Perfecting sales meetings – part 1

Getting the opportunity to be in front of a qualified lead is what salespeople work tirelessly towards. And yet, I still find that salespeople do not pay enough attention to the quality of these calls. Many approach sales calls overconfidently and then wonder why the call didn’t go as they wanted or they didn’t achieve the results they were expecting. Why is my prospect not engaging with me? So, even before we even think about the sales process or selling techniques… here are 3 things that you can do to ensure you have the ears of the prospect!

1. Prepare with a call/visit plan – How many times have you heard a sales person say they are going to “wing it” and they will let the meeting play out? I would say that 8 out of 10 sales calls I have coached have been without completed plans, the excuse… “I don’t need one”. Not researching and setting objectives may very well disengage the interest of the prospect.

2. Stop rabbiting on about your products/services – Humans are pretty self-centred. For this reason, stop talking about how great your product or company is. They don’t really care. They want to know how these things will help them. Focus on their business and emotional motivations and objectives and then relate the appropriate products and services as solutions to any issues you may uncover. This approach should keep their attention.

3. Stop making the call one-sided – Some sales people just talk to much… make sure you give the opportunity for the prospect to talk most of the time or they will lose interest very soon! Ask lots of good questions, find out their wants/needs and start an engaging conversation!

If you need any help with your sales skills, please contact me, I would be happy to support you.