Please be aware that canvas sales to private consumers is generally illegal in Denmark, except for e.g. sale of newspapers, books, insurance and subscriptions to rescue services. So only use this method if your company sells to other companies. Read more about the Consumer Agreements Act here >

The discipline is feared for several reasons, including because it is one of the most ineffective sales methods available and because as a seller you have to count on a lot of rejections. As a seller, you must therefore be prepared that it is hard work. At the same time, however, canvas sales is a discipline that is essential for many companies when they need to find new customers.

Here is an introduction to how to get started with telephone sales through cold canvassing. Read about the three customer types, the structure of the conversation and get some general tips for good canvas sales.

Know your customers

A successful sale depends on two parameters: type of customer and choice of sales method. You must know the type of customer you are dealing with and structure the conversation so that it suits the customer.

When you, as a salesperson, contact potential customers, there are, roughly speaking, three types of needs you are trying to fulfill. This means that there are three different customer types that must be handled in different ways.

Although potential customers may have many different needs, there are three questions that every salesperson should keep in mind:

• Does the customer know he has a problem, a challenge or a need?
• Is he motivated to solve the problem?
• Does he know what he needs to solve the problem?

This gives three types of customers:

The knowledgeable customer

Your customer knows he has a problem, wants to solve it, and is aware of what he needs. Such customers come to the seller with the question: "I need an X, do you have one?"

If you, as the seller, have what he lacks, the sale is easy and quick. However, the situation can be difficult if you do not have exactly what the customer is missing. Then you should ask some questions that will help you understand the problem and identify an alternative solution. However, this requires that you can convince the customer that what you are selling is better than what he wants.

The solution-seeking customer

Your customer is aware that he has a problem and is motivated to solve it, but does not know the solution. Therefore, this type of customer typically asks the salesperson for help.

In many ways, this is the ideal customer, because you (the seller) are seen as a savior, helping the customer solve a problem while at the same time selling. The trick is to find out if the products you sell actually solve your customer's problem.

The ignorant customer

Finally, there is the customer, which many sellers try to avoid, as it often requires a lot of work to sell to the ignorant customer. This group of customers does not know they have a problem or they are not motivated to solve it. Therefore, they reject the seller's first contact attempt.

The dilemma for the seller is that many of your potential customers belong to this group. Which is good. But the sales work is big. Which is bad.

To sell to the unaware customer, you can use two different techniques: The problem-solving and the problem-creating.

• Problem solving. This technique increases identifying the easy sell. A number of pre-investigations are carried out to filter out the group of ignorant customers. This is done by asking a few questions early in the sales process.

The focus in this type of sale is thus to solve the customer's problem with the products the seller has.

• Troublemaker. This sales technique turns away far fewer potential customers and is often used when it is difficult to find the customers or when a relatively small portion of your customers are aware that they have a problem.

Here you expect to have to convince the customers that they have a problem and are therefore called problem-makers. The biggest breakthrough in this type of sales is when you succeed in convincing the customer that he has a problem.

The structure of the conversation

The first time you call a potential customer, you can structure your conversation like this:

1. Grab their attention
   Say something that grabs their attention. Eg.
   - Good morning, Lars Jensen.
   Do not use clever trick openings, we all know them and there is a high risk that the customer will be offended.
   - If I told you that you could double your income but only pay half as much in taxes, would you be interested?
2. Identify yourself
   Your potential customers want to know who you are, so quickly and simply introduce yourself and your company.
   - My name is Hans Olsen from Nielsen and Partners, the largest recruitment agency in Denmark.
   Don't try to sound more credible by telling them how great you are. Then you lose their respect.
   - My name is Hans Olsen, employee of the month, at Nielsen and Partners.
3. Tell why you are calling
   Give your customer a good reason to continue the conversation by clearly explaining why you are calling.
   - The demand for the best employees has increased by 100 % in the past year, and I am calling to find out if you are also affected.
   Again, be careful about advertising your product, it will probably make them lose interest.
   - We can solve all your employment problems with our fantastic services.
4. Assess the potential
   Before continuing the conversation, you need to know if this customer is worth more of your time. You must therefore make an initial assessment of the potential. While later in the conversation you make a more thorough assessment of the customer potential, a quick assessment early in the conversation will sort out the people you cannot expect to sell to.
   - May I ask if you have any plans to hire during the coming year?
5. Next step
   If the answer shows there is no potential for sales, thank them for their time and hang up. If, on the other hand, the person is still a potential customer, you continue to the next step.
   - Do you have the opportunity to continue this conversation face to face?

Canvas sales is probably one of the most frustrating and thankless jobs out there, as you risk having to deal with hundreds of rejections every day. Some of which may be less pleasant.

The characteristic of successful telemarketers is therefore that they possess a robust optimism and a strong belief in themselves.

Read more:
How you can motivate yourself through your no's >

7 tips for better phone sales

1. Be personal (but not too personal)
   Recognize that the customer is human and that you are too. Use the customer's name, but find a good balance. Too frequent use of the name can appear artificial. Also tell what your name is. Reveal a little about yourself, but again; not too much.
2. Show respect
   Always show the person that you respect him/her. You have not been asked to call and need to show that you are worth their time.
3. Ask for their time
   If you ask for a few minutes of the person's time and she says yes, then she will feel obligated to give you the time as well. However, make sure you stay within the agreed time.
4. Talk about the benefits
   Mention early in the conversation which benefits your product can offer the customer. This helps you keep the customer's interest.
5. Try to wonder
   It can be an effective little detail, but try to wonder aloud if the customer wants to do what you want them to do. When you wonder, in this way, you suggest that they do it without directly asking for it.
6. Proceed to the next step
   The success parameter in canvas sales is often to make an agreement to continue the conversation at another time. It can, for example, be that you are allowed to send them some material, or if you can agree that you may call back later. It is best to make an agreement at a specific time for a meeting.
7. Make them feel good
   Regardless of whether you manage to arrange a meeting or not, it is always important that your potential client is comfortable. Therefore, give compliments and remember to say thank you. Even if they reject you, it is important that you end the conversation in a positive way.