Three Ways To Improve Your Sales Calls
You've got a hot prospect. You need a face-to-face opportunity to sell your product and services. So you stop by, without an appointment, hoping to make it past the receptionist and catch the decision maker in a rare unscheduled moment. "I was in the vicinity, and thought I'd just stop by to say hello." Well, at least you tried.
Of course, there is a place for pleasantries and the social aspects of business, but let's not confuse those with a sales call. Many salespeople focus on their own comfort area, on social calls and lunch dates -- or the product pitch. And as a result, the sales process never gets off the ground. Before you try to meet with someone, you must ask yourself "What is the reason this person is meeting with me?"
At Miller Heiman we call it a Valid Business Reason. It gives the potential buyer a reason for spending time with you. Having a Valid Business Reason for every sales call, whether in person or on the phone, is the considerate way of doing business. It tells buyers, no matter how long you've known them, that you've given some thought to their current challenges and that you're looking for solutions that are "valid" to them.
Top sales performers understand the challenges of their customers 21% better than the competition. (Source: 2006 Miller Heiman Sales Performance Study)
What is a Valid Business Reason?
- It's Valid: It's all about the customer. Valid to customers means it's worth making time to hear about how you can help solve a problem that keeps them up at night.
