Measure your pre-call effectiveness

TOP LINE TIPS

Quiz - Measure Your Pre-Call Planning Sales Effectiveness

Consistent and thorough pre-call planning is proven to increase your sales call effectiveness by 20% or more. Call effectiveness translates into more contracts. So why don’t sellers commit to the practice? There are countless professional models for essential procedures before action – think sports (the quarterback always follows a plan), pilots, surgeons, product development – the list goes on and on.

The below test will help you determine your sales call effectiveness measured by your commitment to pre-call planning. Note that pre-call planning can be ‘Sized’ to fit the importance of the prospect meeting. You may be able to accomplish the below items in 15 min. using your phone for notes, in 30 min. outlining key points on a sheet of paper with your sales manager, coach or teammate or an hour plus with the full account team formally prepping for an executive meeting.

Instructions:

Complete this Assessment by answering each of the questions with an answer of Yes, Maybe or No. Give yourself one point for each ‘Yes’ response.

Yes: You can confidently answer ‘Yes’ to this item. You demonstrate this skill or approach on a regular basis (i.e. habit). You are an expert.

Maybe: You would give this item a tentative ‘Maybe’. You exhibit this characteristic from time to time but it’s not part of your regular or committed approach.

No: Your answer is ‘No’. You do not have a comfort level or expertise associated with this approach.

Sales Call Effectiveness Assessment

1. Do you start your pre-call planning with a clear understanding of what sales process stage you’re in as well as the unique characteristics of that stage?

2. Is the meeting planning based on what the prospect is doing, thinking and feeling during this stage of their buying process?

3. Do you conduct research resulting in insights and relevant background intel prior to prospect meetings?

4. Do you check social media and current news for recent updates on the company or meeting attendees?

5. Do you assess meeting attendees, their role, disposition relative to your company and political influence as part of your meeting preparation?

6. Do you carefully consider and include resources who might add value to your prospect meeting?

7. Can you put yourself in your prospect’s shoes and articulate their goals for the meeting?

8. Do you have clear and measurable goals for the conversation?

9. Do you adjust your meeting goals to meet your prospect’s meeting goals?

10. Are next steps considered in advance of the interaction – both’ best’ next steps and ‘second best’ next steps?

11. As appropriate to the sales stage, do you develop or review your Win Themes™ prior to the exchange?

12. Does each sales meeting include a list of stage related questions that you would like to ask?

13. Do you anticipate what might go wrong during the meeting and develop plans to avoid, resolve or mitigate?

14. Do you have a successful prospect meeting checklist that you follow?

15. Do you have an agenda, including topics, purpose, discussion leader, time allocations for every formal prospect meeting?

16. Does your agenda reflect all your pre-call planning work?

17. Do you share your agenda with your prospect in advance to gain input?

18. For critical meetings such as demos or presentations, do you gather the account team for pre-call planning?

19. Do you have a reliable method to take notes and action items and are these summarized at the end of the meeting?

20. Do you consider ways to make the prospect meeting memorable, engaging and even fun?

21. Do you follow up with the prospect within 48-hours to keep momentum and visibility high?

22. Do you have a formal post meeting assessment process, noting what worked well and changes for next time?

The TOP Line Account™ Sales Success Model

Common close ratio: 25%

Add consistent pre-call planning: +20%

Add account strategy work: +20 - 30%

NEW CLOSE RATIO: 65 - 75%

How to Secure an Executive Sponsor

Get the book, The TOP Seller Advantage: Powerful Strategies to Build Long-Term Executive Relationships. It includes proven strategies to ensure sellers develop long lasting executive access.

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About Lisa Magnuson:

Lisa Magnuson is an expert in corporate strategic sales and TOP Line Account™ revenue building. As a respected sales consultant and author, Lisa works with clients to build successful strategic sales programs that drive revenue from large new accounts and enable growth from existing high value customers. Learn more at www.toplinesales.com .

Lisa D. Magnuson

Chief Corporate Sales Strategist

Lisa@toplinesales.com

Top Line Tips by:

Lisa Magnuson