Telesales script: four examples and how to write your own
A good telesales script is a call plan, not a speech. It opens with who you are, your company, what the call is about, how you got their details, what you want and why it matters to them. Then it asks questions, shows value with a number and agrees a next step.
What is a telesales script?
A telesales script is your plan for a sales call by phone. It covers how you open, what you ask, how you show value, how you answer objections and how you agree what happens next.
The best scripts aren't read out. You learn the opening almost word for word, and work from short points for the rest, so you can listen to the customer instead of your page. This guide builds the script on the method in our sales training guide.
The opening: seven boxes, scored out of 10
The first twenty seconds decide whether the customer listens. A strong opening ticks these boxes, in this order. Seven out of ten is a good opening; “why it matters to them” is worth the most.
| Say | Points |
|---|---|
| Who you are | 1 |
| Your company | 1 |
| What your company does | 0 (must be said, but earns nothing on its own) |
| What the call is about | 2 |
| How you got their details | 1 |
| What you want from this call | 2 |
| Why it matters to them | 3 (worth the most) |
Hi Mr Davids, it's Grant from Lumo Mobile. We're your cellphone network. Your contract with us ends this month, so I'm calling to show you an upgrade. I'd like two minutes to take you through it, because it costs less than you pay now. Is now a good time?
Who you are, your company, what it does, what the call is about, how you got his details, what you want from the call and why it matters to him.
The rest of the call
- 1
Ask before you pitch
Two or three questions about what they use now and what bothers them. Their answers tell you which value to lead with.
- 2
Show value with a number
Pick one of the six value principles (Safety, Quality, Ease, Speed, Volume or Price) and prove it against what they have now: “R50 less a month”, “delivered the next day”.
- 3
Agree and redirect
When they push back, agree first, then redirect to what you do better. Be honest about what switching involves.
- 4
Give a real reason to act now
A date their contract ends, a price that applies this month. Never invent urgency.
- 5
Earn the next step
On a first call to a business, agree a follow-up with a day and time. On a simple consumer offer, ask a clear yes-or-no question.
For full answers to the common objections, see objection handling examples.
4 telesales script examples
Two calls to consumers, one quote follow-up and one call to a business. Each shows the lines to aim for, with a note on why they work.
Hi Mrs Botha, it's Shaun from Lumo Mobile, your cellphone network. Your contract ends this month, so I'm calling to show you an upgrade that costs less than you pay now. Have you got two minutes?
Every box in the opening, in one breath.
I'm happy with what I have.
That's fair. Can I check two things: what you pay now, and whether you ever run out of data?
Agree, then ask. The answers give you the numbers.
R449. And yes, near the end of the month.
Then the R399 plan gives you 5 gigs more data for R50 less a month. That's R600 a year. Shall I move you across from your next bill?
Quality and Price, in her own numbers. A clear yes-or-no question.
Hi Mr Marais, it's Chloe from Hearth Family Cover. You asked for a funeral cover quote on our website yesterday, so I'm calling to give you a price for your family. It takes about five minutes. Is now okay?
He asked for the call. Say so: it changes the tone.
Yes, but I can't afford much.
I understand. Who would you like to cover: you, your wife, your children?
Ask before you quote. The price depends on the answer.
Me, my wife and our two kids.
For the four of you, it's R129 a month, with R15,000 cover for each adult. Claims are paid within 48 hours of us getting the documents. Before you decide, I'll read you exactly what's covered and what isn't. Shall I go ahead?
Safety first with insurance: show it pays out, then give the required disclosures before any yes.
Hi Ms Pretorius, it's Ruan from Raka Insure. You started a car insurance quote with us on Monday and didn't get to the end, so I'm calling to finish it with you. It takes about four minutes, and you'll know if we can save you money. Is now a good time?
How you got her details, what you want and why it matters, before she can say no.
I got busy. I pay R1,350 now, with another insurer.
Then let's see if we can beat that. Is it comprehensive cover, and what's your excess at the moment?
Compare like with like, or the saving isn't real.
Comprehensive. R5,000 excess.
For the same cover and the same R5,000 excess, it's R1,120 a month. That's R230 less, R2,760 a year. You'd need to give your current insurer a month's notice. Would you like me to send you the full quote now, and call you on Friday once you've read it?
Price with a number, honest about switching, then a next step.
Hi Mrs Smith, it's Natasha from Payhaven. We run payroll for small businesses. Your company is on the Chamber of Commerce member list, which is how I found you. I'm calling to book twenty minutes with our payroll specialist, because it could save you a day of admin a month. Is payroll something you do yourself?
The opening, ending in a question that tells you if you're talking to the right person.
Yes, I do it myself on a spreadsheet. It's a pain, but it works.
It works, and that counts. With us, you'd check one screen on the 25th and approve it. We do the payslips, the tax and the UIF. Could I book you in with our specialist on Tuesday at nine or Wednesday at two?
Ease, compared with how she does it now. Two time options make it easy to say yes.
How to make a script sound natural
- Write bullet points, not paragraphs. Learn only the opening almost word for word.
- Say it out loud ten times before your first call. If you stumble, change the words.
- Use the customer's name once or twice, not in every sentence.
- Ask a question, then stop talking. Silence is the customer thinking.
- Use your own words for the value. Customers trust “R50 less a month” more than “great savings”.
- Smile while you talk. The customer can hear it.
South African rules to respect on telesales calls
This is a plain summary, not legal advice. Your company's compliance team has the final word, and some products have extra rules.
- Say who you are and which company you're calling from at the start of the call.
- If someone asks not to be called again, stop and record it. The Consumer Protection Act (section 11) gives people the right to refuse direct marketing.
- Call at allowed times. The Consumer Protection Act regulations don't allow direct marketing calls on Sundays or public holidays, on Saturdays before 09:00 or after 13:00, or on other days before 08:00 or after 20:00, unless the customer agreed otherwise.
- Respect POPIA. Only use personal information the way your company is allowed to, and don't write down or share more than you need.
- Selling insurance or financial products? There are extra rules on who may give advice and what must be disclosed on the call. Your company will train you on them.
How to do telesales effectively
- Prepare before every call: who they are, what they have now, and the one value you'll lead with.
- Open with why it matters to them. It's worth the most points.
- Ask before you pitch, and listen to the answer.
- Prove value with a real number, compared with what they have now.
- Agree and redirect when they push back. Never argue.
- Always agree a next step, even if it's only a call-back time.
- Take a short break after a hard call, so it doesn't follow you into the next one.
- Track your calls and fix one thing a week. Practise it on a colleague or an AI buyer first.
Want to rehearse before real calls? Run the sales role play examples with a colleague, or practise on ShiftMate's sales call simulator.
Is telesales a good job, and what does it pay?
For many people it's a very good first job. You learn to talk to strangers, handle rejection and sell, and those skills carry into almost any career. Most telesales roles pay a basic salary plus commission or bonuses, so what you earn depends on the company, the product and how well you sell.
See current figures in the call centre salary guide or ShiftMate's salary guide. Looking for a telesales role? Read how the call centre simulation test works, then get assessed for free.
Questions people ask
What is a telesales script?
A telesales script is the plan for a sales call made by phone: how you open, the questions you ask, how you show value, how you answer objections and how you agree the next step. The best scripts are short points you say in your own words, not paragraphs you read out.
Should you read a telesales script word for word?
No. Customers can hear when you're reading, and they switch off. Learn the opening almost word for word, then work from bullet points for the rest, so you can listen and respond to what the customer actually says.
How do you start a telesales call?
Say who you are, your company and what it does, what the call is about, how you got their details, what you want from the call and why it matters to them. Then ask if now is a good time. Why it matters to them is the most important part.
What time are you allowed to make telesales calls in South Africa?
Under the Consumer Protection Act regulations, direct marketing calls aren't allowed on Sundays or public holidays, on Saturdays before 09:00 or after 13:00, or on other days before 08:00 or after 20:00, unless the customer has agreed otherwise. Check your company's rules with its compliance team.
Is telesales a good job?
It can be a very good first job. You learn to talk to strangers, handle rejection and sell, which are skills every employer values, and good performers often earn commission on top of their salary. It suits people who stay positive after a no.
How much do telesales agents earn in South Africa?
It depends on the company, the product and the commission structure; most telesales roles pay a basic salary plus commission or bonuses. ShiftMate's salary guide and salary calculator show current call centre pay.
How do you do telesales effectively?
Prepare before every call, open with why it matters to the customer, ask questions before you pitch, prove value with a real number, agree and redirect when they push back, and always agree a next step. Then track your calls and fix one thing at a time.
Practise your script before you call a real customer
Try your opening and your answers on an AI buyer who starts at no, and get a report on every call.
Keep going
The six value principles of selling, step by step.
Example answers to the eight objections you hear most.
Eight scenarios with secret buyer briefs and scripts.
Every rep practises on AI buyers and gets a scorecard after every call.