The 7 Things You Need to Know Before Going Into Any Sales Call with a Prospective Client

A solid plan goes a long way when it comes to sales calls. Know what it takes to prepare for a successful call with a prospect.

When you jump on a phone call with a prospect, you need to be 100% confident in your ability to sell. 

Luckily, we’re not talking about inherited confidence.

We’re talking about the confidence that comes with proper preparation. And it’s what can completely transform your selling process.

James discovered this during his time in the Momentum Program. He says that developing confidence and a sense of direction was the most impactful part of the program.

‘It gave me a fresh approach on how to tackle the next decade,’ he stated. And by this, he meant both his personal and business lives. He now has focus and clarity and knows exactly where he wants to take his business.

Would you like the same level of confidence?

You’ll be happy to know that confidence-building is much easier than it seems. And once you do, building a VITAL firm will become much more effortless.

In this article, we’ll focus on the confidence you need for making sales calls with prospects. We’ll show you how to approach every call with maximum chances of success. 

Here are some of the most impactful tips to consider:

Tip # 1. Understand the Goals of the Call

You can’t have a successful sales call if you don’t know what success even means. In other words, you must know exactly what you’re trying to accomplish before you start a conversation.

Not every sales call should close the deal on the spot. Maybe you’re negotiating a massive deal that requires more consideration, for example. Trying to force a sale in this scenario would almost definitely lead to failure.

You can’t have the same goal for every prospect. Understand your lead and what they are trying to accomplish, as well. Align your goals with theirs and the chances of a positive outcome will skyrocket.

Tip # 2. Know What You Need to Ask

Understanding your prospect is the foundation of a fruitful relationship. And you can’t do it if you keep talking.

What you must do instead is to ask the right questions and listen carefully to the answers. Your prospect expects you to know their needs first before you move onto how to meet them.

So, what are those “right” questions?

While they’ll depend on the context, some of the most common include:

• What’s the consequence of the problem that the prospect has?
• Why do they want to solve the problem right now?
• Why did they decide to call you over a competitor?
• How have they tried to solve the problem before?
• When do they need a solution?

Of course, these are only some of the most impactful questions, and there are many more to ask. 

The point is to dive deep into the prospect’s issue, confirm that you understand it, and then move onto the later stages of the call.

Tip # 3. Know What Stage of the Buyer’s Journey the Prospect Is In

As mentioned, not everyone who calls is ready to buy. In fact, you can expect many prospects to not be ready.

Someone might call you because they want to learn more about your firm. Maybe they’re on the edge because they’re comparing different options. Or they might actually be ready to buy, and they just need a few details.

Your sales call can vary greatly, depending on the stage of the buying process. 

That’s why you need to adapt everything about the call to the prospect’s position. And failing to do so might make a warm lead slip out of your fingers.

Timing is critical when it comes to selling. If the prospect still isn’t ready for a final decision, don’t force it out of them. Instead, meet their current needs and encourage a follow-up. Let the prospect assume some control over the process and the sale will unfold more naturally.

Tip # 4. Understand Their Previous Engagement with Your Firm

A sales call doesn’t happen out of the blue. It’s often the result of multiple touchpoints and lead nurturing. That’s why you need to know exactly what led to the call before you get on the phone.

If you don’t have a capable CRM platform, this is reason enough to get one. A good CRM software can tell you all you need to know about the steps that happened before the sales call.

Know what warmed up the prospect and made them reach out to you. 

Was it a particular blog post that piqued their interest? Or maybe you sent out an email that made the prospect call you? In this case, you’ll want to know what email that was so that you can identify the reason behind the call.

While your content offers value to your audience, it does the same for you. Leverage all the data that you can get from it to understand the objective of your sales call.

Tip # 5. Know How to Wow Them at the Start of the Call

The beginning of your sales call sets the tone for the rest of the call. It’s what can make or break everything that will happen afterwards.

For instance, you’re instantly killing the mood if you start a call by talking about bad weather. But if you make a joke or a comment about fun weekend plans, you’ll instantly brighten up the conversation.

Don’t underestimate the impact of these seemingly unimportant details. In a sales call, even the slightest changes can amount to a huge difference.

Always start a conversation on a positive note. You don’t need to do anything over the top or sweep the prospect off their feet instantly. But, you must kick off the call with a bright and joyful tone. Doing so will soften the prospect, making them more open to further discussion.

Tip # 6. See How a Big Smile Helps the Call Go Better

There’s a simple trick for lightening the mood right away, aside from what was already mentioned. 

All you have to do is smile.

Why?

Contrary to popular belief, selling isn’t all about persuasion. Doing this can even make the prospect raise their shields and close up.

What you want to do instead is be likeable. People enjoy talking to joyful people, so why would your sales call be any different?

How you say something can often matter more than what you’re saying. 

If you need proof, try saying the same thing with a serious face and with a smile. You’ll undoubtedly see a massive difference. And your prospect will, too.

Now, you don’t have to smile throughout the conversation. Do it before the call and right at the start to leave a positive impression. Maintain a light tone during the call and you’ll see how smoothly it will go.

Tip # 7. Always Focus on Communicating Value

Generally speaking, there are two kinds of benefits that prospects look for – objective and subjective.

Objective benefits are fact-based, and you’ll highlight them in the specifications of your offer. There’s no need to expand on them too much during the sales call.

You’ll need to focus instead on the subjective benefits and the value that a prospect will receive if they buy. It’s because subjective benefits are emotional, and so are all purchase decisions. 

Remember, your prospect is looking for a solution to a problem. They want to take out all the negative emotions associated with an issue and replace them with positive ones.

So before you get on the phone, imagine what your prospect wants to achieve. And then, paint them a picture of the positive experience of working with you. Focus on storytelling and make it as relatable and personal as you can. 

If you do it right, you won’t have to do much convincing to close the deal.

Always Come Prepared

When holding a sales call, the last thing you want to do is to go in blind. And with good preparation, you can make the whole process easier and simpler. You’ll avoid getting lost and handing the control over to the prospect.

Always remember that knowing your prospect is critical to closing the deal. Do your homework, see exactly what they need, and tailor your pitch accordingly.

If you follow the above tips, you should have no trouble checking all the necessary pre-call boxes. 

Most importantly, you’ll notice higher conversion rates for the call.