Skip to Content
section-header
Influencers Invited Sales Blog

How To Be a Sales Call Rock Star!

Sales calls can be daunting. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by prospecting calls you understand. Many sales reps are untrained and unprepared to engage in the selling process. Sales calls should be rewarding. Your closing ratio will improve with practice. Once one learns the components of a sales call then performance can be measured and improved.

What do Sales Call Rock Star do differently than average sales people?

  1. Top Producers uncover needs before they talk about their offer. Don’t make the mistake of using a pause to start ‘selling’. If you have not identified a need it’s not time to sell. What’s important to the customer? Ask questions to identify problems before trying to satisfy needs. This approach saves time. Discussions with prospects provide insight into how to present your offer in a way that appeals to their desire to solve a problem.Years ago I read a story by Zig Zigler. He described a top life insurance salesman and it made a lasting impression. When this producer sat down to cold call prospects his only goal was to set appointments. Over and over he said to anyone who picked up the phone,

    “You don’t want to buy any insurance today, do you?”

    This approach sounded appallingly clumsy, even offensive to me. The beauty of this approach was in how this man skipped all the worthless small talk. Each day several people would say, “Wait a minute, as a matter of fact, I do need insurance!”

    Every appointment this man scheduled was with someone who was in the market to purchase. He arrived at appointments knowing his prospects were open to buy. His insurance product knowledge and sales expertise were utilized at the right time. Can you imagine your closing ratio if every appointment you make is with someone who has already told you they may buy?

    This sales pro made millions. The same method works in Executive Recruiting. When I have a high value candidate I know clients would love to hire, I present facts. “My name is K S, I’m an Executive Recruiter who specializes in the xxxxxx industry. I’ve surfaced a candidate with 8 years experience in xxxxx. They have ‘this spectacular quality’ and work experience doing ‘xxxxx -(exactly what companies in that industry want)’. Can you use someone with this background?”

    Potential clients call me if they think I’ll solve their problem. When they do call, I know they have a need. I set aside any discussion about the candidate and start asking questions about their needs. About 20 minutes later I either tell them more about my candidate or tell them why the candidate is not a match for them. We discuss my fee, terms, and their hiring process. If we’re in agreement the search proceeds. If we’re not in agreement, I politely move on.

  2. Sales Call Rock Stars know the mechanics of a sales call. Do you? Become familiar with the components of the sales process and how to maneuver between them. Prepare and practice. Memorize questions. Manage the sales process with questions. When a question is asked, answer it, and follow up with a new question. That strategy enables you to guide the conversation. It puts you in the position of being a consultant.
  3. What makes working with you different from working with a competitor? Know your competition. Don’t mention competitors. Differentiate yourself by clearly defining how you’re unique.
  4. Believe in yourself and be yourself. People like doing business with people they like. Be authentic. Don’t flatter, pander, pretend, brag, or distort the truth. Act like a professional. If you believe in your offer your prospect will sense your conviction and enthusiasm. These small details will work in your favor.
  5. Track the number of people you talk with, not call attempts. Connecting with a desired target may take several attempts. Recruiters who have 4 – 5 conversation an hour, for 3 -4 hours a day, are performing well. Practice improves call quality. Recruiters who connect with 12 – 15 people a day generate the most placements and earn top dollar.
  6. If you fear cold calling, hate rejection, or delay cold calls because of insecurities, you’re in good company. Don’t allow internal struggles to spoil your success. Don’t let call resistance or anxiety derail your ambition. Reach your goals. Respect your feelings. You can erase negative emotions with Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT).

A sales call that identifies a customer’s need, pain, or problem has the highest probability of success. When you’re talking with someone who’s already primed to buy, it’s your sale to close. Success in sales is about consistency. Each success leads to another success. Be methodical. Sales Call Rock Stars are always in demand!

About the author