Outgoing Call Script - RRSP

The following is a four-step introduction you can customize for any outgoing call:

    Introduce yourself and the company you work for (slowly and clearly – (remember to breathe!) and make sure you’ve got the right person.
    State your benefit statement – your reason for calling that translates to a benefit to the client.
    Take the curse off the call – ask if they’ve got a minute to talk.
    If they have time, ask questions to engage the client and take the conversation further into what they are currently doing or feeling about their retirement plan.

We do these steps in this order for specific reasons:

    They need to know immediately who it is that is calling. It’s the number one thought on anyone’s mind when they answer the phone. The second thought is “Why are you calling? Or “What do you want?”
    Tell them why you are calling so they can hear a potential benefit to them in agreeing to talk to you. The order here is important. Why ask someone if they have the time to talk before you’ve given them an idea about why you are calling? That seems a little unfair. Help them make an educated decision about whether they have time to talk with you or not by telling them why you are calling before asking if they have the time to chat.
    If the person is really busy or preoccupied, it doesn’t matter how smooth you are, or what you have to offer, they won’t be listening. No one wants to be on a call where they get the sense that the other person is not paying attention. Take that “curse” off the call by asking if they have time to talk.
    The entire point behind having a script to start a call like this is to get the call into a place where you can ask some questions about what they are currently doing BEFORE you start making recommendations on what they should do. Don’t disappoint them! As soon as they give you permission to continue the call, be consistent with your benefit statement and ask them about themselves. By asking a question immediately you let them know that this is not a telemarketing call but a call from their financial institution to have a conversation about their retirement plan.

Benefit Statements
These are brief, concise statements that let the client know why you are calling. It’s important that these statements do two things:

    Allow the client to see that the call is a benefit to them, not you.
    “Get you in the door”. By that we mean, they are designed to break the ice, not to sell them in the first 15 seconds! We know that people’s initial reaction to these calls will be skepticism, caution and distrust. The benefit statement needs to be short. If it’s too long it will sound like you’re selling and that will turn the client off.

With that in mind, avoid words or phrases that make you sound too much like a sales person. For example:

    I’m calling to offer you…
    I’m calling to tell you…
    I’m calling to inform you…
    We need…
    I need…

“The goal behind a benefit statement is to reduce any apprehension the client may have about you calling and get permission to ask the them questions. It is NOT designed to present your promotion or sell them.”

Why Buy RRSP’s?
The reasons vary, but they can be generalized into two areas that people want:

    A bigger income tax refund or to reduce the amount of tax they have to pay
    A greater sense of security knowing they will have enough money at retirement to live the life they want

Problem First, Solution Second

Avoid calling and just asking for money with a “Have you contributed yet? Or “What are you going to contribute this year?” It sounds just like what it is: a money grab. That may not be the intention of the caller, but it will be how most clients interpret it.

If the motivator for the average person to buy RRSP’s will be so they can have a greater sense of security knowing they will have enough money at retirement to live the life they want, then why not find out first how they are feeling about that plan?

Sample Script: Putting it all together

    Hi, is this Mr. Client? Hi Mr. Client, my name is Bob and I’m calling from the ABC Bank …
    just a quick call Mr. Client to check in with you on how you are feeling about your retirement plan …
    do you have a quick minute to talk? YES
    Thank you, so, how are you feeling about your retirement plan – how is it coming along?

Follow the client's answers looking for specific information that will give you a sense of where they are at. Try to find out things like:

    Are they happy with the returns they have been getting or performance of the funds they have invested in?
    How long have they been investing?
    How comprehensive a plan is it? Do they know exactly how much they will need, month to month, when they retire?
    Who did the financial plan?
    How has the service been they received?
    How does the annual review process go?
    What were their plans for contributing this year?

Transition

If you get a sense that the client is not confident in what they are doing currently, or even if they are not sure about what they have and how they will retire securely, suggest that your company can help and get their permission to come into to speak with someone.

"Mr. Client, it sounds like you are not entirely happy with how your retirement plan is going right now, we have people on staff that are fantastic at giving folks like yourself ideas on how they can feel a little more confident in their investment plan, would you be open to meeting with them just to explore some options?"

Of course, every company will have their own criteria about which clients they want referred into the branch and which they would rather deal with over the phone. By getting the client into a conversation first about what they are doing, it gives you many more options on how to proceed than you would have had when you just called up and ask them if they want to contribute.

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