In this week’s Sales Leader, I explore the importance of being aware and prepared for sales calls.
Review Online Resources
Recently, one of my clients in the manufacturing industry had to spend some time preparing for a sales call in a virtual environment. This was a result of not being able to visit the site and walk the factory floor—like he normally would—due to these difficult times. Thus, he checked the customer’s website and reviewed their blogs. He noticed they created a number of video blogs about their capabilities. In particular, they created videos about their factory floor, equipment, and processing.
Close Business Virtually Faster
By watching those videos, he was able to increase his awareness in regards to the customer’s equipment, personnel, and process. He was also able to effectively prepare the right questions to ask, the right materials to bring, and encourage the customer to have the right personnel ready for the online meeting. This resulted in him closing the business virtually faster than ever before. In fact, the purchase order came in about half the time it would normally take.
More importantly, that was all indeed a result of his thorough online preparation, enabling him to be acutely aware of everything the company was doing so he could have the right people in place, the right questions to ask, and the right materials to share.
[…] In particular, the technique he utilized caused him to win a piece of business that was five times the average of his normal sales. And he accomplished that by simply utilizing LinkedIn. He started following one of the prospects as well as a number of the key decision makers and influencers in that company. He also started watching the videos they were posting about their organization. He then sent emails to those various decision makers and influencers he connected with in LinkedIn, mentioning he had been watching their videos and had ideas to help in the areas the videos highlighted. He was immediately asked for a meeting. […]
How did he safety check the facility?
Yes, a virtual tour of his manufacturing unit actually lead to his customers’ believe in his products.
You know the adage ‘Seeing is Believing’, has in fact boosted the confidence level of his customers’that products they are buying are of good quality.
This type of engagement with customers will lead to cost savings and higher revenues for obviy reasons…you know.
Safety checks are either done virtually, or by the client. In some cases, if you can be on site, they are done wearing PPE
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