Three pre-call pro tips that will make a huge difference in your sales performance!
Here’s the situation:
You’ve booked a meeting with the key decision maker at an account in your area that has tons of potential. They do business now with your competitor and you want to make the most of this initial meeting.
Rather than wing it, here are three pre-call tips we talk about in our Partner Pro training modules that you can use to prepare so you’re sure to land the deal!
- Research the Company – The Internet has provided today’s sales professional with a battery of tools to gain tremendous insight into the company and the person they’re about to meet with. Prior to any meeting, elite sellers will Google the company name and see what’s being said about the company. Next, they will check the company’s website to pick up on key corporate messages they can use to link to their product or service. On the site they will also peruse the company’s social channels (usually Twitter because it is the most up-to-date voice) and then cruise through their press releases with a final stop in the recruiting section to determine possible areas of growth. Experienced reps say they can get what they need from a prospect’s website and social channels in less than ten minutes. This includes current trends, market positioning and intelligence they can use to be more effective on the first call.
- Research the People – Google the name(s) of the person you are meeting with to see what comes up. Popular stops include each person’s social media channels to see what they’re saying. It’s recommended that you start as a listening observer then wait until after the meeting to connect with them on their social channel of choice. LinkedIn is an obvious power tool you can use to learn about their background and any connections you may share. Lastly, try searching their name on YouTube. Elite sellers say that seeing the person speak on video allows them to learn more about the person than what text can provide through other mediums.
- Prepare Great Questions – It’s always a unique experience when you meet someone for the first time. Sales performance coach Rick Lambert suggests having two to three questions written down before each meeting. He says, “People tend to be anxious when meeting someone for the first time and having the questions written down reminds the rep to ask them early in the call to get the other person talking.” This allows most reps to settle into the call and pick the best lanes of conversation based on the answers they receive.
If the age old saying “failing to prepare is like preparing to fail” makes sense to you, hopefully these pro tips will become part of your routine before any sales call.
