Inside Sales Series

How to prepare for your 1st telephone conversation with a sales target

David MaloneTrainer| Speaker | Consultant

www.evolve.ie

You have just won a telephone meeting with a sales target.

This will be your first actual conversation with them and it’s

scheduled for 7 days from today.

Well done!

But what can you do in advance of the meeting to

better position you and your

company?

What’s that you say?

….. “Everything

is under control”

(1) You have researched the target company.(2) You have prepared your sales message.(3) You have researched their web site and know all their business challenges(4) You have created a list of relevant questions….After that it’s down to your natural charisma!

Right?

Wrong!

There are a few other preparation steps that

could help make the sales target more disposed

towards you before the call in 7 days.

The more credibility and trust you can establish in advance of the call – the more likely the sales target will open up to you about their business world and it’s challenges.

So what should you do?

Step 1Send them a Bio

Every inside sales professional should have two biographies that you send on to sales

targets as and when appropriate.

They are a bio for(a) Your organization

(b) You as the Inside Sales professional

“I don’t have a business bio – what should it look like and what should I

include in it?”

Your bio should be a one page(pdf) document and it should include …

Overview of your role and expertise

Your contact details inclusive of social media tools

Appropriate examples of existing clients

Professional qualifications

Appropriate references

* You may need to have a different bio for each sector that you deal with.

Your company bio should be similar• One page (pdf)• Company overview• Expertise• Commercial mission• Product suite• List of sample clients (pick ones from the same sector as the

prospect)• Qualifications, Standards and Awards• All contact details, social media presence, web presence … etc

Send the bio(s) to the sales target as an attachment when you accept the meeting

TIP

Step 2Invite them to connect with

you via LinkedIn

Most people wait until sales targets become customers

before they become LinkedIn

It’s a good idea to follow your sales targets on LinkedIn and twitter

in advance of ever speaking with them.

It’s also a good idea to try and become LinkedIn with the sales target in advance of that 1st telephone conversation.

When you become LinkedIn before the telephone call you both can …

Check out whose

recommended you

Look at any thought

leadership items

you/they might have

posted

See what we have in

common

Validate LinkedIn references

Look for my trusted contacts on your profile

Check work background

Cross reference your/their bio

Step 3

Ask mutual contacts to bring you up in conversation

You might have a contact that has a business relationship with

your sales target?

Depending on how well they know the sales target, you might ask them

to instigate a conversation with them (before the phone call) about – “what it’s like to do

business with you”

Brief your contact to

• Be open – tell the target you have asked them to do this

• Be balanced – give both the pros and cons of doing business with you

• Be specific – outline in detail why they do business with you

• Be candid - how they have found the experience

Remember, this step will only add value if the sales target knows your contact well and the

sales target values their judgment.

Step 4Send some appropriate testimonial

contact details in advance

Make it easy for the sales target to get feed back from your existing

customers – give them contact details in advance.

• The sales target can phone and ask questions of the customer as opposed to be given a testimonial in writing.

• The customer is from their sector

• The sales target selects the customer

• The customer is known to them.

Remember the testimonials will carry more weight if

All four steps are 100% within the control of the Inside Sales professional

All four steps will create trust and give the sales target more perceived control

All four steps will create impact

All four steps will create movement

Epilogue

* The next step is yours

For more resources visit www.evolve.ie

davemaloneinsidesalescoach