1. Planning the Sales Call
CHAPTER 8
Planning the Sales Call
Some questions answered in this chapter are:
Why should salespeople plan their sales calls?
What precall information is needed about the individual prospect and the prospect’s organization?
How can this information be obtained?
What is involved in setting call objectives?
Should more than one objective be set for each call?
How can appointments be made effectively and efficiently?
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2. The buyer’s time is valuable The seller’s time is valuable
Why Plan the Sales Call?
The buyer’s time is valuable
The seller’s time is valuable
Planning must fit into the salesperson’s goal for the account
Some accounts have greater strategic importance and require more planning
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3. Obtaining Precall Information
The more information the salesperson has about the prospect, the higher the probability of meeting the prospect’s needs and developing a long-term relationship.
There are costs involved in collecting information.
Can reduce embarrassing situations.
Don’t assume that your knowledge of the account is automatically up-to-date.
Information gathering is not usually quick and easy.
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4. A Flow Diagram of the Planning Process
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5. The Prospect/Customer as an Individual
Personal
Name (including pronunciation)
Family status
Education
Aspirations
Interests and disinterests
Social style
Attitudes
Toward salespeople
Toward your company
Toward your product
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6. The Prospect/Customer as an Individual (continued)
Relationships
Formal reporting relationships
Important reference groups and group norms
Bonds that the prospect has already formed with other salespeople
Evaluation of product/services
Product attributes that are important
Product evaluation process
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7. The Prospect’s/Customer’s Organization
Demographics
Type of organization
Size, number of locations
Products and services offered
Financial position and its future
Overall culture of the organization
Prospect’s customers
Types
Benefits they seek from the prospect’s products and services
Prospect’s competitors
Who they are
How they differ in their business approaches
Prospect’s strategic position in the industry
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8. The Prospect’s/Customer’s Organization (continued)
Historical buying patterns
Amount purchased in the product category
Sole supplier or multiple suppliers – why?
Reason for buying from present suppliers
Level of satisfaction with suppliers
Reasons for any current dissatisfaction with suppliers or products
Current buying situation
Type of buying process
Strengths and weaknesses of potential competitors
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9. The Prospect’s/Customer’s Organization (continued)
People involved in the purchase decision
How they fit into the formal and informal organizational structure
Their roles in this decision
Who is most influential
Any influential adversaries
Current problems the organization faces
Stage in the buying cycle
Policies and procedures
About salespeople
About sales visits
About purchasing and contracts
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10. Sources of Information
Resources within your company
Sales portals
Selling center
The Internet
Prospect company’s own Web page
Personalized Web pages
Hoovers, JustSell.com, etc.
Secretaries and receptionists
Noncompeting salespeople
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11. Sources of Information (continued)
Traditional secondary sources
The prospect
Other sources
Trade show
Lists and directories
Center of influence
Outside consultant
U.S. government’s export portal
U.S. Commercial Service market research library
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12. Setting Call Objectives
Review what has been learned from precall information gathering
Understand what relationship the firm wished to have with the prospect
Call objectives should be developed while taking into account:
The firm’s goals
The sales team’s goals
The salesperson’s goals
If you don’t know where you’re going, you may wind up somewhere else
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13. Criteria for Effective Objectives
All objectives should be:
Specific
Realistic
Measurable
Set objectives that require a buyer’s response
SMART
Achievable
Time-based
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14. Setting More than One Call Objective
Minimum call objective
The minimum a salesperson hopes to achieve.
Primary call objective
The actual goal the salesperson hopes to achieve.
Optimistic call objective
The most optimistic outcome the salesperson thinks could occur.
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Secondary call objectives
Remaining objectives after the primary objective.
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15. Setting Objectives for Several Calls
Keep good records
Make necessary adjustments in long-term call objectives
Prepare for the next sales call
A good primary objective for a first session is to have another chance to visit
Consider whom to call on in upcoming meetings
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16. Buyers are Setting Goals Also
Based on perceptions of how the salesperson’s product or service can add value
What buyers look for to increase value:
On-time delivery
To-spec quality of products
Competitive pricing
Proper packaging/paperwork
Technical support service
Quality of sales calls
Level of technological innovation
Good emergency response
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17. Making an Appointment The right person The right time The right place
Focus of receptivity
Focus of dissatisfaction
Focus of power
The right time
The right place
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18. Making an Appointment (continued)
Cultivating relationships with subordinates
Work “through the screen”
Go “over the screen”
Go “under the screen”
Bypass the screen
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19. Telephoning for Appointments
Most often used to make the initial appointment
The goal is to make the appointment, not sell the product or service
Salespeople need to anticipate objections and decide exactly how to respond
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20. Plan how to make a good impression
Additional Planning
Plan how to make a good impression
Plan how to further uncover the customer’s needs and strengthen the presentation
Plan to answer anticipated questions and concerns
Practice
Seeding
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21. Planning of sales calls is critical.
Summary
Planning of sales calls is critical.
Salespeople need to gather as much information about the prospect as possible before the first call.
A call objective should be:
Specific
Realistic
Measurable
Salespeople should make appointments before calling on customers.
A number of methods can be used to make appointments.
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