Sales scripts. Managers love them, but salespeople… not so much. Especially when the sales script doesn’t work like it’s supposed to. A well-crafted script can make the difference between closing a deal and losing a prospect. But what exactly makes a good sales script? Let’s break it down piece by piece to understand what separates winning scripts from the ones that make prospects ghost you.
The Anatomy of an Effective Sales Script
A good sales script is more than just a set of words to recite ad nauseam. It's a blueprint designed to guide conversations without constraining you (it shouldn’t feel like a cage). A good script should act as a foundation that lets you sound like a human, not a robot. Whether you're making a cold call, conducting discovery, or closing, your script should be tailored to the specific stage and objective.
Cold Call Scripts: Be Human & Personalize
The cold calling script is the most important, and the hardest to execute. The first few seconds of your first interaction with a prospect are crucial. A good script starts with a strong opener that immediately captures attention. For cold calls, data from Gong found that using the phrase "How've you been?" as an opening line makes cold calls 6.6 times more successful in booking a meeting. This helps separate you from the hundreds of other reps that open with “Hi [NAME], I’m John calling from [COMPANY]”.... *click*. A good opener should humanize you and your prospect and will help lead to a more natural conversation.
Generic scripts may have worked in the 80s. But today, if you don’t personalize and show the prospect you know them (shoutout #samsales) you won’t get far. Effective sales scripts should show you’ve done your research and understand the prospect's company (at the very least) and have already identified some problems you could solve for them. One of the best ways to show a prospect you’ve done your research is to mention a similar company (maybe a competitor) you’ve worked with before. This tells the prospect that you understand their business and industry and adds a layer of credibility. But be advised, win rates can plummet by 47% in early-stage deals if you mention the wrong company, as it shows the prospect you actually don’t know them.
Discovery Scripts: Ask the Right Questions & Start a Conversation
Discovery calls are all about asking the right questions. But how many questions is too many? Gong's research provides a clear answer: the ideal number of targeted questions per call is between 11 and 14. On a 30-minute discovery call, this gives you less than 3 minutes per question. Follow the 80/20 rule: you should let your prospect do 80% of the talking. A good discovery script puts meatier, more open-ended questions up front so there’s more time for the client to discuss. Save the one-word answer questions like budget, timeline and who the decision maker is for the end of the call in case the prospect is talking a lot about their problems in the first half (this is a good thing) and you’re crunched for time.
Closing Scripts: Ask Direct Questions
48% of sales calls end without an attempt to close the deal. Good closing scripts help reps get clear and direct answers from prospects by asking close-ended questions. You want to get yes or no answers. For each “no” or “maybe” you get, you should have follow up questions ready to go “Can I ask why it’s a no?” or “What would get you from a maybe to a yes?”
A good closing script covers all the necessary bases to get the deal signed. These include getting the prospect to agree on a target date for signature and kickoff, confirming that the key decision maker (or makers) are on board, and who the actual proposal should be sent to for signature.
The real secret sauce for sales scripts? Knowing when to stick to the script and when to riff. It's about having those key points ready to roll, but being human enough to actually listen and respond. Get this balance right, and you'll see your numbers climb. So don't toss your scripts – sharpen them. Make them work for you, instead of the other way around.
