How I learnt that Phone Skills Training is Essential
It takes a lot of money and effort to get the phone to ring with a potential new customer! The marketing cost for each inbound prospect call is between $50 and $200. Whether the prospect buys and how much they spend is totally dependent on the quality of the call and the skill of the person answering the phone. Most staff just do the minimum required – they answer the customer’s basic questions or just take the order – but they don’t do much selling. That’s where Phone Skills Training comes in.
For many years, prospects at our Wedding Venue (mostly brides) would phone and ask us questions about two main things – either price or availability – and staff would politely tell them the answer and be off the phone in a few minutes or less. Most prospects were pleasant but never called back and we lost a huge number of potential sales as a result. Our phone call sales conversion rates were below average and our business struggled financially.
Some of our front desk staff had a nickname – “Professional Sales Murderer”. They were so busy looking after reception duties at the front desk, they had NO time to answer the phone and wanted to get off the call as quickly as possible. 30% of the time the calls went unanswered, sometimes they said “all the information is on the website” or “we are already booked out for months”. Effectively killing the sale. They never wrote down the details of the person making the enquiry and rarely ever phoned anyone back.
That’s when I discovered that hiring a good phone enquiry person and organising phone skills training is essential.
Asking Great Questions and Listening
It wasn’t until we learnt the technique of asking great questions that we made those additional sales and turned the business around. Selling is NOT telling – selling is all about asking questions and active listening. Don’t just blurt out your price – always discuss your value before revealing your price! It would be like a doctor prescribing a cure without effectively diagnosing the problem.
A single question (just 15 words) turned the business around and made us our first million dollars. Five years later we found a power phrase (another 20 words) which was the key to “selling off-peak” – filling up in our low season and quieter times.
Let’s start at the beginning with answering the phone – Have you ever noticed that different staff answer the phone in different ways? Some staff are much more effective than others at getting names and building rapport early in the conversation. A happy attitude and voice tone is important – but the specific opening words you use are vital for making more sales.
We found adjusting to the pace and mood of the caller was critical – matching a fast or slow speed (quick and loud or slower and quiet) and a focus on either results or relationship (sense of urgency and the amount of small talk required) were important.
Phone Sales Training
We developed a detailed phone script – a structured list of the best possible questions to ask any phone enquiry. Using the phone script doubled our sales conversion from phone enquiry to sale. The trick with the phone script was not to ask all the questions hurriedly or rudely like the Spanish inquisition, but to build lots of rapport with the prospect during the diagnostic process – and spend more quality time on the phone. Compliments, common bonds and appreciative enquiry techniques helped build rapid rapport. Use of question softeners like “Do you mind if I ask…” helped build trust and respect quickly and sales grew substantially.
It was crucial to find out fast whether they were a past customer or had much experience in our industry so we developed several great questions for finding out the source of the enquiry up front.
Sales confidence and competence was important – prospects could tell when you were new or not very confident. The fastest way to become an expert was to really know your stuff – we trained and drilled our staff on the “seven Reasons Why?” and sales role-playing paid dividends. With each enquiry potentially being worth thousands of dollars, it was too expensive to let newbies handle the customer enquiries. The SAS have a great saying about training – “Better to sweat on the training ground that bleed on the battleground”.
Using a few special words really made a difference to sales conversion – for example just saying the words “because” or “which means” turns any feature into a useful benefit for the customer.
We practiced overcoming the most popular objections and prepared some phrases and greats responses.
Most prospects buy on emotions so the choice of closing question was important. It needed to be tailored to the particular type of customer – for example “How does that look?, How does that sound? or How do you feel about that?” – Don’t ever ask “What do you think?”
Up-Selling Skills
Once we had landed the sale, we could go after the high profit Add-ons. The favourite at McDonalds is “Would you like fries with that?” but did you know there are even better ways to ask for add-ons?
Depending on the way you ask you can get either a poor result or a spectacular one. Techniques such as using your personal recommendation, use of visual and tactile sales aids, the magic nod, staff incentives, future selling and telling success & war stories really boost the sales of add-ons and extras.
Repeats and referrals are the key to any business – you can turn one customer into many sales. Asking questions that explore further possibilities – Think ”What else?” and “Who else?” when talking to your customers. Give them a personal checklist of all the great uses for your products and ask if they know anyone that is your “target customer for the month”.
FAQs about Phone Skills Training
Q: Why is answering the phone poorly such a costly mistake for a business?
Every inbound enquiry represents real marketing dollars already spent — often between $50 and $200 per call. If that call goes unanswered, is handled with indifference, or ends without a next step, the business loses not just a sale, but potentially a repeat customer, a referrer, and thousands in lifetime value. Phone skills aren’t optional — they’re profit protection.
Q: What’s the biggest mistake businesses make when staff answer price or availability questions?
The most common mistake is giving a straight answer too soon. When staff lead with price before building value, they shortcut the sales process. It’s like a doctor giving a prescription without a diagnosis. Skilled phone staff ask smart questions first — building trust, identifying needs, and framing benefits — before quoting or checking the calendar.
Q: How can a single phone question boost conversion rates dramatically?
The right question opens the door to understanding motivation. For example:
“Just so I can guide you properly — what’s prompted your call today?”
This simple phrase shifts the call from transaction to conversation, uncovers urgency or pain points, and allows the team to tailor the response. Many top-performing teams have one or two of these “million-dollar questions” that consistently uncover buyer intent.
Q: Why do so many staff fail to follow up with phone enquiries?
Often it’s a mix of poor systems, low accountability, and lack of training. Some staff assume if the caller didn’t book, they weren’t serious. Others don’t capture full contact details. Without a CRM or a follow-up list of “warm maybes,” leads disappear. Effective training embeds habits like call summaries, next-step offers, and gentle, helpful follow-ups.
Q: What’s the impact of tone and pacing on phone sales performance?
Massive. Your tone is 80% of the first impression. A rushed tone says, “You’re not important.” A flat tone says, “I’m bored.” Skilled phone staff match the caller’s energy — fast or slow, chatty or direct — while maintaining clarity and calm. It’s the difference between sounding like a trusted guide vs. someone ticking boxes.
Q: What’s the danger of having untrained front desk staff answering sales calls?
They may be polite and helpful — but unintentionally kill the sale. Common phrases like “It’s all on the website,” “We’re booked out,” or “Let me know if you’re interested” sound harmless, but they end the conversation prematurely. Without a trained structure, rapport-building, and active discovery, the business misses out on high-converting, warm leads.
Q: What makes a great question during a phone enquiry call?
Great sales questions do three things:
- Show genuine curiosity and build rapport
- Help uncover the caller’s emotional motivation
- Guide the conversation toward a tailored solution
For example:
- “What are you hoping to achieve with this?”
- “Have you looked into options before, or is this the first step?”
These questions create space for trust and reveal buying signals early.
Q: How do you overcome objections without sounding defensive or pushy?
- Use empathy and reframing. For example, if someone says “It’s expensive,” respond with:
“That makes sense — may I ask what you’re comparing it with?”
Then guide them back to value:
“The reason many of our clients choose us is because…”
Avoid arguing. Instead, validate their perspective and redirect to outcomes and benefits.
Q: What are some alternative phrases to “Would you like fries with that?” for upselling?
Try these high-converting, service-led alternatives:
- “Most clients also choose to include…”
- “If it’s something you’re open to, I’d recommend adding…”
- “This goes really well with…”
- “Some of our best results come when this is combined with…”
Subtle, value-focused language works better than direct upsell scripts — especially when combined with enthusiasm and personal endorsement.
Q: How do you train staff to ask for referrals or repeat business during a call?
Use soft but specific phrasing:
- “Do you know anyone else planning something similar?”
- “We also help with X — would that be of interest later on?”
- “Here’s a list of ways people use this — feel free to pass it on.”
Encourage team members to see each caller not just as a single sale, but as a gateway to multiple opportunities.
Q: What’s the best way to train new staff in phone skills without overwhelming them?
Start with the essentials:
- Greeting tone and phrasing
- 3 discovery questions
- How to handle price and availability enquiries
- The “next step” close
Pair them with a mentor, use call recordings for feedback, and gradually layer in upsell, objection handling, and follow-up techniques. Keep it simple, repeatable, and measurable.
Best Books on Inbound Phone Enquiries
- Stop, Ask and Listen by Kelley Robertson
- How to Sell More in Less Time with no Rejection by Art Sobczak – Volume 1 and 2
- Telephone Tips that Sell by Art Sobczak
Further Reading about Phone Enquiries & Phone Skills Training
- Read Dave’s Blog – How to Turn Phone Enquiries into Sales – Best Questions to Ask
- Read Dave’s Blog – How to Train Your Phone Team to Convert More Enquiries
- Read Dave’s Blog – Asking Million Dollar Questions – Best Questions to ask Customers
- Download Dave’s FREE E-BOOK – Top Telephone Techniques – Using the Phone to Make More Money
Find out more by contacting David Staughton today
