven’t actually rejected you, they just haven’t heard your value yet.

This is why you should never “kill” a lead based on a brush-off. Too many sellers give up too quickly, assuming the lead is a dead end. In reality, the prospect just isn’t paying attention.

Here’s why you shouldn’t take brush-offs personally:

  • They’re often automatic responses, not actual decisions
  • The prospect is likely multitasking or distracted 
  • They don’t remember you yet (if you call back, you get another chance)

Your instinct might be to respond to the brush-off directly (“Oh, but we can save you 20%!”). DON’T DO THAT. That just gets you lumped in with every other pushy salesperson. Instead, sidestep it. Keep the conversation going by staying confident and trying again.

  • If it’s a high-value lead, try them at least 10 times before moving on. They won’t even remember they brushed you off the first time.
  • Call back quickly. If someone brushes you off today, try them again tomorrow. They probably won’t remember the first attempt, and this time, they may actually listen.
  • Don’t answer the brush-off directly. Beat it instead. Instead of reacting to “I’m not interested,” keep control of the conversation and guide it where you want it to go.

By understanding that brush-offs are uninformed and automatic, you can push past them and start real conversations.

The REAL “Objection” Behind the Brush-Off

When someone brushes you off, what are they really saying?

  • I’m busy.
  • I don’t like sales calls.
  • I don’t know who you are yet.
  • I assume you’re like every other seller who’s going to pitch me something useless.

brush-off examples

The key to overcoming a brush-off is understanding what’s underneath it. Most brush-offs aren’t real objections, they’re reactions to an interruption. Your prospect isn’t rejecting your solution; they’re rejecting the idea of being sold to in that moment. Your job is to shift their perception of you.

Here’s how to uncover the real meaning behind their response:

  • Listen for patterns. Is their response rushed? Dismissive? A sign they don’t trust salespeople? Recognizing their tone helps you respond appropriately.
  • Acknowledge and reframe. Instead of pushing back, show you understand: “I hear you. Sounds like you’ve got a lot going on right now.” This lowers their defenses.
  • Use curiosity to break through. Ask a question that shifts their attention, like: “Would you say Q4 is your busiest quarter?” or “Out of curiosity, is this something you handle directly, or does someone else manage it?” When they engage, they’re opening the door for a real conversation.

The goal isn’t to argue with their brush-off, it’s to help them rethink it.

WATCH: How To Overcome Brush-Offs On Sales Calls

Get Them Talking (It’s Like Buying a Drink!)

If you’ve ever bought someone a drink at a bar, you know the goal isn’t to “close the deal” in 30 seconds. It’s to start a conversation. The same applies here.

When a prospect gives you a brush-off, they aren’t thinking deeply about your offer, they’re reacting instinctively. Your job is to interrupt that instinctive response and guide them into an actual conversation. 

The best way to do that? Use the CCO Framework (Closed, Closed, Open) to break through their initial resistance. Start with simple, closed questions to get them talking, like “Is this a crazy time of year for you?” or “Would you say Q4 is typically your busiest quarter?” Once they’re engaged, move to an open question that invites more thought, like “Is this for a short sales cycle, or do deals take months to close?” By following this structure, you can take control of the conversation and steer it toward a meaningful discussion.

CCO framework

As a reminder, a brush-off is different from an objection. An objection is a real, considered response to your pitch, something they’ve thought about and have a concern over, like pricing, timing, or relevance. A brush-off, on the other hand, is a knee-jerk reaction designed to end the conversation before it even starts. Your job isn’t to overcome an objection here, it’s to keep them talking long enough to break their automatic dismissal.

DOWNLOAD: 4-Step Process to Overcome Objections

Shaking up the conversation with a pattern interrupt gets them to stop and engage. Small talk about something unexpected (like their location, the weather, or a recent event) can lower their defenses and make them more receptive. People also love talking about themselves, so guiding them toward a topic related to their role or priorities can naturally steer the conversation toward business without feeling forced.

Breaking Through Brush-Offs

Once you start recognizing brush-offs for what they really are—automatic, uninformed reactions—you’ll realize they’re not personal and they’re not final. The key to overcoming them is choosing the right approach. You can take the direct path by breaking the ice with the CCO Framework (Closed, Closed, Open), easing your way into the conversation until the prospect naturally engages. Or you can sidestep the brush-off completely by shifting the conversation to something unexpected, like their location, the weather, or a relatable topic, disrupting their auto-response and creating an opening for dialogue.

Either way, the goal is to bypass their defenses and turn a brush-off into a real sales conversation. Try it out, test both methods, and see what works best.

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7 Phone & Video Prospecting Tips for Sales Reps to Crush It

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7 Phone & Video Prospecting Tips for Sales Reps to Crush It

Plenty of sales reps love the convenience of email and LinkedIn prospecting. But poorly crafted, AI-generated messages do little to build rapport and trust with your prospects. 

That’s why, as much as some people despise it, you have to pick up the phone. 

As young reps continue to phase into the sales force, there is a growing challenge for them to get beyond the keyboard. And while the pandemic certainly didn’t help matters, fostering those face-to-face (or voice-to-voice) connections has become more critical than ever.

Suffice it to say that salespeople can’t afford to rest on their laurels. We have to fight harder to build pipeline, persuade prospects, and win deals. 

That means moving from behind the keyboard, picking up the phone, and utilizing videos in prospecting.

If you’re ready to crush it, here are seven tips that can help our reps make the most of phone and video in their prospecting efforts. 

1. Don’t rely on email alone

It’s important to connect with people on social and email, certainly. But think about it: when’s the last time you bought something over email? 

Never mind that people are wary of scammers and phishing attempts. No one buys from text on a screen. 

People buy from other people. More importantly, they buy from people they trust. 

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use email. But there are ways to make email more engaging and personal. 

For example, emails that use video get a 96% higher click-through rate than those that don’t. It makes sense: video shows off your face, which helps to foster that personal connection.

So if you’re relying on a “spray and pray” approach to email where you’re sending as many as you can hoping for something to stick, just stop. You’ve got way more tools at your disposal. 

2. Make your videos watchable

Just getting started using video in your prospecting efforts is a great first step. But if you really want to maximize your chance of success, then you need to make your videos as watchable as possible.

Most people drop off of videos 70-80% of the way through. So it’s important to structure your video so you get their attention and deliver necessary value as quickly and efficiently as possible—before they click away. 

Here are some tips to make your videos more watchable:

  • Start with empathy. Show the prospect that you truly understand the problem they’re facing. 
    • Lead with value. Catch the prospect’s attention by offering something to help with that problem as early in the video as possible. 
  • Use a list to structure your video. “3 things before our call tomorrow,” or “4 things I noticed on your website.” That will help make the video more scannable and increase the prospect’s likelihood of retaining that information
  • Caption your video. Adding captions to videos can increase the watch rate by up to 80 percent. Captions also help with scannability. 
  • Put your call-to-action in the middle. It logically makes sense to throw the CTA at the end. But by that point, most people have dropped off. Put it in the middle to increase the likelihood that people will actually see it. 

3. Use the prospect’s name off the bat

The first few seconds of a video are key to getting your relationship with the prospect off on the right foot. One great way to do this: use the prospect’s name.

This goes back as far as Dale Carnegie: people perk up when they hear their own name. When you use their name, you set the tone of the relationship as a familiar one, which increases their likelihood to trust you. 

What’s more, when you use a prospect’s name in a video, it’s proof that you aren’t batch-sending messages. You’re taking the time to record a personalized message, which shows that you’re putting effort into building that connection. 

WATCH: 10 Tips for Building Human-to-Human Connections on Sales Calls

4. Don’t just call prospects once

It’s no surprise that phone calls used in tandem with email help to increase the likelihood of a response. 

The problem, however, is that only 10% of sales reps make more than three attempts to reach a prospect. Calling more than three times may seem like a lot, when you consider that it takes anywhere from seven to fourteen touches to get a conversation with a prospect, then frequent follow-up is key to making that conversion. 

Also remember that while email and social media are powerful tools, they have one purpose: to get you on a call with the prospect. That’s the only way you’ll be able to sell them. 

5. Don’t waste time following up if your data is incorrect

Spray and pray is popular because it’s quick and easy. Even if half the data is incorrect, you’re spending so little time on each prospect that it nets out positive. 

But when you’re taking the time to follow up multiple times, record videos, and build relationships with prospects, investing in the wrong people can be a significant time sink. 

That’s why it’s important to do your homework. One tip we recommend at Factor 8 is if you get a voicemail, hit the 0 button to find the directory or talk to someone else in the company. 

What I tell people is: try to be James Bond for about 10 dials. You’re going to learn something critical that will help you find the right person or provide you with important information that you can then use to land the deal:

  • Who reports to who?
  • What system do they have?
  • How long has your decision maker worked there?
  • Are there any current projects that are a priority?
  • How many employers/locations are there?
  • Other key influencers that you should include in the process?

Use your personality, talk to people, and get some critical account information that can help you become more successful as you build your relationship with them over time. 

READ MORE: How to Use Sales Intelligence to Boost Profits

6. Qualify, qualify, qualify

First of all: sales qualification is not the same as lead qualification. The latter is a marketing indication that a prospect may be ready to buy due to their engagement. Sales qualification is about how much money you can make with a particular account—what’s the potential that they’ll buy from you?

There are a number of factors that go into play here:

  • Size of sales team—more reps means more revenue
  • Is the company B2B or B2C?
  • What tools or platforms does the company already have (especially important if you sell SaaS)?
  • Do salespeople have to acquire their own tools or does the company provide them? 

One great tip for this: don’t blow past the gatekeepers! In your haste to get to the decision maker, you may end up missing the opportunity to gain some vital information on the company that can help you tailor your video and phone communications. 

READ MORE: How to Build an Account and Lead Qualification Strategy

7. You were hired for your personality—use it

If marketing could source leads and close deals on their own, we wouldn’t need sales.

The reason you have a job is because salespeople can do something marketers just can’t. You weren’t hired to send canned messages. Marketing can do that more efficiently than you. 

Salespeople are there because personality makes a huge difference in how prospects feel about potential vendors. For many businesses, it’s the people that are the differentiator between themselves and their closest competitors. 

So let people get to know you. You’ve been hired to be a personality. Use it!

If your sales team struggles to use phone and video effectively, Factor 8 can provide the training and resources needed to get everyone up to speed. Learn more about our training and coaching services here. 

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Overcoming Sales Objections

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Quick Tips on Overcoming Sales Objections

If you’re a BDR or SDR, you’ve probably heard your fair share of sales objections. And chances are, you’re likely NOT a big fan of them. I’m here to change your mind. Why?

I LOVE objections.

They’re proof a prospect is actually listening, and at some level, they’re even considering buying. I see objections as a challenge to understand prospects better and to showcase the SWIIFT℠ value of my product. 

Ready to love objections? Let’s get started.

First, let’s understand the difference between a brush-off and a sales objection. If you’re hearing things like “I can’t talk right now” or “I’m not interested,” what the person on the other end of the phone is really saying is “I’d rather be doing anything than be sold to right now.” In these cases, you are experiencing a brush-off. These are typically heard at the beginning of the call and have almost nothing to do with your product or solution. Brush-offs require their own set of solutions, we’ll get to those in another article.

On the other hand, an objection sounds like “we don’t have a budget for XYZ” or “it’s too expensive” or “this isn’t our top priority.” Prospects with true objections are informed. They know who you are and what you are selling. Their objection is directly related to what you have presented to them (i.e. “We don’t have room in our 2022 budget for XYZ right now”).

Now that we understand the type of push-back that we’re solving for, let’s talk about overcoming objections in sales. Think about sales objections in terms of dating. You’ve poured your heart (your “pitch”) out to this potential customer and they’re quickly trying to show you the door. It’s only natural for us to take it personally. But let’s think about it this way, would you rather hear why a prospect is rejecting you, or be ghosted and left wondering why you weren’t a great fit? If you’re anything like me, you need to know “why?!”

So, let’s go over the 4 easy steps to sales objection handling so you can find both a solution and the answer to that “why?!”

SPOILER ALERT: Most sales reps only follow one step and the majority are unsuccessful! The most important thing to successfully handle an objection is to complete ALL 4 steps! 

#1 Acknowledge 

When you first hear an objection, you and your prospect are like two people on opposing sides of the table. You need to move to the same side in order to work together. Start by listening closely to what your prospect is saying to help identify the truth behind the objection and to LOWER defensiveness. Be sure to use your active listening skills here, folks. Nodding your head saying “mmhmm” or “I get that” are all useful cues to let them know you hear them. Go a step further by rephrasing their objection to show that you were truly listening to their thoughts. 

Skipping this first step will leave you sounding defensive to someone whose guard is already up. That is not a recipe for success. So, let’s listen and acknowledge before moving to step 2.

#2 Ask Questions

The end goal of this step is to truly understand the prospect’s objection. Often, the initial objection is superficial. So, let’s use questions to isolate and clarify before we attempt to handle it. Taking a breath and approaching the questions with a calm tone can really help as well. Below are a few examples of defensive questions vs. calm, open-ended questions. 

“What do you mean by that?” vs. “Sure, I get it, tell me more?”

“How could you say we’re too expensive?” vs. “I totally understand. Can you explain more about the cost?”

“You honestly think you don’t need this?” vs. “I hear you. So, what’s your solution to this problem?”

The most important part about this step is asking questions until you fully understand what the roadblock is. 

#3 Overcome! 

This is the step that most salespeople jump to. Reminder: If you skip steps 1 and 2, you are very likely not getting to the root of their objection and are coming off as defensive. This will lead to an aggravated prospect who will likely hang up on you. 

Now let’s talk about addressing the true objection and providing a solution. After years of handling objections, we have found three tactics that show proven results! 

  • Value:
    • Find the SWIIFT℠ value that the client’s objection embodies and use it to explain how your solution will overcome the objection at hand. (New here? Don’t know about the SWIIFT℠ values, yet? Check out the details HERE)
      • Money Example: “You know, if we implement this right now, our solution will help save about five times this investment! And that’s just in the first year. Our projections estimate at least $50k in savings right off the bat! I know it’s scary, but the savings are worth it!”
  • Felt/Found: 
    • This tactic explains the cause and effect of your solution in the context of a previous client or clients.
      • Example: “I get it. Honestly? At least half of my current customers have FELT this way. It’s scary to invest upfront. But, what each of them has FOUND is that the cost savings more than make up for it – and does so quickly!”
  • Story: 
    • This is similar to the Felt/Found tactic but goes into more detail. It’s important to remember that this can be a true story that happened to you or one of your co-workers, it could be a story pulled from a research report (with the names and details adjusted to your specific company), or it could be a story based in truth, with a few exaggerations. 
      • Example: “I get it. It’s a totally normal reaction. You know from the beginning, you’ve reminded me of Bob from Spokane. He was shopping for the same solution – although he picked the XYZ model. He hesitated to pull the trigger too, and he has already recouped 75% of his original investment. That was literally just last month!”
    • When you’re sharing a story with a prospect, remember that good stories have these components:
      • Time
      • Place
      • Main Character
      • Challenge
      • Goal
      • Series of Events (aka Plot)
      • Outcome
      • Details (1-2 fun embellishments or random details)
  • Insider Tip: facts are 20 TIMES more likely to be remembered when they are part of a story! Stories release dopamine to the brain. Which, in turn, causes a deeper sense of emotional engagement with what is said. The brain automatically goes into curiosity and receptive mode (instead of defensive mode). Cool, right!? So, get your clients to drop their guard a bit with a good story! 

DOWNLOAD: 4-Step Process To Overcome Objections

#4 Check-In & Close

In this step, you’ve got to confirm that you’ve answered your prospect’s questions and concerns. After confirming, we push the deal forward to either the next steps or to a close. Only about 10% of customers will close themselves. This means 90% of deals will stall out if you skip this step! Check out the image below to see 5 different types of closes. Which one feels the most comfortable for you?

BONUS! Here are a few additional tips to use after you’ve mastered the 4 steps above:

  • Always run through the proposal live with your client. If you are only emailing a quote you will lose a larger percentage of business. 
  • If you are getting pricing objections from a lot of clients, you are probably selling on features only. You’ve got to include those SWIIFT℠ values! 
  • If you don’t know which questions to ask, then remove the objection. Example: “Suppose you didn’t have ______? How would the situation be different?”
  • If you don’t know what to ask, then ask “why”? Example: “I’m sorry to hear you feel that way. I would like to understand your concern. May I ask why you say that?” 

If you master the 4 steps above, you’ll find those sales objections turning into deals in no time!

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Top Techniques for Closing the Sale

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Top Sales Closing Techniques

So you put in the hard work, you hooked your prospect, you got to the decision-maker, and you’re at the finish line – it’s now time to close the sale.

Time to celebrate? Not quite yet…

A shocking 64% of reps don’t actually end up closing the deal. (and unsurprisingly enough, only 10% of customers will close themselves).

So, why aren’t most reps closing? Hint: there are 5 main reasons.

Keep reading to learn our top sales closing techniques. Buckle in, folks!

READ: How to Close More Deals

You Feel Too Pushy & Lack Confidence

I get it – you don’t want to come off as the “used car” sales rep and hound someone to get your deal finalized. Or maybe you’re just nervous and don’t have the full confidence to take that last step.

Let me help you out here – take a look at the graphic below of the buying funnel. Most prospects are stuck up in the top half – they’re in research mode!

Buying Funnel

When you lack the confidence to ask for the close, you’re letting them stay in an endless loop of research and evaluation without clear next steps. The reality is you should be offering clear steps on the VERY FIRST CALL to lead them into the evaluation phase.

Think about it like this: when you go to buy coffee in the morning or stop to pick up lunch, do you walk up and order? Or do you wait for someone to ask you what you want? You probably stared at the menu figuring out what to get and then someone asked if they could take your order, right? They prompted you out of your research and evaluation mode into the bottom half of the funnel!

Helping lead them into those next phases is the core of being a sales rep! It’s not pushy, and not doing it shows a lack of confidence. This is where you decide if you are a true salesperson or not.

Remember: Closing. Helps. The Buyer.

You Don’t Know How To Ask

If you’re worried it sounds too good to be true – it’s not! You can literally just ASK them questions to inch closer to the close. Okay, so the reality is that a lot of those go-to closes rely on cheesy or crappy tactics. Here are a couple good questions and statements for closing sales to steal:

  • Ask a Question: Did we solve the problem? Did we meet your needs? Ready to move onto the next step? 
  • Make an Assumption: We’ll get this nailed down and start next week. When do you want to take delivery? (You’re acting like you’re already involved in the next step!)
  • Which pitch: Which solution is a better fit right now? Which option is a better match for budget? Do you like option A or option B? 
  • Timeline: You mentioned wanting XYZ in place by next month – working backward we’ll need to ink the contract by next week.
  • Add-On: If we can get this wrapped up by the end of the month, we can throw in an extra license and a live training. 

DOWNLOAD: How to Transition to Close

You Need More Customer Info

Don’t make the super embarrassing mistake of lacking customer insight and information by the time you get all the way to closing!

CSO Insights estimates that 26% of deals are actually LOST because sellers weren’t fully aligned to a buyer’s needs before closing. Save yourself the time and hassle by making sure you know these before you get to close:

  • What is the agreed customer goal or pain?
  • What is the “why” behind the buy/value to them?
  • What’s their budget & timeline?
  • What does their buying process look like?
  • What is their current state vs. desired state?
  • Are there other options/competition?
  • Any personal motivation here?

(Hint, if you need help coming up with a pitch that aligns with their value – check out SWIIFT℠!)

READ: SWIIFT℠ Selling Methodology 

You’re Out of the Closing Habit

Closing is a muscle just like anything else – if you aren’t exercising it, you’re not going to know what to do with it when the time comes to use it!

You can close every single call you have with something we like to call closing for commitment. 

Think about football for a second. You’ve got your first downs to lock it in – and instead of having to go all the way back, you get to start on THAT yard line. Now when you apply to this sales – even if it’s something small you’re getting a customer to make a commitment to you. That means next time you’re starting from THAT point! You’re taking up mindshare with them.

Here’s an example:

You’ll never have to ask yourself if it’s closed because you will know and you will OWN exactly what you need to do.

Always plan for the win!

READ: Increase Close Rates Fast With This Technique

You Don’t Know When to Close

Can you guess the most critical stage when it comes to closing?

Gong did a study on this, and believe it or not – the qualification stage is MOST important. Close rates decline by 71% when the next steps are not covered on that first call. Plus – deals that closed the fastest spent 1.53 times MORE talking about those next steps compared to other deals.

If you have a well-defined sales process, you’re 33% more likely to close your deals (TAS Group). And if you don’t know how to gauge when that is or how it plays out – do a trial close! Try something different!

Sometimes you have to abandon your sales script, and that’s okay.

Read: Quickly Transition to Close on Sales Calls

The more confident you get with closing, I promise the easier this gets. So don’t be afraid to get out there, practice, and remember that there’s a closing strategy for each and every one of those fears you might have. You got this – now go get those deals!

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get stalled deals moving

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How to Stop Prospect Ghosting and Move Stalled Deals

In today’s world, it’s (unfortunately) become the norm for deals to stall out—even when everything felt great on the call. 

You’re not imagining it, prospect ghosting has increased and sales cycles are longer (it’s brutal). But that doesn’t mean you’re helpless. By making some tweaks and improvements to your approach and outreach, you can get deals moving again. 

READ: Top Sales Closing Techniques

Whether it’s ensuring you’ve locked in next steps, gotten a commitment from your prospect, or revived stalled conversations, these tactics will help you avoid deals slipping through your fingers.

1. Close Every Call

If you’re not securing the next step before you hang up, you’re missing out. Deals don’t move themselves, you have to drive them forward. That’s why it’s crucial to close every call. The best way to do this is by using the 4 Cs of closing:

  • Check-in: Ask your prospect, “Did we hit all your top questions today?” This ensures they feel heard and reassures them that you’re paying attention.
  • Commitment: Make sure everyone knows what’s expected before the next call. Are you sending them more info? Are they bringing pricing from a competitor? Clarify all deliverables to ensure everyone’s prepared. It sounds like, “Will you send over the pricing you received from the competition next week after your meeting?”
  • Call bridge: Here’s where the magic happens. Lock in the next step on the spot. Don’t settle for a vague promise of a follow-up. Instead, say, “How does Tuesday at 10 AM look for us to review the proposal?” Pull up your calendars and nail it down before you hang up. No next meeting means no progress. Important: Don’t wait to do this 2 minutes before the call ends! Give yourself time to schedule the next call (so they’re not eagerly rushing to their next meeting).
  • Close: Finish strong with a positive sign-off. “Thanks, I’m looking forward to our next call!” Leave the prospect feeling good about keeping the deal in motion.

TIP: Master the 4 Cs of closing by taking our course, “Closing Confidently”

Now, to ensure no prospect ghosting ensues, you need to lock in your next meeting with these three key steps:

  1. Calendar Invite: Don’t leave the meeting up to chance! Get them to pull up their calendar and schedule it right then. If it’s not on their calendar, it doesn’t exist.
  2. Reminder: As soon as you hang up, send a meeting invite with a clear agenda. This helps keep both of you accountable and sets expectations for the next conversation.
  3. Cell Phone: Always, always get their cell number. This is your backup plan in case they go dark. Having a direct line makes all the difference when it comes to securing that next call.

Combine the 4 Cs with these three steps, and you’ll ensure that every call ends with a solid plan and keeps your deals moving forward. No more ghosting, no more stalled deals!

2. Get a Customer Commitment

Don’t let the conversation end without getting a customer commitment. It’s simple: give them a little “homework” before the next call. When you ask a prospect to bring something to the table for your next meeting—like competitive pricing or feedback from their team—you secure mindshare.

Why does this work? People are less likely to ghost you if they’ve agreed to do something for the next step. It turns your prospect into an active participant, making them more invested in the process and, ultimately, the deal. This tactic keeps things moving forward while solidifying your partnership.

Here’s another way to think about it: Imagine your friend invites you to a party and asks you to bring the beer. You agree, but when the day comes, all you want to do is stay home in your sweats and binge Netflix. Then you remember, you promised to bring the beer, and your friend is counting on you. So, you get up, get dressed, and head to the party, knowing they’d be upset if you bailed after committing. That’s how mindshare works. By giving you a responsibility, your friend increased the chances you’d follow through.

Securing even a small commitment can be the difference between a deal that fizzles out and one that’s locked in with purpose and momentum.

TIP: Take our 15-minute online course “Getting Deals Moving” to get more customer commitments

3. Re-engage Prospects

When a deal stalls or a prospect ghosts, it’s easy to assume all is lost. But a stalled deal doesn’t mean a dead deal! To re-engage those quiet prospects, you need to get creative and tune into buying signs and signals. What’s going on under the surface? Are they asking about functionality or delivery times? Are they showing glimmers of interest but not committing? Recognizing these signals helps you approach the next touchpoint strategically.

Buying Signs and Signals

Mix up your communication channels and don’t just stick with email. Reach out through LinkedIn, send a personalized video, or even text (that is, if you’re text buddies). Keep your messaging light but direct. Something like, “Hey, are you buried in work? Let’s reconnect when you’re ready,” shows empathy. Or, if you want to go a bit bolder, say, “Did I drop the ball somewhere?” to draw out what’s really happening.

Urgency also plays a role here. Is there a deadline approaching or a new feature/product that could catch their attention? Mention that to reignite their interest and get them back in the conversation. And when you do get them back on the phone, don’t book them two weeks out. Leave room for urgent follow-ups so you can capitalize on those buying signals.

READ: How to Quickly Transition to Close on Sales Calls

In this tough sales environment, deals won’t close themselves (in fact, only 10% of customers close themselves). You need to be proactive in securing next steps, getting commitments, and re-engaging prospects when things slow down. Whether it’s using the 4 Cs to bridge every call, locking in a prospect’s commitment with small tasks, or mixing up your re-engagement tactics, these strategies will get your deals moving and keep them on track for a win.

The insight in this article was shared in our webinar, “3 Tips to Get Deals Moving NOW (So You Hit Quota!)” 

Watch it here: https://factor8.com/get-deals-moving-workshop/

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Call Bridging 101: Paving the Way for a Follow-up Sales Call

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Call Bridging 101: Paving the Way for a Follow-up Sales Call

What is Call Bridging?

Call bridging is the art of gaining the next call before leaving the current conversation. It’s a critical skill if you’re used to face-to-face selling and now working the phones.

In my previous posts, I talked about call productivity and setting call goals as critical skills when transitioning from traditional selling to virtual selling. It’s because we often accomplish less on phone sales calls than in traditional face-to-face sales meetings. But we only build a pipeline when we’re able to execute multiple calls.  The key to getting multiple calls is Call Bridging.

Call bridging happens at the end of a call.  It’s a key phrase or question that paves the way for calls #2, #3, etc.

How to Use Call Bridging to Secure a Follow-up Sales Call

When it’s an established relationship, it’s as easy as setting up the next meeting. The key here is being sure you’re showing value during the ask. Everyone is busy and we’re easier to blow off (blow out for my UK friends) when we’re on the phone. It sounds like:

“This has been fantastic Mr. Customer. Thanks for the insight. We didn’t get a chance to cover XYZ, nor for me to share some insights I’ve gained from my network that I think you’ll find valuable. Let’s set up a follow-up call. Does this time next week work for you?”

Note: We aren’t saying that we need to cover key insights about our product or service. We aren’t saying we need to learn more to sell more. We’re offering “cross-pollination” value or the voice of our collective customer in the industry. This intel is a hot commodity!

If it’s a colder outreach, we may need to be more assumptive and simply GIVE ourselves permission. It sounds like:

“Thank you for your time and insight. I’ve learned so much from you and want to return the favor. I’ll call you back later this week so we can finish up.”

There are a million variations of this. Think of them as bases. A home run is their agreement to a follow-up, an appointment set and on the calendar, AND they bring another party to the call or take an action item (we call this “Getting Deals Moving” – Check out The Sale Bar for a full class on the subject)

Third base might just be an agreement to meet and an appointment set.

Second is their agreement to take your call.

First base is them basically NOT saying, “No, don’t call me back.”

Make it a habit to always bridge to the next call.  Go for the home run and even if you land at second you’re doing better than starting over cold.

Bonus tip: Send the calendar invite even if they don’t agree or accept the invite. It will show up on their calendar even if they don’t accept it and they may be more willing to pick up the phone when you call (you MUST call during this time!  Don’t just set a task to follow up, put it in your calendar too!). And if they don’t pick up, you’ve at the very least gained some mind share and a little bit of guilt on your side. When they do finally take your next call, they may even apologize and/or be a touch more open.

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executive presence

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8 Tips to Show Executive Presence on Sales Calls

Congratulations! You got the big boss to attend your call. Now let’s make sure you’ve got enough executive presence to impress them.

Senior executives by definition have less time and patience than any other decision-maker. No big surprise. But you might be surprised to learn they probably also have less knowledge than anyone else on your call. They’ll also have different expectations. Here are some tips for making sure you’re ready to make your shortlist in just one call and understand how to show executive presence.

1. Demonstrate organization ASAP.

Create and send an agenda, be sure the invite and link/location are clear and sent well ahead of time, and start the call with background and introductions.

2. Background is critical.

Even if you’ve been talking with this company for months and this is call #5, you should assume the executive knows exactly none of this history. Help them orient themselves quickly to this meeting by briefly explaining:

    1. Who you are
    2. What industry/space you play in
    3. What challenges you’re helping them solve
    4. Where you are in the sales process
    5. The goal of this call
3. Make everything SWIIFT℠.

(If you’re new to Factor 8, that stands for “So What’s In It For Them”). That means that even if your goal of the call is to get a commitment, you must communicate it in SWIIFT℠ language, like helping them decide to go/no go with the project or if you are a viable solution to their needs (see, it’s about THEIR needs, not your sale).

Let’s pause here for an example. Let’s say you’ve been evaluating training vendors to help scale your sales operation. Your VP of Sales boss has joined the call. The vendor (me at Factor 8) says:

Welcome, everyone! Great to meet you, Mr. Big Boss. Let me start with a quick background. My name is Lauren Bailey, the founder of Factor 8, a rep and manager training provider in the virtual sales space. ABC company is evaluating us to help you with your rapid-scale goal – specifically more onboarding and upskilling for your SDRs, AEs, and managers. This is our third meeting with your team, and today our goal is to answer all of your questions about how it might look should we work together – so you and the team can decide if we move forward. Does that work?

Obviously, you’ll use your own words here, but I do encourage you to plan this out (to be clear, I rewrote this three times!). Script, bullets, whatever works for you, but it’s critical to start clearly and strongly. OK, back to the list.

4. Let them start.

Most execs get a quick read and will instantly have questions to accompany their impressions. As a rule after a strong intro, I ask what they want to accomplish and if they have any initial questions. Then I arrange my meeting to hit their needs in priority order. Try it, I bet 9 out of 10 times they’re sitting on something they want, and until it comes off their chest they’re only half-listening to you.

BONUS: every other vendor launches into their regular dog and pony show. Letting them talk first and systematically hitting all of their requests instantly differentiates you (and clues you into so much!)

5. Start with the big picture.

Executives bounce from meeting to meeting with a huge range of subjects and almost NEVER have the time to pre-read the agenda, email, website, or proposal. So assume nothing! Tell them the category, the goal, or the situation before filling in the details. If you start with the features, the end result, or the specifics they’ll just stop listening and assume YOU are the disorganized one.

Truth: Even my husband has learned to communicate with me this way. It sounds like, “Honey? Got a sec? OK, it’s about our kids’ lunches…”

This is especially important because we work together too, so our “meetings” together could range from commission structures to date nights. 😀

6. Brevity ALWAYS wins.

Go and edit your questions AND your stock answers to cut your words by half. Give a short and decisive answer and then ask if they want an example or more detail.

7. Defer to them.

I don’t mean you should ignore everyone else on the call. In fact, do all you can to make them look very good in front of the boss. But if 2 people ask a question at once, the executive always wins. Check in with them individually to see if they like your direction, agree with the summary you just gave, or have anything to add, etc. They’ve earned their position and although they may not demand special treatment, they’ve probably gotten used to receiving a little.

8. Project confidence.

Even if your answer is, “I don’t know,” say it with a strong tone and volume, promise to get back with them, and then move on. Sit up straight, frame your chest and shoulders in your video shot (if using), and don’t get over-excited. Hemming and hawing, telling long stories, BS-ing, and going in circles with lots of extra words will guarantee you lose.

All of these tips combined will help you project yourself as an equal because executives make fast assumptions about your company and your solution based on how you present yourself in the meeting. It’s OK if you’re 22 and new, just as long as you come off as organized and confident. 

The best thing you can do now is to go back and listen to or watch several recent meetings with this checklist. Give yourself an executive presence score out of 10 and take a few actions on what you could level up. 

Now knock ‘em dead! 

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sales prospecting tips

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How to Keep Prospects on the Phone

Everyone loves to talk about how many calls it takes to get someone on the phone (me included), but not enough of us talk about how to KEEP them on the phone!

If you’re making cold calls or even cold-ish calls, and you FINALLY get someone to answer, you feel a bit like…

Now, don’t blow it. The number one mistake at this stage is to begin a full-on sales vomit.

We give the elevator pitch,

We give the value prop,

We ask a question,

Then we answer the question for them…

All the while we’re still actually tuning in to the fact we are getting a chance to do our jobs and someone is on live with us. And as soon as our brains catch up with our mouths, the prospect is saying:

“This isn’t a good time.” or  “I’m not actually in the market right now.”

We call this an “Early Dismissal” as opposed to an objection (where they have a relevant reason or question based on our actual offering). You might call it, “getting blown off, rejected, turned down, shut down”, or “blown out” if you’re a friend from the UK.

So what do you do when you’re getting shut down in the first 30 seconds of the call? We got you.

#1 Stop Talking Sooner.

The best way to stop the sales word vomit is to never start it. Get a SWIIFT℠ intro down pat. This is a 10-second intro that is designed to get prospects talking FAST.

#2 Save the Value Prop for Minute Two.

Lots of folks think their elevator speech (what I do and why you care) is the same as their intro and that’s exactly wrong. Save this for when they say, “Wait, who are you with again?” Now they’re listening! Another smart reason to save it: Your intro should be as much about them as possible and as little about you as possible. This way we don’t sound like desperate salespeople.

Desperate salespeople consistently get shut down with early dismissals.

#3 Be Confident and Conversational.

If you sound like their neighbor or like they’re lucky to even be talking to you, you’ll have more luck keeping them on! Again, the key to this is a go-to introduction and practice. Yes, write it down if you need to for the first few calls. Then ditch it because reading it sounds neither conversational nor confident!

#4 Master the Brush-Off!

We teach 2 ways to overcome the dismissal and neither is anywhere close to how we overcome an objection. When we overcome objections, we dig into the why and address concerns. An early dismissal is not based on fact. It’s another way to say:

“Leave me alone, I’m busy.”

“I don’t like salespeople.”

“I can’t deal right now.”

So don’t dig in, drive around! The key to keeping prospects on the phone is to get them talking! Do this by bringing up a random subject or even digging into their BS excuse with a question.

For example: 

Dismissal: “I’m not the right person.”

Rep: “So how are things going over there?” (unrelated question), or

Rep: “So there are more folks in your department?”

The key is to not stop! Now ask another question. And another. And before you know it, you’re getting the information out of them you called to get!

Second key: Prevent sounding defensive at all costs! Here’s an example of what sometimes happens that doesn’t work:

Dismissal: “I’m not the right person.”

Rep: “So, you aren’t interested in saving money?”

Prospect: “No you little turd and now I will never buy from you ever.”

Get the difference? I’m not saying to strong-arm, I’m telling you to deaf ear. Keep it sweet and light and go right on past them with another question and before they even realize it, you’ve gotten two qualifying questions answered and the name of the right person to call (or a better time to call them).

It doesn’t work every time, but we see a good 70% plus success rate!

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Sales Voicemail Scripts

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4 Quick and Effective Sales Voicemail Scripts

Are you thinking, “Should I leave a voicemail? Nobody ever calls back! Am I doing something wrong? Why aren’t people calling me back? Can I leave a better voicemail?” 

Don’t worry, you’re not alone… and you aren’t wrong.

A good 90% of our outbound calls end in voicemails and less than 3% are actually returned. Oh boy, math time. That means up to 225 voicemails left every week if I’m making 50 calls a day. And only 7-8 potential clients calling me back. More bad news: That’s because your voicemails are probably bad (sorry). 

Frankly, most voicemails aren’t great. In fact, voicemails are the one time I advocate for a script. Actually, 4 scripts. After 15 years of teaching phone sales, we’ve found 4 voicemails that consistently get more calls back. We’re talking, double to triple more. Ready for the math? That means 14-23 calls back in a week instead of 8. Dude, 14 more conversations every week! That’s like getting a bonus day of selling time every week, for only the cost of changing up a voicemail. Yup, it’s literally that easy.

WATCH: How To Leave A Sales Voicemail That Gets Returned

You want to know the four types now, don’t you? You’re in luck. They’re all below with voicemail scripts. 

Awesome Voicemail Script #1 – Value

Honestly, most voicemails are either all about the sales rep, why THEY are calling, and what THEY want. Or, they are vaguely veiled sales pitches. If you want to stand out, focus all of your attention on the customer instead. We call that So, What’s In It for Them or SWIIFT℠. Each potential customer wants to know if a call back is worth their time, so answer their unasked question immediately by pushing the value. Warning: if you push too hard, these can run the risk of sounding like a sales pitch. So, we find they work best for existing accounts or existing relationships. To use them with a new account, we suggest using it in combo with some mystery. Did you say mystery?

Value Voicemail Script: 

Ted!? LB at Factor 8. (480) 555-2424. I’ve got three things that will save you time this quarter. Call me back for a five-minute run down. I’m at  (480) 555-2424. Thanks!


Awesome Voicemail Script #2 – Mystery 

Folks, FOMO is real. So let’s use it. Just a little mystery can have your potential clients saying to themselves, “Do I know them?”, “Why did they call me?” When you leave them wanting to know more it can translate into real-life callbacks. It may take guts, but when you use this strategy with the right customers, it will pay off!

Mystery Voicemail Script:

Ted!? It’s Lauren at  (480) 555-2424. Call me back. Again, I’m at  (480) 555-2424. 

 

Awesome Voicemail Script #3 – Levers

A lever is information that proves your credibility, convinces them this isn’t a cold call, AND that you know your stuff! A lever can be account information, history, company knowledge, or a person – from either your company or theirs. The BEST lever is their boss. 

Lever Voicemail Script #1: the Boss Lever

Hi Ted. Lauren with Factor 8. I’ve been talking with your boss, Amy, and she asked me to call you so I promised her that I would. Please reach me at (480) 555-2424. Again, Lauren with Factor 8 at (480) 555-2424. Thanks!

See the subtle implication that his boss wants him to talk to me? This voicemail script works if I call Amy and she says, “I don’t handle that, that’s Ted.” I say, “OK, I’ll call Ted,” and then we’re off to the races. I know, this is a special scenario, but use it as often as you can. For a regular lever, try something like:

Lever Voicemail Script #2: the Standard Lever

Hey Ted, LB here over at Factor 8. I’ve been working with your CXS team there for a few years. Will you please call me back? I’m at (480) 555-2424. Again, Lauren with Factor 8 at (480) 555-2424. Thanks!

Awesome Voicemail Script #4 – Urgency

If you’ve ever told someone that you’ll send an email anyway or that you’d call them back anyway, you’ve crushed the urgency in the situation. Reverse it instead! Ratchet up the intensity by adding a timeline and some energy (and even a little mystery). Try to get them to call back immediately after listening! 

Urgency Voicemail Script:

Hey Ted. Lauren calling with Factor 8. I’m trying like crazy to reach you by end of day. Please call me at (480) 555-2424. Again, Lauren trying to get to you urgently. Call me back quickly please at (480) 555-2424.

Of course, we love the good combination message. Bringing a few different voicemail scripts together can create some real voicemail magic!

Combination Voicemail Script:

Ted? Lauren with Factor 8. Sue gave me your name. We need to talk today about your account so I can help save you some money. Please return my call at (480) 555-2424. That’s (480) 555-2424. Talk soon.

This script has urgency, mystery, a lever, AND value! (And you can still say it in under 10 seconds.) Now, that’s a powerful voicemail. I’d call back… wouldn’t you? I hope you found one that speaks to you – so more of your prospects will too.

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discovery call questions

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4 Steps to Asking Better Sales Discovery Call Questions

Prospecting discovery is drastically different from pipeline discovery. If you’re selling something new and you’re leading with the standard exploratory questions that everyone else already Googled, you’re probably not getting through #5 on your list of top ten questions. Stop getting shut down on your BDR, SDR, AE, ISR, Acquisition (really, any new prospect) calls!

The key is to stop focusing on the benefits of your solution and start thinking about what motivates human beings. Because nobody likes change for change’s sake. We NEED motivation!

READ: 5 Questions You Should Never Ask on a Sales Discovery Call

If my cell phone provider called me right now with a better plan or phone that cost nothing more, I wouldn’t change. Why? Because changing phones or plans is a thorn in my side. Changing your grocery store sucks, new apps frustrate me, even changing lanes is a hassle. How often do you change the route you drive for fun? Bought Toyota for decades? On your third Labradoodle? Human beings resist change. It’s a fact. 

Just because you have something awesome, it doesn’t mean I’ll lift a finger to get it. That includes listening to you, learning more, attending a demo, or giving you five more minutes.

So what will motivate someone not expecting your call to consider giving you their most precious resource (time) to learn about something they haven’t thought once about in the past month? 

PAIN motivates change.

Only, not the pain everyone else is talking about. Discomfort or dissatisfaction is just one of four ways to get the meeting. And it isn’t the most successful. Let’s dig in.

  1. Problem: they have a challenge you can solve (normal pain)
  2. Avoiding disaster: there’s a challenge coming and you can prevent it (top motivator)
  3. Improve life: Your solution makes their life easier, better, or gives that appearance
  4. Newness: It’s all about the FOMO with these folks

Let’s take a look at each for a moment. Join me in thinking about PAIN in a whole new way! 

Problem: We all have business challenges and goals, but we don’t start actively looking for solutions until it really hurts or someone has given us a deadline. Sure, I could save on electricity costs with an AC tune-up, but it doesn’t HURT until the unit is broken, I get an outrageous bill, or my spouse tells me to get it fixed or sleep outside. So, the seller’s job when it comes to a problem is to:

  1. Make it hurt more
  2. Sell the relief
  3. Push a deadline
  4. Show pending disaster (check out A: Avoiding disaster)

We do this with smart discovery questions about costs, timelines, potential disasters, and a better life on the other side. Find the root and push on it a bit. For example, if I spend $200 / month on electricity and a new unit could save me 10%, I’m not terribly motivated by a mythical $20. But if you find out my highest bill, and make it an annual number, I am wasting over $600 a year! Maybe I’d love to not worry about cranking it down a few extra degrees this summer and not spending a dime more. What if my unit is already twelve years old and the average only lasts ten? What happens to my pets, my kids, my candles, and my marriage when we spend a week without AC in July? Find the right path and venture down it one question at a time.

Avoiding Disaster: Penalties, losses, or threats are widely cited as human beings’ biggest motivator. (Really, the threat of losing $1000 beats the chance of winning $1000 every time). So how can we do that in sales? Our questions uncover the plan for the future and help prospects see the very real threat of loss. Most units go out in July and August, what’s the high temp in my area? Have I had any experience with this in the past? Maybe a horror story or two? Any kids or pets to worry about? Surely a fifteen-minute appointment or other low-cost tune-up is worth avoiding the serious health threats and expense of a unit that quits during the Memorial Day BBQ…

Improve Life: This is my #1 winner. I’m a working mom desperate to save some time or make things easier. Maybe you can help me make more money? Help me look good to my boss? Enjoy my commute? Love coming to work? Sell it, sister, how do you make me happier? If you’re a student of Factor 8’s SWIIFT℠, nearly all the business values play here. Smart sellers ask questions about the current state, what I like, what I don’t, and how it could be better. They paint pictures of the future utopia and help me see an immediate and big benefit in exchange for a short meeting. 

Newness: These seekers are easy. They just can’t help but kick some tires on new technology. I think they’re looking for what’s newer while standing in line at the Apple store. So use your questions to find out if they’re a bleeding edger or late adopter and dangle some newness. It’s as easy as, “Have you seen the new ______?” You’ll know when they jump on the line.

READ: How Pipeline and Prospect Discovery Questions Are Different

Remember, the goal of a prospect call is to find one raised corner on an otherwise smooth surface. Just enough of an edge that you can use questions to pry up the corner a little and get the meeting. If you’re leading with your product benefits, you’re banking to close only the people literally searching for your product right now. Every few hundred calls and you’ll get one. Quadruple your chances by also looking for the rest of the PAIN with the folks avoiding disaster, seeking improvement, or loving newness. 

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