Evan Carmichael Top Header about About About facebook Twitter YouTube Google+

Experience is not a substitute for the pre-call plan



Free PDF Download
“The future is here. It’s just not evenly distributed yet.” - By Todd Youngblood

Name: Email:


Scheduling and getting a face-to-face call with a decision maker is a non-trivial exercise. Well executed calls on decision makers are the stuff of which sales "living legends" are made. Poorly executed sales calls (i.e., those that accomplish nothing and therefore waste a decision maker's time) are the main source of "former sales reps" now embarked on a new - less challenging/rewarding - career.

Those three facts, along with plain old common sense demand that we plan out every call beforehand. Here's one format that's simple and gets the job done:

Personally, I have the above outline saved in a Word document named "aashell.doc" in a folder called "CallPlans." Every time I plan a call, I pull it up, rename it something like "JoeCustomer0704.doc" and then type out and save my plan.

Also, as always, no best practice is worth beans without a metric or two to measure its and our own effectiveness. Classify your calls. For example:

What % of your calls fall in each category? Is the trend what you'd like it to be?

One last thought; question really... How much planning time is appropriate for each type of call? A doughnut drop might not require any. (So tell me again why you're making that call in the first place?) A routine call might deserve a 1 to 1 ratio. That is, allocate one hour of planning time for a one-hour routine call. A critical call is probably at least 4 to 1. Four hours of planning for a one-hour call.

Yeah, I know. You already knew all of the above. But do you practice what you preach regarding pre-call planning?


Related Articles

  Living with Integrity
  Correlation between self discipline and productivity
  WHAT MAKES A MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT GREAT? Part II of III
  Choose Your View
  Things To Remember in Web Development
  “How To Be More Media Savvy and Less Media Ignorant. Tips From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”
  How To You Can Run Your Online Home Business Like A Real Business
  Building a Lean Healthcare Value Stream
  The Power of the Word
  Tips on Cost-Cutting for Your Non-profit
  Are Cell Phone Insurance Plans Worth It?
  The Best is the Enemy of the Good
  Success in a Box...OR Stuck in a Box?? The POWER of a Coach for Business Success
  Your Unfiled Delinquent Tax Return Checklist: Stop the IRS Now and Avoid Steep Interest and Penalties from Accumulating
  Can’t Afford Customer Relationship Management Program Try Auto Responder to Increase Sales
  Creating Quality Content For SEO
  The Elevator Intro
  Using the Business Plan
  Exercise in Freedom
  Do You Need Experience to Own a Franchise?

Home > Sales > Todd Youngblood > Experience is not a substitute for the precall plan >

Free PDF Download
“The future is here. It’s just not evenly distributed yet.” - By Todd Youngblood

Name: Email:

About the Author: Todd Youngblood

RSS for Todd's articles - Visit Todd's website
Todd Youngblood is passionate about sales productivity. His 30+ year career in Executive Management, Sales, Marketing and Consulting has focused on selling more, better, cheaper and faster. He began his career in 1976 as a Marketing Representative with the IBM Corporation and for fifteen years progressed through a wide variety of field and staff assignments. He then founded and operated an Information Technology Outsourcing firm providing Software Development and Maintenance Services. In 1994, he joined an electronic commerce firm serving the insurance and healthcare industries, as Vice President of Sales & Marketing. He established The YPS Group, Inc. in 1999 based on his years of experience in Sales Process Engineering � that is, combining creativity and discipline in the design, implementation and use of work processes for highly effective sales teams. Todd has worked extensively with firms in the Distribution, Manufacturing, Insurance, Services, and Telecommunications industries. He is the author of two sales management books, The Dolphin And The Cow and Think About It� He is married, has two daughters, enjoys cycling, is a second degree black belt in Choi Kwang Do and serves on the board of the Cobb Symphony Orchestra.
Click here to visit Todd's website.
Dashed Line

More from Todd Youngblood
The future is here Its just not evenly distributed yet
The Rodney Dangerfield of Sales aka Mr Low Price
Think and act like business manager
Did Google screw up big time or did they just transform B2B Social Media into a MUSTDONOW
Create Chaos Change Controversy or at least chase after them

Related Forum Posts

thanks thanks
Re: Is A Business Plan A Waste Of Time? Re: Is A Business Plan A Waste Of Time?
Re: Quote of the Day - "Being an entrepreneur is going to be mor Re: Quote of the Day - "Being an entrepreneur is going to be mor
Re: Are you going to use Facebook Timeline? Re: Are you going to use Facebook Timeline?
Re: Is A Business Plan A Waste Of Time? Re: Is A Business Plan A Waste Of Time?

Share this article. Fund someone's dream.

Share this post and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.
Share for a Cause
Featured Expert



Worksheets
By: Evan Carmichael

Do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur?

8 Powerful Steps to Finding Your Passion

Does your pitch suck?

Create a plan of attach to launch your new business.

8-Cover

Like this page? PLEASE +1 it! Evan Signature
Bottom Footer



Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!
Name:
Email:
Popular Articles

Become a Customer-Focused Leader

PR: Take It In Your Own Hands Or Hand It Over?

Thrilling Thursday - Life After Demotion

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.