Maximizing Moments That Matter – Being Prepared for Sales Calls
To ensure we can make the best use of each communication moment we have with a prospect or customer, here are a few tips to streamline “being prepared”:
- Identify the industries or sectors you work with most.
- Develop a file (electronic or a binder, your preference) where you collect key information on the industry. As you compile research, add what you learn to this file.
- Research to identify the trends in this industry. (Hint: You can find many sources of information for free on the web. It just requires a bit of creativity at times in the way you search. Be patient and keep trying – this is a valuable skill to gain.)
- Research to identify the top players in the market. Summarize information about the top players that you feel are important to have as an easy reference.
- Research top news stories on major players or the industry to gain further insights.
- Distill the information into a few key points that are helpful both in understanding the industry, knowing their specific terms, etc., and areas that could create needs or gaps that are relevant to your business.
- When you prepare for a specific call, add any applicable research you do on a company to the master file.
- Another great step is to build a pre-call planner that is robust for each industry sector. The pre-call planner might contain key questions and stories that are relevant to this industry.
