How do you prepare for sales calls and meetings?

Take a company's activity and figure out what challenges they might be facing regarding the areas of the business you solve. Show up with a "value hypothesis" on what challenges you think they might be facing and how your company can help. You can spend your first call collaborating on what you got correct and what needs improvement versus a 20-question discovery call. This is more of two individuals collaborating to solve a problem instead of buyer vs. seller.

Knowing my clients are SaaS (and not any other vertical) is helpful. Still in early stages of my business so finding more determinants like if they’re startups, recent expansions, or hiring, etc will come with time. Typically Directors and above are going to move the needle for me. Managers and below can provide insights. Having been in SaaS, attending webinars, and seeing online conversations— I know 2 current pain points I can solve for. Once they’re on the discovery call, I bring either or both pain points into the context of their business. Whether they’re hiring, have trial options, small team, etc. Ex: Typically new reps take 3 months to ramp. What do you have in place to make sure reps get there at 100% in that time or less?

Before sales meetings and calls, I research the prospect, understand their pain points, and tailor my pitch accordingly. I rehearse responses to potential questions, ensure I'm familiar with our product/service, and set clear objectives for the meeting. Additionally, I review any previous interactions and gather relevant materials for a smooth and effective conversation.

Ultimately I need to learn all about what my customer requires. This involves having a good understanding of their work environment, the resources they have in place and where they need to be in terms of maximizing their operations.

Conocer su industria, que tamaño tiene, si es parte de un holding. Conocer su historia laboral, Previo a la reunión • Cargo actual (su poder de decisión en la organización), anterior (para conocer su historia, logros, manejo gerencial) • Antigüedad Laboral, tener perspectiva de su experiencia (no es lo mismo 10 años en 4 empresa que 10 años en 1 empresa. el que se ha movido tiene más mundo, conoce más, tiene más cultura laboral. • Estudios (Pre-grado y post grados y especializaciones), si es técnico o profesional, o post grado. • Foco es alguien nuevo en el cargo porque tiene que mostrarse y en eso lo ayudamos. • Buscar referencias.

Still early stages of my business. In 1-2 years, my calls will be more definitive to disqualify folks quicker. But still learning disqualifiers. Today, the call’s objective is usually to help them solve one outbound problem with a template / framework regardless if they work with me or not. This helps them for sure! Helps me measure outcomes I can produce. And it helps me know more service offers I can provide long term!

I will go through the notes to refer back to previous conversations with my customer. Aside from scheduled follow up calls, I will confirm what the next step in the sales cycle will be and make sure the timing is right. I will need to know how to prioritize the points I need to cover and provide whatever information and or quotes my client requires.

Planning a well-structured agenda for your sales call or meeting is like laying the groundwork for a successful interaction. It not only demonstrates your professionalism but also respects your prospect's time. A clear and concise agenda, comprising a concise introduction, key topics, and a compelling call to action, sets the stage for a focused discussion. It ensures you cover essential points, allocate time judiciously, and leave room for questions and feedback. This organized approach not only helps guide the conversation but also maintains its relevance, steering clear of tangents.

Hmm, I’ve had 45 min scheduled calls that had a hard stop 15 mins in and we still covered good ground with plenty excitement left for the next call. I typically say something along the lines of “I’ve achieved +80% quota for 5+ Saas products. Found my most consistent success outside of SaaS. Most companies are fine with x% reply rates. I shoot for higher than that and have gotten 10% to 14% meetings booked. We could talk about how to get that or the number you want for your X or y. But what do you want to cover in today’s call?” That helps it be more conversational and tailored. While still reaffirming why they should trust me 🙂

I read notes from the previous calls and emails with my customer then have a call plan in mind based on next steps. I try to anticipate what the client requires next and be mindful of their time with my follow ups. A brief introduction with new contacts within an organization then cover main topics and alocate time for a Q & A.

I have been on MS Teams or Zoom calls where one or more participants has had technical issues. I make sure to test that my computer is detecting the mic and camera, the sound level at my end is not too high so as to feedback into the mic. Everything has to go seamlessly in a presentation. Aside from having all the materials you need to convey your product and services, you have to follow the pace of the customer and be prepared to answer questions on the fly. This has worked for me in the past by just having all the materials I need in anticipation of the customers concerns.

Hmm, as an early stage service business, I have templates ready. And me and the client can work thru that to make it tailored if push comes to shove. But usually it’s us crafting a solution together in a blank Notion doc or on a doc where I have a few convo starter templates based on what we said we’d cover. Again those templates can be tailored on the call. Co•building makes the call very dynamic and constructive criticism is so natural to the process!

I have contacted customers that rejected quotes I sent them in the past. Timing is always very important in sales. Organizations experience a benefit and loss when their competition can or can't deliver. This means the competition is there to take up the slack. When providing a quote, I make sure the customer sees the features and benefits that pertain to their requirements. How does that compare with other quotes they have and is there any additional added value being offered. Through feedback I can determine a different course of action if needed so finding alternative options for a client is sometimes warranted.

Affirm & Reframe is my go to objection handling framework. And if I can’t effectively overcome it on a discovery call. I’m more likely to say “thanks for bringing that up. Let me get back to you on that.” My calls usually have a follow up resource that prospects can use immediately so it’s not hard to follow up with an objection handler within a few hours or days when I’m “adding value” in their inbox so soon.

Yes, I like to say I “look forward to chatting about” the 1 or 2 objectives we outlined. Or to helping their team “get more qualified meetings” if I’m not too clear on our objective. Also like to add they’ll walk away with a tailored template their team can immediately use regardless if we move forward 🙂

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