The CRAP Report

One of my favorite Brady Bunch episodes was the one were Greg was asked to become a singer named Johnny Bravo.  He thought he had made it!  What Greg didn’t know was that he wasn’t really wanted for his singing ability, as his first song becomes electronically enhanced (much to his chagrin).  By the end of the episode, though, we find out that Greg was only wanted because “he fit the [Johnny Bravo] suit.”  Greg wanted to sing his own songs, and not have them doctored.  When he realized he was just wanted because he fit some mold, he was ready to move on.

When it comes to teleprospecting rep’s (TPR’s), though it would be awesome to see a bunch of people wearing Johnny Bravo suits around my office, I want TPR’s to have Greg’s attitude when it comes to making calls.  I want them to be their own person.

What do I mean by that?  I’m talking about scripting, actually.  TPR’s should certainly have some framework with which to follow, but at the end of the day, we shouldn’t want them to read a script like they’re Judy the Time Life operator (no offense Judy).  They’ve got to be able to have business conversations with prospects.  Unfortunately, quality can’t be scripted.  If you’re looking to put qualified sales opportunities in front of your sales team, you’ve got to get them from TPR’s who can get them without sticking to a script.  God forbid a prospect asks a question that isn’t on the script!  You ever see a TPR who can’t break from a script during a situation like this?  It’s not pretty.  It’s about as uncomfortable as an afterschool special in ’73 (I’m looking at you My Dad Lives in a Downtown Hotel).

Having business conversations with prospects outside the outline of a script is a must.  If you’re evaluating vendors to supply you with qualified sales opportunities, make sure they can talk your product.  If you’re just looking for TPR’s who can fit the suit, you’re not only selling yourself short, you’re telling your prospects a lot about how you value their time.