Summarize this article:

Rather than just saying "hello" or immediately starting on your pitch, start your call by greeting the recipient professionally. Use the recipients name in your greeting, trying to remain as formal as possible. For example, try "Good morning/evening, mr./mrs./ms. ____." Afterwards, immediately introduce yourself by name and introduce your business. Use only your first name, unless you are the owner of the business. Say briefly what your business can do for them, but not exactly what you offer. For example, say "we save local businesses money" instead of "we offer cheap accounting services." This makes the recipient curious about exactly how you can save them money. In many cases, you will have a standard script to follow. However, it can be difficult to read off the script directly with any real fluidity, and you may lose your place if you are interrupted. To remedy this problem, memorize your script but only keep a list of key points in front of you. This will help you pick up your place and make your speech more natural. Thank them for taking your call. Promise that you won't waste their precious time and that you will soon let them get back to their busy schedule. Bring up the reason for your call as a question, like "would you be interested in a product that you could lower your accounting costs while maintaining the same quality?" Focus on what your product can do for them, not the product itself. If you're not talking to someone who can make business decisions, keep working until you get to them. Use questions to assess the prospect's needs and identify how your product or service can remedy them. When pitching your product or service, focus on the benefits you can provide your customer. Tell them how it can save them time or money, increase profits, or improve their lives and happiness. It may help to explain what your product has done for others, with numbers to back this up. If possible, describe your benefits in the same language (the same terms) in which your prospect described their problems. This builds trust between you. Have your prospect commit to a meeting for more information or to see your product or service in action. Ideally, you'd close the sale over the phone, but in many cases this is just not possible. If nothing else, encourage them to consider your proposition and give them contact information so that they can reach you if they decide they want to know more.
Have a standard, professional greeting. Follow a guide. Thank the recipient for their time. Identify the prospect's needs. Pitch your product. Make them commit.