Plan for Your Call

Your goal is always to get the customer’s business—either with this call or some subsequent call. In addition, you should have already done enough reconnaissance work on your client and his or her situation to know several things:

• When is the best time to reach this customer?

• Who is the gatekeeper?

• What challenges does this customer have?

• What happened when you dealt with this customer previously?

• What products or services is this customer using?

• How well did past sales attempts go with this customer?

• Does your customer have special interests outside work? (This information should be in your prospect database.)

• How is this person involved in the decision-making process?

• Who might influence this customer?

• What personality type is this customer?

• How will knowing a customer’s personality type affect my call strategy?

Now, what about you? How prepared are you physically and mentally for this phone call? Before picking up the phone, do a quick personal checkup:

• Are you sitting up or standing in order to project the strongest phone manner?

• Do you have your customer information file up to date?

• Have you prepared your positive approach?

• Have you stopped and closed out any distractions before making the call?

• What is your energy level or mood at the moment?

Planning involves an active process: goals, expectations, attitude, and organization. All of these can be improved with a professional awareness and discipline in making your calls.