You're getting ready to go see a suspect who actually invited you in to see them.
You had a short conversation as you were prospecting one day.
Your manager says to you, "So what's your agenda?" You say, "Hell.
I don't know.
I was just going to go talk to him.
" Your manager says, "Come on, Bill.
You gotta do better than that.
What are you going to talk about?" And the game begins.
He urges you to have 10 things to talk about.
You know in your gut that there is something about showing up the right way and asking good questions.
So how do you create an agenda? Or, better, "how do you prepare for a sales call?" Here are some tips: 1.
Get Your Mind Right.
You knew that would be my first didn't you? It's always our first since we're convinced most of our minds are not right when we go to the market.
We're needy.
We're thinking about our pains and problems and quotas.
We're thinking about our product.
So get your mind wrapped around your "intent" which is to help them discover and solve a problem.
Get it wrapped around how to express your value (below).
2.
Get Your Upfront Part Right Have a place you can begin the call-"Mr.
Prospect, I'm not really sure I can be of help, but here's what I thought we could do today.
" Think "process" not "product.
" 3.
Get Your Value Expression Right Given the business he's in and the position he holds in the company, how will you express your value? This is soooooo important.
If you're speaking with a CEO, then he might never hear about the functions of your product.
He might hear about how it helps other CEO's solve CEO problems.
And if you haven't done that inventory yet, don't make another call until you do.
4.
Get Your Questions Right Make a list of no more than 10 questions that will help you understand his business landscape and any problems he might have that warrant a solution-such as yours.
5.
Get Your Notetaking Right Go prepared to take notes.
Be a sponge for his information.
Ask permission and then write like hell.