The first call is the most important in any sale. This is when we set the prospects expectations. After the first call we’re either there to win the order, or we’re cannon fodder – only in the deal to keep the preferred vendor honest. We need to plan the first sales call carefully, with this checklist.
Great News – tomorrow I have a First Call organized.
It’s a large account we’ve been wanting to talk to for some time. I’d better do some preparation to make sure we don’t miss any opportunities.
Here’s a list of things I need to check I’m on top of.
- Confirm the appointment – time, date, place, agenda with the one we’re visiting up to 24 hours before the meeting.
- Research the business – activities, locations, performance, organization charts, existing contacts.
- Research it’s competitors – activities, performance, suppliers (of what we do).
- Research its customers – or at least customer industries and their performance.
- Search the social space – Google Alerts, Twitter Search, Get Satisfaction, LinkedIn, Facebook – to discover any buzz.
- Plan my opening statement – this is when we buy the right to bid so I need to say the right things. What are they.
- Plan my response to questions about price
- List of References can I use, perhaps with the referee’s permission.
- Plan my questions – business imperative, project objectives, decision process, influencers, contracts procedure.
- Clarify my objectives for the call – what outcomes do I plan to achieve.
- Remember prospects are smart people who know what they’re doing. I need to listen while they tell me how to sell to them.
Preparing for the call like this gives me the chance to make the most of the opportunity. I’m setting the scene to win the deal.
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