CyberSelling: Using CRM Technology to Help You Sell
Excerpted with permission from "CyberSelling: Using CRM Technology to Help You Sell," by Russ Lombardo, Copyright 2006, PEAK Sales Consulting, LLC. For more information about this book, please visit www.CyberSellingBook.com.
Chapter 7: Initial Contact
Research from the Cold Call
In order to be prepared for your initial contact or meeting, you
can't "wing it." Even the most experienced sales professionals
do not rely solely on their instincts during a sales call. The
research I discussed earlier will help you prepare a solid
foundation for the visit with your prospect.
A good way to impress your prospect, and to gain his respect, is
to show him that you are prepared and have knowledge about
his business and industry. During your initial cold call, you
could have asked the prospect to tell you more about his
business. But first make sure he knows that you are aware of the
basics since you already should have done some preliminary
research, as I discussed in the previous chapter.
Prior to the actual appointment, however, you will want to do
more extensive research to learn as much as you can about the
business you are visiting. If you read some of their press
releases, you can make statements during the appointment such
as, "I understand that your company is expanding into
telecommunications. Can you tell me more about that?" This
will show your prospect that you've researched his company
and are truly interested in him. What a great way to build trust
and respect.
Using the information you already researched, you can ask a
variety of intelligent questions to learn more about his business,
and ultimately his problems and needs. One thing you can't
easily get a handle on, however, is his level of satisfaction, or
dissatisfaction, with his current systems, products, purchasing
procedures, vendors, or other procedural issues.
Hence, you can ask questions such as, "What sort of problems
are you currently experiencing with your existing suppliers (or
products/services)?" Or, "Can you tell me what you like and
dislike about your existing system?" These questions will open
up the door for an informative discussion about your prospect's
current needs and requirements, which you can then use to find
the right solution for him; as long as you listen carefully to what
he says (Listening skills are discussed later).
One of the suggestions I mentioned earlier about research and
being prepared was to know whom you are speaking with. This
goes beyond just knowing their name and title in the
organization. It means using that information you researched to
formulate your questions and delivery of information. For
instance, a lower-level, or first-line, manager will be interested
in more details such as installation options. Middle managers
will want to know about cost-effectiveness, while the CEO will
be more interested in long-term goals, profits, and ROI.
Researching information prior to, and based on, your cold call
will help prepare you for your initial meetings with your
prospect.
Read the rest of this excerpt and download Chapter 7: Initial Contact
Read other excerpts and download more sample chapters from our CRM and call center bookshelf
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