Five Ways to Prepare for a Sales Call

Guest Post by Nicole Bates | Founder, Conversion Management

Not everyone enjoys performing phone sales campaigns, it can be a daunting exercise for those who are not confident in sales. However, for small to medium events businesses, it is a critical reality that sales calls need to be performed each week. Here are our top five ways to prepare for a sales call so that you can be cool, calm and confident in your approach.

Research the company

You need to know everything about the business, their brand and their events schedule before you pick up the phone. Know what their business does and understand their brand values by researching their website and social media channels. If possible, find out what style of events they have held in the past and which suppliers they regularly use. Ask yourself if your brand is aligned with theirs – this can be a good ‘foot in the door’ approach when you go to call them.

Research the client

In the digital age, finding the right person to speak to about events is pretty straight forward. Gone are the days where you have to make multiple calls to find out who the event organiser in an organisation is.

Websites and social media platforms such as Linked In can provide you with the information you need such as the event organisers name and contact details, how long have they been in the role and where were previously. Finding out if there are any common interests i.e. charities / networking groups you share will be a good ice breaker when you perform your sales call. Boost your confidence by knowing as much as you possibly can about your prospect.

Set your objectives

Before you make a sales call, know the reason for your call. It could be as direct as arranging a site inspection of your new venue or to invite the client to your upcoming showcase or famil.

Develop a script

Have some clear sentences written down, focusing on your objective.

If the objective is to arrange a site inspection of your venue, develop the script to focus on your product features for example; ‘our new event venue has both indoor and outdoor space. The indoor area is ideal for large meetings and the outdoor space provides the perfect break out space for your guests to get some fresh air and relax on your tea breaks’.

Timing

Timing can play a huge part in how receptive your client is when you call them.

Plan your phone sales for first thing in the morning, before your prospective client has too many distractions. Generally speaking, Monday mornings and Friday afternoons can represent times that client won’t be as receptive to your sales call.

Summary

Speaking to a qualified client with a key objective and a well thought out script at the right time, should lead to a high level of conversion. Sales calls are all about planning and research so make sure you allocate time each week to prepare before you hit the phones!

Guest post by Nicole Bates | Founder, Conversion Management

Nicole Bates​ is Australia’s leading expert in sales and management for the meetings and events industry. Driven by a passion to help make events businesses the best they can be, Nicole founded Conversion Management. Nicole works with her clients to grab hold of their potential, to convert prospects into clients, and to help venues and suppliers transform into profitable powerhouses.