Pre-Call Planning

What is a pre-call plan?

A pre-call plan is a set of activities and strategies that sales professionals undertake before making a sales call to a potential customer. The purpose of a pre-call plan is to prepare for the call and maximize the chances of success. It involves gathering information about the potential customer and the opportunity, identifying the objectives of the call, and developing a strategy for engaging the customer and delivering a compelling message.

Pre-call planning activities

A typical pre-call plan includes the following activities:

1. Research the customer: Gather information about the potential customer, including their industry, size, location, and specific needs and challenges.
2. Identify the decision-maker: Determine who the decision-maker is and their role in the buying process.
3. Review the opportunity: Evaluate the potential for the solution to meet the customer’s needs and create value.
4. Set call objectives: Clearly define the objectives of the call and what you hope to accomplish. What do you hope to achieve when you’re done with the call?
5. Prepare a value proposition: Develop a compelling message that clearly explains the solution’s value and how it addresses the customer’s needs.
6. Plan the call: Identify critical questions to ask, potential objections to anticipate, and strategies for overcoming objections.

By undertaking pre-call planning, sales professionals can prepare for the call and maximize the chances of success. It helps them focus on the critical objectives of the call, understand the customer’s needs and challenges, and develop a strategy for delivering a compelling message and creating value.

Why pre-call planning is important

The benefits of pre-call planning efforts are numerous and can help you increase your chances of success in your sales calls. Some of the key benefits include:

1. Better understanding of the customer: Pre-call planning helps sales professionals gather information about the potential customer, including their industry, size, location, and specific needs and challenges. This helps sales professionals understand the customer better and tailor their message to meet their needs.(Learn How to Prepare for a successful meeting)
2. Improved preparation: Pre-call planning helps sales professionals prepare for the call by identifying the key objectives of the call, developing a compelling value proposition, and planning the call itself. This helps ensure that the call is productive and that the sales professional can effectively engage the customer and deliver a compelling message.
3. Increased confidence: By preparing thoroughly for the call, sales professionals can increase their confidence in their ability to engage the customer and deliver a compelling message. This can help them to be more effective in their interactions with the customer and increase their chances of success.
4. Better time management: Pre-call planning helps sales professionals prioritize their time and focus on the most important activities and objectives. This helps ensure that the call is productive and that the sales professional can maximize their time with the customer.
5. Higher close rates: By preparing thoroughly for the call, sales professionals are better equipped to identify opportunities and address the customer’s needs. This can help increase the chances of closing the sale and achieving the desired outcome.

In summary, pre-call planning is a critical component of the sales process and can help sales professionals increase their chances of success in their sales calls. By preparing thoroughly, sales professionals can better understand the customer, be more effective in their interactions with the customer, and increase the chances of closing the sale.

Documenting your pre-call plan

pre-call plan can be documented in a variety of ways, including:

1. Written plan: A written plan can be created using a word processing or note-taking tool, such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs. The written plan should include a summary of the customer’s business, the objectives of the call, the value proposition, and the plan for the call itself.
2. Sales enablement tool: Some sales enablement tools, such as salesforce.com, offer pre-call planning templates and checklists that can be used to document the plan.
3. Spreadsheet: A spreadsheet, such as Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets, can document the pre-call plan. The spreadsheet can include columns for the customer information, the objectives of the call, the value proposition, and the plan for the call.

Regardless of the method used to document the pre-call plan, it is vital to ensure that it is clear, concise, and easily accessible. The plan should be reviewed and updated as necessary to ensure that it remains relevant and accurate.

In addition, it is crucial to ensure that the pre-call plan is aligned with the overall sales strategy and that it supports you in achieving your goals. By documenting the pre-call plan and regularly reviewing and updating it, you can increase your chances of success in your sales calls and achieve better results.