When preparing for a sales call, reps often confuse tactics ('walk through price') with the actual goal. A manager should coach them to articulate what they are trying to *accomplish* (e.g., 'align on value with the economic buyer'), not just what they plan to *do*. This separates productivity from busyness.
Related Insights
To truly resonate with an economic buyer, align your solution to the specific KPIs they are personally accountable for. These metrics often differ from those of your champion or general corporate objectives like revenue and cost savings, requiring tailored messaging.
Sales reps often approach calls with the sole mindset of booking a meeting, which creates pressure and feels unnatural. Shifting the primary objective to simply opening a conversation removes this pressure. This allows for a more authentic interaction, which ironically makes it easier to secure the desired meeting.
Effective call planning goes beyond setting a goal; it involves scenario planning for failure. A powerful question for managers to ask reps is, "If this call were to go sideways, what would be the most likely way that it does?" This forces reps to anticipate and prepare for common objections or derailments.
Many sales calls follow a rigid framework of questions without a clear goal. This leads to confusing customer responses ("demand hairball") and a premature, ineffective product demo. The focus is on pushing supply instead of truly understanding the customer's blocked demand.
Frame your sales stages around the decisions you need from a prospect (a 'get'), not the tasks you must complete (a 'do'). For example, the goal isn't 'do a demo,' it's 'get agreement that you're the vendor of choice.' This encourages creativity and efficiency, preventing unnecessary activities.
Frame the sales process as a series of small commitments. The objective of a prospecting call is to book the first meeting. The entire objective of that first meeting is then to earn the right to have a second meeting. This simplifies the goal and focuses on building momentum.
Adopt the mindset that the meeting's purpose is for you to determine if the prospect qualifies to be your customer, not for you to convince them to buy. This posture shifts control, positions you as the prize, and forces the prospect to prove they are a serious potential partner.
A successful sales call is not about pitching; it's about asking two simple questions: "Why did you take this call?" and "What do you hope to get out of it?" The entire conversation should be structured around the customer's answers, rendering any pre-planned agenda secondary and potentially counterproductive.
Managers often enforce sales tactics rigidly without understanding the underlying principles. To be a true coach, a leader must grasp the 'why' behind every tactic (e.g., 'no demos on the first call'). This enables them to teach reps not just the rule, but also the context for when it's smart to deviate.
Shift the first meeting's goal from gathering information ("discovery") to providing tangible value ("consultation"). Prospects agree to meetings when they expect to learn something useful for their role or company, just as patients expect insights from a doctor.
