Example Sales Process—First Phone Contact

Goal of this step: To set a face-to-face meeting with potential clients to explain how the benefits of our product will satisfy and even exceed their needs.

- Make a good first impression.

- Make a list of key points to cover before dialing.

- Smile before you dial. Get yourself in the mood for a positive conversation.

- Use your best introduction. This is something that you should work on continually, to determine what works and what doesn’t. (“Hello, Mr. Strauss, this is Jim Little from BBB Computer Services. I was referred to you by Jerry Jellinek, who told me how much he enjoys working with you.” [Pause briefly to allow client to respond]. “Jerry also said that you may have need of a specialty computer services provider. May I take a few minutes to talk with you?”

- Show interest and excitement.

- Be interested and upbeat.

- Use a positive tone of voice.

- The client can’t see your beatific face, only listen to your voice—use it wisely.

- Determine client needs and goals

- Listen, listen, listen.

- Use your list of questions and write the client’s answers.

- Use the client’s tone and emphasis to explore areas you didn’t anticipate.

- Summarize the client’s words to reaffirm that you got the point.

- Don’t sell, don’t brag, don’t tell the client about you (not yet!).

- Don’t interrupt.

- Ask leading questions to determine the client’s needs and goals.

- Ask them specifically what their goals are for the project.

- Ask them specifically what should or shouldn’t be done during the project.

- Identify the Selection Criteria.

- Ask the client how he will select his provider.

- Ask enough questions, without interjecting your own opinion, to clarify the emphasis that the client may place on multiple criteria (for example, the primary consideration is previous experience, the secondary consideration is approach, and price is third).

- Ask for a meeting.

- Affirm your enthusiasm for the client’s project.

- Indicate that the client’s needs are right in line with your skills and experience.

- Tell the client that you’d like to make a visit in order to demonstrate the benefits you can provide by working on his project.

- Suggest two dates when you could make the visit and suggest the amount of time you’d like for the visit.

- Be sure to get the client’s permission for your presentation (for example, if you plan to use a projector, be sure that the client has the appropriate room available).

- Get affirmation of the meeting time, place, and duration before moving to the next step.

- Identify the Selection Committee (if possible).

- Ask the client if he/she will solely decide who will be selected for this project or if other folks will have input on the decision.

- If the client is the sole decision-maker, indicate that “I know that this decision is an important one, and you have a great deal to consider in your decision. When I visit with you next week, I’ll indicate clearly to you how we can meet your goals and needs.”

- If the client is not the sole decision-maker, ask if it is possible that the other decision-makers and/or influencers will be present. Ask the client to give you the names and positions of these folks, and to also explain their relationship to the client.

- Thank the client for generously taking the time to talk with you. Reaffirm the meeting date and time and indicate your enthusiasm for meeting with the client.

- Send any material to the client that you may have promised.

- Keep the list of meeting attendees handy and read it periodically before the meeting. When you go to the meeting, you’ll need to know the people and their relationships to each other. As described in the next step, at the meeting, you should learn their names (match the face to the name) within the first five to 10 minutes so that you can call each person by name. Remember, to most people, no sound is as sweet as their own name.