www.reverse-selling.

com

Cold Calling:
The Reverse
Selling Waya
TM

TM

By: Ari Galper

 What people are saying about
Reverse Selling™…

“Reverse Selling finally gives me and my sales team a

validation of what we’ve all known for years: behaving, in
any way, like a traditional sales person (ie using pressure-
triggering words, determined voice tone, over-confidence,
etc.), causes immediate defensiveness by prospective
clients. Reverse Selling goes “behind the scenes” with a
non-aggressive approach that is one of the most
intelligent sales approaches I’ve ever seen. Ari, I’m now a
believer. Thank you.”

Casey Guss, CEO,

Acrendo Software, Inc.

“Reverse Selling is extremely effective. It is a selling

method that I wish was around when I began my sales
career. It has had an immediate impact on our ability to
engage new customers, beginning from cold calling
(which is now a breeze) all the way through the sales
cycle. Ari, feel free to have any prospective client give me
a call at (619) 222-1362 and I’d be happy to share with
them how Reverse Selling has improved our sales
effectiveness.”

Jake Jacoby, CEO , Singlefin, Inc.

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© 2002 Ari Galper. (310) 399-7331
“Ari, just read your e-book and frankly I’m blown away.
All I can think of is the knot in my stomach that I always
felt when making a cold call. Now it’s gone. Your method
to end pressure has opened up new doors for me. I’ve
always been stuck between two worlds, working hard to
retain my professionalism and to avoid any pressure-
filled sales related language. Your Reverse Selling way
of cold calling keeps me centered and relaxed. I no
longer have to shift into an artificial role when I call
someone new. Can’t wait for your next one!”

Matt Yubas, President,

Product Coach, Inc.

“I’m truly amazed that Corporate America hasn’t fully

caught on to Ari’s Reverse Selling program yet. It’s
exactly what the sales industry has needed for years…an
approach that is innovative, intelligent, non-aggressive,
and incomparable to any other sales training program
I’ve seen over that last 20 years.”

Don Newton, Regional VP,

Brother International Corporation

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© 2002 Ari Galper. (310) 399-7331
 Copyright 2002 by Ari Galper.

All rights reserved.

This book may not be reproduced or

transmitted electronically or in any other
manner without the express written
authorization of the author.

"Reverse Selling", "Reverse Selling

Mindset", “Reverse Selling Language”,
“Reverse Selling Way”, and "Ari Galper’s
Reverse Selling. It’s Not About the Sale"
are trademarks of Ari Galper and Reverse
Selling, Inc.

© 2002 Ari Galper. (310) 399-7331

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 Table of Contents

Introduction..............................................................6
What is Reverse Selling? ...........................................................7

Section 1. Reverse Selling Mindset™ ...........................8

What Goes Through Your Mind Before
You Pick Up The Phone? ........................................................... 8

What Triggers This Mindset? .................................................... 9

Take Your Next Step.

Own The Reverse Selling Mindset™ ........................................... 9

Section 2. Reverse Selling Language™ .......................11

Get Started With Reverse Selling Language ™........................... 12

What Do You Say Next? ...........................................................13

Create A Conversation. Not A Pitch .......................................... 15

Reactions From Your Prospective Client ................................... 16

Open, Don’t Close, the Conversation .......................................16

Natural Ending Of The Conversation ........................................ 17

Don’t “Jump The Gun” ............................................................. 17

What If They Say, “Send Me Information”?...............................18

Delivery Is The Key ..................................................................19

Conclusion ............................................................. 20

Learning Options .....................................................21

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© 2002 Ari Galper. (310) 399-7331
Introduction
Do you hate to pick up the phone to cold call because you don’t
want to come across pushy? When you cold call do you fear being
rejected?

No matter how successful you are, you want to improve your sales
and also feel good about yourself.

You probably don’t receive 100% of your new business from

referrals. This means, to gain new clients you need to contact
people you don’t know.

Most buyers and sellers perceive cold calling as a pressure, tension

and rejection-filled sales activity. You can change this perception
with a new cold calling approach. The Reverse Selling Waytm
advocates ease and grace.

You will discover that connecting with new people is as natural as

having coffee with a friend.

Whether you are a solo professional, business consultant,

entrepreneur, small business owner or sales professional, you’ll
find it easy to learn how to cold call the Reverse Selling Way.

This book teaches a gracious approach, designed to keep you

relaxed and your prospective client from feeling pressured.

Learn to eliminate your fears of being perceived as aggressive or

artificial the moment your prospective client says “Hello.” Learn to
unravel your prospective client’s buying process, rather than being
forced to create a sales process for him or her.

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© 2002 Ari Galper. (310) 399-7331
Why Reverse Selling™?
After watching highly trained sales people cave in under pressure
from prospective clients who would say “Enough of the questions
about me and my business, what do you have to sell me?”, I
decided to develop Reverse Selling.

Here’s what I learned from those observations: If we don’t diffuse

sales pressure with prospective clients, we will not be able to fully
uncover their needs. We can ask all the right questions, but the
answers we receive may not be completely truthful because of the
pressure our prospective client feels.

If prospective clients are not comfortable with the way you sell,
they will have difficulty buying what you sell.

Reverse Selling is a mindset based on the principles of integrity and

empathy. It transforms the buyer and seller adversarial role into a
natural and human interaction.

Reverse Selling goes “behind the scenes” to fully understand why

buyers are constantly on the defensive. It also exposes our own
behaviors that trigger pressure within our prospective clients.

In the two main sections of this book, you will first learn the
Reverse Selling Mindsettm: how to shift your mindset and
expectations to relieve any apprehension you might feel.

Then you will learn the Reverse Selling Languagetm: a new series of
phrases and a non-threatening voice approach that does not trigger
sales pressure.

So, turn the page and learn this easy but effective way to start a
conversation with someone new, without creating sales pressure.

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© 2002 Ari Galper. (310) 399-7331
Section 1—Reverse Selling Mindset™
What Goes Through Your Mind Before You Pick Up The Phone?
“I hope this call turns into something…” “If I can just find someone
who shows some interest, I can turn that into a sale…” “It’s just a
numbers game and I’ll have to accept rejection as part of the selling
process…”

Now that is pressure. Not on your prospective client, but on YOU!

And before you even pick up the phone! Think about what goes
through your mind. What are you hoping for?

You’re probably hoping to trigger interest from your prospective

client that will hopefully lead to a sale.

That is very presumptuous, isn’t it? Think about it. You are
automatically assuming, since you believe that your product or
service can solve a problem, the person you are going to call should
consider what you have to offer.

Let’s look at this line of thinking. It’s all about what you want and
hope for. It has nothing to do with the situation of your prospective
client.

Cold calling, the Reverse Selling Way, is not about your hopes and
expectations. It is about the hopes and expectations of your
prospective client.

A trainer once taught me, we all seem to use a “drug” called “Hope-
ium”. We hope when we call someone, it will lead to a sale.

“Hope-ium” is about our needs first and the prospective client’s

needs second. This thinking only leads to random successes and
consistent disappointments.

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© 2002 Ari Galper. (310) 399-7331
What Triggers This Mindset?
This mindset is triggered by the notion that cold calling requires an
aggressive temperament, acceptance of rejection, and sheer determination to
close a sale.

This macho approach conjures up a James Bond image.

The Reverse Selling Mindset is not about James Bond; it’s about
Colombo (the low-key, non-aggressive TV detective). It’s not about
pushing the sale; it’s about creating a comfortable environment for
your prospective client to tell you the truth of their situation.

Rejection is not normal with the Reverse Selling Mindset, it is

abnormal.

It’s also not about sheer determination, which can be exhausting.

It’s about being gracious and having the vocabulary and phrases to
engage in unpressured conversation with a new, potential client.

Take Your Next Step. Own The Reverse Selling Mindset™

How can you begin to change your mindset?

How can you adjust your expectations so that you don’t create
pressure on the cold call, causing defensiveness from your
prospective client?

The Reverse Selling Mindset advocates a shift in thinking. It is

based on not having any expectations when you make your cold
call.

Having expectations creates structure and forward momentum,

typically unwelcome by a prospective client who is only “meeting”
you for the first time. Having no expectations clears your mind and
creates a larger window of opportunity to create an environment of
open conversation.

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© 2002 Ari Galper. (310) 399-7331
You might be thinking right about now, “Wait a second, isn’t selling
about pursuing the sale?” Yes, it is, if you are thinking
conventionally.

With the Reverse Selling Mindset, it’s not about the sale; it’s about
the truth of your prospective client’s situation. There is a good
chance that when you call, they may not have a need, budget, or a
decision-making process for your product or service.

Look at your cold call not as a means to a sale, but as a means to

create an environment to help your prospective client share with
you the truth about his or her needs.

The truth may be a “yes” or “no”. Your willingness to accept either

“yes” or a “no”, as opposed to purely pursuing a “yes”, is what
unlocks the Reverse Selling Mindset.

Shift your mindset and you can start to “let go” of your
expectations that trigger the feeling of apprehension. Begin to
breathe a sigh of relief. Own the Reverse Selling Mindset and you
will learn to cold call without creating pressure.

Of course, you still want to increase your sales ratio, but with
Reverse Selling, it cannot be accomplished with your needs in
mind. It can only be accomplished by focusing on your prospective
client’s needs.

© 2002 Ari Galper. (310) 399-7331 10

Section 2—Reverse Selling Language™
One time or another, you probably either used or considered using
one or more of these introductory phrases on a cold call:

“Hi, this is Julie, I’m with XYZ Consulting, we help companies lower
their costs and improve revenue, and do you have a few minutes?”

“Hi, my name is John, I’m with XYZ Company and I’m wondering if
you might have a few minutes?”

“Hi, my name is Sheryl, I’m with XYZ Consulting, how are you this
morning?”

“Hi, this is Mike, how are you today?”

“Hi, my name is Julie, would you happen to have a few minutes?”

If you are using these or similar phrases, which may include a brief
“commercial” of your product or service, you are in the trap of using
predictable and classic sales language. You sound like a sales
person.

When prospective clients hear phrases that trigger the image of a

sales person, what happens? You know what happens—they
become defensive and retreat with rejection-filled phrases like:

“Thank you, but we are not interested at this time.”

“Send me information and I’ll call you if I’m interested.”

“We are happy with our current vendor.”

“We have no budget for your product.”

“I don’t have the time to consider it, thank you for your call.”

This cycle happens every day, all over the world, by those who have
defaulted to predictable phrases.

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© 2002 Ari Galper. (310) 399-7331
Get Started With Reverse Selling Language™
It’s time to melt away that age-old image of a sales person, so
you don’t trigger pressure within your prospective client.

Here’s how to start your cold call using Reverse Selling Languagetm.

“Hi, maybe you can help me out a bit”

That’s it!

After that phrase (which should be delivered in a low-key nurturing

tone), just pause and wait until your prospective client says, “Sure,
I’ll try.” or “What do you need?”

Let’s pause here. What is happening in this very brief interaction?

You are kindly asking for assistance. You are not pushing to sell
anything. You are simply asking for help.

When people are asked for help, what happens? Think about your
reaction. When someone asks you for help, my guess is, most of
you would consider helping someone in need.

This brief, yet pressure-free approach immediately begins to create

curiosity and diffuse the buyer and seller role. It softens your
approach and begins to humanize the conversation.

You are doing exactly the reverse of what traditional sales people
do. This phrase immediately differentiates you from every other
sales call your prospective client has probably received that day.

© 2002 Ari Galper. (310) 399-7331 12

What Do You Say Next?
The next phrase you say may be one of the following:

“I’m with XYZ Consulting, not sure if you can help me, but we are
exploring a project that may or may not be underway at your
company. It relates to reducing costs associated with hiring new
employees, but I’m not sure if this is something you are open to
considering?”

“I’m calling to explore if you are still considering looking at ways at

lowering the turnover rate in your sales force…but I’m not even sure
if that is something that you still consider an issue worth looking
at?”

“I’m calling to explore the remote possibility that your company has
ever considered the idea of offering coaching to certain employees
to stop any losses of productivity…it’s certainly ok if you haven’t.”

How are these phrases different than the previous ones? They focus
strictly on a potential problem that the prospective client might be
experiencing.

What is missing from these phrases? They don’t contain artificial

niceties that trigger the image of a sales person. Even your name is
not important at this time.

Your name is not relevant unless your prospective client asks you.
What is relevant is the focus of their potential needs that you may
or may not be able to solve.

What is the message behind these phrases? The message is that

you are simply calling to investigate the possibility that there may
be a need in the company that you might be able to help them with.
You are not trying to sell something or even assume they need what
you have.

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© 2002 Ari Galper. (310) 399-7331
Notice at the end of these phrases there is a slight hint of
humbleness, like “I’m not sure…” or “It’s certainly okay if you
haven’t considered…”.

This is important because these phrases help your prospective

client begin to feel that you are not making assumptions about his
or her needs. You are not being a sales person. In fact, you don’t
even sound like a sales person, which is exactly the Reverse Selling
Way.

With these phrases, you’re being humble, not weak. It’s about
integrity, not forced manipulation.

© 2002 Ari Galper. (310) 399-7331 14

Create A Conversation. Not A Pitch.
The Reverse Selling Language is based on creating a conversation,
not delivering a pitch. Now that you’ve created curiosity from your
prospective client, he or she will probably want to know what your
company provides and what your intentions are.

Now is the time to briefly explain, what problems your product or

service can help solve. Here are some examples:

“We are a Human Resource consulting firm that helps companies

offload H.R. activities that may be costing your company more
money than you want to spend…but then again, I’m not even sure if
you have ever considered these losses to be important.”

“We are an Executive Coaching firm that helps executives deal with
daily team issues that may be blocking performance…but I’m not
even sure if you have productivity issues within your teams.”

“I work for an office products company that focuses on business

equipment to keep your business running efficiently…but I’m not
even sure if your company looks at ways to improve office
productivity.”

“We are a software firm that focuses on identifying areas of your

business that may be inefficient, causing you to lose revenue…but
I’m not even sure if that is something you would consider to be
important?”

Notice how these phrases stay focused on issues and problems.

They are not a pitch of your product or service. What’s important are
the problems that you can solve.

The only way to engage with your prospective client is to focus on

problems that you can solve. A sales pitch makes no sense,
especially if your prospective client hasn’t acknowledged any
problems and a willingness to solve them.

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© 2002 Ari Galper. (310) 399-7331
If the conversation is about what you have to offer and not about
the problems at hand, then you are triggering sales pressure.

Help your prospective client feel comfortable sharing his or her

issues and watch the cold call turn into a conversation.

Reactions From Your Prospective Client

What is your prospective client thinking right about now? He or she
might be thinking, “Interesting, where is he going with this?” “Is he
going to pitch me his product or just stay with the flow of the
conversation which is based on my issues?” “Hmmm, I’m not
sensing that this person is trying to pressure me into something, so
I may continue this conversation to see where it leads.”

This humble conversation takes a life of its own. Now, keep in mind,
no approach is perfectly effective every time. You may find someone
who is walking out the door and doesn’t have time to talk.

You may find someone who has been so turned off by sales people
in the past that he or she is hypersensitive to any new person
calling. These types of prospective clients need extra handholding
and graciousness.

Open, Don’t Close the Conversation

The Reverse Selling Mindset and the Reverse Selling Language
generate an open environment for honest discussion. They steer
away from the notion of going for the sales close. You will find
yourself more relaxed, which automatically puts your prospective
client more at ease.

When you have a brief but relaxed conversation with your

prospective client, he or she will be intrigued with what you have to
say.

© 2002 Ari Galper. (310) 399-7331 16

Natural Ending Of The Conversation
What do most sales people say when they want to create a next
appointment? They usually say, “How about if we set up a time for
us to have a second call together or I can stop by to chat more
about this?”

What could go wrong with those predictable sales “next step”

phrases? The prospective client could most likely say:

“Well, thanks for your time, but just send me information.” or

“It sounds intriguing, but now is not a good time.”

These phrases could end the conversation permanently. Why were

these phrases triggered? Because the excitement of the possibility
of a sale causes us to create forward momentum, regardless of the
prospective client’s state of mind.

Don’t “Jump The Gun”

Here are the phrases that won’t perceive you as “jumping the gun”:

“Where do you think we should go from here?”

“Not sure if it would make sense, but, would you be open to setting
up a time to talk further? Of course, keep in mind that there will
never be any pressure at any time.”

That’s right! You are asking your prospective client how he or she
would like to proceed. You’re also asking his or her opinion as to
whether they think it makes sense to continue the discussion.
Notice, you are also creating reassurance that you will not apply
sales pressure.

This lets your prospective client feel a sense of control.

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© 2002 Ari Galper. (310) 399-7331
They must sense that you do not have a hidden agenda (which you
shouldn’t have, if you’ve adopted the Reverse Selling Mindset).

Remember, your goal is not to close the sale during your first call.
Your goal is to open the conversation so your prospective client can
let you know how they would like to proceed in the buying process,
not the sales process. It’s not about your goal, it about your
prospective client’s goal.

What If They Say, “Send Me Information”?

At this point they will either suggest a time to chat again or they
might say, “Send me information.”

Here’s how you can respond to that request:

“Not a problem, what would you like me to send you?”

Your prospective client will then reply with general information

about the topic of your conversation. Then you can reply with:

“Not a problem…what we actually do here is customize information

based on specific needs and I wouldn’t feel comfortable sending
you material that wasn’t targeted to your needs. What might make
sense is if I can customize the information for you based on exactly
what your needs are…does that make sense?”

What’s the message you’re sending with this phrase?

The message is that it makes no sense to send out information until

you better understand exactly what their needs are.

At this point, if there is not an appointment set, you can use your
judgment as to what you’d like to do next. Just keep in mind, those
who have adopted the Reverse Selling Mindset and Reverse Selling

© 2002 Ari Galper. (310) 399-7331

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Language do not create aggressive forward movement and do not
sound like sales people.

Delivery Is the Key

The way you deliver the Reverse Selling Language is critical.

You can only be effective when you converse in a non-aggressive,

low-key, nurturing voice. If you are intense or over-confident, you
will sound aggressive and can easily trigger an adversarial
relationship.

Here’s a tip: For those of you who have children, nephews or nieces,
think about how you are with them (at least most of the time ☺).
Hopefully, you are warm and nurturing, so they feel drawn to you.
Most people are drawn to others who diffuse pressure, not create it.
Deliver the Reverse Selling Language in a relaxed manner and
watch the cold call turn into a conversation.

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© 2002 Ari Galper. (310) 399-7331
Conclusion

Now that you are exposed to a new mindset along with new phrases
to help you open conversations, you can begin to generate results.

Keep in mind, that it will take some practice to make the Reverse
Selling Mindset™ and Reverse Selling Language™ your own.

It’s best to find a buddy to role play with and practice the new
phrases so they are genuine and conversational. Don’t be too hard
on yourself if you find it uncomfortable to be more conversational at
first. We have been so programmed to be artificial, it will take a
little patience to relearn what we’ve been taught all these years.

Warmest regards and stay in touch.

Ari

© 2002 Ari Galper. (310) 399-7331 20

Learning Options - Reverse Selling™

1. Ari Speaking to Your Group

♣ Engaging and dynamic presentation

♣ Dramatic Reverse Selling™ stories and case studies

♣ Interactive role-playing with participants

♣ Audience to experience Reverse Selling Mindset™

♣ Applies to any industry containing a buyer/seller

relationship

"If you get the chance to see Ari’s presentation, don’t miss it! He is
compelling and interactive. His style and tone draws people in, making his
audience feel involved, not just listening passively. The night that I saw
him speak, the attendees didn’t want the presentation to end!"

Mark Better, Learning Specialist, QUALCOMM

To learn more, visit:

http://www.reverse-selling.com/speaking.html

2. Corporate On-site Training

♣ Half-day on-site session

♣ Live cold-calling

♣ Interactive role-playing

♣ Problem solving of participant selling dilemmas

♣ On-going conference call reinforcement coaching

♣ Reference materials

To learn more, visit:

http://www.reverse-selling.com/training.html

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© 2002 Ari Galper. (310) 399-7331
FREE Reverse Selling™ Newsletter
♣ Monthly Reverse Selling insights

♣ Pre-release e-book and other product

announcements

♣ New case studies

♣ List of Ari’s live speaking engagements

♣ Watch the unfolding of the Reverse Selling story

worldwide

To receive the most recent Reverse Selling Newsletter, visit:

http://www.reverse-selling.com/newsletters.html

Chat With Ari “Live”

To chat with Ari “live”, click on the CHAT WITH ARI button on the
Reverse Selling™ home page at:

http://www.reverse-selling.com/

Share With A Friend

If you have a friend who wants to know more about this book, have
them visit:

http://www.reverse-selling.com/

© 2002 Ari Galper. (310) 399-7331 22

Contact Ari

Ari Galper developed the Reverse Selling™ approach based on

more than a decade of experience in sales and sales training,
working with Fortune 100 companies including QUALCOMM, United
Parcel Service, Clear Channel Communications, Brother
International Corporation and Fidelity National Title Company.

With an MA in Educational Technology, and his ranking as top sales

performer in a variety of companies, Ari brings a unique and
contrarian perspective to selling and the sales process.

Ari has worked with thousands of sales people and solo

professionals from many countries including the U.S., Canada,
Australia, U.K. and Singapore. As the author of the e-book Cold
Calling: The Reverse Selling Way and sought-after speaker, Ari has
been a leader in transforming the buyer and seller role into a
pressure-free conversation focusing on client needs.

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© 2002 Ari Galper. (310) 399-7331