<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=1649193785390737&amp;ev=PageView&amp;noscript=1">

    The Little Bird Marketing Blog Notes From the Nest


    5 min read

    5 Must-Dos 10 Minutes Before Making that Sales Call

    GUEST BLOG BY BRETT BAKER | TRUSTPOINT MANAGEMENT

    It's 10 minutes before your next sales call. If it's a phone call, most people are rushing around trying to squeak out as much "other work" (read: procrastination) before getting it over with. If the meeting is in person, most are sitting bored and inactive in the waiting room. 

    On the other side is the prospect - most likely a professional who wants to be efficient with their time and is hoping you are not going to bore them to tears. Sound familiar? 

    In marketing strategy meetings, CEOs, VPs and small business owners alike ask me for advice as they coach their sales teams. In all things sales, I refer to my tried and true business coach, Brett Baker for real advice. He takes the cliches out of sales and delivers strategies for success. With his guidance, I've learned these 5 critical "must-dos" 10 minutes before important sales calls: 


    1. Do Your Research 

    I am always surprised by how many sales people miss reviewing even the basics of relevant customer data before walking into an appointment or picking up the phone. Most websites provide an amazing amount of information that would enlighten the conversation. Being prepared with a probing question is really not possible without this proactive work. 

    TIP: Connect with them on LinkedIn ahead of time. 

    2. Establish an "Up Front Agreement"

    This can be as simple as reviewing the purpose of the meeting, the length, their agenda and your agenda. This creates a truly equitable understanding that the meeting is for all parties and focuses everyone on the desired outcomes. Keep in mind, the outcome may simply be to determine if you should ever talk again or not. The client may decide your product/services are not right for them, but you also have the right to decide if this is the right client for your company. 

    TIP: If you don't have the guts to imagine yourself turning down a client, then I highly suggest you stop and call Brett Baker now. 

    3. Get in Touch with Your Fears and Concerns 

    Sales people frequently are all too happy to fit into the "be positive at all times" mold. Unfortunately, this keeps many from addressing concerns about the relationship BEFORE they come up. Showing you are in touch with legitimate concerns will clear the smoke and give everyone a freedom to acknowledge that there are indeed potential pitfalls.

    It may even sound like, "I know we just met, but my concern is that you are going to only want to tell me what I want to hear. If you get to a point in this conversation where you feel we are not a good fit, will you be able to tell me that candidly?" This kind of honesty and permission is so appreciated and builds rapport immediately, which leads to concrete trust. 

    4. Know What You Need to Know

    Show up for the meeting with 5 concrete questions about your prospect, their company, their goals, their stresses and their decision making process. This preparation really helps when the prospect is not talkative just as much as when the prospect is overly talkative. With this information in hand, you'll leave the meeting with what you need to understand about their current situation and determine if you can help.

    Most importantly, find out WHY they took your appointment and what they were hoping you could do for them. When in doubt, don't gloss over details. Get curious and dig into what you need to know in order to discover, and help the prospect discover, if your products or services are actually the right fit for their goals. 

    5. Decide How to End the Meeting (and make it clear)

    Sales meetings can be incredibly short or long, but they all should end with a clear idea of the next action steps for both parties. Too many times the vague, "We'll get back to you," or "I'll let you digest this and get back to you soon," are the end of the meeting. Sadly, they typically become the end of the sales cycle as well. Don't waste your time without a very clear next step which means something to both you and the prospect. 

    While many of these concepts take longer to master, they can serve as a quick checklist right before a call. Completing these 5 tasks can be the difference between being seen as "just another sales person" and a "trusted advisor."

     

    The Ideal Client Persona TemplateThe Ideal Client Persona Template

    If you're ready to take the guesswork out of marketing, well-defined buyer personas are the answer. 

    Want to get clear about your most ideal client? We created this template to help. 

    GET THE GUIDE

     

     


    co-authors: Brett Baker and Priscilla McKinney

    This post was co-written with Brett Baker, CEO of Trustpoint Management, a Sandler Training Company. Brett is just about Priscilla's favorite person and she credits most of her success to his superpowers of wisdom, patience and authenticity. He is the source of her often repeated mantra of "CTOBT" (Couldn't the opposite be true?). Listen in on their last recorded session here!

    BLOG AUTHORED BY

    Priscilla McKinney

    Priscilla McKinney, CEO of Little Bird Marketing, is a popular keynote speaker, prolific blogger, podcast host, industry innovator and diversity champion. Her two podcasts are Ponderings from the Perch and Digital Transformation Success. Best known for making waves in the digital marketing industry, Priscilla has been featured on numerous podcasts, is the President of American Advertising Federation Heartland and has received numerous design, entrepreneurship and industry awards. Along with her expert team, she developed the SOAR System – a proprietary process designed to create sustainable lead generation for busy leaders so they can have confidence in the growth of their company without losing focus on their other responsibilities. Priscilla personifies creativity, entrepreneurship and authentic leadership – inspiring others to truly carve out their own path of success in her uniquely funny, no-nonsense and slightly irreverent way. Oh, and don’t give her caffeine. She doesn’t need it.

    You may also like:

    Lead Generation

    How do you Develop an Effective Content Distribution Strategy?

    Creating standout content is no small feat. It's a significant battle involving time, resources, and relentless creativi...

    Lead Generation

    A Peek at Insights Marketing Day 2023

    Stephanie Douglass is the Chief Revenue Officer at Little Bird Marketing. As one of the “peeps” she was gracious enough ...

    Lead Generation Brand Strategy

    Unseen is Unsold: Building An Effective Google Ads Strategy

    Appearing at the top of Google search results is crucial for businesses to reach their target audience and drive success...

    Subscribe to Our Blog