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Planning the Sales Call

Why should salespeople plan their sales calls?

What precall information is needed about the individualprospect and the prospects 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 andefficiently?

Some questions answered in this chapter are:

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CHAPTER 8

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I finally accepted that a good plandoesnt stay constant but instead is

constantly changing to reflect

current conditions.~Rachel Fisher

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The buyers time is valuable

The sellers time is valuable

Planning must fit into thesalespersons goal for the account

Some accounts have greater strategic

importance and require more planning

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Why Plan the Sales Call?

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Obtaining Precall Information

The more information the salespersonhas about the prospect, the higher the

probability of meeting the prospects

needs and developing a long-term

relationship. There are costs involved in collecting

information.

Can reduce embarrassing situations.

Dont assume that your knowledge ofthe account is automatically up-to-date.

Information gathering is not usually

quick and easy.

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A Flow Diagram of the Planning Process

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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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The Prospect/Customer as an Individual

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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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The Prospect/Customer as an Individual

(continued)

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Demographics Type of organization

Size, number of locations

Products and services offered

Financial position and its future

Overall culture of the organization Prospects customers

Types

Benefits they seek from the prospects products andservices

Prospects competitors Who they are

How they differ in their business approaches

Prospects strategic position in the industry

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The Prospects/Customers Organization

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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 withsuppliers or products

Current buying situation Type of buying process

Strengths and weaknesses of potentialcompetitors

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The Prospects/Customers Organization

(continued)

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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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The Prospects/Customers Organization

(continued)

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Resources within your company Sales portals

Selling center

The Internet Prospect companys own Web page

Personalized Web pages

Hoovers, JustSell.com, etc. Secretaries and receptionists

Noncompeting salespeople

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Sources of Information

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Traditional secondary sources

The prospect

Other sources

Trade show

Lists and directories

Center of influence

Outside consultant

U.S. governments export portal

U.S. Commercial Service market research

library

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Sources of Information (continued)

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Review what has been learned from precallinformation gathering

Understand what relationship the firmwished to have with the prospect

Call objectives should be developed whiletaking into account: The firms goals

The sales teams goals The salespersons goals

If you dont know where youre going, youmay wind up somewhere else

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Setting Call Objectives

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All objectives should be: Specific

Realistic

Measurable

Set objectives that require a buyersresponse

SMART Specific

Measurable Achievable

Realistic

Time-based

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Criteria for Effective Objectives

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Setting More than One Call Objective

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Secondary call

objectivesRemainingobjectives afterthe primaryobjective.

Minimum callobjective

The minimum asalesperson

hopes toachieve.

Primary callobjective

The actual goalthe salespersonhopes toachieve.

Optimistic callobjective

The mostoptimisticoutcome thesalespersonthinks couldoccur.

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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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Setting Objectives for Several Calls

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Based on perceptions of how thesalespersons product or service can addvalue

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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Buyers are Setting Goals Also

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Making an Appointment

The right person

Focus of receptivity

Focus of

dissatisfaction

Focus of power

The right time The right place

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Making an Appointment (continued)

Cultivating

relationships with

subordinates

Work through thescreen

Go over the screen

Go under the screen

Bypass the screen

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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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Telephoning for Appointments

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Plan how to make a good impression

Plan how to further uncover the

customers needs and strengthen the

presentation

Plan to answer anticipated questions

and concerns

Practice

Seeding

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Additional Planning

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Planning of sales calls is critical. Salespeople need to gather as much

information about the prospect as possiblebefore the first call.

A call objective should be: Specific

Realistic

Measurable

Salespeople should make appointmentsbefore calling on customers.

A number of methods can be used to makeappointments.

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Summary