C-L-O-S-E-R Sales Call Format: How to Close Sales As a Freelance Writer
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Does getting on a sales call turn you into a sweaty, nervous wreck? Or perhaps you simply feel awkward at the thought of having to sell your skills as a writer?
Don't sweat it (pun intended).
In today's edition, we will cover:
💸 Why you should focus on improving your sales skills more than your writing skills
📊 The sales call "close rate" % to aim for - and my own experience of this
🙏 What has helped me feel more comfortable with selling
⚙️ A sales call format to help you sell more effectively
Feel free to scroll to the most relevant section for you.
Why You Should Spend More Time Learning How to Sell Than Learning How to Write
“But I love writing and hate selling!”
I get it. I had the same view a couple of years ago.
The thought of delivering sales pitches didn’t send a shiver through my spine. It sent 67 😬
The thing is, if you want to establish a lucrative career as a freelance writer, then chances are you’re already anywhere from decent to good or even great at writing.
Yes, you can always improve further. I still think I have a long way to go.
More likely than not, though, both my and your existing writing skills — whether you’re a copywriter, content writer, or a bit of both — are adequate to be paid for writing gigs.
It’s much more common for up-and-coming freelance writers to lack adequate sales skills. Without being able to sell, the writing skill becomes pointless in a business sense.
You’ve got this talent, yet you can’t leverage it.
Sure, you’re at an advantage when it comes to writing outreach messages and cold emails to generate leads. But once you’ve got a prospect’s attention, you’ll usually need to get on a call with them.
And at that point, you can’t afford to freeze.
What Should Your Target “Close Rate” Be?
HubSpot reports that the average sales close rate is between 15% and 30%.
Examples they provide by industry, after analyzing around 9,000 companies from 25+ industries:
Biotechnology industry close ratio: 15%
Business & Industrial industry close ratio: 27%
Computer Software industry close ratio: 22%
Computers & Electronics industry close ratio: 23%
Finance industry close ratio: 19%
One of my regrets is that I didn't track my “close rate” (how many calls led to paying gigs) from the start of my freelancing journey. It would have provided me with helpful data.
Better late than never, though.
I’ve tracked my call close rate in recent weeks.
x4 turned into paying gigs
x2 did not
x2 didn't even show up!
While I don’t have precise statistics on what the rate was in 2020 or 2021, I know it was not this high.
If I had to estimate why the % has increased, I’d bet it's due to a mixture of:
Factor #1
My lead generation at this stage is 90% inbound. I don’t send mass cold emails anymore. People mostly find me through Google search and LinkedIn. I also receive referrals. Prospects are naturally “warmer” when they book a call as a result of inbound marketing.
Factor #2
My sales skills have improved over time, thanks to learning frameworks and over two years of practice. I've been on over 60 sales calls by now, perhaps more than 100 (again, I wish I had the full data on this. Oh well.)
Factor #3
I no longer have a scarcity mentality when it comes to sales calls. If a call doesn't turn into a paying gig, that's okay. As I already have a solid base of income to rely on as a long-term contractor, I enter these calls with curiosity rather than desperation. Prospects pick up on this.
It Surprised Me How Fast My (Once Crap) Sales Skills Improved — Here’s What Has Helped
Ever seen The Wolf of Wall Street?
Entertaining movie, yet it also left me thinking “is THIS how I need to act to be able to sell?” 😬
I don't have that bold confidence or swagger of the Wall Street wolves. My personality is more reserved, polite, and cautious.
Freelance writers have a few potential advantages to lean into, though. While this isn’t true across the board, many professional writers I have met:
Have better listening skills than 80%+ of people
Are more respectful than 80%+ of people
Are more patient than 80%+ of people
You and I may not have loud, dominant personalities that can bamboozle people into getting their credit card out within five minutes.
But if you can listen to your prospect with full attention, be respectful, and remain patient and calm, you have a good chance of making a positive impression.
You may surprise yourself at how effectively you can secure new clients focusing on those qualities alone.
When I switched roles from thinking I had to talk the prospect into buying to, instead, actively listening to them until they feel ready to buy, the whole process became easier.
I didn't feel like a fraud.
A fake.
A slimy salesman.
I just felt like a guy listening to someone's story and taking a genuine interest in what they had to say.
How to Sell, Sell, Sell With This Sales Call Format
Learning the C-L-O-S-E-R framework by Alex Hormozi (Founder of Acquisition.com) was a game-changer for me. I recommend you learn these six steps to structure your future sales calls:
STEP #1 - Clarify
Establish why the prospect is speaking with you today.
STEP #2 - Label
Name the main problem they want to solve.
STEP #3 - Overview
Discuss the difficulties they've faced until now with trying to solve this problem.
STEP #4 - Sell
Focus on selling them the dream outcome that they want to experience.
STEP #5 - Explain
If they seem hesitant, explain away these concerns one by one until they feel reassured.
STEP #6 - Reinforce
Reinforce the decision they have made so that they leave the call feeling good about it.
To add to the C-L-O-S-E-R sales call format, there are a few other golden tips I’ve picked up along the way from different people I look up to:
➡️ 1-10 scales
Towards the end of the call, ask them on a 1-10 scale, how interested are they in working together. If it’s not a 9 or a 10 by that point, establish why this is the case. It shows enthusiasm and gives you a chance to overcome obstacles that you would not have been granted otherwise.
➡️ Assume the close
Use “we” to give the feeling of being on the same team as your prospect, as if a collaboration has already been established. Example:
“Okay, so we’re going to work on X with a view to getting this project finished by Y. Sound good?”
➡️ Set your expectations
This is a “power move” and can take prospects off guard.
You want to show that the call isn't only about you trying to persuade them to work together. They also have to show they’re a worthy client.
State clearly what your work process is. Details you should express are:
How long you can hold the offer for
The expected submission date
Conditions for edit round/s
The payment structure
The guarantee (if you have one)
Thanks for stopping by. I hope this edition helps you to feel more confident and prepared for your next sales call.
Go close that deal 😎
Declan Davey — Freelance Health Copywriter
P.S. Want to be a successful freelance writer?
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