Pre-sales call research is crucial. Gathering information about potential customers, their company, and their needs helps sales professionals tailor messaging and anticipate customer objections.
3 Best Practices for Pre-Sales Call Research:
- Gather as much relevant information about prospects as possible before making a sales call.
- Research decision-makers within the business as well as other stakeholders and their roles.
- Use research to anticipate objections and prepare counter arguments and potential solutions.
What Is Pre-Sales Call Research?
Pre-sales call research is the process of finding out relevant information about a customer before meeting with them so you can keep the call on track, anticipate questions and concerns, and move the deal to the next stage of the process.
If you’ve ever conducted a sales call, you know how anxiety-inducing it can be. Pre-sales call research helps alleviate nerves and leads to better outcomes by helping sellers understand customer needs, market conditions, competitors, and overall position.
Conducting pre-call research helps sales professionals qualify prospects, adjust their positioning to fit the customer’s situation, develop probing questions based on a customer’s needs, and address any pain points that might arise during the sales conversation.
3 Types of Pre-Sales Call Research
The last thing you want to do is stumble through an awkward phone call that ends without next steps. Planning ahead by researching your potential customers is a great way to ensure you’ll keep control of the call and move the deal to the next stage in the sales process.
Pre-sales call research typically involves investigating the customer’s industry and company history and identifying key decision-makers and roles within the company. Here are three types of information you should track down before a sales call.
1. Investigate the Company
One of the essential parts of pre-sales calls research is investigating the customer’s company. Look into its history, mission, values, and overall business model. Make an effort to understand the company’s goals, objectives, and current challenges.
It’s also a good idea to research the company’s financials. This will give you an idea of your customer’s overall financial health and how your product or service might benefit them.
2. Research Decision-Makers
When conducting pre-sales call research, look up as many members of the buying committee as possible online. Try to identify who the decision-makers are and potential stakeholders in other departments. This will help you anticipate their needs and build rapport.
You want to identify the level of decision-making authority and objectives. An executive will typically be interested in high-level strategies and the big-picture impact of your product or service. In contrast, a lower-level role might be more interested in specific features and capabilities.
3. Identify Pain Points
Identifying your prospect’s pain points is one of the most helpful things you can do. With your customer’s specific pain points in mind, you can effectively tailor your presentation, demonstrate your value proposition, and show how your product or service can solve your customer’s problems.
What Makes Pre-Call Planning Important?
Pre-call planning is important because it allows each seller to determine what they want to get out of a customer conversation based on what they have learned during pre-call research. Here are three benefits of conducting pre-sales call research and planning.
1. Increase Confidence
Conducting pre-sales call research can significantly improve a sales professional’s confidence. When sales professionals come prepared with relevant information and a tailored sales presentation, they’re more likely to feel in control of the sales call.
2. Improve Customer Relationships
Prepared sales professionals are better able to foster meaningful relationships with customers than those who haven’t done pre-call planning. By learning about customers and their particular needs before a call, sellers show they’re taking the customer’s problems and pain points seriously.
3. Anticipate Objections
Conducting pre-sales call research also prepares the seller for potential objections, stalls, and roadblocks. A sales professional who has researched a specific company might learn what this customer’s pain points are. This helps them come up with counter arguments and potential solutions to overcome objections.
6 Steps for Effective Pre-Call Sales Planning
Effective sales calls allow sales professionals to identify and qualify potential customers. Sales calls also help sellers build relationships with potential customers. If you’re new to sales or need to brush up on specific skills, follow these steps to create an effective pre-call plan.
1. Research Potential Customers
The first step for a successful sales call is to research your prospect. Look up information about your customer’s size and history, industry, stakeholders, market, and competition. This will help you understand your customer’s specific needs and gain a deeper understanding of their unique challenges.
2. Identify Your Call’s Objective
You must have a solid grasp of the “who” and the “why” of the sales call you’re about to make. Before contacting your potential customer, define your goal to help you stay on track. Consider where you are in the sales process and set the outcome you want to achieve.
3. Prepare Relevant Materials
Make a list of everything you need to stay organized during the call. Create or gather helpful materials such as brochures, case studies, or product demonstrations. Have relevant PDFs open if you’re on Zoom or Microsoft Teams. You will make a poor impression on the customer if you’re fumbling for loose papers or scrambling to open documents while presenting.
4. Write a Cheat Sheet
Prepare a sales call script or cheat sheet for your call. Most people get nervous during phone calls, so it’s not uncommon to forget or “blank out on” the main points you want to make during your presentation. Include key points you want to make, any questions you might have for the customer, and common objections you anticipate from the customer.
5. Set a Goal
Setting a solid goal for your sales call is an excellent way to ensure you stay on track. Clearly define the primary purpose and have a good idea of what you want to achieve by the end of the conversation.
6. Practice, Practice, Practice
To avoid hemming, hawing, and stumbling over your words during your call, it’s a good idea to practice beforehand with a mock sales call. Rehearse with your sales coach or AI for sales coaching solution to get feedback on your approach.
How to Research a Company to Improve Sales
Pre-sales call research is essential to the sales process. Conducting research allows sales professionals to understand the company and the person they’ll be speaking with. When you know the company, identify decision-makers, and prepare relevant materials, you increase the likelihood that your call will be successful.
See how a consistent sales process can help your sales professionals be more effective. Learn more about IMPACT Selling® training from The Brooks Group.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do during a sales call?
Follow a structured approach to communicate the benefits and features of your product or service. Establish a connection with the person you’re speaking with and present your company’s offering as a solution for their pain points. Address customer objections and remember to follow up after the call.
What are the critical elements of a successful sales call?
Before making a call, prepare by conducting pre-sales call research on the customer. During the call, practice active listening and build rapport with the customer to gain their trust. Listen to their problems and pain points and be straightforward about how your company’s product or service can help them. If the opportunity presents itself, ask for a sale at the end of the call. If not, schedule a follow-up call so you and your customer can continue the conversation.
