A lot of salespeople wake up, pick up the phone and start calling clients randomly without a plan.
This is often detrimental as a lot of people treat sales as if it’s purely a numbers game.
I’ve heard people brag that for you to get one client, you need to call at least 100 which is untrue.
When you see someone playing a numbers game, it’s something that signifies a lack of proper planning, motivation, and strategy.
In sales, like in football, you need to have a plan.
One thing about football coaches and managers is that they always have a plan before going into the game.
Imagine what would happen if Pep Guardiola were to go into a match without a proper plan, only depending on his long-term experience, do you think he’d win the match?
It’s the same thing in sales; Planning is important and should be employed in any selling situation.
Just like football managers plan for both big and small teams, you should plan equally for a $500 deal as you would for a $1m + deal; It’s important.
The same tension you feel when you are going to meet a million-dollar client should be the same tension you feel when you are going to meet a $100 client. Value all your clients equally regardless of their status, wealth, and fame.
You might be asking what kind of situations require planning? Here are three of them.
1. Thoroughly Plan Every Sales Call
Before calling a client, you should have a plan in place. If it’s a first-time client, do your research. Find out about the client, their company, the problems they are likely facing, their name, and who they work with. Exhaust every little detail and know as much as you can about the client.
Before making the call, anticipate the objections you are likely to receive and prepare ways you can use to address those objections. Also, prepare a script for the call as it can be a valuable guideline for your call.
2. Every Meeting Is a High Stakes Meeting
The biggest buying signal you can get from any client is an agreement to a meeting. Never take meetings with clients foregranted.
Before the meeting, make sure you have all the information you need on hand. Find out the location of the meeting, dress up well and be there on time.
There was this other time two years back when a client invited me for a meeting at his offices. He wanted a service valued at only $50. As a salesperson, I dressed up professionally in suit and tie for the meeting even though it was a Friday(dress down day).
When I got to the meeting, the client was with another gentleman who the client introduced as his uncle. I did my presentation to the client and the gentleman. They were impressed by my level of thoroughness and preparation; I went back to the office $50 richer.
The following Monday, I received a call from one of the largest banks in the country inviting me to present a solution that would be worth around $50 000 to me if implemented.
When I went to the bank, I met the very Gentleman I had seen the previous week and it turned out he was the CEO of the bank.
Thorough preparation for a $50 meeting had gotten me into the doors of one of the biggest banks in the country.
If you want to close more sales, then take preparation very seriously.
Every meeting is a high-stakes meeting. Every call is a high-stakes call.
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