Checklist for Planning Customer/Prospect Calls

You could just pick up the phone and call your prospect or client for any reason, or….you could plan for success.

1. Set Your Objective

What are you trying to do in this call?  Sell a new product?  Answer a question?  Make an appointment?  Qualify a prospect?  Set your goal.  You have to have a target before you can hit it.  Don’t expect that you’ll sell many products by phone.  Far better to use the phone to qualify prospects to arrange a meeting, or to obtain information for a customized proposal.

2. Plan Your Introduction

Your first impression is your best, so make sure it counts.  Steps to a successful introduction include:

Ø      Your name

Ø      Your company’s name

Ø      Personalize your introduction to the customer.  Be positive and friendly, but react according to your customer’s style.  If he or she wants to chat a little at first, follow that lead.

Ø      Make sure you’re talking to the decision-maker.  Does this person have the authority to purchase your product or service?

Ø      Express a willingness to help, if the situation calls for it.  Example: Your customer may need help with a problem.  By offering to help, you position yourself as a team player.

Ø      Develop an interest-creating remark.  This remark ought to answer the question: Why should I listen to you?  Example: “I’m calling to discuss last year.” Or “I’m calling to discuss the article about you in last week’s Boston Globe.”

3. Manage Screeners

When you call a business, you’ll probably run into a receptionist or secretary before reaching the person you want.  They may be hesitant about letting you talk to the person in charge.  Remember, they handle hundreds of business representatives every day.  Here are several hints that can help you deal with a screening assistant or secretary:

Ø      Ask for their help.  You’re offering a potential benefit to this company.  Ask him to help you identify the person you need to talk to.  Besides, it’s very difficult for him to say no when someone is asking for their help.  Example: “Could you help me?  I’m new to this account, and I’m not sure who is in charge of purchasing maintenance supplies.  Who would that be?”

Ø      Be direct.  You have many customers, and wasting their time is as bad as wasting yours.  No one is fooled when you try to be cute by not indicating why you are calling.

Ø      Use third-party references.  A familiar name gives credibility to a stranger.

Ø      Follow up on letters you send in advance.  Sometimes a person will pay attention to a piece of mail and be much more receptive to a follow-up call.  A letter can break the ice and also help you get past the screeners.  “I’m calling to follow up on a letter I sent Mr. Jones last week.”

Ø      If you’re returning a call, say so.

Ø      Call after office hours.  If the screener is particularly difficult to deal with, call before or after normal hours or during lunch when the odds are greater that the decision-maker will answer her own phone.

4. Develop Probing Questions

If you’re working without a script, you may find yourself stymied after a minute or two of conversation.  Many people get defensive on the telephone, and without the right questions, you may have to end the conversation prematurely.  Ask lots of questions—people like talking about themselves, and interesting questions are a great way to keep a conversation going.

5. Distinguish Benefits from Features

All too often, a salesperson pays more attention to the features than the benefits.  However, the customer buys because of the benefits.

Every benefit ultimately does one of three things for your customer.

Ø      It increases sales.

Ø      It decreases costs.

Ø      It increases profits.

- Thanks to Jay Levinson & Seth Godin