Pre-call Planning

Marketing

Pre-call Planning
by Tim Connor



Traditional sales training, for many years, stressed the importance of pre-call planning. Its focus was on planning the message (features and benefits) you planned to deliver during your presentation. Unfortunately, this strategy assumes that every prospect is interested in the same features, in solving the same problems in the same way. It is a technique that sends a subtle message that Mr./Ms buyer will all be interested for all the same reasons. People buy for their reasons, not those of the rep or organization. A planned presentation, although easier and seemingly more effective overall, does not have the needs, interests, concerns, desires, challenges and problems of each individual prospect. I know what you may be thinking, but my organization has decided that certain features are the most important ones and need to be stressed. Wrong. The ones that need to be covered and understood are the ones that are important to the prospect, not the company.

I do believe in pre-planning, but not the information you are going to give, rather the information you need to get. Every presentation should be unique and different. It should be driven by the prospect's issues, not yours.

I recommend you plan the questions you are going to ask, the order in which you are going to ask them, and the overall strategy of the presentation. I do not recommend a canned, memorized approach. Although this strategy is used by most salespeople today (even the ones who don't know they are doing it), it is the least effective way to communicate to prospects that you feel their needs, challenges, problems, interests or desires are unique. They feel that you "say this to everyone".

A "customer based" presentation must come from accurate information. Some of this information can be gained prior to the meeting. Some from databases, competitive research, general information sources such as customers, employees, other vendors and so on. Once you know what you need and want to know, it is time to decide what you still don't know – their Dominant Emotional Buying Motive (that's hot button for those of you stuck in the 50s and 60s). Your sales pre-planning is limited to strategy, information gathering, backup and/or support materials, anticipating needs, problems, challenges based on your other experience and mental or attitude management.


-----------------
Tim Connor, CSP, is a professional speaker and expert in the fields of management, sales, team building, and customer service. He's the author of 19 books and can be reached at 704-895-1230, speaker@bellsouth.net or www.timconnor.com.