Sales Call Planning

There is an old saying with a lot of truth in it…

"Failing to plan is planning to fail"

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Why Plan a Sales Call? Importance of Planning Sales Calls Different Steps in planning a Sales Call How to handle Sales Call Anxiety and Reluctance ?

1. Improving Effectiveness and Efficiency 2. Preparing for Customer Reaction 3. Enhancing Self-Confidence and professionalism 4. Determining Which Selling Strategies to Use 5. Avoiding Errors

Sales call planning increases in importance when: •The customer's decision is a complex, high-involvement, high risk decision •Future interactions and negotiations with the customer are expected •The customer's needs are unique •A range of alternatives is available to the customer •The sale is very critical to the salesperson

Determine Sales Call Objective

Develop Customer Profile

Develop Customer Benefits

Make the Sales Call

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Have a Pre-Call objective – one or more Focus and Flexibility ◦ Focus your efforts on your objective when you are with the customer ◦ Be flexible to switch to another objective if needed Move customer conversation towards your objective Make sure your objective is SMART

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Create a profile for each customer before the call – collect the following information :-

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Ask Questions To Know Your Customer The more questions you ask, the greater are your chances of success

The more problems you uncover the greater are the chances of success in all sales situations

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Steps in Creating the customer benefit plan : Step 1 : Create FABs for product discussion Step 2 : Create FABs for marketing plan discussion Step 3 : Create FABs for business proposition Step 4 : Develop suggested purchase on the basis of first 3 steps

Points to watch out while making a sales call:  

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Did I identify myself at once - and clearly? Did I talk to the person I wanted to contact? Did I have a specific goal in mind and a plan on how to achieve it before I called the number? Did I give information clearly, ask relevant questions and listen to the answers? Did I achieve my goal? Did I put over a good, positive, personal image?

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Decide in advance : 

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Do I have the script /draft/brochure needed to make this call? A list of standard FAQs and related answers? How long the call should be? How long for Q&A? Is my writing pad/paper/pen ready to capture notes/questions from the customer? What materials should I send the prospect in advance and what should I focus on in my call?

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One of the biggest problems new salespeople face is fear of making the initial contact with prospects

Kinds of Sales Call Reluctance • Social or self-image threat

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Intrusion sensitivity Analysis paralysis Group fright Social class or celebrity intimidation Role ambivalence Exploitation guilt

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SCA (sales call anxiety) can be attributed the fear of being negatively evaluated and rejected by customers SCA has 4 components 1. negative evaluation of the self 2. imagined negative evaluations from customers 3. one’s physiological symptoms 4. protective actions

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Many of the barriers to making sales calls can be overcome through the following efforts ◦ Listen carefully to the excuses other salespeople use ◦ Learn to objectively analyze your own excuses ◦ Use supportive role-playing and discussions with sales colleagues to overcome fear ◦ Make some initial prospect contacts with a partner for support

◦ Review sales calls with sales colleagues to constructively critique performance ◦ Write sales objectives prior to making a sales call ◦ Rehearse sales calls with sales colleagues to reinforce positive behaviors ◦ Observe and model the behavior of successful salespeople

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Finally Plan very well to overcome all your Sales Call Reluctance Plan multi-dimensionally :  For a Year  For a quarter  For a month  For a week  For a day  For next 4 hrs.

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Plan, Plan again and Keep Planning until you succeed …

Thank You !

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