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by Kimberly Schenk
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.
“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.
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!
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