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11 Global Expansion Best Practices to Enter New Markets

Is global expansion on your next business meeting agenda? Any business aiming for success will consider entering the global market at some point. This is because expanding beyond your immediate …Read More »

Is global expansion on your next business meeting agenda? Any business aiming for success will consider entering the global market at some point. This is because expanding beyond your immediate location can help increase sales and credibility. But how do you make such a big decision and ensure it doesn’t fail? Here are some best practices and tips to consider when going global.

11 Global Expansion Best Practices to Enter New Markets

Considering global expansion for any business can seem like a daunting task. However, there are plenty of tools and resources available to make this transition as smooth as possible. Here we outline best practices to consider when expanding internationally. These practices are divided into different stages:

  • Planning
  • Presence
  • Follow-Through

Stage A: Planning

The first step to any business’s global expansion strategy is thorough planning. This includes choosing which markets or areas to target and how to go about targeting them.

1. Which Markets to Target
Conduct market research and gather data and intelligence that can help you determine which regions are prime for your business. Create new buyer personas and study different demographics. Research customer behavior, preferences, patterns, and local trends. Consider: what is the demand for your product and purchasing power of your buyer persona?

2. How to Target New Markets
You can start small by test-selling specific products or services in these markets to see how they respond. You may even consider using research and small business tools made available by the governments in those areas.

3. How to Offer Sales and Support in These Markets
Open lines of communication between your main office and the new areas you want to target. Common options include contact forms, live chat on the website, social media accounts, and local phone numbers. This way, you can sell and provide support to entities located in these new markets.

4. International Payment Methods
An important aspect of global expansion is to make processes easy for customers and clients in different states and countries. One of these processes includes setting up international payment methods. In order to decide which payment methods are useful, you will need to research the local buyers’ preferred methods. Additionally, ensure that this payment method has a reputation for security and is credible.

Stage B: Presence

Now, once you’ve decided which markets to enter, the next step in global expansion is creating and maintaining a local presence in these markets.

5. Global Marketing with Partnerships
Start by establishing connections and partnerships with local experts and business contacts. A local partner that has access to the right network of customers, employees, and contacts will prove beneficial. This way, you can quickly enter the market, access the right audience, and create your local presence. You may also consider starting on existing online marketplaces like eBay, Amazon, etc. You can test the demand and make the necessary changes before you start selling with full force.

6. International SEO
Next, you want to optimize your online presence with international SEO strategies. International SEO is like geo-targeting where you’re optimizing your website for different countries and languages. It helps search engines identify the countries you want to target. Then it provides the tools to support your marketing efforts. For example, it may offer different languages you may use or show users local results before international results, etc.

7. Global Sales Development
Now it’s time to start making calls. Once you’ve got your partnerships set up and your website optimized for different markets, the next step is to increase brand visibility and awareness in these local markets. To do so, you can use phone sales. A business phone service can support your sales development strategy by letting you call your local, long-distance, and international customers. Furthermore, you can buy international SIP trunks in order to display a local phone number instead of a number they don’t recognize. This way, you can establish connections virtually while taking your time with opening a field office.

Stage C: Follow-Through

Once you’ve got your markets ready and have partnerships and communications set-up, the next step in global expansion is to start making sales and offering customer support. There are a few different ways you can do this. The best way is to get virtual phone numbers and talk to your business contacts over the phone. Here are the most important tools to consider.

8. International Toll Free Service
An international toll free number is a toll free number for different countries. In other words, each country has designated toll free numbers that customers from within this country can call for free. Global Call Forwarding is the most trusted provider of international toll free numbers. Your business can get international toll free numbers for each country that you want to do business in.

9. 24/7 Customer Support
Another important global expansion best practice is to offer 24/7 customer support on different channels. This includes phone, email, live chat, SMS, trouble tickets, and more. You can offer after-hours service by developing an efficient automated self-service system that resolves common queries. Most commonly, businesses will facilitate global customer support using ITFS. Customer support is often handled by workers in remote locations and different time zones.

9. Regional Offices and Infrastructure
Ultimately after reaching global revenue targets, your business will need to open regional offices and colocation centers. Regional offices will host local staff in each region. In addition, your critical infrastructure will be hosted at colocation centers. You can find co-working spaces and regional data centers by doing a quick search online.

10. Local Phone Numbers
Local numbers have specific area codes that distinguish them from other areas. Local calls are charged local rates instead of long-distance rates. This is why businesses choose to get a local business number so local customers can contact them without any hesitation. When it comes to driving international growth in 2020, convenience is more important than ever. Your business should aim to provide a convenient experience as part of your follow-through.

11. Universal Freephone Numbers
A UIFN is a single, universal toll free number accessible from 45 different countries. However, this list of countries is predetermined and cannot be altered. If most of the countries you want to do business with fall under this list, then you search for a UIFN to streamline your inbound calls.

Start By Setting Up International Communications

We at Global Call Forwarding can set you up with local, international, and toll free numbers to get your international communication taken care of. Start by signing up for a new business number or porting your existing number on our homepage. For more information, call us at 1 (888) 908 6171.

virtual team communication tips

Virtual Team Communication: 10 Proven Tips for 2020

Is your business considering moving to virtual offices? Then you need to be well-versed in virtual team communication tools and practices that will maintain productivity and efficiency. Tips for Virtual …Read More »


Tips for Virtual Team Communication

When businesses allow for remote working, there’s always a certain level of nervousness attached to it. How will managers communicate with remote employees? How will different teams or offices communicate with each other? How do we track progress and productivity? Here are 10 proven tips to ease virtual team communication to ensure productivity.

1. Make Remote Working a Reality

In this day and age, a business that absolutely does not consider work-from-home as an option may run the risk of losing good employees. The most popular reason why business managers don’t want to consider remote working is because it’s hard to keep an eye on employees and maintain accountability. However, with the right work from home setup, you can establish and maintain communications while tracking the progress of remote teams.

When working remotely, many issues may pop up such as:

  • Lack of collaboration
  • Inability to contact employees
  • Urgent problem-solving needs, and so on

However, the right tools and platforms can help resolve these issues and create a more cohesive virtual office. Here are some of the tools available right now that can assist your team in virtual environments.

2. Invest in Reliable Technologies and Platforms

When working virtually and in different locations, what are the best ways to keep in touch and track your employees’ performance? The most popular answer: project management and cloud phone systems.

Project management systems can help track progress and milestones. On these platforms, teams can work together on projects and share them through the internet. As a manager, you can have access to your teams’ tasks and projects, and keep yourself up to date.

Get a business phone system that enables voice and video communication over the internet. Your entire team can make calls from their computers. This helps reduce costs and maintain connectivity. Communicate with employees as and when needed. Additionally, you can have calls routed to specific employees to ensure everyone is doing their job and no employee is sitting idle.

3. Choose the Right Virtual Team Communication Tools

Similar to the above point, depending on your business’ functions and needs, you will require appropriate virtual team communication tools. These include:

  • One platform for all communications (phone, email, chat, SMS, etc.)
  • Call forwarding and call transfer
  • Call recording software to record business calls
  • Audio and video conferencing
  • Project management systems
  • File storage and collaboration tools, and more

Find applications and software that work best for your teams. This may require some trial and error but getting the right tools can positively impact collaboration and productivity, even when working remotely.

4. Offer Different Mediums for Easy Communication

Don’t just stick to email or phone conversations for quick support. You may consider having a chat or SMS tool that can be accessed via their smartphone. You can also develop a system where employees who have queries or encounter issues may submit trouble tickets or “problem-forms” and receive the right solution via email. The trick is to offer different ways to stay connected.

5. Consider Time Zone Differences

Remote teams are not always located in the same city or country. And for this reason, all of your employees need to be aware of the different time zones involved. You may consider creating an online spreadsheet detailing contact and time zone information. This ensures no calls and meetings are conducted at inappropriate times. A time zone calculator may prove useful so users don’t have to spend time calculating the exact hour.

6. Create Guides, Knowledge Bases, and More

Another important aspect of virtual team communication is the ability to quickly access important or necessary information. One way to do so is by creating reliable communication channels (as mentioned above). However, another effective method is to create support guides and knowledge bases that can be accessed by relevant people. The point is to provide easy access to information so employees can do their jobs effectively. These guides can be stored on Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft’s OneDrive, or on your project management system’s storage feature.

7. Monitor Metrics and KPIs

Next, monitor important and relevant KPIs instead of constantly micromanaging and monitoring your employees. Focus on the results of their performance instead of how they are getting work done or how long they’ve been at their desk.

8. Make Goals and Proper Business Communication Behavior Clear

All your teams and employees need to be on the same page and know what the final goal is. The same goes for proper business communication. Define, explain, and practice. For instance, are emojis or GIFs allowed? How does voting take place? Does everyone need to respond or do only relevant people? How many times should employees check their messages or email, every 30 minutes or every hour? And so on.

9. Avoid Long and Unnecessary Video Calls

Video calls are necessary at times to get everybody on the same page to receive quick updates. However, it is easy to go off-track and end up on video calls for more time than needed. Therefore, plan to have video calls only when necessary and follow best practices. This will help in reducing the time spent on these calls and increasing productivity.

10. Check-in With Your Team Regularly

Finally, check in with your remote teams as often as possible but within reason. You may choose to do brief monthly meetings. However, it may help to check-in via email, a quick call, or chat every week to make remote employees feel valuable.

Need Help with Virtual Team Communication? Ask Us!

We offer tools that can help keep your business communication stay connected no matter where your employees or offices are located. Our virtual phone system can route calls as needed and it provides high-quality connection. To build your cloud phone system, call us at 1 (888) 908 6171 today!

outbound strategy

11 Tips to Improve Your Outbound Calls Strategy



11 Proven Tips to Improve Your Outbound Calls Strategy


Some common reasons for outbound calling are:

  • To increase brand awareness and visibility
  • Verify or activate accounts
  • Send out reminders for upcoming payments or renewals
  • Collect feedback or conduct market research, to name a few



1. Set Realistic Goals: Identify KPIs




2. Create the Ideal Call List


3. Get an Outbound Calling Service



4. Train Your Phone Sales Reps


5. Collaborate with Marketing


6. Pay Attention to Your Prospect


7. Study. Analyze. Optimize


8. Identify the Best Calling Times


9. Consider Outbound Calling Tools


10. Simplify the Process


11. Record and Review Interactions


customer service trends in 2020

Top 9 Customer Service Trends You Must Know in 2020

In 2020, due to the pandemic, customers and businesses are working from home. They are considering ways to change their lifestyles to support their work-from-home lifestyle. This may lead them …Read More »

In 2020, due to the pandemic, customers and businesses are working from home. They are considering ways to change their lifestyles to support their work-from-home lifestyle. This may lead them to your business as a possible and comfortable solution. If that is the case, then you need to up your customer service game to support all types of customer queries. Here are some important customer service trends to keep in mind this year.

9 Top Customer Service Trends in 2020

Ensuring your customer service and support efforts are always top-notch is important to maintaining customer satisfaction and retention. If your teams don’t do their best, then it becomes easy to lose valuable customers. Therefore, you must check your customer service strategies and tools every year to see where and how you can improve.

So, if you are looking to upgrade your customer service and stay of the game, here are the top 9 customer service trends to keep in mind.

1. Offer Multimodal Communication

If you are only responding to phone calls and emails, then you are way behind the game. Most companies are adopting multi-channel communication tools so they can assist customers no matter how they choose to reach out. This includes live chat, trouble tickets, text messaging, video conferencing, social media messaging, and more.

2. Become Mobile-Friendly

Most potential customers will find your business through their smartphones. This may occur due to a targeted ad that pops up on their social media or they do a quick mobile search for services like yours. For this reason, you want to make your website and reaching your customer support team easy for mobile users. Consider optimizing your website for mobile-view and adding click-to-call buttons that allow users to call instantly from their phones. You may also want to add easy-to-fill forms on the website for customers who want to send a quick message or email.

3. Include More AI and Automation

Use office automation to streamline processes and save time spent on simple, mundane tasks. Project management systems that automate tasks and enable file-sharing are essential for keeping offices well-connected and functioning seamlessly. Well-designed CRMs or customer information storage systems, IVR systems, chatbots, etc., are some additional ways to incorporate AI and automation in the office.

4. Be Active on Social Media

Having social media accounts is a must in this day and age. Not only does it give you the opportunity to market and target a different demographic, but it also gives you the ability to advertise and run social media campaigns. These campaigns can help bring new customers to your business while also adding another quick customer service tool. Be active on your social accounts, educate customers about products and services, and respond regularly to comments and messages.

5. Offer 24/7 and Real-Time Support

Besides offering various channels for customer support, you also want to provide 24/7 and real-time support. Consider live chat and chatbots to answer common customer queries, solve problems quickly, offer product/service descriptions, and guide them to completing a purchase. A phone equivalent of live chat is your IVR system. You can design the IVR to offer 24/7 service with troubleshooting support and self-service options. This way, callers can get assistance even after hours or on the weekends.

Related: 9 Best Customer Service Examples for 2020

6. Invest in Easy-to-Use Software

Provide your team with simple and user-friendly software. Complicated software takes longer to learn and has more room for error. If your team is spending more time navigating through the software, that is less time spent on providing excellent customer service. Research and find easy and more efficient solutions for your business phone system, CRMs, and project management tools.

7. Offer Work-from-Home Opportunities

One of the most important customer service trends this year is remote work. Working from home is growing more and more popular because it accommodates productivity. And your customer service team may want the option to work remotely, possibly until the end of the year. Prepare for this by considering call forwarding that can keep your remote workers and teams connected without increasing your monthly business communication bill.

8. Consider Video Streaming

A new development in customer service trends is the inclusion of video streaming and conferencing. Video is a useful form of communication and should be incorporated as much as possible in sales, marketing, and customer service. You can use video for product descriptions, service education, launching new items, and more.

9. Personalize and Customize for Each Customer

Finally, continue to personalize your services for your customer. Stock emails and responses can easily disenchant prospects. Based on their search and purchase history, offer personalized offers or discounts, rewards, and recommendations that mean something to them.

Related: 23 Incredible Customer Service Tips for 2020

Improve Customer Service Today!

All of these trends may not be applicable to your business. However, identify the ones that do and make an attempt to include them effectively and creatively so your business can care for their customers better. Happy customers lead to a happy business, after all!

how to do product demo

5 Ways on How to Do a Winning Product Demo

A product demo goes a long way when trying to sell your business’ product or services. For some businesses, it can make or break the sale. And so, as a …Read More »

A product demo goes a long way when trying to sell your business’ product or services. For some businesses, it can make or break the sale. And so, as a salesperson, you must do everything you can to make your product relevant to your prospect.

How to Do a Product Demo Successfully

A successful product demonstration includes describing the product well but also making it relevant and useful to the prospect. So, what do you need to keep in mind while preparing for a product demo? Here are some ways you can create a solid demo.

1. Study the Product Well

Nothing puts prospects off more than a salesperson who doesn’t know the product they are selling. To be able to sell during the product demo, you first need to know what the product is and how it can benefit your audience.

For instance, if you are selling a new version of a product or service, make sure you understand what comes with the new version before the demo. Pay attention to new features, technical details, and more. Essentially, be prepared for questions about the product or related processes.

2. Research Your Client

Every prospect is unique and has specific circumstances under which they are considering your product. Therefore, it is important that you are able to present your product or service as the ideal solution. To do that, you first need to know relevant information about your prospect. Do your research and study your client before the product demo.

Don’t just Google their name and skim their website. Understand their service, number of employees, size of the company, essential needs, and so on. Look through their LinkedIn page and social media accounts. Read their press releases, articles, interviews, and industry reports. You may even choose to see what their competitors are doing to see if you can help them achieve it.

There are plenty of helpful tools for salespeople to research potential customers.

3. Craft Your Offer, Rehearse, and Personalize

Once you have the right knowledge about the prospect, you can craft a personalized offer that is relevant to them. A successful sales demo not only demonstrates the product but highlights and identifies it as a solution to an existing problem. When creating your offer and product demo, consider these questions:

  • What are the prospect’s common challenges?
  • What are the main areas of concern in their industry?
  • Which features or sub-features of your product/service can solve their problem?
  • Are all features applicable and relevant? Which features should I pay more attention to?
  • What is the best way to describe the features? Can I use examples that are similar to the prospect’s situation?

4. Have a Plan (and a Plan B)

Plan out exactly how you want this product demonstration to go. Write down each point to cover. Map out the sequence of topics you want to bring up. Highlight portions you want to repeat or reinforce. Revisit and rehearse the plan a few times until you feel comfortable.

Create a plan B in case things don’t pan out the way you want them to. For instance, your internet or phone connection may not be good or your prospect may have to cancel. What can you do to continue this conversation? Have backup software or communication tools ready to go. In case the product demo gets rescheduled, have other activities that you can pour your energy into.

5. Make the Call Confidently

Finally, once you are ready to make your call, make sure that:

  • Your internet and VoIP phone service are strong.
  • Make sure your communication tool is working well.
  • Your microphone (and camera, if applicable) is on and works.
  • The software for the product demo is ready.
  • Your plan A and B are both readily available.
  • Keep relevant websites and tabs open.
  • Keep your CRM or notebook ready to take notes.

All Set to Create the Ultimate Demo

As a successful salesperson, it is your job to do the extra work that will give you better chances of making a sale. With all of this in place, you can confidently make the call and focus on giving an excellent product demo!

best customer service examples

9 Best Customer Service Examples for 2020

Customer care and support are essential as they can determine how well a company performs. If you are looking to upgrade your service, check these best customer service examples and …Read More »

Customer care and support are essential as they can determine how well a company performs. If you are looking to upgrade your service, check these best customer service examples and give them a try!

Best Customer Service Examples for 2020

From small gestures to quick responses to individual care, customer support can go a long way in securing valued customers and clients. Here we list 11 best customer service examples of companies that try hard to offer quality customer care and please their valued customers.


Amazon has risen tremendously in the past decade. Almost every individual uses Amazon to purchase gifts, household equipment, clothing, books, and more. In fact, users tend to look at Amazon first to get products that may not be available in any other physical or online retail store. Plus, the e-commerce giant is quick to offer refunds and even makes the return process easy with multiple drop-off locations. This makes Amazon one of the top customer service examples to model your support team after.

2. Google

Google, like Amazon, has grown into a service most people use on a daily basis. From its search engine to Google phones, Chromebooks, and apps, to marketing and advertising, Google is embedded in almost everything we do. It is, therefore, necessary that they pay attention to how we use the service. The company is extremely accessible via live chat, email, and phone. They even have an extensive forum for common issues and frequently asked questions. This helps users get quick answers to their concerns and resolve them successfully. They also offer deals and discounts (and at times, even gift products for free) to valued and loyal customers.


Chewy has been steadily growing and earning its place in customers’ hearts. The key is to genuinely care about the pets and animals they are providing resources for. If a customer is unsatisfied with a product, they are quick to respond with a refund and possible solutions or alternatives. All the while keeping the interaction friendly and empathetic. With pets, it is often possible that you purchase a product that might not work out. Having a customer support team to right that wrong in the easiest way possible can be a huge load off your shoulders.

4. Publix

Publix is another top pick from great customer service examples because they’ve been voted the “South’s Best Grocery Store” and selected as one of “America’s Best Supermarkets,” both in 2018. In 2019 and 2020, Publix has continued to care for customers as well as their own employees. Employee satisfaction is an essential key to good customer service. If your employees are unhappy, how do you expect them to translate happiness to customers? Publix has this nailed down!

5. Starbucks

Starbucks pays great attention to details and uses that to meet exceptional customer service standards all over the world. Each type of drink is uniquely made with a precise pattern and ingredients that are easy to imitate elsewhere. From specialty drinks to cozy store designs to even their own music profile on Spotify for customers who care about music, Starbucks has been innovating in regards to customer care for years and continues to do so.

6. Chick-Fil-A

The customer service team at Chick-Fil-A is known for being professional and courteous. In fact, in 2016, they were rated the most polite employees for always including the magic words “please” and “thank you” in their interactions.

7. Aldi

Aldi has won many customers’ and shoppers’ hearts over the years with their low cost, high-quality items, and selection of produce. Even though the store is a supermarket, it creates a personal feel that appeals to customers of different sectors.

8. Costco Wholesale

Costco is a favorite all over the United States. Their low prices, top quality, bulk purchasing, easy policy, and free samples make them one of the best customer service examples, easily. And these factors are the reason why they receive loads of new members every year while retaining the ones they already have.

9. JetBlue

JetBlue is considered one of the top best customer service examples because they use small gestures to make their customers feel valued and cared for. In fact, in the 2019 North America Airline Satisfaction Study, this company was awarded the Top Customer Satisfaction Honor Among Low-Cost Carriers. From cheap cancellation fees to complimentary snacks, JetBlue makes an effort to take care of its customers and offer a worry-free service.

Why are These Customer Service Teams Successful?

The reason why these companies and businesses are mentioned in lists of top customer service examples is because they are doing something right. So, what are they doing well? These companies:

  • Are accessible through different channels.
  • Customize and personalize wherever applicable to make users feel special and involved.
  • Practice active listening and quick responses.
  • Study customer behavior and preferences in an attempt to serve better.
  • Provide self-service content and FAQs.
  • And are highly motivated to serve well.

Let us leave you with these questions to consider: Is your business trying to achieve these goals? Where do you see room for improvement? How can you enhance customer experience and service? What is the next step?

Related: 23 Incredible Customer Service Tips for 2020

get people to buy product

6 Ways to Get People to Buy Your Product

Most sales reps constantly contemplate: how can you get people to buy your product? What can you do to quickly close a deal that you have been working on for …Read More »

Most sales reps constantly contemplate: how can you get people to buy your product? What can you do to quickly close a deal that you have been working on for weeks? How do you convince prospects who are on the fence to make a purchase? What efforts can you make to ensure sales go smoothly?

How to Get People to Buy Your Product

Even though it’s hard to close certain deals, but to be a successful sales rep, you cannot afford to give up trying. So, what can you do to get people to buy your product? Here is a look at the most common hurdles to closing sales and how you can communicate clearly to ensure your products get noticed and ultimately, purchased.

1. Avoid Using Heavy Jargon

Overly technical language can easily put a customer off. Instead of using jargon or commonly used industry cliches, make it easy for your clients to understand what your product consists of, what the benefits are, and how they can apply it to their needs.

2. Focus on the Benefits of Your Product or Service

Most agents or reps tend to list down all the features that come along with a product or service. However, while clients are interested in what a product does, they also want to know what it means for them specifically. Understand their needs and business so you can present your product as a solution that helps them.

3. Keep Them Engaged with Email Marketing

Use email marketing to educate and inform customers, not just to remind them of your business. Why are prospects hesitating from making purchases? Can you offer more information about the product or service your company provides? Use email to continue the conversation in a productive, informative way.

4. Emphasize How Your Brand is Unique and Different

Get a prospect to pay attention to your specific product and brand by demonstrating how it is unique and different from others offering similar or the same product. Generic benefits and features may convince a client to purchase, but it does not guarantee that they will buy it from you. So show them how your brand is separate from the others, offers better features or functions, and why it’s important in the industry.

For example, our sales reps spend a majority of their time explaining how our international toll free numbers are quite different from services offered by other providers. A focus on differentiation will surely help convince more people to buy your products.

5. Use Testimonials and Case Studies to Demonstrate Success

Include reviews, testimonials, and case studies on your website and social media platforms. You should constantly be asking your best customers for testimonials. Highlight how customers have already used the product so new customers can visualize it and see how it works in action. Include statistics and hard data to support your claims.

6. Create a Sense of Urgency for Difficult Customers

Sales reps have to deal with customers who do not get off the fence. Even though they are solid and promising leads, they need ongoing convincing. So how can you increase the urgency without using high-pressure tactics? Short-term offers or deals with an expiration date can help close these deals while triggering them with immediacy.

Close the Deal!

Now that you know a variety of tactics to get people to buy your product, start implementing these methods into your strategy to improve your sales record. Be patient and find maneuvers that will help you enhance your efforts; using the right tools and strategy, you will be converting sales successfully.

Successful Sales Rep

Top 11 Qualities of a Successful Sales Rep

What does it take to be the best sales rep out there? Here are 11 top qualities every salesperson who wants to be successful should have. A critical eye and …Read More »

What does it take to be the best sales rep out there? Here are 11 top qualities every salesperson who wants to be successful should have. A critical eye and hard work will help you achieve your goals better and perform your job effectively.

11 Qualities Only the Best Sales Rep Possesses

As a salesperson, you need to prepare yourself through education, networking, and more to handle calls and clients in the best way possible. So, what are the key elements to be a successful sales rep? Read on to learn more.

1. Stay Persistent But Respectful

Most sales require multiple follow-ups and contacts, yet reps are generally inclined to abandon a call after the first or second follow-up. The idea here is to not be too persistent so as to frustrate the prospect. However, a successful sales rep has to be persistent to close more deals. For inbound leads, 6 to 10 attempts to contact a person is considered the industry norm.

Persistence does not suggest aggressiveness. When following up with clients, ask if they are still interested in completing or achieving a goal with the help of your product or service. Speak with them about the issues they are facing and help them identify your product as a viable solution.

2. Be Goal-Oriented

It is every sales rep’s responsibility to know and understand what the goals are and what is expected of them. If you are not goal-oriented, then you are not moving towards the same direction as the rest of your team or company. This can lead to confusion, lack of motivation, and more. Keep track of the company’s goals as well as the personal goals you set for yourself. Make a plan and aim for it. Track your progress either bi-weekly or monthly. And, most importantly, be sure to celebrate those small victories.

3. Stake Your Claim as an Expert in the Industry

A good sales rep takes the time to study the company, its products, values, as well as the industry the company resides in. Understanding the target audience’s businesses — from general goals to daily tasks — is valuable. As an expert in the field, you will be able to help customers understand how your product can be applicable and useful in their specific business. You can use this information to guide and consult them and offer your product as a solution.

4. Be Tech-Savvy

Depending on the business you represent, you will be required to work with different technologies and software. This is why it is important that you take time to master the tech most frequently used in demos, meetings, presentations, or calls. The tech used can range from video communication tools, CRM software, outbound calling software, PowerPoint presentations, and so on. Learn how to troubleshoot common issues, bad internet connectivity, etc.

5. Adopt Active Listening

Paying attention to prospects and clients is crucial. If you don’t listen, you will not be able to provide useful information and solutions. Sticking to the script is important, yes, but every prospect and client is different. Their needs, issues, and goals differ. To understand their problems and provide them with the best help, you should listen actively to what they have to say. This way together both of you can make a plan that satisfies their needs.

6. Take Rejection Well

Rejection is a common occurrence with outbound sales calls. Not every prospect has the time, patience, or even interest in what your product is or what you are presenting. And while rejection is hard, a good sales rep knows how to overcome rejection. Take risks and pursue promising deals. And if you are rejected, bounce back and focus on the successes.

7. Focus on Building Relationships

As a sales rep, your job includes — and at times, depends on — building strong relationships. Therefore, you need to be able to build a rapport, strike up interesting conversations, and be a good listener. Research your prospects and their businesses deeply. Ask follow-up questions. Let your client know that they are important to you and your business and they are not just another prospect on your long list.

8. Network, Because Your Business Depends on it

Salespeople love to network. This includes being involved in relevant online and offline communities, having various business connections and relationships, and knowing the ways of your business and industry.

9. Multi-tasker

As a sales rep, you will be handling a variety of tasks and deals simultaneously. Therefore, you should know how to prioritize and juggle promising leads while responding to and following up with leads in the initial stages of the selling process.

10. Understand How to Communicate Well

This should go without saying but a sales rep that cannot communicate well will struggle with leads and clients. You should have good verbal and written business communication skills and use the right industry-jargon to inform, educate, and sell your services and products.

11. Patience (Is More Than a Virtue)

Finally, be patient. Sales can be hectic and often overwhelming. You will come across some very difficult clients and situations. Take the time to evaluate and find the best possible solutions.

Self-Evaluation is Key!

Evaluate yourself and understand your strengths and weaknesses with honesty and determination to consistently perfect your skills. How many of these qualities do you possess? And what areas do you need to improve in? Find yourself a good mentor who can help, teach, and guide you. With hard work, you can be the next successful sales rep in your team. Good luck!

cold calling tips

7 Cold Calling Tips to Close More Sales

Many in the sales industry ask if cold calling still works. The short answer is: yes, it still works but only if done right. Here are 7 practical cold calling …Read More »

Many in the sales industry ask if cold calling still works. The short answer is: yes, it still works but only if done right. Here are 7 practical cold calling tips that can help you generate better sales.

Generate Sales with These Cold Calling Tips

Businesses have been using cold calling for years to garner new customers and improve their sales growth. It is the most effective way to set appointments with relevant decision makers at your target accounts. However, while calling cold is easy it may not always convert into a sale, booking, or an appointment.

Here are successful cold calling tips that can help you manage these calls better with improved results.

1. Be Personable, Focus on the Prospect

Most individuals are not interested in being pitched to and may try to get off the phone as you try to make your sale. For this reason, it is important to develop a personable and human interaction at the very beginning of the call. Avoid sounding monotonous or reading straight off a script. Pause to ask prospects how they are doing. Try to understand their demographic and needs so you can present your product or service as a solution. Listen to their concerns or questions and provide easy-to-follow answers. Give them reasons to listen to your pitch and consider your product or company.

2. Follow Scripts But Don’t Be Robotic

It is recommended to stick to the script so you are not promising or adding anything that may cause an issue later. However, customize your interaction with each client. People can tell immediately if you are robotically reading a script and not pausing for questions. To avoid putting clients off, personalize the interaction by using their name, repeating something they mentioned before, and more. This will let them know they are not simply one of the million people you are speaking to and that their business will be valued.

3. Use Technology to Speed Up Processes

One of the most important cold calling tips is to upgrade the technologies used. Agents and employees performing cold calling in large volumes need the right tools to support their efforts.

Consider investing in a business phone service with customizable caller ID capabilities and a dialer. This way, you can override the caller ID to display a toll free or local number of the area being called. Prospects are more likely to answer a local number or one they recognize as local instead of a random number.

Use a web dialer to quickly place calls, save contact information and call notes, etc. A well-designed CRM to keep track of customer interaction can also greatly improve productivity and efficiency.

4. Be Respectful of Their Time

When contacting prospects, let them know you consider their time valuable. Start calls by asking how the client is doing. Let them know that this call won’t take long. If they seem to reject it or are busy, ask them when is a good time for a follow-up. Additionally, when booking appointments, instead of giving them a time, ask when would be convenient for them.

5. Make Calls During Certain Times and Days

One of the most common and oldest cold calling tips is making calls during specific times and days. For years, we have been told that Wednesdays and Thursdays are the best days to call, and it still rings true. Mondays and Tuesdays are important business days because people are usually planning their week, catching up on emails and updates, etc. They are more likely to reject calls during these days.

Additionally, you want to place calls during specific times of the day where they are more likely to pay attention to you. Studies have found the best times to call are between 11 am and 12 pm (before lunch) or 4 pm and 5 pm (as the workday ends). Calling early in the morning as people are scrambling to get to work will be more of a hindrance than a successful call. If you’re calling across time zones, we recommend using a world clock like or 24timezones.

6. Always Follow-Up

Follow-up either by calling again or sending an email or text message. This follow-up can be to answer a question or query, to remind them of the upcoming appointment, collect feedback, or simply to check in.

7. Use Collaborative Language

Lastly, studies show that the use of collaborative language results in more successful calls. Use “we” and “our” language instead of “I/my” language. Make yourself appear as part of a bigger team. This can help build credibility and demonstrate your company as large and capable.

Try These Cold Calling Tips!

Keep these tips in front of your employees or refresh them in your next upcoming training. Experiment with them to see which works best with your product and service.

To learn more about Global Call Forwarding’s business phone service and how it can support your cold outbound calling efforts, call us at 1 (888) 908 6171.

customer service tips

23 Incredible Customer Service Tips for 2020



23 Customer Service Tips You Must Use in 2020


1. Treat Customers Well


2. Use Positive Language and Attitude


3. Address Issues Immediately


4. Personalize and Customize


5. Improve First Call Resolution Rates


6. Consider Self-Service Options


7. Provide Multi-Channel Customer Support


  • Toll free numbers: for free calling
  • Local numbers: for inexpensive calling
  • Email: with 1-2 day response times
  • Live chat: with live agents, monitored 24/7
  • Mail: for those who prefer and need it
  • In-person meetings: for local offices

8. Offer 24/7 Customer Service



9. Consider Automation



10. Pay Attention to Customer Satisfaction Scores


11. Focus Efforts on Marketing and Reputation Management


12. Humanize Customer-Business Interactions



13. Evaluate Team Productivity and KPIs


  • Average response time
  • Average handle time
  • First call resolution rate
  • Average resolution time
  • Customer satisfaction rate (CSAT)
  • Number of calls
  • Abandon call/chat rate
  • Net promoter score (NPS), and so on



15. Give Importance and Priority to Customer Complaints


16. Collect Feedback Regularly


17. Provide Your Team with the Right Tools



18. Train and Re-Train Employees and Agents


19. Invest in Customer Loyalty Programs


20. Follow Up When You Do Not Have the Answer


21. Be Consistent Across All Communication Channels


22. Offer Premium Support to Loyal Clientele


23. Share Customer-Focused Content


Give These Customer Service Tips a Try!
