Pre-Call Planning

The following are a few tips to conduct pre-call planning successfully:

Research your prospect and their Industry

It is vital to understand your prospect fully in aspects such as their industry, competition, their financial situation, and more. By having an understanding of these factors, you will be better prepared to outline the value your product/service can offer them.

Know who you are calling

Before a call, you should try to gather as much information about who you’re going to call. Especially their name and their position within their organization. Knowing who you’re speaking to will allow you to tailor your conversation to your point of contact, and facilitate a more personalised conversation. 

Websites such as Linkedin may be used to gather information such as their company name, their position, how long they’ve been in the industry, and more.

Clearly outline firm goals

Identifying what you want to achieve at the end of the call will help provide you with more direction through the interaction. A closed deal may not always be the end goal of every call. Sometimes calls could be made to learn more information about a point of contact or to better understand circumstances/companies. Knowing what you want out of the call helps set the tone for it. 

Prepare a list of important questions to ask

Being prepared to ask the right questions will ensure that you obtain the information you require to make informed suggestions. It is important to let prospects know what your product/service can do for them in specific and why they must choose it. Though creating a list of questions is recommended, it is also important to ensure that the call does not sound scripted, so if the situation calls for it, it is okay to deviate from the list.