I’ll be honest. This is a sales call, and I know you were not expecting it.

Now, this one is bold. It’s a form of Pattern Interrupt opener. A Pattern Interrupt opener is a communication technique that strongly breaks away from the script expectations of a prospect. When prospects know you are following a script, they often don’t like it. They are afraid you are using manipulative tactics to get their attention against their will.

Something completely unexpected takes them off guard. It disrupts the mental shortcut that makes them immediately categorize callers as salespeople and shut down their attention. It might be quite effective at capturing the prospects’ ear.

This approach also humanizes you. You don’t sound like the robot reading a script, but like a normal person.

There are some interesting thoughts regarding the effectiveness of radical honesty. Nobody expects salespeople to admit they are making a sales call. Not long ago, some of the popular recommendations in sales scripts were to even deny it was a sales call when prospects said it. But it would be a lie. It is a sales call. You know they might not like it. You tell them upfront. It’s courageous. For some buyers, it might pay off.

Some. You might test how they respond in your specific industry. The approach works best when prospects receive a lot of sales calls. It also works when relationships and authenticity are preferred over formality.

Also, after that opening sentence, you need to immediately say something like “Can I explain why I thought of you?” The sentence following the pattern interrupt is crucial. You have to surprise the prospect, but then have an easy sentence right after to earn their attention. Delivery requires simplicity and brevity. After and only if the prospect responds positively, you need to immediately switch to the value proposition. Don’t linger and wait too much.

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