Research Before You Ever Call
Before your first sales call, know the common problems in the prospect's industry, anything that has appeared in the press about the company and the style of their website. Find out who their suppliers are and consider calling them for insight too.
Track Where You Are in the Process
Ask yourself honestly where this prospect currently sits in the sales process. If they are still in the discovery phase and you jump ahead to talking numbers your chances of success drop sharply.
Meet New People With Every Call
Set a goal to meet one or two new people inside the decision group with each successive call. If you keep being blocked from meeting key people that often a sign the company is not seriously considering you yet.
Final Thoughts
Pre-call planning fills the gaps in your knowledge and keeps momentum going through what is often a long sales cycle. Set a clear objective for every single call and not just the final one. Before your next big prospect meeting, write down exactly what you want to learn and who you want to meet.
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