There is an old saying with a lot of truth in

it

"Failing to plan is planning to fail"

 Why Plan a Sales Call?
Importance of Planning Sales Calls
Different Steps in planning a Sales Call
How to handle Sales Call Anxiety and
Reluctance ?
1. Improving Effectiveness and Efficiency
2. Preparing for Customer Reaction
3. Enhancing Self-Confidence and
professionalism
4. Determining Which Selling Strategies to
Use
5. Avoiding Errors
Sales call planning increases in importance
when:
The customer's decision is a complex,
high-involvement, high risk decision
Future interactions and negotiations with
the customer are expected
The customer's needs are unique
A range of alternatives is available to the
customer
The sale is very critical to the salesperson
Determine Develop Develop
Make the
Sales Call Customer Customer
Sales Call
Objective Profile Benefits
 Have a Pre-Call objective one or more
Focus and Flexibility
Focus your efforts on your objective when
you are with the customer
Be flexible to switch to another objective if
needed
Move customer conversation towards your
objective
Make sure your objective is SMART
 Create a profile for each customer before the
call collect the following information :-
 Ask Questions To Know Your Customer

The more questions you ask, the greater are

your chances of success

The more problems you uncover the greater

are the chances of success in all sales
situations
 Steps in Creating the customer benefit plan :

Step 1 : Create FABs for product discussion

Step 2 : Create FABs for marketing plan
discussion
Step 3 : Create FABs for business proposition
Step 4 : Develop suggested purchase on the
basis of first 3 steps
Points to watch out while making a sales call:

Did I identify myself at once - and clearly?

Did I talk to the person I wanted to contact?
Did I have a specific goal in mind and a plan on how to
achieve it before I called the number?
Did I give information clearly, ask relevant questions and
listen to the answers?
Did I achieve my goal?
Did I put over a good, positive, personal image?

5-
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Decide in advance :

Do I have the script /draft/brochure needed to

make this call?
A list of standard FAQs and related answers?
How long the call should be? How long for Q&A?
Is my writing pad/paper/pen ready to capture
notes/questions from the customer?
What materials should I send the prospect in
advance and what should I focus on in my call?

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 One of the biggest problems new salespeople
face is fear of making the initial contact with
prospects

Kinds of Sales Call Reluctance

Social or self-image threat
Intrusion sensitivity
Analysis paralysis
Group fright
Social class or celebrity intimidation
Role ambivalence
Exploitation guilt
 SCA (sales call anxiety) can be attributed
the fear of being negatively evaluated and
rejected by customers

SCA has 4 components

1. negative evaluation of the self
2. imagined negative evaluations from
customers
3. ones physiological symptoms
4. protective actions
 Many of the barriers to making sales calls
can be overcome through the following
efforts

Listen carefully to the excuses other

salespeople use
Learn to objectively analyze your own excuses
Use supportive role-playing and discussions
with sales colleagues to overcome fear
Make some initial prospect contacts with a
partner for support
 Review sales calls with sales colleagues
to constructively critique performance
Write sales objectives prior to making a
sales call
Rehearse sales calls with sales
colleagues to reinforce positive
behaviors
Observe and model the behavior of
successful salespeople
 Finally Plan very well to overcome all your
Sales Call Reluctance
Plan multi-dimensionally :
For a Year
For a quarter
For a month
For a week
For a day
For next 4 hrs.
P Prepare
L Learn
A Acknowledge
N Need

Plan, Plan again and Keep Planning until you

succeed
Thank You !

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