Sales calls can be nerve-racking, especially if you’re new to the industry or the stakes are high. They are, however, necessary for closing deals and meeting quotas. Many salespeople enter a call without a success strategy or plan. Follow these five guidelines to improve your sales calls.
Let’s explore the 5 things to do on every sales call.
Establish Clear Sales Call Objectives
A good habit to develop before the call is to write down at least three questions you intend to ask. This will help you stay on topic and avoid straying. Begin the call with small talk, such as something you saw on their LinkedIn or their company’s most recent press release. Begin by asking broad, open-ended questions. For example, rather than asking, “What prompted you to schedule a demo today?” it is preferable to ask, “What challenges have led you to seek this type of software?”
Probing questions help you identify pain points and objectives, which you can then use to tailor your pitch to their specific requirements. It also demonstrates to the potential client that you are interested in learning about their company rather than just making a sale.
Pay Attention to Emotions
People make emotional decisions and then rationalize them. Try not to lead with logic, as natural as it is. Instead, concentrate on developing rapport and trust. Understand the emotions and motivations behind the purchasing decision – is it fear of a competitor gaining on them? Looking to make a name for themselves within the organization? Etc. Then, when the time is right, show them what your product or service can do to help them achieve their goals.
Sharing success stories or case studies that show how your product or service has helped similar businesses is one way to connect with the potential client’s emotions. This can assist them in visualizing the benefits and increasing their confidence in their decision.
Properly Frame Your Product
Framing is an important part of the closing process. It is not only important what you say, but also how you say it. You don’t want your product to sound like a mundane financial tool, but rather one that improves efficiency and reduces stress. It appeals to the emotions discussed in the previous step. You must frame your product in a way that appeals to the emotions and motivations of your customers.
Here are some framing examples:
- Is it about avoiding loss or gaining something? For example, you can position your product as a means of avoiding losses that a client is currently experiencing or as a tool for gaining a competitive advantage.
- Is it all about the price or the value? Don’t just talk about your product’s features; instead, emphasize the value it provides to the customer. You can demonstrate how much time and money they could save if they used your product.
- Is it a risk-reduction strategy? If your product can help reduce risk, position it as such. You can demonstrate how your product can assist the client in mitigating the risks they are currently facing.
Keep in mind that framing is everything. It can mean the difference between a successful transaction and walking away empty-handed.
Use a Process to Address Objections
Objections are an expected part of the selling process. As a salesperson, you must be prepared to deal with them. However, you must address objections with a process rather than just a response. Feel-Felt-Found is a popular and effective method.
This is how it works:
- Recognize the client’s emotions: You appear to be feeling the following… (Insert the objection here).
- Demonstrate that others have felt the same way: Others have expressed similar sentiments…
Share how your product has previously addressed this: We discovered that.. (how your product has addressed this objection in the past).
Remember that an objection is not a negative statement. It could be due to a genuine challenge that you need to assist them with, the fact that they don’t want to say no, or the fact that they don’t fully understand the product. Understanding why the objection exists in the first place is just as important as overcoming it. So, before you address it, ask a few questions.
Finally, it is your responsibility to instill confidence in the client about your solution. To do so, you must be confident in yourself (“nothing convinces like conviction,” as we often say in our courses), and you must present them with a clear and compelling picture of what the world will be like if they proceed with you.
Take Notes and Record Insights During Calls
Taking excellent notes is possibly the most undervalued and underutilized skill in sales. You can refer to specific phrases the client said, recall their pain points, objectives, and so on.
Then, using these notes, make sure to recap what you understood during follow-up conversations. If done correctly, this ensures that you have accurately captured the situation, as well as demonstrates that you have listened and will help you build credibility with the potential client.
Finally, end the call with a powerful next step
Closing a sales call with a strong next step is critical for advancing the sales process and increasing the likelihood of a successful sale. At the end of every sales call, a clear next step should be agreed upon, whether it’s scheduling a follow-up meeting, sending additional information, or closing the deal.
Keep the following in mind as you wrap up the call:
- Summarize the call’s main points: Review what was discussed during the call and make sure you and the prospect are on the same page.
- Ask for the next step: Make it clear and specific what you want to happen next, and get the prospect’s agreement.
- Confirm the specifics: Make sure you have all the necessary information, including the date and time of the next call or meeting, in addition to any necessary follow-up actions.
- Finish on a high note: Thank the prospect for their time and express your excitement about working with them.
- Closing the call with a strong next step is critical for advancing the sales process and increasing the likelihood of a successful sale. Take the time to summarize the call’s main points, request the next step, confirm the details, and end on a positive note. You’ll be able to keep the sales process moving forward and meet your sales call objectives if you have a clear next step in place.
Conclusion
To conclude, a successful sales call requires careful planning and preparation. You can have a more productive and successful sales call by establishing clear objectives, researching the prospect, preparing an opening statement, asking questions to understand the prospect’s needs, and closing the call with a strong next step.
You can have a more productive and successful sales call by establishing clear objectives, researching the prospect, preparing an opening statement, asking questions to understand the prospect’s needs, and closing the call with a strong next step.
Improving the efficiency of your negotiation processes is essential to sales success. By following these 5 things to do on every sales call, you will be able to maximize every sales call and increase your chances of closing deals.
However, keep in mind that sales are a dynamic process that requires continuous learning and improvement. Spend time reflecting on your sales calls, identifying areas for improvement, and refining your approach. You will be able to master the art of sales and achieve your sales goals with practice and persistence.
So, take the first step right now. Apply these five tips to your next calls, and you’ll see your sales skills improve. If you need assistance, don’t hesitate to contact Shapiro Negotiations Institute for expert sales negotiation training and coaching. Allow us to assist you in increasing the efficiency of your negotiation processes and achieving your sales objectives.
