You’ve struggled for months to get your prospect to agree to a face-to-face meeting. You know you’ve only got one shot.
So you carefully prepare…you spend hours on your PowerPoint presentation…you print up some special promotional material just for this prospect…you go out and buy a brand new suit…
You’re ready, right?
Well, maybe. Got the cord for your laptop? Any chance you left all those special materials sitting on your desk?
How about your cell phone? We’ve heard horror stories about embarrassing ring tones blaring out during a meeting, but even leaving yours on “vibrate” could offend your prospect enough to send you packing.
And how much do you know about the prospect you’re meeting with? Are you likely to find out too late that your prospect wasn’t really in a position to buy?
Overlooking even one small detail could cost you the sale. That’s why you must get in the habit of following a meticulous checklist every time you head out to meet a prospect. Using a checklist is just common sense – why risk missing one little thing that could derail the opportunity you’ve worked so hard to attain?
Instead of worrying about each item you need to bring and fretting over what you might forget, you can rely on your checklist to remember everything for you. A checklist allows you to free up your mental energy, so that you can remain calm and confident. Once you put the details on autopilot, you’re free to devote your full attention to your prospect and your presentation.
Let’s take a look at your checklist. It’s one that you’ll be able to use regardless of what you sell or to whom you sell it. Here we go:
- Be sure you are making your presentation to a qualified prospect. Make sure the person your meeting has a need or desire for what you sell, they're aware of that need and that they have the ability, authority and the urgency needed to make the purchase.
- Confirm your appointment to be sure you will have a ready and receptive welcome.
- Be sure you understand the formal and informal structure of the prospect's organization as well as the competitive environment.
- Do your best to uncover the dynamics behind buying decisions, business drivers and events that could influence timing and resistance.
- Prepare a list of essential questions that you will ask the prospect with regard to problems, challenges, difficulties, needs, issues and potential growth opportunities that you might be able to help resolve. And write these questions down!
- Understand the business culture, dress code and style of the environment so that you can speak, act and dress appropriately.
- Prepare all necessary sales aids and tools. Categorize these into things you must have and those you will only use if you have the opportunity to do so. Organize your materials. Know exactly where everything is. Brochures, business cards, sales aids, etc. should not only be easily retrievable but neat, clean and fresh.
- Gather as much final data as necessary – review prospect’s website, news releases, reports, brochures, etc. so that you are on top of who they are, what they do and any latest developments.
- Reconfirm with internal advocates and ask about any last minute dynamics that may have affected the purpose of your sales call.
- Ensure you have proper directions to meeting site including driving times.
- Double check your briefcase, materials and sales aids one final time before you leave your office for your sales call.
- Be sure to leave for your appointment in sufficient time to guarantee that you will arrive no less than 15 minutes prior to the appointment time of your meeting.
- Visualize your success…see yourself achieving whatever end result it is that you are trying to achieve with your sales call. Remember, every sales call is not meant to make a sale. However, each and every one should move the sales process closer to that objective.
- Mentally prepare yourself for the first few minutes of your sales presentation. Remember not to dominate the conversation or conduct a monologue.
- Expect a positive, receptive and open hearing no matter how difficult a situation you might be facing or entering into with the sales call.
- Before going in, inspect yourself carefully. Look in the mirror and neaten up – you don’t want your prospect’s first impression of you to be defined by something that’s stuck in your teeth or a spot on your shirt.
- Don’t forget to turn OFF your cell phone or PDA – or better yet, leave it in the car.
- Approach all prospects in “neutral”…don’t be too aggressive or too passive. Instead, let the prospect dictate the pace, tone and tempo of the sale. However, always remember that you are in control if you know precisely where you are going next in the sale.
Pilots prepare for flight by going through a very thorough and complete checklist. Many salespeople make the mistake of believing that selling is different – that it’s all about thinking on your feet and making it up as you go along. Like pilots, salespeople will sometimes face situations that require them to quickly solve complex problems and make snap decisions. But preparation is the key to avoiding a lot of these situations in the first place. It’s also the key to better handling the ones that can’t be prevented.
If you rely on luck, instinct or pure spontaneity you’ll probably have some great successes – you’ll also probably have quite a few failures that you could have easily avoided. A sales call is not a life-or-death situation like an airplane flight, but it is do-or-die in the sense that most prospects aren’t going to invite you back if they don’t like what they see. It’s hard enough to get in front of qualified prospects...Why risk losing any opportunity to make a sale?
Perfect Phrases for the Sales Call
Want to know exactly what to say to get your prospect’s attention? To set up a meeting? To build trust and rapport? To trigger your prospect’s buying impulse?
Get this book.
Don’t worry, it’s not about fast-talking banter that bamboozles buyers…it’s about using words that put your prospect at ease – words that demonstrate your sincerity and convey that you have something valuable to offer each prospect. It’s like having an arsenal of persuasive language that's perfect for every selling situation.
Get Perfect Phrases for the Sales Call
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