28 June 2007
How to Manage a Sales Call
There is no greater challenge than for the manager-mentor to keep his mouth shut — during a sales call.
Or may be anytime. Especially for Your Business Blogger.
Recently I worked with a client selling to a significant account. Before we entered the customer’s office, I reminded my client-sales guy of my role,
A) We would strategize before the sales interview.
B) Your Business Blogger would be (nearly) silent during. And,
C) We would critique after.
That silent part in the middle is always the hardest…
One of the first lessons in sales management I learned was in selling vacuum cleaners door-to-door in the early 70’s:
Only one person does the talking.
Any others with the sales representative should observe and assess customer response; the second or third person on the sales team does not add to the chatter.
About the only utterance the observer should say during the sales call is a request to capture the pearls of wisdom from the customer: request permission to take notes. Simply, “Can I write that down? Or, “Let me make a note of that…” In 30 years, no one has forbidden me down to write down their brilliant thoughts.
Before the sales call, my client-sales pro talked about what he wanted to walk out with — what would be success and what would be merely process, and what we could take to the bank.
We also talked about what “monkeys” might be in the mix — the next assignments, the next steps.
I would be careful in collecting the monkeys — all too often sales reps do far too much free consulting and give goodies to prospective clients. I recommend that the favors be lavished after the sale is consummated.
After the visit we reviewed in the car ride to the airport. In this example, we were calling on the president who was a current customer.
1) The customer was delighted with the service.
2) The president would purchase the service for other branches inside his division. And,
3) The customer would provide other referrals.
My client-salesman was also aware of the continued buying signals signifying happiness, as when the customer personally took us on an extensive plant tour.
The client did everything right. My only recommendation would have been to get names and numbers of the referrals.
Then I’d ask the president to call one of his friends and recommend us. To get the customer active in our referral base.
A most minor point for improvement. But I had to come up with something…or the client wouldn’t need me anymore.
Come to think of it, maybe he really doesn’t.
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