Having Good Sales Calls

When you have a good meeting with a prospect, how do you feel? If your prospect was friendly, complimentary, open, and answered all of your questions, would you say that your chances of closing this opportunity are strong?

A strong opportunity will nearly always include a prospect whose behavior resembles my description above. However, that behavior alone does not mean the opportunity is strong. It's the same as when you say a beautiful summer day has, as one of its components, a bright blue sky; but a bright blue sky does not mean it is a beautiful summer day.

So how can you tell whether your friendly prospect and the good conversation you just had will lead to a sale? This is when it is best to be formally debriefed by an exceptional sales manager, one who can maintain objectivity. If your sales manager asks, "how did it go?" you'll be tempted to say, "oh, it went great!" Then your sales manager probably says, "awesome" and walks away.

Here's how the dialog might sound if you have an exceptional sales manager:

SM: "How did the call end?" a

You: "Um, I was at second base."

SM: "OK, and what were the compelling reasons for them to buy?"

You: "The prospect loved me, was very open and answered all of my questions!"

SM: "But what about the compelling reasons?"

You: "I don't know if there are any compelling reasons."

SM: "What about SOB Quality?"

You: "The prospect was very open with me"

SM: "Did you have SOB Quality?"

You: No".

SM: "George, you're only half way to first base. Without compelling reasons and SOB Quality, all you have is some information and a new friend. You'll have to call your prospect and ask something along the lines of, 'Mary, I was thinking about our meeting today and I appreciate that you shared your plans for expansion, and the equipment you'd like to get. But all the way back to the office I was just so curious.

Why are you expanding?
Why were you thinking of this particular equipment?
What's wrong with the equipment you have in the existing building?
When you told ABC Company that you weren't happy with the equipment they provided for the existing building, and they offered to fix the problem in your expansion, what did you tell them?
Did the malfunctioning equipment cause you any more than frustration - Did any of your customers get upset?
Did you lose any of those customers?
How much did that cost?'

And finally George, I want you to ask her this question:

'Mary, you've experienced a tremendous amount of frustration, lost two big customers and you're sitting here with a $2 million problem. What if the equipment you want to install in your expansion doesn't solve the problem?'

Dave, she'll probably ask what you mean and then I want you to say:

'Mary, could it be that because you still want to install a vipperbacker in your backfrontbottom, even with a change of manufacturer, you'll still have the malfunction?'

Dave, then you'll have your SOB Quality and your compelling reasons and then, and not until then, will you be on second base. Go make that call!

You: "Thanks Bob."

So remember, that friendly, open prospect is one component of a strong opportunity but that alone does not make it a strong opportunity. You must have compelling reasons and SOB Quality too.



Having Good Sales Calls - To learn more about this author, visit Dave Kurlan's Website.

Like this article? Share it with your friends

E-Mail | Print | More

Related Articles
UK Sales Coaching For Sales Managers - A 60 second tool
	A fantastic 60 second uk sales coaching tool for sales managers and sales people. This will increase your sales force effectiveness and make you a better sales coach.
Your Customers Can Help You Make More Sales
	A surprising source of information!
Cold Calling Tips
	When you must cold call to get to a prospect - be prepared.
Sales Prospecting is the most important skill©
	All Sales skills are important. The most important is the one we do the poorest. For most of us in sales, that is Prospecting. here is an easy way to change that.
Field Sales Prospecting, just do it!©
	Far too many field salespeople miss a great opportunity to both grow their business and reduce stress. Driving past a Prospect while in the field is a real tragedy. Field Prospecting simply requires a little pract...

---

Related Forum Posts
	Online Sales and Marketing vs Traditional
	Re: Online Sales and Marketing vs Traditional
	Practical Sales Advice
	Who hates cold calling?
	Andrew's Abundance Mindset
	Eliminating rejection in Cold Calls
	Sales & Marketing Resources
	Dan Kennedy's take on Cold Calls

---

Related Businesses - Evan Elite Authors

Dave Kurlan Dave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website

Leanne Hoagland-Smith Are your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales success or one of the many who have failed to change? So what are you doing to change those results? Let’s be honest, with companies moving globally and at lightening speeds, the traditional business solutions are outdated and dead. My approach moves your business out of its comfort zone and secures your competitive advantage now. If you are seeking to increase sales, build customer loyalty, create a culture of great attitudes or just achieve some sleep filled nights, then we should talk because my clients have experienced exactly those types of results. Learn more about customer loyalty at http://www.processspecialist.com/customer-loyalty.htm Give me a call at 219.759.5601 for a free strategy session. P.S. If you are seeking a motivational speaker, sales trainer or small business expert that will leave your audience smiling and remembering, please feel free to contact me at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website

Dr. John Oda John Oda Ph.D NLP is a business peak performance expert, an author, and speaker frequently called upon to provide corporate training, workshops and seminars for many companies in the United States. He is an expert in coaching sales and business professionals in overcoming the behaviors and obstacles that may impede their sales results and affect their bottom line. Since 1995, John has created a speaking bureau such topics, which include: time management, sales training, human diversity, leadership programs and etc. He provides companies with a strategic plan to increase their bottom line by over 25 percent yearly. - Visit Dr. John Oda's Website

George Ludwig George Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website

Anne Barr Anne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website

The Evan Elite Authors program is currently in beta phase. For details please contact us.